Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,005: Admiral Ackbar (Kenner, The Black Series 6-Inch)

ADMIRAL ACKBAR Kenner 6-Inch Retro Style
The Black Series Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Collection
Item No.: No. F5539
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Baton
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $27.99
Availability: December 2022
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Ackbar led the defense of Mon Cala and masterminded the rebel attack on the second Death Star at the Battle of Endor. He became a Grand Admiral in the New Republic, winning many victories. (Taken from Hasbro Pulse. Package has 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: Kenner-color Admiral Ackbar was a fantastic idea, and the kind of thing I personally wanted. And then I saw Hasbro Pulse decided to take the Admiral Ackbar [FOTD #2,740] from 2020, take away paint applications, add a (generously) 50-cent baton, and charge an extra $8 for it. I dragged my feet picking this one up, even though it's the exact kind of thing I wanted - $25 was pricey, $28 just doesn't sit well with me for a less-paint repaint.

I like this figure more than the 2020 6-inch figure, because it reminds me of the 3 3/4-inch Kenner figure I got back in 1983. He's molded in color almost completely, with painted yellow eyes and a painted stripe on each leg. Hasbro cut corners, saved money, and somehow came up with a better-looking product. I like the plastic texture on the "bib" vest a lot, and the detailing on the hands and head somehow look even better in these bright colors. The pants still look good in white, and the unpainted belt looks perfectly fine, too. The articulation is still well-engineered and hidden by the costume in clever ways, and the mouth still opens. As a product goes, it's an expensive item for a specific audience.

Only his right hand was designed to grip an accessory, so you'll probably also find it frustrating to fit his baton in there. The blaster is a little easier to wedge inside, but the thumb on mine was so small and had so little "give" in it that it took a while to get a grip, as it were. The baton itself doesn't quite look like the old Kenner ones, but it's fine. It actually looks more like a flute meets a lightsaber hilt, whereas the original was a stick that impaled a series of discs for reasons nobody knows.

I hate the price, but I love the figure. I mean this with all compliments - the bright colors do a much better job of making it look like a toy, and it's much easier to see all the sculpted detail work Hasbro puts into these things. I think I would be sorry down the road if I ultimately skipped this one, but with so many repaints and same-character deco gimmicks it's difficult to collect them all - let alone wanting to collect them all. For fans of a certain age this is a can't-miss alien and when the day comes to start selling off my The Black Series collection, I'll probably hang on to this one until the very end if I can help it. It' a keeper.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,004: February 21, 2023