I’ll admit, when I first saw the Bandai Star Wars Yoda model kit solicits it was a roller coaster ride in my brain. Yay, Yoda! Wait, 1:6 scale? Okay, I guess I’m okay with that. Alright, a 1:12 scale Yoda in the set too!! Aw, a statue? Wait, does that mean….??
I’m a 6-inch action figure collector for the most part, and if you’ve spent any time around The Fwoosh you know that most of us are about the same. So hearing that the fully articulated version of Yoda is in 12-inch scale is disheartening but at the same time my 1:6 scale Stormtrooper model kit won’t be lonely for long. Plus it’s a model kit so I’m automatically interested. I need to see how it works, how it functions, how it plays.
But not only are the two Yodas in this kit (yeah, they both come in the same package) different in size and articulation, they hail from different eras. The big Yoda is from Attack of the Clones while the little Yoda is from The Empire Strikes Back.
Oh yeah, and did I mention the little Yoda is just a statue? I did? Okay, just making sure.
The 12-inch scale Yoda, which should stand about 4.5 inches tall, looks packed with the articulation we’re used to seeing in the models. And don’t worry, the robe is supposed to be made from the same rubber material as model Kylo Ren’s duds so it shouldn’t inhibit movement, at least not as much as it appears it would. But I can kind of see why they didn’t articulate the 6-Inch scale Yoda. That would be some teeny tiny parts that need to hold up to movement, being that the figure should clock at around two inches tall. I don’t have to like it, but I can understand it.
The set also comes with a cane for the OT Yoda. The PT Yoda gets a lightsaber, both hilt and ignited, and then it’s own cane.
Despite looking like my level of Photoshopping, I didn’t do that. That’s all Bandai. I’m not sure what they were trying to hide or if it was a thirty second attempt at just making it a black background.
The larger Jedi Master also gets several hands and an extra head.
The kit releases in March and has a MSRP of 3000 yen, or $26. I haven’t found a new place to get them at release since CDJapan pulled all of their models down but I’m hoping Bluefin can work a deal to distribute these like they did for the vehicle models. Otherwise, it’s waiting for Amazon third party sellers to list them.
Now this does open up some possibilities for the figure model kit line. I talk about that in my Quickie from last night. Well, I say talk, some might say ramble. Either way, it’s about toys and that’s never a bad thing.
When it comes down to it, if you’re not like me and aren’t interested in the engineering of the 12-inch Yoda but you’re leaning towards replacing the too-tall Black Series Yoda with something, even if it’s a statue, you might look into the Kotobukiya Yoda and R2 set. The R2 is large but the Yodas seem to fit right in with the 1:12 scale.
The set also comes with an alternate head and arm for some Force-wielding action.
And the spirit version will go nicely with the custom Spirit of Obi-Wan I picked up a few weeks ago. Win-win. Well, except the wallet. It’s destined to lose. Hell, this article alone is going to cost me nearly $100 for one of the smallest main characters in the Star Wars universe. Sure, it’s several versions, but c’mon. C’mon….