Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,328: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Legend, The Vintage Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Jedi Legend)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0912
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #357
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, goggles, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Emerging from his darkest days stronger and more hopeful than ever, Obi-Wan Kenobi looks forward to the future and fulfilling his obligation to steward the Skywalker legacy. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It doesn't always matter if a figure is good or not - if Hasbro makes too many, or of fans don't show up, they wind up at Ross for $4.99. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Legend) is a lot of great things, and one bad thing. What's bad? Timing - he came out in May 2025, about three years after we saw this outfit on screen. That's too late. That would be like releasing a Hoth figure in 1983. But the figure itself is very good, with the right accessories, and if you missed it? Well, you can go to Ross and maybe find one for five bucks. It's worth it. Even at $17, it's a very nice figure. I'm looking for a reason to complain, and "Hasbro didn't get it in enough regular stores so now you can get it for 70% off" and "came out really late" are as much as I've got.

He shares many parts with #291 (the showdown 2-pack figure, which I haven't opened yet) and that would be my main complaint. But he's fine. Yeah, the gloves are just painted on... but they look perfectly nice. Sure, the fresher white robes show minor signs of wear... but whatever, it works. His many joints move smoothly and you can get some great combat poses here. The ball-jointed hips mean he can ride an Eopie, if you got one. The lightsaber hilt plugs in his belt, and the goggles can stretch over his head or you can pop off his melon and hang them around his neck. They also replicated his weirdly Kenner-esque cape, which also means he looks a lot like the Obi-Wan Kenobi Mythos Statue that we all loved so much. It was nice to see a collectible inspire the TV show - I mean, it's the right choice - and the figure is a perfectly nice riff on a riff (of a riff.) I haven't had any real problems getting the joints to move, or finding his center of gravity. The fingers took a bit of work to manipulate so he can double-grip the lightsaber, but that's not abnormal at this scale.

The Ewan McGregor is very good, not perfect, but excellent for the size. The wig is glued on, the face is printed on, and the beard shows much improvement over what we were seeing 20-25 years ago. Maybe a little gray in the hair would be nice, but we rarely see much of it at this scale. The outfit deco is largely simple, lacking in any signs of dirt or weathering, but that sort of thing is also increasingly common a few years after a price increase, but before the next round of price increases. (Vintage would shoot up to $19.99 a few months after this guy came out.)

As a "the adventure continues!" figure, this is fantastic. I really wish we got this outfit in The Retro Collection because this is the kind of costuming that inspires kids to imagine their own adventures... and that's where my interests remain. This was his "goodbye" outfit on the show, but what did he do next? Nobody knows! But I bet he was wearing these pants when he did it! Unless you're opposed to the Disney era in general, I'd recommend this one. It's a hopeful figure that would be fun to play with, were you of such a mindset. There's no real good reason for this figure to exist given it's meant as an adult collectible souvenir for the post-post-release of a streaming show, but I like it. I'm glad they did it. I wouldn't mind a few more figures from Obi-Wan Kenobi either. That show holds up better on a rewatch.

Confidential to Lucasfilm: if you're never doing another live-action Kenobi show from this era, consider doing a cartoon. I'd love to see this outfit in action, somewhere, somehow.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,328: March 17, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,322: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Spirits, The Vintage Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Jedi Spirits)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Exclusive Special Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G1395
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Three figures, one cane
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $57.99
Availability: November 2025
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: As Luke Skywalker and his friends celebrate the overthrowing of the Galactic Empire, he sees the Force spirits of Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi looking on. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: There are some figures where you can't do much better than "meets expectations." Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Spirits) is one of those figures. Whenever you're dealing with a trooper, a holo, or a ghost, getting anything more than a recolor is rare. In this case, Hasbro actually went the extra mile (and then ran back about 1,138 feet) with this one. Hasbro used Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi [FOTD #3,308] as the base for this one, and swapped out some bits. The hands and feet are now clear blue plastic, with a gradient transitioning to fleshy to ghosty in the outfit. The cloth skirt is now plastic - and kind of looks better. (There is no hook for the lightsaber hilt here.) The figure also got rid of the opaque Jedi robe in favor of a leaves-nothing-to-the-imagination blue one.

It's fine. Trying to evoke special effects from 1980 and 1983 as a physical object has been tough. In the 1990s, we got clear blue guys. In 2004, we saw some sparkly guys. This time, Hasbro split the difference and it should delight those who demand articulation above all else. I don't find that helpful here, because other than sitting on a rock once? It's not necessary. This is a figure that could have been rendered as a statue with limited neck and arm articulation, and may have been better for it. The Jedi robes being see-through just doesn't look right, because you couldn't see under his robes in the movie. I assume it is difficult, if not impossible, to come up with the right soft goods to pull this effect off as an action figure. This is why I very reasonably think Hasbro should stop trying, and just do a statue. Add an alternate "seated leg" set if needed, because the jointed ankles, knees, and hips are worthless on a figure with a long plastic skirt. If anything, I find the joints hard to get just-right for standing. Just having no joints would actually work better here, because nobody's going to put this guy in wacky combat poses. And to customizers that want blue Kenobi legs, I'm sorry, all seven of you are not worth catering to.

