Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,299 Chewbacca (2025 - The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA Just Begin Again
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0923
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #381
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Chewbacca is a legendary Wookiee warrior with a big heart known for his short temper, accuracy with a bowcater, and unwavering loyalty to his friends. (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: There are few characters as important to old-school Star Wars as Chewbacca. We got one 3 3/4-inch figure of him in the original trilogy, but Kenner and Hasbro would go on to find numerous ways to do (and redo) him in the 1990s and beyond... up until about 2004. At that point we got a really good new body and nearly every collector-level (and some kid-level) original trilogy-specific action figures would be this guy, possibly with a different head and altered fur deco. Yes, this is the Original Trilogy Collection "Vintage" body yet again but Hasbro has given it more changes than ever. And would you believe less deco?

If you have no Chewbaccas, get this one. If you need another one for the Cantina or a vehicle, this might be your best bet. If he's just going to stand around and look cool, I don't think this one adds anything - this is a figure you buy to sit around.

It's not obvious to look at it, but it has some pretty serious changes above the neck and below the waist. First up, the head seem to be from a similar digital ancestor to a head we saw used in The Black Series and also the infamous 2005 Early Bird Kit, but it's not the same. The mouth interior is painted, and some of the scruff around the neck is different - but some looks almost the same. There are enough changes from the figures I had within reach that I'm fairly confident that it's a good new sculpt, with decent fangs and deco that gets the job done nicely. The eyes have a little shine to them, and he's growling - as most Chewbacca figures do. The head matches the body sculpting style fairly closely, but it does seem like it might not be from the exact same era.

The torso and arms seem to be the same sculpts, down to the hair hanging off his hands. That's the one thing I wish we could see changed, because it seems like it's still designed for a specific pose. taking some of the shaggy elements off might make him look a bit more modern, and I would really love to see some improved arm articulation so we can replicate that "let the Wookiee win" Dejarik champion pose from the original film. Hasbro made a figure with pre-bent elbows back in 2000 that can do that pose... and not much else. Hasbro's other figures have incredible bending power in their joints, so when Theseus updates this ship next time I hope they can do some work on the arms. They're not bad - they can hold a bowcaster (also from 2004). His body still has the multiple segments, and you can pivot and rotate them to your liking.

The Bandolier seems to be the same as previous releases, but with less deco. The AT-ST release had a lot more grit and dirt on it, this one is squeaky-clean. 2025 Chewbacca's ammo pouches and snaps seem to have more appropriately placed paint, though, so I'd give the new guy the edge there.

The lower torso and legs seem to be entirely new, with smaller feet and thigh swivels plus lateral hip movement. It's not hard to get him to sit in the big Millennium Falcon from 2008, but you can't have his legs bent very much due to the size of the figure (and cockpit.) The bag hangs over the side, with decent deco on the legs. It feels to have a minor mismatch around the shins, though, and it's worth noting his fingernails and toenails are unpainted this time. AT-ST Chewbacca had some black paint there. Will you notice, would you miss it if I didn't point it out? Probably not. It doesn't ruin the figure, but you can see a couple of very small corners cut here.

I'm especially pleased Hasbro dropped the fur highlights, as that always looked a little gross to me. This figure is about 50% new, with new deco and some new-for-Chewbacca articulation, and another 50% is 21 years old. There may be other examples of keeping tooling working on a "new" figure that long, but I'm hard-pressed to name it for something that isn't meant as a reissue or nostalgia-specific item. I guess this might qualify, but I'd like to think it's also a good time to try an all-new sculpt and see how it turns out. Functionally this is a very nice figure with an improved range of motion and an excellent head giving him additional personality. Having said that, if Hasbro never made it? I'd probably never have missed the improvements, and just made do with what I had at home. I was very surprised to see smaller feet and a seemingly new head mold, but a little disappointed that the bowcaster still kind of rattles around with its two-piece design. I wouldn't mind seeing a new take on that, too. If you miss it, I assume a rerelease or remold is inevitable.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,299: December 4, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,280: Chewbacca (Epic World of Action)

CHEWBACCA What a Wookiee
Epic World of Action Power the Force Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9949No. G1149
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Figure, projectile, green shield, regular bandolier, green bandolier, bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: June 2025, probably
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith meets Star Wars

Bio: A legendary Wookiee warrior, Chewbacca was part of a core group of Rebels who restored freedom to the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

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Commentary: Hasbro's Epic World of Action (formerly Epic Hero Series) figure line is really something. Each individual figure like Chewbacca stands on their own. Literally! They don't topple over, the articulation is often very good, and the sculpts aren't bad. This figure is clearly derived from whatever CAD files were used to squeeze out The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi versions of The Black Series Chewbacca, with different articulation and a few tweaks. The hands are very different, but the hair dangling off the head and crotchial region, plus some patterns on the legs, seem to carry over - they're coming from a similar place. The face is very different, but the true fanatics can see weird fur pattens and go "I see what you did there."

