Star Wars: Clone Wars has quickly become my favorite toyline. Say what you want about Lucas' politics, talents, or storytelling abilities, but the man knows how to merchandise! The movies, the comics, the books, the cartoons, and the toys are a cash cow that poops out millions of dollars a second.
I've got about two dozen figures or so now, but I'd been holding off getting an Anakin Skywalker because I wasn't really satisfied with those that have come out. It doesn't help that the young Darth Vader is probably the least likable character in all of geek fiction. He's a whiny, petulant brat with way too much power and the uncanny ability to score hot chicks with no apparent redeeming qualities.
I would probably still be waiting on a better figure now, but in order to get myself a Barriss Offee and Commander Colt, I had to buy Eeth Koth, a Riot Trooper, and the Season 3 version of Skywalker because wave 20 (wave 7 of 2010) was being sold in sets for Php 2,500.00. I didn't really mind, seeing how it's been pretty easy to unload unwanted Clone Wars so far (with the exception of that blasted Water Droid), but I was actually thinking of settling on this Anakin until I opened it up.
The packaging of the Clone Wars figures has changed quite a bit; from the original white card backs (similar to the one that the Snow Bunny Padme came in), to the red card backs (which I don’t remember coming in locally), to these nice new blue ones that include the collectible card game and dice (of which I have more than I’ll ever need).
Anakin comes with a couple of accessories. The first is the requisite lightsaber. Anakin’s is the generic blue “good guy” weapon. Having recently re-watched “A New Hope”, I realize now that Luke’s father’s blade, the one Obi-Wan gave him, was green.
What’s up with that?
The second accessory is Anakin’s auto-wanker (i.e. cybernetic hand) which can be removed and replaced with the gloved right hand he’s wearing. As accessories go it’s pretty boring, since it’s not especially detailed and is in the same exact pose as the regular gloved hand. Besides, it was never even much of an issue in either the second trilogy or the cartoons. They could have just gone with either one, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed.
Articulation is where he really bombs. Well, technically, he’s got the same articulation as Eeth Koth (excellent arm articulation, swivel hip action below with swivel-hinge knees), but the damned skirt he’s wearing is made of pretty thick rubberized plastic that restricts his hip motion severely. Since he doesn’t have the extra joints that Mace Windu sports, it means he’s basically a statue from the waist down. Even with the included stand, he won’t be doing any way cool ninja leaps.
Paint is pretty much par for course. For some reason, Hasbro has an easier time getting better applications on their Star Wars lines than their Marvel lines. I’ve yet to see a Star Wars figure (Vintage or Clone Wars) with a really bad paint job. Sure there are tiny flaws due to the fact that this is a mass produced toy, but nothing as awful as we got with the Captain America line.
If you’re a diehard Star Wars fan who needs to complete the set, or a simple display collector who will just admire the figure in a sealed case, then this is an okay toy. Not spectacular. Just okay.
If you’re a collector who wants a toy that you can play with, find the Mace Windu or one of the other Jedi. This one’s kind of a bummer.
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