I really like how Hasbro handled the paint and shine here, because his head looks really good. If Hasbro kept the head and torso's look for the entire figure, with some hints of blue and glitter in the fabric on the robes, I think we'd be better off. Clear blue hands and boots don't really help the figure's overall look, but I guess for those who like vibes? It works. It's fine, but there's still room to try something else.

Nobody needs another upgrade of this guy in the future. This is fine, but I guess we're always asking the question about if there's room for improvement or any way to improve accuracy. Spirit Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #1,317] from 2004 pretty much delivered a perfectly sculpted body and robes, but the 2025 figure is a bit brighter. Neither is the clear winner, but I'd like to encourage Hasbro to start ignoring super-articulation on some figures if it ruins aesthetics if and only if it's a figure that has no need to sit or go in a vehicle. That's a small last, I'm sure, but Spirit Obi-Wan Kenobi really only needs to stand around and look cool... so I bet they could deliver a better, cheaper figure using fewer pieces if they decide to try again. And if they don't? The textures, likeness, and general gimmick here are good enough. They just don't match the movie super well, and soft goods on most 3 3/4-inch figures are challenging to make look good. This one is OK - plastic would work better here..

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. Hasbro had a Pulse Premium exclusive window on this set for about a month, in which it did not sell out, nor did it sell out in subsequent months. It shipped in November, and it's still in stock.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,322: February 24, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,308: Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (The Vintage Collection)

BEN (OBI-WAN) KENOBI I think we've reached the ceiling of what cloth robes can deliver
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0922
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #373
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: At Princess Leia's plea for help, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi embarked on a journey to Alderaan with Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, C-3PO, and hired pilots Han Solo and Chewbacca. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: In 2024 and 2025 we got some new versions of key characters from the original film. That's a big deal, and it invites a lot of scrutiny as fans are being given higher prices and have high expectations that these new figures will surpass previous purchases. It is expected that the likes of Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi are not merely good, but after several releases must be the very best and maybe even final, perfect edition.

This isn't that. It attempts to iterate on the 2004 and 2009 versions of the figure, and does make some improvements. The cloak is still goofy and gets in the way of the arm articulation, which isn't conducive to the two-handed lightsaber fighting poses from the movie. There are aspects of this figure which are incredible, but this is a complainy review because a great likeness and the best-yet leg articulation is hard to deal with when you're going to need another separate figure to do your dueling. The materials used and the super-articulated format have limitations with bulky costumes, and it may be necessary to make multiple figures (or figures with swappable parts) to meet the demands of displays and maybe even play.

I would be lying if I say 2025 Kenobi isn't good, but it doesn't drastically improve on the 2009 versions from The Legacy Collection in terms of being able to fight or have his hood up. In case you forgot, we got single-carded Obi-Wan with elbow and knee ball joints, plus a table with a Leia hologram figure, in The Legacy Collection. It could stand and sit, it looked good, and it had an excellent - for 17 years ago - likeness. 2009 Kenobi had hair which was a little more gray, 2025 is a little more white with the whole photoreal face painting. It has separately molded hair that matches a painted beard. The actual facial hair of the figure is close to the cardback photo, but since it's right there you can easily tell there's a little more color in his sideburns and cheeks, plus a little more dark hair on the sides. When it comes to the new head, it's a good modern improvement - but the old ones were also basically just fine. If Hasbro does a version 2.0, I would ask them to spend the dime and give him a little more color in his beard if they can make it look right. If not, this'll do. For a portrait the size of a peanut, it's excellent.

Costume color is mostly fine. There's always room for a little interpretation with the color of the cloak, the tan robes, and I guess the belt buckle. Costume photos make it look like a tarnished silver-adjacent color. Hasbro opted to make this figure's belt buckle gold. What's right? Probably the tarnished silver. Everything is close enough that I don't think you can fault the Pantones used to make this guy.

Articulation is improved a bit, but this figure isn't capable of all the poses I would deem essential after a dozen different revisions. You can kind of get both hands together to do the death pose from the Death Star - the range of movement in the arms isn't fantastic. It's also hindered by the cloak. With the cloak off, you can make it work. With the cloak on, the tiny bunched-up fabric garment actively pushes the arms apart so it has to be very, very specifically posed. It is not a satisfying experience. You're going to have difficulty getting both hands on the saber to fight Darth Vader, too. I won't say it's impossible, but I'm not liking the results after minutes of fussing with it. It's a toy - this should be simple, or there should be a simpler solution like "duel arms" you can pop out, similar to 2004 Dagobah Luke. The arm articulation is pretty much the same as the 2009 figure with deeper elbow cuts, and exposes the limitations on some super-articulated figures due to the costume design. I think the only option is to pursue swappable arms - a set of alternate pre-posed arms as bonus gear (at a higher price point) could fix this. I'm not normally an advocate for alternate body parts, but we're at a point where you just plain can't get the arms to sit right within a cloth cloak. I don't think Hasbro can make a set of arms with full articulation at this size that can assume the position within a soft goods cloak. There may be value to pre-posed arms or a hard plastic cloak shell to keep the figure's pose from melting away..

