Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,955: Grogu (& Ahsoka Tano, The Vintage Collection Deluxe)

GROGU & Ahsoka Tano
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Deluxe Walmart Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5576
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Two lightsabers, cloak, rock, shifter knob, Grogu, Morai, lantern
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $20.97
Availability: May 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Now a wandering Jedi, Ahsoka Tano forges her own path in the galaxy, righting injustices that she discovers. Grogu, a mysterious alien, is being pursued by bounty hunters. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: At maybe 3/5 of an inch tall, Grogu is tiny. This one seems particularly small, and he has but one joint - at the neck. The body has uniquely posed figure that may share tooling with the Incinerator Trooper's Grogu, but as Walmart has still not shipped me mine I can't be sure. I can say this is different than the other ones just because there's less articulation. One joint is not really great, and Hasbro's decision to charge a lot for him in packs as a bonus accessory (or as a figure on his own) is kind of troubling in spots. But, he sells. He sells as collectible figures with multiple series, he sells as plush, as dolls, as statues, as action figures, as magnets, Grogu is this century's E.T. - but successful.

It's funny that I have at least two unopened 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection Grogu figures in my house (Spiders, the Razor Crest one) and at least two on pre-order. The Kenner-style one scratched the itch - but these are more accurately scaled. This figure has pink ear interiors, black eyes, and not much else. It's kind of criminally expensive for a slug accessory that's slightly better than what you'd get out of a gumball machine for fifty cents. There are no sculpted feet, the hands are outstretched but not jointed, and the head pops right out if you touch it funny. I see the collar and hands/sleeves are separately molded, no doubt to allow for future use of the tooling with cookies, shifter knobs, or other accessories.

The sculpt is perfect, the deco is very good, it just doesn't do much of anything - it's a teeny-tiny collectible figure. I'm a little surprised Hasbro didn't embrace Grogu as a value-add, much like a coin or a Freeze Frame. If they gave you every last variation of a 3 3/4-inch scale Grogu on a Vintage cardback with another figure for $20 - say Dr. Pershing, or The Client, or the aliens who kidnapped him in the first place - it'd sell. They could charge more for it, and it'd be a fun gimmick - especially for little green man completionists. It's a perfectly nice little figure - and I am glad they're all selling - but it would also be nice to see tooling devoted to Q9-0, or any of the dozens of awesome new major and minor aliens and droids appearing in recent shows.

I'd say this set is worth it if you missed out on Ahaoka or a previous Grogu, especially because of the included Morai. For $20, it's neat enough. But if you've already got a Grogu, you might not see the need to have this one too - despite the grabby hands, and the Force-levitated shifter knob. It's something. It's not bad. It's just that we keep circling a lot of the same characters over and over, and a little diversity never hurt nobody.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,955: August 30, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,954: Bo-Katan Kryze (6-Inch Value Figure, Black Logo Line Look)

BO-KATAN KRYZE She watch channel value
Star Wars "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. F5823 No. F5828
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.00
Availability: July 2022 

Appearances: The Mandalorian  

Bio: Plastic-free packaging! (Taken from the figure's packaging. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Not a bad figure! The sculpting for Bo-Katan Kryze appears to be derived from the same digital source as her The Black Series figure, with some changes. Many of the pockets, seams, and folds are identical. You'll notice less paint and some simplifications, like the belt is molded to the figure, the "Night Owls" symbols are molded and raised instead of painted, and that there's a lot of unpainted gray, just like The Retro Series figure. I think that was a misstep in both cases - it needs something to break it up - but other than that, this is a pretty nice example of what Hasbro can do for $5 when a super-articulated figure is $25.

If you could only pick one Bo-Katan, The Black Series does it better. The working holsters, removable helmet, silver chestplate, painted belt buckle, painted knee and shin armor, and added articulation make it a much better figure - but it also costs five times as much. For $5, this figure has swivel arms, a swivel neck, and a swivel waist - and that's it. She stands well, she looks good, and if you feel like painting her I'm sure she'd look just as good as Hasbro's higher-priced figure.

