I didn’t even know the “Is BB hungry” joke was a thing until I posted my video review over the weekend, but my kids think it’s hilarious. Okay, I do too, but hearing them pop it off is even better.
When the Bandai model BB-8 and R2-D2 set was solicited, I wasn’t that excited. We already had R2 and it was a little before I got hyped for The Force Awakens, so seeing a ball with a half ball on top didn’t do it for me. As the Star Wars train gained speed, I felt the urge to have this. And while I still feel this way, happy to have it, I’m not too sure I could have gotten away with just the Hasbro Black Series BB-8.
As I said, we already got the R2, which I reviewed here, so this will article just revolve around BB-8. I hope to someday build the R2 and make it another color astromech.
The box is the now familiar glossy black with graphic. No wrap to keep it closed, nothing on the back. Just a simple box to protect the plastic sprue goodness and instruction sheet inside.
BB-8 takes up a whole three pages of booklet. He’s not difficult to put together at all. The only snag you may find is when putting the main body together. It’s easy to turn wrong and get slightly lost, but all the pegs are distinct in shape, so it’s also easy to get back on track. I’m easily distracted, but you may not have a lick of trouble at all. You can see a little of the build process in my video review:
But once the little droid is together, he does look pretty sweet.
Yes, it is clean. Super clean. But it’s a model kit, you’re supposed to paint if needed. And BB-8 in the movie was dirty. I already have a nice dirty version with the Black Series, so I’m not sure if I’m going to do any weathering here. Like R2 and C-3PO, who I have left clean because they have dirtier versions coming later in the Medicom MAFEX line (and hopefully in S.H. Figuarts), I may just leave this clean as an example of the droid right off the assembly line. Or I may do some weathering later. I don’t know. I’m flighty and talk out of my ass sometimes.
I’m going to get the comparison with the Black Series BB-8 out of the way right off the bat, because every point is going to make reference back to it. It’s hard not to.
Size-wise, the two are pretty close. The model has sharper details, as usual, because of the integrated separate pieces, but the Black Series is no slouch. The biggest difference is in the primary photoreceptor (thanks Visual Dictionary!). The model uses a nicely sculpted smoky translucent material while the Black Series is just a dome shape painted black. Otherwise comparable.
Except, the Black Series is a lot less work. Don’t get me wrong. Building these models is half the fun. I’m glad to have this and I had a ball building this. Pun intended. But if you just want a BB-8 on the shelf and don’t want to build or paint it, buy the Hasbro version. Plus the weeble-wobble feature fascinates me to no end.
Another big difference is the head stand the model sports. It floats the head, and with the help of a hinge in the arm, you can put the head anywhere around the body, which just sits in a concave base and can be turned any way freely. With some creative posing, the mechanism can be hidden in the back 99% of the time. But if you don’t like it, there is an interchangeable head-peg part for the body that can be added.
You still have to use the clear plastic cup underneath to keep him from rolling over and away, though.
Where the model shines is the addition of accessories. Two panels can be removed to reveal holes where tools can be plugged. It also comes with additional panels to be inserted when the tools are in use, faking the appearance of the door being swung open.
The tray, torch, and taser are pretty nice additions, but I kind of wish the two arms were cast in the gray too. Also, it wasn’t until now that I realize that I had BB-8’s body upside down, where the door opens to the left instead of the right. I blame not seeing the movie again like I had planned.
I know I sound like I regret buying this, but I really don’t. It’s a cool piece, and the way the whole thing was engineered has to be experienced firsthand to get an idea of just how cool it is. But like I said earlier, if you’re just wanting the BB-8 for your shelf, the Black Series is perfectly fine. Get the model if you enjoy the extra work and love the model kits like I do.