The inner robe sculpting is nicely done. The texture is good, and it was good in 2009. It's a little different, but you can tell they're working from the same reference given where the folds go. His lower robes are cloth and the legs have an extensive range of movement. He can sit, no problem. The boots and legs make me think the plan is to repurpose them for prequel Jedi, but I guess we'll find out this year. As mentioned above, I find the range of arm movement below expectations and not significantly improved, but for a figure that'll just sit in your Cantina or train Luke on the Falcon? The articulation is perfect.

I like the lightsaber hilts. The hands have problems double-gripping them due to interference from engineering and the figure's unusual thumbs, but you can kind of, sort of, make it almost awkwardly work. One of my gripes about The Vintage Collection is that each figure looks amazing, but they're generally difficult to pose just right. A coat, a belt, a skirt, or some element will push limbs away from where you want them to go. It's one reason I'm fond of Retro - movement is limited, but it stays where you put it. I don't want my figures to fight me, and Obi-Wan doesn't want to fight for me.

I do not like the cloth cloak. It is not an improvement. Hasbro hasn't had a lot of great luck with cloth Jedi capes and cloaks and robes at this scale. In this case, it's folded kind of oddly and Hasbro sewed the hood down. You can snip the tip, but not everybody likes to make modifications to the figures and the hood is huge. As is, it hangs somewhat oddly. It just isn't cut right. Around the shoulders, there's a little too much fabric. The sleeves are too small and tight, in the movie they're much longer and hang down a bit. With a little work I can get it to look mildly acceptable, but I think that after 25 years of cloth Jedi robes on 3 3/4-inch scale action figures we can all admit that there are limitations of the material and/or factory sewing machines that may not be able to deliver a satisfying experience at this size. At this point I think it's just beyond the technical expertise of the factory or the designer, and alternative materials must be examined. Perusing fan and official figure photography, I don't think it's just my opinion - the cut of the robe just isn't worthy of a "premium" collector-priced figure in today's market.

After several decades I think I just have to make peace with the fact that this is probably as good as a "super articulated" Kenobi as we're going to get - unless you change up the engineering and try something different. I'd recommend this to anyone who doesn't have an Alec Guiness Kenobi in their collection, because it is still the best one overall so far - but other ones have unique accessories and poses you may find valuable. If you want maximum articulation but aren't too bothered by the cloth hindering some of it, with the best likeness, this is your current best bet. But for a dueling alternative, keep reading.

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

While not exactly a looker by modern standards, I would recommend you look up the 25th Anniversary Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #110] and/or The Last Jedi Kenobi [FOTD #2,413] for dueling purposes. It's necessary for your double-handed dueling Death Star needs. The price isn't too high yet, but it has been slowly increasing.

Confidential to Hasbro: I know you guys like Deluxe figures for $25 and up, and I think you should consider Obi-Wan for a fancy upgrade. A version of this figure with multiple plastic robe pieces for specific poses might look good and give you another bite at the apple for the figure tooling. Sculpted plastic hoods do tend to look great - so why not include plastic robes for specific vehicle riding needs, specific dueling needs, and including them with version 2.0? I think VC #373 is good for certain fans - they want a carded figure, they want the cloth, and you gave them exactly the kind of figure they asked for - bravo. But it doesn't look great in a diorama, and I think plastic robe parts are the solution and I'm willing to pay for it. Consider it for the 50th anniversary, perhaps in a duel with Darth Vader set or a Death Star playset.

I would also recommend looking at 2004 Dagobah Luke for a "statue" solution that may be cheaper and use less labor at your factories. Swappable arms gave this $5 Luke figure wildly different poses that were not possible to replicate with "super articulated" arms. An Obi-Wan with pre-posed scene-specific arms could be a viable product for cutting off alien arms or distracting Sith Lords. Some fans will complain, but it's the internet and that's what we do here. New features and functions give fans a reason to buy a figure other than "now he's got ankle rockers." There is more to being a functional figure than merely having the most articulation. A "Statue Series" might be a great sidekick to The Vintage Collection for scene-specific major characters in the films, with reduced factory labor costs.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,308: January 6, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,304: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Masters / Epic World of Action)

OBI-WAN KENOBI Force Masters Pack
Epic World of Action Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0778
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blue lightsaber, Force lightning, 4 other figures with accessories
Action Feature: Lightning grip for fists, lightning can wrap around figure
Retail: $34.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Jedi Masters take on Sith Lord Darth Vader in this 5-pack of Star Wars action figures inspired by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Force Ghost Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, and Darth Vader. (Taken from the Target's web site. Package has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It's rare that I see something and go "Eh I think I can wait for a sale," but with this particular set's price point and abundance I did wait for a $10 off deal in November. It's a good set for the money (unlike some of last year's exclusives), and this Obi-Wan Kenobi is arguably the best part of the set. Normal Jedi Obi-Wan isn't available elsewhere in the line yet, and while he shares some bits with the armored figure it's still mostly a new figure. Mostly.