To see Hasbro make a toy at a price that seems absurdly low given the rest of their catalog is always a joy, but she does fall short in terms of functionality. She can stand with no problems - mostly. If you swing an arm forward to aim her gun, she's fine, but if both arms swing forward my sample tips forward and face-plants. A few extra minutes in the oven could probably fix the soles of her boots to not do this, but again, it's $5. This is a low-cost toy for people who will never pay $20 or $25 for an action figure, which is probably another reason why action figure collecting has resulted in fancier, higher-priced items at the expense of active kid impulse-buys. She's good enough, but not great. The helmet paint is good, the sculpt is impressive, and this might be phenomenally good custom fodder for people looking to electroplate a figure, or do a Sofubi-style custom, or to throw it at a kid to keep them away from the good stuff.

Since she has limited paint, it's easy to dismiss her - but a lot of old figures did well without a lot of paint. Kenner's 1983 Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker had a painted hand, painted face, and painted eyes - and that's it. Some of the Ewoks were unpainted save for the eyes, nose, and mouth. Hammerhead's only paint appear on his eyes. The Power Droid had painted feet, and some stickers. It's really amazing to see what they do to keep costs down, particularly when compared against to the generally colorful Kenner guys of old.

This is a nice figure for the price, but mostly I love what she represents. Could you imagine how cool it would be to have access to 3 3/4-inch Stormtroopers of a similar build for $5? There's a 6-inch Imperial Stormtrooper hitting stores now, for $5, and I haven't found any yet. I'm not saying I want all figures to be cheap, but when filling out dioramas or army-builder scenarios, sometimes a 3-5-jointed figure can fill a slot just as well as one for $25. Got $5 and nothing else to buy this week? Check her - or Mando, or one of the other ones - out. You probably won't be a convert, but this is one of the few formats I'm trying to be "complete" on and I've got everybody except Chewbacca (who I am fairly sure has never come out in the USA.) I sincerely hope they throw Boba Fett and R2-D2 in this assortment soon.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Five Below. This figure comes in a new assortment (F5823 started with plastic-free packaging in 2022, B3946 was the previous assortment form 2015-2022, which sometimes had an open window and sometimes had a plastic sheet.)

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,954: August 25, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,953: Boba Fett (Throne Room, The Black Series)

BOBA FETT (Throne Room)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Green Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett Packaging
Item No.: No. F4064
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #02 - Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett
Includes: Helmet, backpack, pistol, rifle, rocket
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $31.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Star Wars: The Mandalorian

Bio: One of the most fearsome and capable bounty hunters in the galaxy, Boba Fett seemingly met his demise in the Sarlacc pit. A survivor, Fett lived to fight another day. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: We're in a weird era for toys, where we have a figure like this Boba Fett (Throne Room) in The Book of Boba Fett packaging despite it being based on his armor appearance in The Mandalorian. This sort of thing isn't uncommon - Kenner gave us our first TIE Fighter Pilot in The Empire Strikes Back packaging, for example - but it is a little weird given there are multiple trade dress color schemes so each figure can be as specific as possible. The Book version of Boba has different boots, different pants, different damage, and other small details - but that's OK, they're going to make that one too. This figure is closest to how he looks on Tatooine in the post-credits scene, which is also pretty much how he looks when he shows up in "The Believer." It's a good figure.

It's worth noting the outfit isn't necessarily consistent from shot to shot. He has visible ammo on his belt when he's piloting Slave I on those episodes, which could mean there are other minor costume variations depending on each shot. When I compare this figure to most shots on the show, he looks great - the armor dents are more or less painted as they should be, the dents are where they should be, it's colorful in nice ways, and all that jazz. One inconsistency I small - admittedly minor - is on his helmet's left-hand side, where the tip of the rounded part over his ear doesn't have the lighter color at the top. But it does have the marks, the articulated rangefinder, and other colors where you might want them. Similarly, the head under the helmet looks beaten and weathered, although not quite as much as the man on TV. I think it's for the best.

The armor itself is pretty good and probably why this figure has an upcharge. The yellow shoulders are separately molded pieces glued into the arms, and the red gauntlets seem to be molded in red plastic as well. I am unsure if this means they have some sort of gated tooling so they can pick which color(s) are which parts, or if they have to make extra steel molds for each color - either way, there's some added production and materials expense. Deco doesn't seem any fancier than your typical $20-$25 figure, and the boots are a little bland. Some dirt or painted soles would be nice. The textures are excellent throughout, with the black bits poking out from his armor , the pants' quasi-fabric, and the painted (well, unpainted) seemingly surplus Scarif Trooper gloves. I love the fake leather belt with its gold buckle, the holster fits the pistol perfectly, and the rifle... well, it was a fight to get it in his hand. I didn't like that. I also don't like that they skipped painting the tiny metal buckles on his shoulders. Given they painted paint flecks, it would've been nice.