Each of these figures is excellent - but weirdly, it doesn't hang together well as a collection. We're about a year and a half in and there's little resembling a team for kids to buy beyond Mando and Grogu (and maybe Luke and Ahsoka, if you want to do that episode.) This Chewbacca doesn't necessarily seem to have a buddy yet, although I suppose he could pal around with Yoda. It's a stretch - sadly there's no Han but I suppose he could hang out with X-Wing Luke.

The figure itself is well-engineered. Compare it to a $16.99 The Vintage Collection figure, and he does pretty well as he's bigger, just about as sturdy, and has a very good range of motion. He has no problems standing, and Hasbro did a great job making sure you can pose him and express his personality. The details are good, the bandolier is great, and the only place it comes up a little short is the paint and the lower waist. The paint is a little light in spots, and I don't love the widow's peak on the front of his head - but the eyes are good, and he's now growling. I like that a lot. The painted fingers and palms are great, as are the painted toes. It's a decent, mostly subtle look with the upper thighs being a bit more harshly colored, but overall it's really good. It's a great Chewbacca, and if you just want a generic Wookiee you can ditch the bandoliers.

He's tall. I found he wasn't to tall to be crammed in the seat in the cockpit of the big Millennium Falcon with the top shut, which is amazing. But he does have problems sitting - the fur flap doesn't have a lot of flex. I'm not sure why Hasbro keeps putting it here, rather than trimming it away so his legs have a greater range of motion. It's worth repeating that this area seems to repeat the same fur "skirt" pattern we saw in The Black Series 6-inch Chewbacca figures. It doesn't get in the way of him standing in a number of action poses - only sitting.

The toymakers behind this make me mad because they're so good. It feels like a plussed-up Kenner-style figure from the early 1990s, when Batman or Robin Hood or whoever had a giant weapon they couldn't possibly carry without falling over. Sometimes Kenner would engineer the figure to balance around a big venus flytrap or punching glove, and sometimes they wouldn't. In this case, the designers gave Chewie an extra bandolier with a hole in it. This tells you where to put his oversized rocket-firing bowcaster so he can balance and not fall over. It's perfect. It's also optional, so if you just want the basic Chewie you can have that too. Sadly there's no basic bowcaster in the set - but the big rocket launcher is pretty great for what it is.

If you collect toys, add this to your next online order. I haven't seen this wave in stores yet. I hope the line continues for years because I love what Hasbro did here, making something that looks good for older fans but will no doubt be fun for kids who just want a nice figure. Weird gear that's optional makes me very happy, but I also like Chewbacca with the weirdest gear. While he doesn't have waist, wrist, or ankle articulation, this particular figure doesn't need it. I'm cranky he can't sit in a Cantina booth, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider picking up a second one and making some cuts or bends to see if I can change that. He's super big and really fun, so get him for a kid or for a work desk play thing.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,280: September 30, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,150: Krrsantan (The Retro Collection)

KRRSANTAN Meet the Newbacca
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6874 No. F8568
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Heavy Blaster
Action Feature: Removable armor
Retail: $11.99
Availability: December 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features 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 Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I'm very slowly opening the 2023 retro Kenner figures like Krrsantan, mostly because I don't have high hopes for a lot more of these. I wrote the bulk of this a couple of months ago. Seeing 2022 figures dumped at Ollie's and Ross, with new old-style Kenner original trilogy figures in generally short supply, the Retro format seems to have the product development deck stacked against it. At least it's interesting while it lasts, however long it lasts. This particular figure seems to riff on the original 1978 Chewbacca, but with some elements that move forward in time a bit. He's a little wider, a little taler, and a lot beefier... and thanks to his removable armor, he may serve as the basis for a lot of custom figures in the future.

Sometimes simple is best, and in this case I think it works. It's worth noting that The Black Series and The Vintage Collection Krrsantan figures based on The Book of Boba Fett were each "deluxe" releases. I would argue there's nothing at all deluxe about the 6-inch one, but at least both The Vintage Collection figures have a lot of gear in the box - not enough to make it worth 50-100% more, but it's something. This one is just a basic figure. I like basic if it means basic prices.