It's not a total match for the movie, Hasbro gave him extra Force lightning bits on his forearms for thematic reasons. Mechanics and energy were supposed to be a big part of Star Wars product this year, and you can see it in a few select parts of the line - but it also goes against the Jedi not being able to use Sith Lightning. We saw Yoda absorb it, and we saw Obi-Wan absorb it with his lightsaber, so I suppose you can give the blue blast to another figure and pretend - but part of me wants to buy a second set and de-paint the forearms. It's not a massive eyesore, and I suppose it would set the figure apart from a single-carded non-lightning version had one surfaced. So far, it hasn't.

The figure itself is pretty great. It doesn't have the rich sculpted fabric texture of the collector figures, but it does have ball joints galore and a great face sculpt with matching printed deco. It looks great for a kid toy, and the figure has no problems standing, sitting, holding the lightsaber, or holding the lightning. Getting him to balance with the big lightning will take some doing, as gravity is real. It's a heck of a handy little accessory, and if kids actually got this in their hands they might have some fun with it. There aren't a lot of physical manifestations of "The Force" and kids could probably pretend it's like a tractor beam for Force-grab or Force-push or whatever. Also, these Force clamps are currently exclusive to (or are debuting in) this set.

Kenobi has no problems sitting, but you may need to bend the robes a bit to get it working right. I wish there were a matching Epic Hero Jedi Starfighter, but alas, that seems unlikely. It would also be nice to have a specific figure for him to duel from the movie, but that doesn't exist either. It's a nice figure if you just want a hero Kenobi for the kids, or something for your desk. When a line is small like this, it's hard to create something satisfying that also spans nearly 50 years of stories. As such, on his own merits, this is a good figure and the set at $35 (or $25, or less) offers a decent value. $5-$7 per figure, with elbow and knee joints, plus ball-jointed hips? That's not just a good deal in 2025, we didn't have that good of a range of motion in 2005 and prices were typically lower.

 If this line got any real momentum, maybe launched alongside a new season of a popular show with more than one or two characters from said show, I think it could be a really strong one. The toy features are generally fun, the prices are competitive with other kiddo figures, the deco is good - if a bit stylized - and there's no sense of "this guy looks wrong." I'd recommend tracking down the set if you're so inclined.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target on sale for $24.49. If I didn't overpay for Walmart's exclusives last year, I probably would've bought this one at full price and not complain. I needed that karmic price adjustment.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,304: December 23, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,300: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Blue Tech Speeder Bike / Epic World of Action)

OBI-WAN KENOBI BARC Speeder
Epic World of Action Power the Force Speeder Bikes
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0778
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blue lightsaber, rocket, blue launcher, tech deco bike
Action Feature: Bike rolls on wheels, rocket launcher, spring-out wings
Retail: $19.99
Availability: August 2025
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Legendary Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi battled on the back of a speeder bike, a vehicle capable of high-speed travel that requires skill and fast reflexes. (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Scarce. I haven't seen it in stores. Amazon resellers are asking a lot for Obi-Wan Kenobi with his BARC Speeder, which makes some degree of sense as the only non-repaint in the second wave of the Epic World of Action carded vehicles. The figure itself seems to be a mishmash of parts from other releases, while the bike seems to be unique and loaded with enough play features to make you angry it isn't easy to get.

Obi-Wan seems to share Target's exclusive Obi-Wan Kenobi head, torso, and skirt. The boots are unique (but similar to Rex), and his arms may well be the same as Rex. They certainly seem as if they come from the same digital sculpt, but I can't tell if they're from the same molds. Obi-Wan Kenobi's shoulder armor also matches that of single-carded Anakin Skywalker, fitting Kenobi slightly better.

 But how's the figure? Great. He stands well, with 15 points of articulation. (I count points of articulation here as places where two pieces join and can move, so the knee can move at two places but the hip can only move at one.) While the figure doesn't have ankles or wrists like his The Vintage Collection counterpart, it's worth comparing what you get as both are technically the same price now. Hasbro's 3 3/4-inch collector figures have some cloth bits and more joints, but what the kid figure lacks in superfluous bits he makes up for with vehicle. $20 for a super articulated figure, or $20 for a vehicle with a pretty nicely articulated figure? Unfortunately, fans over 40 will rarely support anything fun, so they'll miss out on a really good Ewan McGregor sculpt with a decent head of hair and beard on it. They may overlook the Jedi symbol stamped on the shoulder. They will certainly miss out on the padded black pants under the skirt piece, but if they have Armored Kenobi at home they may have no need of another at this point. I feel for the hypothetical target audience as this item has not appeared in American big box or toy stores, nor is it likely to unless they order through better toy distributors. (And it's $60 on Amazon!)

