Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,430: Anakin Skywalker (Space Suit)

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Space Suit
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 91267
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW21
Includes: Lightsaber, Helmet, Rocket, Dummy Rocket, Jetpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99-$7.99
Availability: August 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: The Separatists have stolen a Jedi holocron containing the secret names of future Jedi. Anakin contrives a daring maneuver to board the Separatist frigate and retrieve the holocron. Skywalker, Ahsoka and a team of clone troopers drop through space on AT-TE walkers, land on the outside of the frigate and breach the ship! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: As of today, this is the best cartoon Anakin Skywalker money can buy. Not only does it have a logic-defying fishbowl on top of Anakin's normal outfit, but the articulation and amount of gear is pretty great. Anakin's costume here is nearly identical to that of the previous figure, but has been retooled and redecorated, improving it a great deal. This version is super articulated with 14 points, and has a thinner sculpt plus a pivoting waist joint. His outfit even has a place to plug in a lightsaber hilt, despite the figure not including one. The arms seem to be recycled from 2008, but other than that? New. New head, new torso, new arms, and the coloring better matches his on-screen animation model. (Note one black glove and one brown one.) It's not a perfect translation of the cartoon design-- the toy is a little bulkier, which looks better-- and it's the closest one you can get now.

The "space suit" is the epitome of lazy. Lucas animation put a fish bowl on their regular design and called it a day. Ahsoka got a new costume. Obi-Wan got a new costume. Anakin? Fish bowl. I love all three figures in their retro space gear, but Anakin's is special-- it has more in common with the more ridiculous Kenner (and Mattel) Batman figures of the 1990s and 2000s. The figure is also a little taller and more aggressive in his appearance, plus the thinner form generally looks better next to the other figures in the cartoon action figure line. If you only buy one Anakin Skywalker figure, this is the one. Do it.

Collector's Notes: The figure has been repackaged a few times, with varying accessories. The individually carded release (2009 and 2010 so far) has the most stuff, with the 2010 one including bonus game pieces-- get that one if you're going to open it. Look for the dark blue and cloudy packaging at retail. The 2010 Rise of Boba Fett gift set has this figure, minus the space gear. The same gear-less figure can also be found in the Holocron Heist Battle Pack.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,430: December 7, 2010