The fur sculpting is a lot like the original Chewbacca, with a wider stance and arms that spread out a little more. He won't easily fit in an original Millennium Falcon cockpit or a standard slot in a Kenner carry case, or an AST-5 or MLC-3. He's barely taller than the original Kenner Chewie, closer in height to Yak Face and about 50% wider. It's very clearly a riff on the 1978 sculpting with this fur pattern, rather than going for a post-Return of the Jedi look like the Ewoks. Love them or hate them, they had a lot more detail and a v-crotch that may or may not have worked better here. He will, however, stand around and look cool. I plopped him near my Jabba's Palace stuff and he looks like he belongs, thanks to a nice angry mouth and knuckle dusters.

This is a figure where we're probably being overcharged a bit, but at least it's fair relative to other figures. Sabine got four accessories and tons of paint. Krrsantan got armor, a blaster, and very little paint. You can see some on his knuckles, nose, eyes, belt, and beard. As I write this he's standing next to Yak Face and Sabine on my desk, and is the simplest by far. I would have liked to have seem slightly better eye paint and improved fur texture, but I can't argue he doesn't match Chewbacca.

He fits in with the general aesthetic of the old Kenner figure line, but much like the Obi-Wan Kenobi line it's plain to see it doesn't match a specific time period. The figure itself feels like 1978, the removable armor feels like 1982's Zuckuss harness (or Dagobah backpack), and the hands seem more modern in that one of them isn't useless. I think it's good to have hands that can hold weapons, but I would have loved one of them to be a fist - like the original Gamorrean Guard - so he could punch other guys with his knuckle dusters. His pose is also pretty basic. It would be nice to have a little flair in his arms or maybe a bit of a bend to his knees, but I can't say I don't appreciate the jointed neck. That's something I wish Kenner did back in the day, and Hasbro achieved Krrsantan as a pretty good figure that does what Retro tends to shine at - the bare minimum. There's no white highlights in the fur, there's no extraneous parts. It's a Wookiee, a blaster, and a shirt. That's all you needed to have fun in the 1980s, and considering he's the only Hasbro Krrsantan under $27 you don't have a cheaper option.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. At press time I have still not seen him sold at any major retailer brick-and-mortar locations.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,150: July 2, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,092: Chewbacca (Life Day, The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA (Life Day)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F8382
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Life Day Orb
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: The Star Wars Holiday Special

Bio: Life Day is a longstanding tradition celebrating Wookiee cultural values including family, joy, and harmony. While festivities are traditionally held at the Tree of Life on Kashyyyk, Wookiees throughout the galaxy mark the day. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

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Commentary: If I had a short list of things I assumed would never, ever be made as a product, this Chewbacca (Life Day) would be near the top due to its appearance on the buried Star Wars Holiday Special, which aired only one time on CBS before a lot of us were born. To the fan of the saga, it's a bizarre show - but it makes a tiny bit more sense in the era of Sid & Marty Krofft's celebrity variety shows and other variety shows of the era. George Lucas has reportedly said he wishes every tape of it could be destroyed, and now it's on YouTube. There has never been an official commercial release of the special, but we have seen a few Boba Fett figures from the holiday special's cartoon segment. Chewbacca's slanket was never something I expected to see, so I was more than a little stunned when I saw it in the Hasbro booth last July.

What is it? The 2004 Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Chewbacca mold returns with a new right hand, a red robe, and a star-covered Life Day Orb. The head is new, as far as I can tel, but there are other similar heads. If I'm wrong, my bad - but the head doesn't seem to have any clearance for the bandolier Hasbro opted to not include, with fur brushed back a bit more and a bit more neatly than other heads. I like the sculpt, but I don't like the paint - the face is much darker than the cardback. Chewie's face has lighter hair around his eyes and mouth, so it would have been nice if they were a smidgen lighter. And if his lips weren't dark. Other than that? It's pretty great. Hasbro did a bang-up job retooling the right hand to hold the orb, which is the kind of thing we don't usually get to see. (I would have expected an orb tooled to fit on the existing figure's hands to cut costs.) He has the same articulation we've seen for 19 years - and again earlier this year - so it isn't bad. It's just not as good as some other new figures.