Obi-Wan sits well on his bike. There are bulky skirt pieces, but they bend out of the way with handlebars and pedals that are better at holding him in place. I had no problems getting him massaged on the bike, with one minor quibble. The bike has an awesome action feature with two pop-out blades to clip bad guys, but his legs can get in the way if Kenobi is not seated just-so. Hasbro is really improving play features for kids, but I would certainly prefer a kid to not have to plan to make sure the clearance is perfect before taking the wheeled speeder in battle. It would be great if it just fit easily the first time. Having said that it's more fun than the other bikes in the assortment.

 If the bike looks familiar, Hasbro did a number of wheeled BARC Speeders in The Clone Wars. Some had sidecars, but none had the circuit patterns on the front and the integrated rocket launcher is unique. With rolling wheels and two button-activated features, it's a real toy that's fun to play around with. It's more Kenner than most Kenner toys, and a reminder what catering to older fans may have cost us in terms of memorable, fun, and durable toys. The deco is pretty clean, with blue paint over an off-white bike.

 I like this bike the most. The Kenobi figure is very good, and as a package I bet it would have made for a great birthday present to a certain kind of fan. Having said that, it's also a bizarre entry given he's from a show that has been on and off the air/streaming since 2008 and ended completely in 2020. The entire Epic collection is a strange grab bag of out-of-time choices, all of which seem to be a few years late to succeed in the market. (In their shoes, I'd probably have focused on whatever was streaming instead of what was hot 2-20 years ago.) But Hasbro did a great job - the amount of care and action packed in this set shows they really do want to excel at making toys for kids when they're given a chance. I would recommend picking this one up while you can (check our sponsored link below or keep an eye on closeout shops.) I wouldn't say it's worth $60... but if it were $25 I would say it is still a pretty good product for the asking price and certainly a better toy adjusted for inflation compared to what we were getting in the 1990s. Nice work Hasbro, I hope you can keep the roughly 3 3/4-inch kid format going for a long time.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,300: December 9, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,135: Obi-Wan Kenobi (The Retro Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI with a familiar pose
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber with Queen Amidala, Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Battle Droid
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I don't know if anybody will agree with me, but I'm pretty sure this Obi-Wan Kenobi was at least partially inspired by the 2012 Duel on Naboo Battle Packs Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #1,831] figure. It also had 5 points of articulation and was a pretty excellent figure, with a similar (but not identical) pose and one of the best Ewan McGregor likenesses of the entire line. Hasbro is on the lower price point end of the collectible toy spectrum, but they do an amazing job - and seeing what they were doing a decade ago with "kid stuff" continues to impress me to this day. Comparing that figure to this new (old-style) one, you can see a lot of similarities in where the shoulders and legs are cut, with slightly different leg poses that are a bit more dynamic than the rest of Hasbro's "Kenner" figures. This guy has a bit more personality.

This entire grouping was a fascinatingly weird 25th anniversary set, and I can't imagine Hasbro had an easy time picking which six figures got made. I'd love to see another six, mostly due to the lack of the blue shirt Padme or young Anakin. I can't imagine they'll do another set of guys from this movie, so I'll just say that these are about as good as the other remake and new figures. Your old figures are still special, but these are a nice addition to the old figure line if you can get past the "you're not my real dad!"-ness of them. The old Kenner sculptors aren't coming back, the old factory techniques are no longer used, and a lot of Kenner-era fans aren't going to like the prequels anyway. As such, this figure is about as good as it's going to get in the current marketplace.

One of the biggest departures is his Jedi braid, now molded to his torso rather than his head. It's an elegant solution that deprives the head from having a breakable part, and very much seems like the kind of thing Kenner would have done early in the line. The squared-off legs are also similar to a lot of figures we got during The Empire Strikes Back, and the boots are pretty close. The colors seem a little more saturated than most Obi-Wan figures, but I'm fine with that - it's what Kenner tended to do. The deco is simple, with pretty good Kenner-style eyes and generally nicely painted hair, belt, boots, and hands. There's not a lot going on here, so it turns out rather well.

The head doesn't look quite right, but I'd say the same about most of the vintage Kenner heads of old. It's not like Han Solo really looked all that much like Harrison Ford, and it would be a stretch to say that any of the stars really resembled the photographs on the cardbacks. If anything, Obi-Wan excels at being just a smidgen off-model, as it seemed Kenner was fond of doing. To this day I have no idea if they were intentionally trying to dodge likeness rights or not, and while there's probably a book or a doc somewhere that explains it, I haven't seen it yet. But I do know that Obi-Wan's wider arm and leg stance really seems more modern than most figures. It's also more interesting to look at than most modern Retro figures.

