My obsession with the Bandai Star Wars model kits are so far-reaching that I’ll even hunt down a Stormtrooper I already have but in a different color. And I still love it.
That’s not to say it doesn’t have its problems. Well, if you consider being a dust and fingerprint magnet a problem, which it is if you’re trying to take closeup pics, not so much if you’re just playing with and displaying the figure on a shelf. In that respect, this figure isn’t so problematic. It’s actually kind of awesome even if it is a reissue of a previous kit with a color twist.
One of the things that caught me by surprise upon opening the shipping box was the lack of box art.
Usually the model kit boxes have a nice picture of the character on the front and then actual pictures of the model around the sides. Not in this case. I don’t know if it’s because this is a Bandai web exclusive or if it’s just a clever play on the shadow theme, but I don’t know if I’m amused or disappointed. Neither feelings are that strong though since this is just the box between me and plastic, and in the long run I don’t really care that much. But it is slightly interesting.
Opening the box is better. The familiar sight of sprue trees and decals. Mmmmm . . .
And just like I’m sure to say several more times during this review, this is a mostly familiar sight. It’s the original OT Stormtrooper sprues exactly, except everything is molded in either matte or gloss black. Except for one crucial piece:
The eye lenses are in a dull silver. I was hoping for a chrome look, but as awesome as that would have been, it would have stood apart from the other gray accents on the helmet. If I ever get another of these kits I may have to break out the Alclad or Spaztix and lay down some mirror chrome.
Bandai makes no qualms about this just being a reuse of an older kit. New instructions? Naaaw, throw in the old ones; they still work! And you know what? I’m good with that.
Despite all of that, the finished Shadow Stormtrooper, or Shadow Trooper, ends up being oh so sweet.
The glossy black just kicks up the cool factor a few notches. While it does make the details of the figure hard to see, you can’t deny wishing that this version of the trooper had a little screen time in the Original Trilogy.
The figure comes with several sets of hands, each useful, although I wish there were a left fist. I wouldn’t trade the pointy finger, though. Love those things.
The weapon-wielding hands come in two parts, so I tend to leave them on the blasters. Just easier that way. The hands are easily interchangeable since the pegs don’t have any kind of head to them. Instead, they are held securely by a rubbery insert in the forearm.
Weapons are the same as the original Stormtrooper too. The standard blaster, a longer rifle, and a small compact blaster.
But more than anything, this is the best sculpt and articulation of any of the 1:12 scale Stormtrooper action figures out there, in my opinion of course, and seeing it reused for a lesser known but just as badass variation warms my cockles. Really, I would buy this mold in any color they wanted to throw at me.
You can check out the articulation and range of movement in my YouTube review:
Comparing it to the Original Trilogy Stormtrooper model, well, yeah, pretty much what you would expect.
Stormtrooper. In black.
Also, with the release of Battlefront and Hasbro’s Walmart-exclusive Shock Trooper, you do get a nice little group of characters based on the game. If that’s your thing.
But all in all, this is the kind of figure that makes a good exclusive. Sure, it’s a little harder to get, but it’s not really an essential character. It’s basically just a repaint. It doesn’t play a big part in the overall Star Wars canon. It’s just a cool little throw-in that makes use of pre-existing parts.
My kinda figure.