 The figure is nothing new - heck, Hasbro could've saved some money by doing one of its 5-jointed figures with a new arm too - but the robe is totally new. His hands stick out, which I do not recall from the special or the many stills I'm seeing online, so that's kind of weird - normally the hands are shown holding the orbs from inside the sleeves. (I assume nobody wanted to wear the full costumes under there.) I don't know if Hasbro could make a figure who has a hand that can hold an orb through the slanket like we saw from Funko and Diamond, so this design decision makes sense if you want it to work... and to look good in the packaging. I would say this is likely as good as you can get at this scale, with these materials, but I do wish the cut of the robe was a little less bulky on the toy. I'm happy Hasbro and Disney kept the price "down" at $16.99 for a body we've had a dozen or so times across multiple figure lines, especially for a holiday figure, an exclusive, and what I would hope is a lower-run item. (This is an item with a very specific audience.) If you are that audience, you've already bought this figure - maybe two, the cardback is pretty nice. Because I love wacky things from the time after the first Star Wars movie but before the saga had a codified look, this is right up my alley and I honestly wish they did a Kenner version too. (Funko made a Pop!) This is an item made for those old-school fans, and I think that's great that the powers that be came together to make something new out of mostly existing parts that a lot of fans will actually see as interesting and not just the same figure yet again. Sure, he can't be posed quite like the cardback, but at least it's close enough and weird enough to work for me. I'm very interested in anything Star Wars from the 1970s and 1980s movies, and TV shows, and if we're being honest, comic books too. Also I'm writing this while going through the original Land of the Lost so maybe I'm not a reliable source of what's awesome.

Again, not kidding, if Hasbro made a slightly smaller robe and packed it with Kenner Retro Chewie next year for $15 I'd buy it. (I probably wouldn't buy The Black Series version of this figure... but it might sell if kept to a reasonable run size!)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse and it is also sold at Shop Disney. For anyone upset about such things - no bowcaster nor bandolier are included.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,092: December 21, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,076: Krrsantan (The Black Series)

KRRSANTAN Not a Very Big Wookiee
The Black Series The Book of Boba Fett Deluxe Figure
Item No.: No. F6857
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #04
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $33.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett

Bio: A former gladiator turned deadly bounty hunter, Krrsantan is a towering black-furred Wookiee who made a name for himself in the criminal underworld with his intimidating presence and raw strength. (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!

Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Commentary: Deluxe figures are something I've increasingly found myself disliking. The figures are generally pretty good, but when you see Krrsantan you might ask why he's $9 more than a basic figure. There don't seem to be extra parts - the hip construction actually seems simplified, and fewer pieces may have been used overall. The deco hits may be slightly higher, but in many respects Chewbacca seems to be a similar figure with more parts and pieces - I could be wrong. I just assume there's a popularity tax at work here now, as Retro Krrsantan is standard price but Vintage and Black Series each got slapped with big upcharges. At least Vintage included a mountain of accessories, this one just has a single blaster and non-removable armor elements.

The figure does a good job of getting the job done - you won't be disappointed by him in-hand. He's hefty, there are painted grays, there's what I believe to be a Wookiee scalp hanging off his belt, and the armor is great. The blaster is big and he can hold it with both hands, and unlike some figures he has massive feet and stands without falling over. You can even plug his blaster in the back of his bandolier - this feels like a figure that Hasbro spent some extra time with. (Given how long it took him to come out, it's appreciated that it doesn't seem rushed.)

The sculpting is good, with an expressive face. One of the benefits of a larger figure is you can work in a little more personality, and sometimes you see it and sometimes you don't. I don't quite think they captured his expression, but it's close - a big hairy mask can only emote so much, and what I'm remembering as facial activity is probably the work of performer Carey Jones bringing him his expressive body language. Thankfully Hasbro gave him a good, but not exceptional, range of movement with elbows that can bend 90 degrees without looking goofy. You have hands with knuckle dusters, and both of Santo's legs swing forward without a fight. Hasbro did a nice job here ensuring it does what it needs to do - at work I jokingly refer to this as all of us needing to do the bare minimum, as a praiseworthy thing. He stands, he sits, the joints work like they should - we have so many figures that don't do that, so a hairy, chonky figure that can move is actually a win. For $34, you need it to be better than below average, and he is.

I am more than a little upset that "premium pricing" is increasingly the norm, especially if the figure doesn't seem to bring anything extra to the table. A slightly taller figure doesn't warrant a $9 upcharge, but if they tricked him out with the gear from the little versions? I couldn't argue with the pricing. An alternate head, some sort of extra part would make it easy for me to say "yeah it costs more but look at all the stuff!" As it is, I can say it's a very well-executed figure that will meet or exceed your basic 6-inch figure expectations with a great face, good deco, excellent hair sculpting, and generally fantastic engineering. And if it's on sale, you're a fool to pass him up - and for full price, I doubt you'll be disappointed unless you wanted something taller.  (I was expecting something taller.) You'll feel you overpaid a bit, but you will be happy with your purchase.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,076: October 26, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,053: Krrsantan (SDCC, The Vintage Collection)

KRRSANTAN SDCC and Pulse Exclusive Version
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: No. F6980
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster, regular hands, fists, really open hands, meiloorun, stein, swords, 3 energy effects, rifle,
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: July 2023
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: Santo is just this guy, you know? (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I had no intention of buying this Krrsantan figure - which I had no idea would be at San Diego Comic-Con this year - because of the price. I know I bring it up a lot, but it's a real concern that we're paying $40 for a figure that costs $27, and all you get are a variant face, two swords, a bowcaster, and some energy blaster (with blast effect.) All the alternate hands, rifle, tankard, meiloorun, and knuckleduster blue energy effects are in the standard release. I just happened to be at the Hasbro Vault after I heard they had some items for sale - only two exclusives, off-site, about a half mile away from the convention. Even though I don't have the standard release in hand yet, I can pretty safely say that if money is no object, you'll probably want both, and if you're a sensible person, the standard release should prove sufficient. It is an excellent action figure in the "we now exist in a world where collectors accept nothing less than super-articulation with gear they will never use" paradigm that I guess we shall never escape.

This figure's head is arguably its best selling point - standard issue has a closed mouth, exclusive has a screaming, open mouth that works well with the fruit and the drink in the set. He could use a little more gray, but the hair does have some nice shading to it along with distinctive lip, teeth, and tongue. There's a tiny hint of gloss in his eyes, plus he has really good hair. The sculpting is and he's really expressive - but for the price, I would've liked both heads included in the package. The angry head and knuckle duster energy go together well, and you're getting Expensive Japanese Toy levels of detail and quality, or at least, something very close to it.

In terms of the body, it's great! We haven't had a new 3 3/4-inch movie-style Chewbacca figure since the Original Trilogy Collection, as someone decided that was as good as it gets and we just keep getting head and deco variants. (And the sandstorm one.) This all-new Wookiee technically has less articulation in the body, but overall it has a much better range of movement. The bend-and-swivel wrists don't bend so well, but the mid-torso joint is well-hidden and functions nicely. You get deep cuts on the elbows which work well, great shoulder movement, and decent hips that swing forward well enough considering there's a hairy "skirt" up there. The figure has what I assume are Wookiee Scalps hanging off his belt, plus spiky armor connected to his bandoliers. Also, all six of his hands have knuckle dusters.

The fists are easy to pop out and replace with open hands or very open hands. Sadly the energy bolts aren't great for the fists - those hands are closed and hard to get the energy around - but they work well with the others. The fruit can be held in the very open hands, the accessories are mostly easily held by the regular hands, and everything looks like it fits.

His other gear is also decent - the swords fit in his hands. The bowcaster can sling over his back, or just fit in his hands. The exclusive energy weapon - it looks like something out of Halo and I don't know its name - is the only one that doesn't seem to fit in his fists very well. It looks awesome, it has nice paint, and the energy is a nice touch, but it's just too dang much gear and you're being charged accordingly for it.

When you look at the price differences between standard Vintage ($27.99), 6-inch Black Series ($33.99), Retro (estimated $11.99), and this exclusive Vintage ($39.99) it's extremely hard to know what Hasbro even wants you to buy. No one scale has emerged as the best-for-collectors, a few years ago Hasbro definitely made it seem like The Black Series was the go-to ultimate expression but even the cheaper release of TVC Krrsantan has a ton of stuff in the box - and you're being charged for it. He's only slightly bigger than an average (increasingly expensive) TVC action figure, but I am hard-pressed to complain about any shortcuts. Other than the alternate head, there's not much Hasbro could do to increase the value. If anything, it has too much value - perhaps going the other way and putting the base figure with one accessory on a blister cardback for $27.99 could have been a more compelling and desirable SDCC exclusive than a big bulky deluxe box. People do love that style of packaging, after all, and the only Hasbro Santo figure coming on a cardback should be the retro one.

Because I'm a goofball in the tank for aliens, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett, I like this figure. I feel like I'm an abused partner here, but we get so few all-new characters in this scale that I still treasure getting something that's genuinely new and exciting, instead of "yeah it's a new version of a guy I have 10 of that were all cheaper." At this time, I think it's safe to say this is the most deluxe-packaged figure ever made at this scale in Star Wars. And it's just too dang much - where am I supposed to store all this excess gear? He has extra hands and he still can't hold it all. It's an amazing effort, and I assume unless the run is cut short Hasbro may be stuck with some supply. They did an excellent job and you can see they went to town with whatever budget they had to ensure you got a ton of extra gear. Given that a basic The Vintage Collection was $10-$12 not too long ago, though, nothing about this figure makes me think it's worth $40.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from the Hasbro Vault store in July, 2023. I'm still wincing at what it cost me so don't feed the scalpers.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,053: August 8, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,040: Chewbacca (Boushh's Bounty, The Black Series)

CHEWBACCA Boushh's Bounty
The Black Series Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Packaging
Item No.: Asst. F6853 No. F7078
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging! (Taken from the packaging. There isn't anything specific to the character.)