As always the sculpted detail is a little botoxed-out, like someone expanded a selection in Photoshop by a pixel or two and filled it in. I would not be stunned if they used the aforementioned 2012 figure's digital model as a starting point, and then refined it until you got what we have here. There are plenty of nice landmarks, wrinkles, and folds, but some of them seem other unfinished or digitally smudged out in a way that seems a smidgen undercooked. Despite this, teh hands are great - both can hold a lightsaber tightly and that's not the kind of thing we got a ton of in the old days.

I have no doubt fans will poo-poo this figure for his soft detail, but it does look like Hasbro is making inroads in trying to capture the harder-to-describe details on old Kenner toys. I would love to see sharper sculpted details, but the more unique poses and slightly off-model face combined with joints that seem to swing smoothly and allow the figure to sit? I have little to complain about in that regard. The figure is good enough, and I would say the only thing I feel is missing is the cloak that we got with Qui-Gon Jinn. I assume it was for budget reasons, and I would say this is a perfectly find retro-style figure for the price. With the original Kenner sculptors well beyond retirement, and few people wanting to replicate an outdated form of sculpting, I can only say that I admire the attempt and it's nice to get something that continues to try to get closer to the old days. I doubt we'll ever pick up a new retro-style figure and say "this is 100% exactly what Kenner would have done" as getting the sculpted detail and body language just-so would result in massive fan arguments regardless of the quality. If you want a vintage-style figure with a sharper sculpt, thankfully, it exists. If you can enjoy this figure for what it is, it's pretty good - but now that we're five years and dozens of figures in, we're never going back to copy the 1982 production values.

Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,135: May 21, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,068: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jabiim, The Black Series)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Jabiim)
The Black Series 2023 Closed Box Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7098
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #13 - Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Lightsaber, blaster, robe
Action Feature: Working holster
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: 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. (Taken from the packaging. It's still this not-specific.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Commentary: The Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jabiim) 6-inch figure is something of a predictable experience. It's also not the first one - a 3 3/4-inch Expanded Universe Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #513] was sold as a comic pack over 15 year ago. (Gaze upon time and weep.) This figure riffs on those comics slightly, bringing you a shaggy-haired, dirty and haggard Obi-Wan Kenobi. The big twist here? No sleeves on the robes, and he's got a gun. Hasbro did a great job bringing the small screen suit home, but with multiple options for this character in similar-but-different costumes you may want to be selective about which one you buy. (My advice would be "get the cheap one.)

It's a nice looking figure with decent boots and a face that looks more like Attack of the Clones than Revenge of the Sith. The figure itself recycles the legs from the Wandering Jedi figure, but you get a new chest, arms, and "skirt." He can hold his tiny blaster or holster it, plus the lightsaber hilt can peg on his belt. There's also a removable blade. As accessories go, they did a good job giving him enough stuff so you might not be mad he's $25.

I found the figure to be a little wobbly, as you may find his ankles to be a little loose and he may topple over if you aren't careful and precise about posing him. It's worth noting they did a nice job with him - the Ewan McGregor head sculpt looks good, the Jedi robes have a nice texture, the deco is light (and appropriate) with a new Jedi robe that seems like more of an action figure bit than a movie costume. It was off-putting on the show, and it's kind of off-putting here. A similar-but-different figure is coming to Walmart as an exclusive using many of the same parts with a white shirt, a Skyhopper, and some goggles. In other words, it's more interesting than this one, and it's one of four 6-inch Obi-Wan figures from the streaming series. They're pretty nicely executed, but it's over $100 for four very similar figures with a lot of shared parts before tax and shipping. It's a good thing the articulation is mostly good but the wrists don't quite bend with the robes in the way, and the joints are mostly hidden. They did a nice job - if you want more Obi-Ewan, this is as good of a purchase as any of them.

For $25 or less, it's a perfectly nice figure that has very little room to improve. The portrait is good, the fabric is nice, the accessories meet requirements, and other than a nice display stand I wouldn't have asked for much more here. Other than, you know, more character variety - Obi-Wan got more love for series in the first year than Mando did for his.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,068: September 28, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,058: Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (The Retro Collection)

BEN (OBI-WAN) KENOBI (Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Shop Disney / Hasbro Pulse Exclusive Set
Item No.: Asst. F7649 No. F7649
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, cape, Jawa, R2-D2, C-3PO, Death Squad Commander, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $69.99
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and eatures original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It took a long time, but Hasbro finally finished re-making the original 12-back Star Wars figures this year! Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi finishes my look through the class of 1978, and he looks a little different than I remember. The original figure had a telescoping lightsaber, a vinyl cape, and either white or gray hair. This one has white hair, and the face feels a smidgen wider.

A lot of details changed, and I think this is one of the lesser figures in the set. You can tell the hair detail seems off with much softer details in the face and robes. The holes in his belt are missing from the 2023 release, but I have to say I rather prefer the hand being a tiny bit less claw-like this time around. The cape - and the figure - are a little browner than the more orange original, which makes the light blue lightsaber pop nicely. Since the cape tends to hug the figure, they just needed to do a good job on the arms and head - and they get a passing grade. If you're getting the set anyway, you get your money's worth with this figure.