What I'm not crazy about is that even with the improved elbow and arm articulation, and that awesome Hammer pants joint in the knees, the figure is a bit of a challenge to hand a rifle and pose with two hands. He can do it, but it's not simple. I realize some people really do enjoy the process of fussing with a figure to get that perfect center of gravity to ensure their miniature replica from a movie is absolutely perfect, but I came into Star Wars as a child and love picking a guy up, handing him an accessory, putting him down, and having a little fun. But, this is a collector figure - kids don't get a lot of figures anymore. I assume kids might dig this one because it is incredibly cool, and had Hasbro put out a ship or a throne or some other add-on for display or play, I bet people would be very motivated to buy some more toys for Boba the Fett here.

I've been starting to trim back on my 6-inch purchases not because I don't like them, but because there's just not a lot of action to have with these figures. (Vehicles, playsets.) I'm having a great time with the 3 3/4-inch guys, but as a figure to pose on your desk and generally fuss with, if you can swallow the premium pricing, Boba Fett has a lot of fun to offer. You can take off his helmet, the rocket comes out and you can pretend to "shoot" it, the alternate sidearm is a nice bonus, and if you had a throne you could have him throw Bib Fortuna's corpse out of it. I really like the whole "I'm going to throw the armor over my Tusken pants" look, and of the many revised Boba Fett costumes we saw used in 2020 and 2021, this is my favorite. I am unsure it's going to be worth the upcharge, but it's Boba Fett, so it will likely sell well and it definitely looks cool. Get it if you like the price.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,953: August 23, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,952: The Mythrol (Carbonite, The Vintage Collection)

THE MYHTROL (in Carbonite)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: No. F0938
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Ship with 4 Carbonite blocks, Offworld Jawa Elder, The Mandalorian, Grogu
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $349.99
Availability: February 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian   

Bio: "The Mythrol" was a Mythrol male who worked for Greef Karga until he stole from him and fled. By the time he had a bounty placed upon him during the New Republic Era, the Mythrol was on the ice world of Pagodas, where he was harassed by a group of trawlers within a bar. After a Mandalorian bounty hunter named Din Djarin entered the bar and incapacitated the trawlers, he captured the Mythrol, later freezing him in carbonite before delivering him, along with others, to Karga, who worked as an agent of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, in order to collect the rewards. Karga later let him pay off his debt at work. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: "But is it a figure?" is a question that has come up at quite a few conventions over the years. This figure of The Mythrol (in Carbonite) was not solicited as an action figure, but it is a unique representation of a character which does exist in a 3 3/4-inch format, and in a distinctive form. Precious few figures get slabbed. There are three nameless ones that came in the set with Horatio Sanz plus there's a Jar Jars Binks and a few Hans Solo. Generally speaking there's something interesting about a Carbonite block as a toy, like stickers, or the ability to shove a Han figure inside it for play reasons. The Mythrol's block is just a block.

Unadorned, this gray silvery block looks great. It fits in the big Slave I storage area because it's smaller than the most recent Han Solo blocks, and it has a place on top for a claw to clamp on - which, admittedly, doesn't look as good. There's a hole in the back which I don't think presently serves a purpose, but it's on the back, so you don't see it. The toy has sculpted instrument panels on the sides too.  The close-up looks a lot like Shrek.

Unlike recent blocks, these ones are completely unpainted. A lot of Han Solo figures have some silver paint to separate the gas from the frame, but not this one - it's all the same color. Some have stickers, or painted lights on the sides. Again, not this one. You just get to enjoy the molded-in-color alien with some sort of snot or fluid frozen back on his face. It's striking, to say the least - it really captures how unpleasant the freezing process must be.