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: While we got some interesting stuff for a couple of the 30th anniversaries, Lucasfilm (and LEGO, and Hasbro, and Mattel) have not really fanned the flames of the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi. One of the debut "new" figures is this Chewbacca, which uses the same Chewbacca you may have purchased seveal times already with slightly different fur deco and another new head. Is it new enough to warrant purchasing? Maybe - at this point I feel like we're future-proofing our collections for a diorama that may never be fully fleshed out. We got a pretty swell Jabba the Hutt for SDCC in 2014 - reissue san carbonite incoming - but there's no plastic throne or dungeon or any of that. It's mostly the heroes, Jabba, and Bib Fortuna. After 10 years, that's a crappy showing of things - but if you want Luke, Leia, Lando, and arguably the droids, you're all set.

Figures like this are sensible from a manufacturing perspective, but after the original Chewie, multiple issues of The Force Awakens Chewie (including the theme park one and Archive one), a Cloud City Chewbacca, Solo Chewbacca, the comic Krrsantan, and whatever I'm forgetting, Hasbro has made some good money off this mold by only changing out the head, deco, and sometimes, accessories. It was a pretty big and impressive figure for the price, and I have to say I'm glad Hasbro hasn't succumbed to temptation to charge "deluxe" prices for this "basic" figure. And it's not bad - the new head has Chewie's distinctive parted hair and spiked collar, complete with a chain that sadly is not linked and feels a little too short. His jaw is a separately molded piece, but his big blue eyes and slightly-parted mouth is surprisingly expressive. The designers did a good job capturing his personality without blacking out the eyes.

The body is the same it's always been, with a black 3-part bowcaster. I don't love that it pops apart, and after fidgeting more with other scales of figures, I'd go as far as to say it's kind of bad. I know we have to be careful with our toys, but this is something that falls apart pretty easily if you touch it. That's not what I want on a toy rated "ages 4 and up." It's also a bit of fight to get the grip of his bowcaster in his hands - I would have loved to see a more open or rubbery fist to better wrap around it without a fight. You can get it in there, but the entire product feels like a thing you buy to pose and never touch again. And it also doesn't make sense that this "outfit" has a weapon, as he never used it while chained. But that's nitpicking - you have to throw something in the package.

At nearly a decade old, the elbows that don't bend a full 90 degrees and legs that are hindered by a hairy skirt piece feels increasingly old. I don't know if Hasbro can do better, and neither do they - it would have been nice to see Chewbacca 2.0 by now. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this figure unless you don't have any Chewbacca, or want this specific one for a diorama or packaging collection. Hasbro did a great job with it, but given the limited number of slots, and how many figures we get are just trooper and clone repaints, it is incredibly difficult to name more than a couple of genuinely exciting figures in this scale from the past several months.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,040: June 22, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,021: Chewbacca (& AT-ST, The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA & AT-ST
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Shared Exclusive Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: No. F8056
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster, AT-ST
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Highly articulated with a fully poseable head, arms, and legs, this Star Wars Chewbacca collector figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. (Taken from 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: You probably don't need this Chewbacca. For those of you who have been here for a long time, this is indeed the 2004 Chewbacca [FOTD #526] from the Original Trilogy Collection line of "Vintage" deluxe figures. It was a good mold at the time, but it's also a whopping 19 years old and Hasbro hasn't done anything to improve it beyond, occasionally, changing the head. There have been numerous opportunities to buy this mold, and the last one I saw on eBay from the 2004 release (which came in a clamshell on a Return of the Jedi cardback) was about $30 - not a bad price for a toy that old. This toy uses that original head, which has the hair parted to the sides and the open mouth. It's a nice sculpt, but also we've seen Hasbro do some genuinely wonderful things in recent years. As a pack-in to a $90 vehicle - that was not-too-recently $60, and not-too-recently-before-that $30, you are not going to feel like you got a deal here.

Chewie is the same mold, but with better paint. Will you be able to appreciate it? Probably not - the subtle colors on the fur look better, and they blend much more nicely than before. But in a dark room, or on a shelf, I doubt you'll notice the difference. The eyes, lips, teeth, and tongue are all painted quite well with fine detail that's sure to impress, and the claws on his hands and feet are also painted. There's a black wipe on his bag, and the silver on his bandolier looks good as always. I'm still disappointed in it - not because it's not good (it is), but because they basically got it right the first time, and the time after that, and the time after that. It would certainly be nice to have a new mold of some sort to go with this.

The bowcaster is now in black, and requires assembly as always. The little bit in the front is, as always, loose and could benefit from being remolded or glued together at the factory. It was annoying in 2004, and 19 years later it's almost a little insulting that they didn't put in the money to make it the tiniest bit better. He can hold it, but the hands from that era weren't always good at gripping things and it's kind of a hassle.

The AT-ST itself is one you may have bought several times by now, and has an incredible paint job. Easily, the best yet with better mud splats, cuts, scuffs, and other signs of wear and tear. Hasbro also left out some parts - the alternate rocket-firing chin cannons were not included this time, so you're paying the highest price ever for a less-than-complete take on this vehicle. The legs aren't as saggy or wobbly as some of the previous releases either, but I am not sure any of the poses I'm getting out of this guy are completely stable. Had Hasbro tossed in a plastic stand at this price, I'd still complain but at least you could get more out of it as a display piece (and at this point, I don't think you can say that this is a very sturdy toy mold.) The legs have numerous points of articulation and on paper, things like the stickered interior and the opening eye flaps are still neat. But also, this mold debuted about a decade and a half ago and even the improved paint job isn't enough to warrant paying three times the original asking price.

When it comes to Chewie, you very likely have a figure made from this mold that's just as good - well, pretty close to as good - as this one. The AT-ST itself has its best paint job yet, with better joints than the saggy Kmart Scout Walker release, but I am concerned it might flop over. Given its asking price (and the state of the toy economy at large) I'd probably suggest waiting for a sale or a clearance dump of some sort down the road if you already have this mold. If you don't already have a fleet of AT-STs based on this design, or the Chewbacca figure, this set is likely the cheapest super-articulated AT-ST you can buy on the secondary market and in that sense, it's a an acceptable deal.

Given the complexity of the toy and ever-increasing prices, Hasbro (if you're reading) I'd love to see a "kid's AT-ST" in a 3 3/4-inch line. The smaller-but-still-big AT-DP in Star Wars Rebels provided a big, sturdy, and comparably menacing toy for $20. If Hasbro reduced articulation a tiny bit I bet they could deliver something kids might afford (and potentially play with - who can say) for $30-$40 without too much of a fuss.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,021: April 18, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,966: Black Krrsantan (Comic, The Black Series)

BLACK KRRSANTAN Figure Debut
The Black Series Publishing - Shared Exclusive
Item No.: No. F5585
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: Harness has clip for bowcaster
Retail: $27.99
Availability: August 2022
Appearances: Marvel's Comics

Bio: The ferocious and skilled Wookiee gladiator turned bounty hunter, Black Krrsantan has worked for the likes of Jabba the Hutt and Darth Vader. (Taken from the box flap.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Hasbro's really taken to The Black Series in recent years, particularly the myriad repaints, retools, and reissues at premium prices. Long after the figure's tooling debt was paid many times over, we're getting an upcharge on an upcharge for Chewbacca with Black Krrsantan. The figure's body dates back with the blue box Chewbacca from 2014, which was retooled and repackaged for the 40th Anniversary Chewbacca from Star Wars, a Vandor-1 Solo: A Star Wars Story version, a red-boxed The Force Awakens version, Zaalbar, a 40th anniversary The Empire Strikes Back version, a deco variant/repack for Galaxy's Edge, and of course the Archive Series version. Oh, and Amazon's The Empire Strikes Back 2-pack with the dismantled C-3PO. At the very least that puts Santo here as the 10th reuse of this body, and now that the basic figures are $25, it stings a little that suggested retail price of this re-re-reissue is about $28. Is it neat? Sure. Is it worth it, is it as cool as it could have been? Not really.

Made no doubt to tie in to The Book of Boba Fett where the Wookiee is bulkier, fluffier, greyer, and generally better looking, this comic-specific incarnation does a good job of serving its purpose - minimal new tooling to maximize a return on the investment while providing fans with something that is arguably new. If Hasbro put this level of work in a 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection figure, we'd probably happily accept it because we're used to it - but in the bigger line it's something of a disappointment. Back in 2014, the elbows couldn't bend very well so our dark-haired pal here has little room to move to carry his bowcaster. The armor is nifty, and the new head does a great job as an idealized version of his head from numerous comic book stories. You get the roaring mouth with pink painted interior, you get the scar, and you get some lightly-colored braids. What you don't get are uniquely colored fingers and toes, as Hasbro decided to skip deco completely on the limbs and body, unlike the many Chewbacca figures which have light brown and dark brown hair. Santo's armor has no paint, while Chewie tends to have multiple painted ammo cartridges. In effect you're paying more for less, and since a TV-specific Krrsantan is coming, I assume this version will be less desirable at some point next year.

