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Packaging - ***1/2
This is damn cool packaging, and much better than the usual
cardback/bubble stuff used with the regular release Unleashed figures.
Here you get a large tube - very large. There's a great cardboard
insert in the back, showing Boba in the fight for his life, and some
appropriate text and additional graphics around the top and bottom. It
shows off the statue well, in a style that is very much like a glass
case. It's also somewhat collector friendly, and you can pull out Fett
just by snipping a couple pieces of tape, and untying a couple twisties.
Sculpting - ***1/2
I'll cover the more technical aspects of the sculpt here - the more artistic design issues I'll cover in a later category.
The detail work on this statue is excellent, particularly for this
price point and this material. It's very much like a mini-Kotobukiya,
and the density and quality of materials also reminds me of their Star
Wars work.
There's lots of small detail work, and the wrinkles, textures and folds
are all natural and realistic. Scale is a bit wonky of course, since
the Sarlacc was much, much bigger than this in the film, but it's
forgivable considering their need to conserve space and plastic.
However, I don't see ANY difference in this sculpt and the original
Unleashed Fett. I couldn't compare them side by side, but I don't think
there are any differences.
Paint - ***1/2
All the paint is very clean and neat, similar to most past Unleashed
releases. It's clear that Hasbro puts extra effort and QC into this
line and it shows. No bleed, very little slop, a nice wide range of
colors, and a little extra care.
But while the quality is good, the coolest thing about this figure and
it's paint is the lack of it on the base. Rather than paint the rocket
fire that's turning the Sarlacc into a roasted marshmallow, they've
cast it in a translucent yellow, red and orange plastic. Come up with a
cool way to light this guy from underneath and you have a very sharp
looking display.
Once again though, I can't find any differences in paint with this figure
from the original. There might be some subtle color differences, but
Hell, I'm color blind anyway.
Articulation - *
This is really a plastic statue, so I wasn't expecting any
articulation. However, you do get a couple basic points. There's a cut
neck, and a cut right bicep. You can turn his head from the front to a
side position, and the arm turns slightly. Neither of these are
particularly useful, and the tentacles are not bendy, something that
would have been a big plus.
Accessories - *
As a plastic statue, I didn't expect any 'accessories', so this score
relates very little to my final score. Still, it's worth noting that
his blaster is removable, and comes rubber banded into his hand. When
you're dealing with a statue, something like this is less 'accessory'
and more 'crap that falls off every time you move it'.
Design - **1/2
Since this is a statue more than an action figure, the design of the
pose and style are critical to it's overall appearance. And here we
have some good - and some bad.
My favorite aspect of the design is the aforementioned clear flames.
These are designed to appear as though Fett is attempting to blast his
way free using the rockets, and the flames are rolling up from where
they are contacting the beast. It's a great look, and really works well.
However, there's something about the actual pose of Boba that just
doesn't feel right. While I understand the raised left arm and leg are
an attempt to keep the Sarlacc from grabbing them, it looks a bit
convoluted. I think this is because part of the statue looks like Fett
is falling - the pose of his arms, legs and cape - while other parts
appear as though he's rising. I think this mix and match approach to
the design is causing my little brain to get confused, creating a low
level negative reaction to the appearance. To get what I'm
saying, look at the flow of the cape, pose of the arms and legs, and
the design of the tentacles and flames, and then tell me - is he rising
or falling at this instant?
My other issue is
that this particularly moment in his history, while cool when taken out
of context, is preceded by mere moments with his most embarrassing. I
can't quite separate the two, reducing my enjoyment of the design in
general.
You may not have these issues, and may find that the lines and flow of the piece work great for you. It is art, after all.
Fun Factor - *1/2
These aren't really designed as toys, or even designed for basic posing
by adult collectors. You buy him, you take him out of the box and stick
him on the shelf, and you admire him. Another factor that in this case
will have little weight on my overall score.
Value - *
Regular Unleashed figures go for $15, but since this is an exclusive
(and comes in a nifty box to prove it), I'm not too surprised it costs
a little more. Still, this is a bigger increase than I'd expect, and
bigger than what really feels appropriate. As far as I can tell, you're
paying an extra five bucks for a plastic tube instead of a
cardback/bubble package. And that sure doesn't feel right to me.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. Paint ops seemed pretty consistent with all the ones I've seen, so it looks like there are few worries.
Overall - **1/2
I've only picked up a handful of the Unleashed figures, largely because
I didn't need one more Star Wars line to complete. There have been some
very nice ones, and as a big fan of Fett, I think they did a solid job
with this one. It's not my favorite representation of the character,
but it's better than some poses I've seen selected by companies
producing much higher end - and much more expensive - statues and busts.
With this level of quality, I'm sure plenty of Star Wars fans will be
quite happy with this version of Fett. The issues I do have are largely
ones of personal taste, and if you are happy with the general design
and pose, I'm betting your own overall score would be another half star
higher at least.
That is, unless you already bought this guy the first time around.
While my personal issues with the design bring the overall score down a
little, it's the simple fact that you'll end up paying $5 more for what is
really a re-issue of a figure you may or may not of already bought. A
figure like this is already practically like printing money - charging more
for it is just akin to twisting the knife.
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