If I had to boil the figure down to two words, it would be "generation loss." Much like some other Retro figures, it looks like a copy of a copy. The paint applications are good, the eyes are nice, the pose is decent, but anyone that played with an original as a kid will look at this and feel something is a little bit off. I assumed we would have sculptors who would laser-scan a perfect recreation of the original, or artisans who work at the factory to make sure it's as close to the same (sans copyright marks) as possible. It isn't. But if you don't get too close or squint, I think it's going to do the trick for most fans of these old-style figures. If you just leave them on the card on the wall, or in a box, does it matter? If you're older and your eyesight softened a bit, will you even notice? It's probably good enough if you just want to visit your childhood one more time before you exit the toy aisles for the rest of adulthood and the increasingly wobbly prospects of the toy business. The toy biz hasn't abandoned the end of Generation X just yet but it's probably coming - so get these while you can!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,058: August 24, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,992: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi, The Vintage Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Wandering Jedi)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F4474
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #245
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, blaster, cloak, L0-LA59 (disc with stand), L0-LA59 (deployed)
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 Amazon. 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: Good engineering and gear, not the best face paint. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi) has a lot going on with a whopping six accessories, half of which are loaded with tiny painted details. That sort of stuff doesn't come free, so Hasbro is charging accordingly. This figure was $15 last year and with price increases, would be about $17 if he shows up in a new wave this year. It's a little ridiculous - not because we're not getting a lot in the box, but we're getting way more than we need. This probably would've been a much better figure with only his cloak, lightsaber, and blaster at a lower price. I appreciate the bonus droid buddies and lightsaber hilt, but even the hilt gets lost in the shuffle hanging off his butt and completely hidden by his robes. In short, the Kenner-style one was a bit more sensible and was also priced cheaper.

This is a decent figure with a less decent head. I wager Hasbro worked from a Lucasfilm style guide and that's why we got the droid companions here (and not with the non-existent Leia) because that was on the checklist of "something cute to sell the kids" and the kids didn't show up. Each droid is a wonder to behold at its size, and makes me go "OK, maybe this is worth the asking price." The disc mode L0-LA59 has a clear stand and a ball joint, allowing you to position it a bit. There's a big black eye and a red ring. It features amazing detail at this size, and they're carried over to the "active" droid too. The second L0-LA has articulated ears and a single joint on the leg, which is insane. This may well be the smallest articulated figure in this scale to date, and you can use the head joint to balance her to stand up unassisted. That's amazing. Obi-Wan can grab either droid in his hand, more or less. Each figure probably has about as much complexity as a really good alternate figure hand, but I would assume fans would place greater value in getting two tiny new characters as cute but useless bonuses.

The blaster looks great, and easily fits in his hand or holster. The lightsaber hilt pegs in the belt easily, but is out of sight and I assume it will one day fall out and I won't know it went missing for years. The lit lightsaber fits perfectly in his hand, and the robe looks pretty good too. No complaints. I assume if Hasbro gave you this much stuff in a 6-inch figure, they'd charge you an $8 deluxe premium.

I haven't even mentioned the figure yet. Obi-Wan Kenobi looks a bit like Ewan McGregor and, from some angles, a little like Homer Simpson thanks to this particular beard. The hair looks superb, but the puffy mustache adds a bit of an overbite to the exquisitely sculpted and painted face. The face doesn't look great up-close, but it's acceptable if you've got old eyes and don't look at it with a macro lens. What's more, the arm and leg joints are all excellent and while the figure breaks zero ground, it seems to do a good job carving up what I assume was the digital asset provided by Disney to this size. The one thing I don't like is the eyesore mid-torso joint. At this point, it just looks awful - unless there's an engineering reason I don't understand, I'd prefer to see this joint lowered to the belt line so any cuts would just fit seamlessly in the figure. I'd also be fine dropping it completely, if it meant a lower price point or a cleaner look to the figure's shirt. You're always going to have elbow joints or shoulder joints, but this kind of a belly laceration seems like the kind of thing they figured out how to not do in 1980s G.I. Joe. I'm only making a big deal about it since it's the one blight on an otherwise good figure that can stand without a fight and so far, isn't flopping over due to weirdly tight joints reverting back to a pose I don't want. I like it.

