You do realize that you can actually go to watch the sequel to Return of the Jedi tomorrow, right? Star Wars: The Force Awakens technically opens on Friday the 18th, but many theaters are starting their showings on Thursday night. Well, to express our agreement with that, we have brought along our new little friend here who is going to provide a hardy “Roger, roger!”
As you can tell, we are all amped up past “11” for all things Star Wars right now, and the new movie and all of the new toys just makes that so joyously easy, so you will be hard-pressed to get us to talk about everything else. Speaking specifically of the toys, like their American counterparts, Bandai is ramping up and churning out all kinds of cool new action figures in their S.H. Figuarts line, and if you have been checking the site lately, you will know that many of us are quite smitten by them. I have been well-impressed with the figures I have gotten so far from this line (Jedi Luke and Darth Maul), and all of the teases and upcoming figures (Mace Windu newly added) look to continue that trend. I did get my hands on my first Bandai army-builder this week, and it comes in the form of the Battle Droid. This is a dangerous game, friends – imma need about ten of these.
If you are going by the chronological timeline, this skinny little guy represents the first army builder of the Star Wars saga. Used by the Galactic Trade Federation, and later the Separatists, the standard rank-and-file Battle Droid made up the lion’s share of their vast army, and the sheer number of droids made their influence imposing and overwhelming. That strength in numbers ethos was a good thing because, really, on their own, these guys are not very imposing. They are thin, slow moving, and thanks to the scripts, a bit haphazard and clumsy. Obi-Wan was able to slice through their ranks pretty effortlessly, but since the Federation had millions of them, the swarm could just keep coming. The price differential between this basic model and super/destroyer versions must have been pretty big, because those droids could really start some sh*t.
Anyway, Bandai has been doing a great job of not shying away from prequel trilogy characters in their releases, which is good, because I want them, and this new entrant is a perfect example of design and execution that really speaks to their strengths. While this model is not, as I mentioned, imposing, it is visually interesting (and a bit strange), with a lot technical details and clean, straight lines in the design.
We have seen geometric sculpts excel from Bandai countless times with their Gundam offerings, and the plastic used for these figures is great for sharp lines and edges to retain the visually integrity of the character. So, while these can be a tough pill to army build due to their price (I have this one with two more on the way), this line is a great example of “get what you pay for,” and I am getting a great-looking little droid cluster.
I am all about getting Jedi from the Figuarts line, so lining these droids up as lightsaber fodder is a great thing. The Battle Droid is certainly unique in its design, so these humble robots will stand out on your shelf, even if it is just to be chopped up by Master Kenobi. It is, obviously a new and wholly unique sculpt, but just because these guys are going to get Force-pushed into oblivion doesn’t mean that is cause for Bandai to leave out any detail. Again, the meticulous nature of the Figuarts line really lends itself to this, and since this is really the first straight-up robot with limited humanoid qualities, the technical details come alive like I have personally never seen before.
I watch the prequels from time to time because there are parts that I definitely enjoy, so I have seen thousands of Battle Droids on screen. However, I have never noted all of the tech-centered details that are in the design of these guys, so, in a way, it is like seeing some of this stuff for the first time. All of the little joints and embellishments are retained, and in the case of said joints, Bandai really ran away with the functionality. These guys are thin, so I automatically handle this figure gingerly, but I am very impressed by all of the joints that have been included, and the sturdiness and range of movement that comes with them. I will get to the actual movement in a moment, but this is one of those examples where the articulation ADDS to the aesthetic, rather than takes away from it.
Since this droid is not a “person” who has a form that is cut up by a geometric joint, the articulation cuts into this figure much more naturally, even if “naturally” is a silly term for an inorganic being. I love how the hands fold around and the flaps at the shoulders move independently as to facilitate better movement in the arms. The hydraulic tubes on the side of the torso are separate pieces and move fluidly with the other joints, so that alone is an engineering marvel to me. As you can see in the pictures, the high level of articulation does not lead to any odd shape or form or movement within the figure, so that has all be organized very well too. The expressive posing is pretty incredible for such a drab machine.
The figure itself looks a bit monochromatic at first glance, but closer inspection reveals there is a lot more to the story. The bolts and joint pieces are all very clean and well painted, and there is certainly a fair amount of roughing of the base color to recreate everyday wear and tear. I am interested to see if this weathering application is consistent from one figure to the next, so I will be checking my other copies as soon as they arrive.
I know I spoke of the articulation and how it lends itself to the aesthetic, but the functionality of each joint is almost universally excellent. Like I said, I am handling this guy carefully, but I am pushing the limits of what I perceive to be the limits of the range of movement, and I constantly surprised with how much there is at each point. The shoulders, neck, arms, and feet are definite highlights, and the fact that you can fold this dude down to his “inactive” mode is pretty incredible. The range does not negate the strength of joints though, which is often the case, so don’t be afraid to go for the gold in terms of interesting poses. If I had to pick one spot of disappointment it would be the hips as they don’t allow a great deal of lateral movement. That is not a huge negative since these guys are pretty stiff in the movies, but the ankles have such a good range, he is just begging for a lot of extreme shooting poses.
Speaking of shooting, the droid includes his standard-issue blaster, as well as the “up” antenna piece that can replace the normal “down” piece over the back of the shoulder. These are both fine, if not terribly exciting, and I am left wanting a bit more in terms of accessories because Figuarts usually does provide them. Perhaps the complex engineering or sculpt cut into that budget, or maybe I am just spoiled at this point.
So yeah, I am through the looking glass here, people – I am army building Figuarts. The Battle Droid is just too good to have standing alone on your shelf, and as I said, Jedi need some good targets. Even if you are not into the prequels, this is still a great toy, so I would most certainly recommend it, and it looks like other versions, including the aforementioned Super Battle Droid, might be on the way too. My Star Wars collection rejoices while my wallet cries, but that that nothing new to the realm of Star Wars and action-figure collecting. Take my money, Bandai. I want a new figure every month from now on . . . so when will those Mace Windu pre-order open? Hmm . . .
Anyhow, don’t miss Robo’s video review. You can really see the articulation and range of movement at work:
