Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,779: Din Djarin (with The Child, The Vintage Collection)

DIN DJARIN (The Mandalorian)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F0880
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #177
Includes: The Child, an ice cream maker, Beskar ingot, Beskar ingot stack, alternate head, blaster pistol, rifle, cape, jetpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $17.68
Availability: January 2021
Appearances: The Mandalorian
Bio: The Mandalorian is a formidable bounty hunter protecting a mysterious alien pursued by bounty hunters on behalf of Imperial interests. (Stolen from Walmart.com. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Making figures like this Walmart-exclusive version of Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) raises a lot of questions about costs. A normal 3 3/4-inch Mando is $13. A metallic repaint? $18. This $18 figure includes the most extensive deco I've seen on Mando yet, but also includes a bonus unmasked head - and those are expensive. And the Child. And an ice cream maker, and Beskar ingots. If a normal figure is $13, you get a lot more than $5 worth of extras in this set by most recent measurements. It may or may not be worth it to you, but I can't deny that you actually see something of value for the extra money here.

Mando is the same mold as the "full Beskar" version from last year, but with extensive "photoreal" paint applications. The head has a really good Pedro Pascal sculpt with a pretty good mustache on it, glossy eyes, visible lip color, and quasi-greasy hair. It's very good - back in the day Hasbro told me a new head sculpt with good paint could make about 1/3 of the cost of an entire figure, and if that's true, you get your money's worth here.

His Amban phase-pulse blaster is not very different from the previous release, but the pistol is a darker color. Of course, compared to the armor, it's almost not worth bringing up. The shoulders have excellent scuffing, as do the thighs, chest, and the now-dirty back of the armor too. Hasbro didn't skimp here - this is a gorgeous paint job on a figure that I would've suggested you track down anyway. The helmet also has painted signs of wear that really look wonderful. The back is pretty clean, but that's typical. I don't think anyone buying this will be upset.

The ice cream maker full of Beskar is pretty slick, but the lid is tough to pop off thanks to a soft plastic ring around the bucket part. You can also pop open the side of the bucket, Mr. Potato Head butt-style. The grey Beskar block and single slip fit in easily, making this a nice place to store pieces so you won't lose them. Because they're so small, you will lose them.

I normally am not a fan of higher-priced plussed-up repaints, but this is a good one. The standard issue Mando is so scarce, this is a superior replacement if you can find it. You'll love the gritty armor, you'll adore the Child, and all the extra gear is icing on the cake. It shows just how nice a figure can be when Hasbro puts a little extra effort into it, and I would have loved to see the paint jobs on other recent The Vintage Collection rereleases lavished with such love as this release. I hope Walmart runs more of these and it's kept in circulation for a while - this is a must-buy for fans of the series. Unless, of course, Hasbro comes up with something even better.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart.com but no pins were included with my order as later advertised on their site. If you got a spare pin for sale, hit me up. (I'll trade you for the Galactic Hunter pin, a limited edition with even more limited interest.)

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,779: February 18, 2021