All in all this is a good figure, and I don't know why he sat in an opened tray from his package on my desk for months and months. Hasbro did a bang-up job with him, Reva, and Darth Vader and I only wish we could ever get literally any new show or movie to have a line that makes a real statement at retail instead of 2-3 figures and then nothing. I can't build a collection - or enthusiasm - with so few figures. Anything less than 10 is pretty paltry, even if all we get are rereleased Stormtroopers I'd have been pretty happy. Hopefully Hasbro still has more figures in the pipeline, like a mini Leia or Flea or the once and future Happy Birthday/Thank You Very Much. If you can get this figure at or under $15 it's a fantastic example of what Hasbro can do with the higher budgets, but honestly, I'd prefer they just cut the budget, get them back down to $12, and if they have to cut some gear so be it. Sell us accessory packs if need be - because figures like this are raising the price of every figure, including reissues with little or no gear that are undoubtedly cheaper to manufacture.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,992: January 5, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,964: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi, The Retro Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Wandering Jedi, Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F4200 No. F5770
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, robe, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging 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: In terms of value, this Obi-Wan Kenobi (Wandering Jedi) from The Retro Collection is objectively not a good deal compared to his The Vintage Collection equivalent - who has two droids and a bonus lightsaber hilt for a couple of bucks more than this 5-jointed figure. I know things like packaging and freight aren't free, but given Hasbro has made some decent $4 5-jointed Marvel figures* and decent $5 6-inch Star Wars figures, we know they can do more for less. Or at least more for the same price. Kenner fanatics are not exactly spoiled for choice, though, so the few figures you get per year are rarely a question of value. There's a reason that a $30-$40 bootleg "custom" figure is a viable option for fans of this underserved format.

These Kenner-inspired figures are a form of time travel. The Inquisitors are a mix of 1970s vinyl capes and 1980s clip-on weapons, but Obi-Wan Kenobi seems like he's full-bore 1984. The cloth robe hangs well, with lapels that remind me a bit of the 1984 Han Solo (Trenchcoat) figure - except the robe has a hood. And it hangs well! The cut of the fabric is really nice, and doesn't get in the way of the limbs rotating. I love cloth robes because you can put a figure in a vehicle without creasing the vinyl sheet. 

Obi-Wan is mostly covered by the robe, so its unique softer texture, clean stitching, and unique thickness makes it work pretty well. He also has a blue lightsaber - much like Snowspeeder Pilot Luke or the variant Jedi Knight Luke figures - and a new blaster that can fit in a loop on his hip. Very few old Kenner figures got this much gear, so it's a treat when we get so many parts. The blaster is larger and much more simplified than the TVC equivalent, appearing a little off-model. As it should. Weird is good. I would have liked it if the hands were a bit better at gripping the blaster, but it's not like the old Kenner figures were great graspers. The loop on the belt is a little loose to hold the blaster, but the robes keep it in place fairly well.

The figure itself doesn't seem like a simplified The Vintage Collection sculpt - and I appreciate that. Sometimes you can see where creases or other elements carry over, but it looks like Hasbro did the "Kenner" work here with slightly shorter shirt sleeves, bigger boots and a decent belt. The tail end is squared-off, but the legs align nicely and if you leave on the robes, it's not like you'd notice.  You're not getting a squared-off rump when he sits. The head and arms all swivel nicely, too. It may seem silly to praise the articulation of a simple figure, but this sort of thing really matters. If they joints don't work, what good is it? You don't have to fight with him or squeeze things a certain way, everything just works. Figures like this have eroded away my patience for super-articulated figures where you have to align the arms just-so to get them to balance standing up. I just don't feel like I have the patience for it anymore - I just want a toy that works. Obi-Wan works.

Retro middle-age Ewan McGregor looks pretty young, with no gray hair. The beard is perfectly fine, the eyebrows are nice, the hair is long and parted to the side in a way that doesn't look too out of place with my very old childhood toys. Obi-Wan is a little better than actual Kenner figures, but not as detailed as modern figures of this size. Meanwhile, his eyes and eyebrows look pretty much exactly right. 

The shirt itself is a little more billowy than the Kenner originals.  This Obi-Wan figure (and indeed, most of the figures) are more three-dimensional than the flat figures of old - the lightsabers seem to jut out a bit more, and the extra detail in the plastic "fabric" doesn't seem quite as primitive as what we got back in the day.   I don't hate it, but it is worth noting that there's a big difference from figures derived from a digital sculpt in 2022 than wax or, in some cases, wooden patterns of old.

I like this one. It's good Hasbro seemingly put a little more love (and budget) here, as he ships two per case and is the star of the show. When I was a kid I wondered what young Obi-Wan Kenobi looked like, and if Kenner threw this at me in 1987 I'd say "yup, works for me!" In 2022 I'm still pretty happy with him, because there's a lot here that just plain works. He can't quite hold his blaster out straight ahead, but this is true of a lot of old Kenner figures so I'm not going to grouse too much. I don't know if kids will love these figures as much as I do - heck, some collectors don't care for them - but after 25 years of Kenner and Hasbro making figures that don't always meet my standards of realism, I appreciate and enjoy figures that exist just to be a plastic plaything. It's just a nice action figure, in the style of an old toy, and it completely meets my expectations and needs at this size and price. The only thing that would have been better is if he had a vehicle I could buy to go with him.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,964: September 29, 2022 

* - As of September 2022, some 99 Cents Only stores have started to stock the bagged 3 3/4-inch Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. I highly recommend them at the $2.99 asking price, particularly the Hulk, if you're fanatical about 1980s-style Kenner toys.