While arguably not an essential part of a complete figure collection, I would want these because they represent distinctive (and mysterious) characters. Season one of The Mandalorian was a fun ride because, much like the old movies, there's no guide book explaining who some of these people or things are. They just are. This character never got a proper name, and it's kind of a shame that the block wasn't an accessory with The Vintage Collection figure. But hey, we got it! And we got a claw on which to hang it, or you can shove it in the freezing closet! It even stands on his own thanks to the flat base! It can be found sold individually on eBay from the people who broke up the set to sell at a mark-up, which makes it easier to display than some of the Han Solo-popsicles from over the years.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,952: August 18, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,951: Reva (Third Sister, The Vintage Collection)

REVA (Third Sister)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F4476
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #242
Includes: Double lightsaber, half lightsabers, hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Bio: Reva Sevander was a human female Force-sensitive who served as a member of the Inquisitorius under the title of Third Sister during the early reign of the Galactic Empire and briefly held the position of Grand Inquisitor. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Love her or not, Reva (Third Sister) is another great figure. As one of the series' three leads, Reva took a costume that looked good in the cartoons, looked OK on the live-action show, and translated into something that makes a tip-top action figure. There may be design quibbles, but unlike Darth Vader I don't have four decades of history with the character - the figure looks like the Reva I remember seeing on screen. Given that the costume looked kind of like an action figure, it helps that the action figure just happens to look exactly like an action figure.

Moses Ingram's face is captured well as a tiny piece of plastic, with pretty good hair. Getting the fine detail in the sides seems like a challenge at this size, so I'll say it's good - but not exact. There's also a ponytail, and it looks pretty great. The face also looks pretty much exactly like you want.

The armor doesn't look exactly like the show, but it benefits from this in some respects. The boxy silver pips on her armor look more like dots at this scale - I don't like that - but I do like the glossy black shoulders, even though the costume on TV looked significantly less glossy. It's a design choice - the shiny texture looks more like Darth Vader, and the flatter black on TV looked more like McQuarrie concept art or something from Rebels. Everything else looks pretty great - her cape hangs well, I love the fact that her arms have good elbow joints that bend nicely, and her lightsaber hangs well from her belt. This surprised me since Hasbro doesn't always get the peg size right, and given the odd shape of the hilt it's a bit of a shock that it just plain works. The legs move well - just like Bo-Katan Kryze, Fennec Shand, and other recent releases - meaning this is one of the very best engineered figures in the entire 3 3/4-inch toy pantheon.

It's good that a lot of these new character figures are generally fantastic from their first release, because I would wager it's unlikely we're going to get a second without a new appearance in a new costume. (Of course, a Kenner-style one should be around any minute now, and I'm looking forward to that.) A redeco to better match the show would be nice, but I don't know that I want another same-but-different figure when this one is just fine by me. The only place she comes up super short are the wrists - they just swivel, there's no bend here. But at least you get a nice suite of accessories and a great cape, with perfect articulation that you would totally use with a vehicle if one existed for her to use. I doubt we'll get one - but at least you won't be left complaining that her figure isn't good enough. It's great. Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,951: August 16, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,950: Darth Vader (The Dark Times, The Vintage Collection)

DARTH VADER (The Dark Times)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F4475
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #241
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, fists
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. (Stolen from the marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Given how many figures we've had over the years, I was surprised that I could immediately see that Darth Vader (The Dark Times) was an instant and obvious improvement. We've had a lot of Darth Vaders - some good, some less than great. Hasbro has been making super articulated-ish versions of the Dark Lord of the Sith since 2004, with slight improvements - sometimes better elbows, sometimes better legs, and sometimes slightly better deco. And once in a while, a head that falls off. I would say that this is easily the very best overall Darth Vader figure that Hasbro has ever done in this size, which I assume means it's as good as we're going to get for a few years. (Unless there's a 40th anniversary Return of the Jedi one coming, of course.)

As far as I can tell this is an all-new figure with tons of buttery-smooth joints and excellent sculpting. There's no weird ratcheting, there's no finicky fidgeting. You just move the part you want, and it stays. The head is capable of subtle nods, the torso has a ball joint so you can actually adjust his posture. The deep cut elbows are there so he can gesture menacingly, and you have bend-and-swivel wrists on his open hands and optional fists. I love the range of motion on the ball-jointed hips - thanks to the cloth robes, they're not restricted - and they swing forward easily. On top of that, you get thigh swivels and bend-and-swivel knees. Also rocker ankles. I should also note the shoulders are a new configuration - the shiny shoulder armor is molded to the chest piece, which looks pretty good and allows the actual arm piece a bit more movement. It's not what I expected them to do, and it's not how they usually do it, but it both functions well and displays nicely. It's interesting to see them take liberties with how the costume is built to make an overall better plastic figure experience.

