And now for something completely different: a Star Wars action figure review.
Obi Wan Kenobi (Clone Wars)
Star Wars Action Figure Vintage Collection
Wave 16
To be completely honest, I still pick up a number of these buggers. I do love them — it goes all the way back to my childhood as Star Wars toys were some of the first toys that I “collected.” Actually, I played with them, like a mad man: epic battles in sand boxes, on local sand piles at housing construction sites, in backyards, in bedrooms, playrooms, kitchens, anywhere and everywhere. The playsets and vehicles, the interplanetary wars with GI Joe — It was magic. And in my search for that nostalgic feeling I still pick up a character or two.
I still have this desire for Star Wars to one day reach the same awesomeness that GI Joe reached. All the articulation of a Joe smacked into a Star Wars figure. Some of the four-inch Star Wars figures have good, solid articulation, but they are inconsistent, sometimes ball hips, sometimes not. Drives me crazy. But I keep hunting and pecking, hoping for the perfect figure.
Lately I’ve been nabbing the Clone Wars characters. I have Commander Cody, who is a good guy and always will be, and started customizing a Captain Cody and various Clone Troopers. I like the idea of the clones being good guys, fighting the good fight. When I popped into my local Toys R Us the other day, I had to pick up Cody’s brother in arms: Obi Wan.
I love this look. It’s most known for the Clone Wars, but it’s a fantastic look. I love the armor and the mix of Jedi clothing. It really pops for me. The excitement that I had when I saw the figure blinded me to actually taking the time to examine the figure to see the articulation. And at first glance it was all there. There was no issue.
Until I popped him out of the package and found… NO BALL HIPS!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAIIIIIEEEE! Crap in bag. I love ball hips on figures and it really ads that pop to them. But not having them on this figure is a killer for me. His t-crotch only allows so much posing and, well… it’s not that exciting. Ball hips would have given this figure that extra “pop.”
All the other articulation is there: ball ankles, ball knees, swivel waist, ball shoulders, ball elbows, swivel hands, and a ball head. OK, so no ball ab, but I can live with that. Kinda sorta. It’s all there — all the goodness one wants in a toy. All of it. And yet they skimped on the ball hips. Oh, Hasbro, how you disappoint me at times.
Other than that, the figure is decent, maybe a little squat (I bet ball hips would fix that). The chest is also a bit wide and flat (I bet a ball ab would fix that). The head is a bit large, but it’s a pretty damn fine sculpt. And he looks good standing next to Commander Cody.
There are two lightsabers, one lit up and another off. The one that is off fits into a peg on his belt all nice and pretty. The one that is on fits snugly into his hands, but it does take a little bit of pushing.
All in all, this is a fun figure. But it isn’t perfect and I still have to wait for the perfect version of this figure. If you are interested, you can still pick him up on Amazon.com.
As always, you can discuss this figure further on the Fwoosh forums.