The fingers are pretty stiff, but you can pry them open to get the bowcaster in there. I vastly prefer the back storage, mostly because it's neat and frees up some space on the figure's sides on a shelf. Krrsantan joins Marvel characters 0-0-0, Dr. Aphra, BT-1, a new Leia, Jaxxon, and of course, Sergeant Kreel.

I admire Hasbro for coming up with a way to get a popular new character out quickly - even if, I assume, it was probably at Disney's urging before The Book of Boba Fett even aired. It's not great - but it's exactly the level of new elements one might expect when development started prior to anybody seeing the series. I appreciate that they went to bat and gave it to us, but on the whole The Black Series has been an interesting exercise in "good enough for now" with so many figures getting new faces or entirely new figures down the road. For those who love every new body type of Wookiee they can get, this is a must-buy. The sculptor did a great job on the head and the body, while dated, was excellent for its day. It's better than nothing, but something better than this is coming next year - so maybe you'll just want to wait a bit.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,966: October 6, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,957: Chewbacca (Prototype Edition - Orange Head, The Retro Collection)

CHEWBACCA (Prototype Edition, Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5568
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This Chewbacca figure is inspired by the colorful prototypes that enable the development team to look past the deco and focus on the sculpt, analyze mold alignment, and adjust for quality. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: While not essential, few would argue that the Chewbacca (Prototype Edition) isn't an amusing idea. Personally I'd rather they just keep regular plain brown Chewie in circulation at stores for people to just impulse buy it and start collecting, but these sold-out-almost-immediately fake prototype figures do well. With no paint and no new tooling costs, I'm sure it's a profitable endeavor for Hasbro and Target, too. (Although why the next one is a 2020 Snowspeeder Luke, I have no idea. I'd bounce out of bed to get a shot at a Luke or a Leia.)

There are six flavors of this figure, and mine is the orange body version with a yellow bowcaster - I got a second on in another color, but it's remaining carded for now. I like this one a lot - the bright orange really highlights the grooves used to make fur for kids back in 1978. The unpainted face certainly tones the fangs down, and the striking blue and white eyes are absent. On the other hand, it showed the bandolier with the raised "straps" lacking in paint to distract you from the simple pattern, and the hair on the arms and legs of your now literally green-limbed Chewbacca look great too. His pouch and everything looks more or less like you remember it, were it molded out of a box of Crayola crayons.

What makes these figures particularly intriguing is the accessories - a yellow bowcaster is an amusing new thing, just like being able to get new colors of official lightsabers to go with your other figures. If you want a green one, it exists now - or purple, or blue. I like the bright yellow because I can see the sculpted detail on the sides I took for granted since I got mine a million years ago. It is much easier to see the scope on top, plus some greebles on the side. As the fourth character in this series, each with six or more colorways, I am surprised Hasbro has not done solid color re-reissues, and that Diamond/Gentle Giant never did multi-color figures like this. I wouldn't want one of these for every single figure, but if Hasbro continued to do 1-2 per year, and/or finish the original 12, I'd be pretty pleased.

Hasbro, if you're reading, an unsolicited request for 2023 - rerelease regular Chewbacca (and all the rest that you can) as store exclusives or main line items on Return of the Jedi cardbacks. A lot of people will buy these if they see them in person. I dare say they're impossible to resist when you see them in person, plus impulse buys are how collections begin. Chewbacca was sold at the Entertainment Earth/Target booth at San Diego Comic-Con, and followed in Target stores a few days later (after a long online pre-order gestation.) According to my store trackers, he sold out almost immediately in my area - but if I want to drive an hour, I could've found more. I think the runs are too low, but this kind of figure probably should be low-run - the wacky colors are a fun item for collectors who already have it all. I'd love for the masses to just be able to waltz into Target and grab a Chewbacca - and hopefully be inspired to pick up The Black Series or Hasbro's new Disney+-specific The Retro Collection figures. Or some new Original Trilogy The Retro Collection figures. (If Hasbro made more of those I'd probably give up collecting most if not all non-Star Wars toys.) (Except maybe other 3 3/4-inch figures that fit in with them, lookin' at you Healey Made and select ReAction figures from Super7.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,957: September 6, 2021