I love the deco - the face has numerous subtle silver accents that bring out the detail on otherwise dark plastic. The painted tips on the mouth are good, the glossy red eyes are great, the only thing that looks a little sloppy are the extra silver around the "coin slots" on the chest computer. There's a lot more going on here than the average Vader figure, especially when you compare him to the virtually unpainted earlier figures that enjoy a little bit of gloss on the boots and a chest computer, and not much else.

His accessories are good - the hilt plugs in the belt, the lightsaber fits in the hands, and you can kind of get both hands on the hilt without too much trouble. His alternate hands are great for gesturing, too, and the kind of thing we very rarely get at this scale. Hasbro definitely went the extra mile here. I'm less keen on the cape, which doubles-over on itself and is open on his right-hand side. If positioned correctly it looks marvelous, but it can also look really weird if it's off a little bit. I'd have preferred they sew or glue it shut somehow, or perhaps have the opening directly behind the figure so you can't see the seam. Having said that, it's nice to have a cape thick enough to not see through, and the inner cape around the legs is just fine.

Given the price increases - we went from about $10 in 2010 to $15 today - you may be saying "this is highway robbery!" Inflation on the 6-inch figures has hit to the tune of about 25% in just a couple of years, so a 50% increase over a decade ago for the little guys sounds hard to swallow - but the figure is significantly better than Hasbro's previous best. The range of movement is better, it's easier to swing his legs to fit in a ship, it's not too hard to pose him so he won't fall over, and you get a little more gear than before with more pieces used to make the figure and more paint apps. If you are looking for the very best - this is it, right now. I would have loved a swappable damaged head or damaged chest computer, but I assume that'll follow later. For now, this is the best deluxe Darth Vader figure money can buy at this - and arguably any - Hasbro scale, and I think it's well worth the current asking retail price. I wish it were cheaper, sure, but at least it doesn't feel like anything was left off the table that wasn't a spoiler. If you are looking to upgrade your favorite Darth Vader figure, perhaps consider shelling out for one of those.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,950: August 11, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,949: Ahsoka Tano (The Black Series)

AHSOKA TANO Corvus, but not labeled as such
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Orange The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F4349
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #19 - The Mandalorian
Includes: 2 lightsabers
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: May 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: A Clone Wars veteran and now wandering Jedi, Ahsoka Tano forges her own path in the galaxy fighting injustices that she discovers. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: As time moves on, The Black Series gets better and better at making good medium-tier collectible action figures. This Ahsoka Tano from The Mandalorian is pretty good - I like her white lightsaber blades and clever articulation, although there's a bit too much dark paint around the eyes compared to the 3 3/4-inch figures. Having said that, I'd recommend her if you're into figures that look good posed on a shelf or a desk. I'd say "I can't imagine Hasbro will ever make a better Ahsoka than this!" but they seem to discover new paint techniques or joints every few years, so I'll just say this is as good as Ahsoka gets for now. Get her if you can find her, order her online if you can't.

I love the Vintage version of this figure - it's one of Hasbro's 10 best of all-time for super-articulated action figures in this size. I love the Kenner-style one even more, because I am old, and I accept their attempts to pander to me with "yes please, more please." However, not every collector is in their upper 30s, or 40s, or 50s, and the up-and-comers tend to want something bigger and more impressive - and they're probably going to like this Ahsoka figure a bunch. The first thing I looked at was the arm articulation. The shoulders are a hoot, because they have that extra forward-and-backward joint where the fleshy part of the arm meets the costume for even more movement. The elbow articulation is above par, the wrists move just enough to get cool dueling and pointing poses, the boots move nicely at the ankles, and her knee joints are hidden inside pants that would make Hammer ca. 1991 blush. She's got a great mid-torso joint that lets her twist and bend in all directions too, plus the neck moves pretty well considering she's got lekku in the way. It's also worth noting her legs swing forward quite nicely given the "cloth" plastic pieces hanging over her waist - you can probably fit her in a decent 1:12 scale chair, if you have one handy. She can kneel, she can duel, she's great. The only thing they could add is more gear, and for $25 I wouldn't have minded robes or a sidekick or a lamp. I love lamp.

I love her lightsabers! The hilts are a bright silver that make me a bit nervous - I would not be surprised to see the paint molt off with time, but we won't know until it's too late. She can hold them well, and the white blades look really good. Each blade has a loop on the pommel, so she can hang them on the small and very subtle belt hooks. Hasbro did a great job integrating them in the design. I wish you got more in here, but you don't - and they're good enough that you probably won't feel like you got shorted because the figure is pretty bulky.

But how does she look? Also pretty perfect. The skin's a little more desaturated, with that Photo Real printing on it. The facial details don't pop quite as much as the 3 3/4-inch figures, except for the eyes - the extra dark shadowing really brings them out. It also feels a tiny bit like Anakin's Darth Vader Sith eye make-up, but hey, we know Ahsoka's on our side. The lekku painted details are superb, and her costume's blue/gray/silver look is good too. I appreciate some painted belt detailing. The textures on the pants are amazing with detailed pleats and teeny tiny wrinkles and folds that capture what the actual costumes must look like up-close, plus she has smooth greaves and vambraces to complete the outfit. It's a very The Clone Wars-by-way-of-reality look, meaning she has way more armor than any original trilogy-era heroes. I should also note her arms, which have exposed shoulders and laced-up sleeves with little windows with skin poking through.

Given I don't have access to Hasbro's budgets, I can't say for sure but it looks like we're seeing more money put in to tooling and developing the figures. 10 years ago, the body near the shoulders would not only be unarticulated, but painted a close-but-not-exact color. Here, all exposed skin matches. Here, we've got a face molded in that orange color and lekku molded in white - and it's fantastic. In the old days, they'd just be painted. The clever integration of knee joints in the pants just makes me happy, and what appears to be a few more molds and colors of plastic used result in better figures. Also, more expensive figures. If the world wanted $10-or-less 6-inch figures with minimal deco or articulation, Hasbro could deliver. Having said that, I don't think it would serve this particular character well - some figures you want plussed up and jointed to the best of Hasbro's ability, and this is one of them. I wouldn't mind a soft goods cloak or a different eye deco variant down the road, but given I'm getting a little worn out over deco variants I'd probably be happy with this one.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,949: August 9, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,948: Yoda (The Retro Collection)

YODA The Original, Reproduced
The Retro Collection Walmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. E9646 No. E9651
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Belt, robe, cane, snake
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.86
Availability: April 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Yoda, a Force-sensitive male being belonging to a mysterious species, was a legendary Jedi Master who witnessed the rise and fall of the Galactic Republic, followed by the rise of the Galactic Empire. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I waited to review Yoda, a 2020 reissue of the 1980ish figure, because I assumed we'd be getting a second hit of them through Walmart or a rerun through other channels. We didn't - The Empire Strikes Back wave of Kenner reissues was hot stuff and in short supply, much like Star Wars figures were at Target. Hopefully things are smoother for Return of the Jedi. The bulk of The Empire Strikes Back wave of figures go for above SRP, but you can get Lando for below retail on eBay. Boba Fett and Yoda cost way more than they should - hopefully Hasbro will consider reissuing them, perhaps on variant cardbacks like in the old days.

But how is Yoda? Pretty good! Not all original Kenner figures were great at holding their weapons, and some of Hasbro's reissues - lookin' at you, Han Solo - just plain do not want to hold their blasters. But Yoda? Yoda works. The hand can hold the cane, the snake fits on the neck, the robes fit, the belt fits nicely, everything is good enough that this Yoda - done in the colors of the lighter-skin, orange snake variants - pretty much looks like the ideal version of the figure in your head. If you actually had the luxury of seeing him on a store shelf, you'd buy him - $10 for a 1980s-style Yoda is a steal, even if you just bought the figure and stripped him of his accessories to give your old, much-loved, accessories-lost figure from childhood. He has the jointed neck, arms, and legs just like the old days - and the wild eyes and goofy smile, too.

Under the robes he's a little more different - the painted arms are lacking in wrinkles and much glossier. The sculpt in general seems very smoothed out - something you'd notice comparing him to an original, but those of you who don't own one or have never seen one could easily confuse this for the real deal. Thankfully he has numbers stamped on his feet to indicate he's a modern release, but it does go to show that Hasbro can make a Kenner-style-figure look and feel almost like the genuine article when they put some work into it. My Yoda's ears were a little bent in the package, but he's a pretty perfect recreation as these kinds of things go - the lighter eyes, the paler skin, the orange snake, it's all here and he is the sort of thing Hasbro should have made in much greater numbers.

Due to the demand for this reissue, the price on eBay and Amazon is a little high - you can get an unpackaged Kenner original for about the same price, roughly $50. For that reason I wouldn't suggest paying current secondary market prices for the rerun, but I would suggest Hasbro rerun all their old Kenner figures to meet demand. Or at the very least, Yoda, Boba Fett, Darth Vader, and Stormtroopers - the interest is there, and it would be a great impulse/Father's Day assortment. If this figure ever shows up again for $10, I'd strongly suggest picking him up. He's a keeper!

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart through my pal Scott "ToyGuru" Neitlich! Did you see his new Spector Creative YouTube channel yet? Click here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,948: August 4, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,947: The Client (The Black Series)

THE CLIENT with Bling
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Orange The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F4351
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #20 - The Mandalorian
Includes: 2 Beskar stacks, 1 ice cream maker, 1 fob
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: May 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: A mysterious Imperial who keeps a low profile in a safehouse on Nevarro, the Client is the face behind an otherwise faceless bounty, an off-the-record assignment with a high value. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: One of the things that The Mandalorian got especially right was how it recalled various elements of the original Star Wars film while giving us something that was effectively new, or at least, a marvelous remix. "May the Force be with you" has been supplanted by "This is the way." George Lucas used a lot of historical references when making the bad guys, and if you can see (or not see) what he did there, the skin-crawlingly creepy performance the delightful Werner Herzog gives to The Client is one of the many unforgettable things from the very first episode. Effectively an exiled government official who set himself up as a sort of gangster waiting to reclaim the galaxy for an Emperor that - at the time - no longer exists, his somewhat off-model appearance and big Imperial cog necklace evoke a sort of official from a kind of government that should make you feel a sense of unease. His snarling really drives it home.

I'm thrilled to see this figure, in part because Werner Herzog isn't just a great director but he's become something of a beloved pop culture fixture. Paul F. Thompkins' impersonation of him is a hoot, Herzog's Parks & Recreation appearance was one of the most delightful TV moments in recent memory, and now he's a plastic man. (I would've preferred 3 3/4-inch, retro or vintage, but don't I always?) The outfit is pretty spectacularly evocative of the bad guys from the saga. The belt and hte clothes under the coat look a lot like Imperial Officer gear. The coat itself looks sort of like a modified First Order coat. I had to compare the boots and legs against other figures, because they looked so familiar - but with the newer-style knees, they're new too! the txture on the coat is remarkable, the boots' texture is good, and the body and pants are about typical. They did a good job giving him a bit more color than we usually get on the old Imperial suits. The gold medal, ribbon, and chain are also particularly well done, but what really struck me was his neck joint. It's not obvious, but there's an extra cut under the three-level ribbon so the neck moves in multiple spots, allowing him to look up, or hunch over, or lean to the side. It's a nifty addition.

The head is really good, a bit glossy but clearly Mr. Herzog in the plastic flesh. There's a bald spot, thin white hair, and signs of age - plus squinty eyes. It's excellent, but getting certain kinds of skin perfect is a challenge. The hands do a good job holding the accessories, but the lid of the container is a weird fit. The fob fits fine. The figure stands well, with great cuts on the elbows allowing a good range of movement. It's worth noting the hips have a thigh cut, a ball-jointed hip, and bend-and-swivel knees - so articulation is surplus to requirements and Hasbro probably could have cut the thigh cut completely to save a few bucks and not lost any movement. The coat does get in the way of some movement, but you can also have the figure sit down with the support of the coat serving as a chair of sorts. It's weird. But Star Wars done right tends to leave us with weird elements on figures that result in a memorable play time, like the old Kenner R2-D2 rotating and pretending to be a cannon.

I'm glad Hasbro (or Lucasfilm) stuck to their gun and left blasters out - he never shot anybody, so giving him the camtono (ice cream maker) makes a lot of sense. You can give it to Mando, and he can hand off the beskar inside. The lid pops off, or you can fold down the sides. If that weren't enough, you get a tracker fob - it's not the first time we got one at this size, but it's a welcome accessory. Not everybody needs to be strapped.

This is the kind of figure you make for collectors - the old guys with faded hair aren't typically what sells to the tiny tots, but adults who really dug Fitzcarraldo are in for a treat. This was a great bad guy and I love that, in the grand tradition of early Star Wars, he doesn't even have a name. Thanks to the famous face, distinctive costume, and menacing demeanor, I'd say this is a must-have figure. Unless you find him too unsettling, in which case, maybe skip this one. I'm just thrilled to see more new characters from the 2019 debut given that it has been over 2 1/2 years. They didn't forget him!

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,947: August 2, 2022