Star Wars Action Figures

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Yodasnews Review:  Admiral Wullf Yularen (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) 

Review and Photography by Jeffrey A. Gouse (SithLord0498) 

Review Date: September 8, 2009

 

FIGURE SPECIFICATIONS 

One of the best things about the Star Wars universe is that it is so full and diverse that countless back-stories and side-stories can be spun off from it.  See that partially obscured four-eyed blue alien sitting in the corner at time index 32:15:04?  Here’s a story about the time he helped a clone battalion find a broken hyperwave transmitter during the Clone Wars.  Or here’s the story about why a guy is running down a hallway with something that looks like an ice cream maker. 

Or how about this: what’s the story of that white-haired, white-uniformed Imperial officer sitting at Tarkin’s Death Star briefing table?  Clearly, this man must’ve been around before the “Dark Times”, but what kind of man was he?  Was he a man of honor or was he like Tarkin himself? 

Thanks to The Clone Wars, Colonel Wullf Yularen’s early military career has been shown in greater detail.  Admiral of the Republic destroyer Resolute, Yularen was a close associate of Generals Kenobi and Skywalker during the war, and fans can now see this character for the honorable man he was during better days. 

And thanks to Hasbro, collectors now have the younger counterpart to the older Yularen previously released in the “Death Star Briefing Room” figure set.

 

SCULPTING:  Excellent (Bordering on Above Average) 

Hasbro’s sculptors did an excellent job in capturing the highly angular look of the admiral.  The arched eyebrows and groomed moustache preserve the authoritative look of the CGI model, and the perfectly styled layers of his crisp military haircut made a successful leap from the digital to plastic medium.  Hasbro also attempted to duplicate the tall, blocky face and the squared-off nose.  This is the only area where they erred.  The figure’s brow is not tall enough to match the animated character, but this is hardly a sticking point. 

Yularen’s uniform looks outstanding as well.  The proportions are quite faithful to the CGI model in most ways.  The length of the tunic below the belt looks very accurate, and the subtle folds and creases immediately above and below the belt buckle augment the uniform’s aesthetic quality (the same applies to the folds behind the knees).  The shoulders are appropriately squared and broad, and the sculpted dark gray line winding down the tunic is faithful to the CGI model.  However, there are two issues with the uniform and body respectively.  The rank bars are sloppily sculpted as one raised piece rather than five more precise blocks.  As for the body, the forearms are too long and give the admiral a “monkey armed” look when they are at rest, making the figure look odd on a subconscious level.

 

PAINT APPLICATIONS:  Above Average (Bordering on Excellent) 

Admiral Yularen has his share of good and bad in this category although the good far outweighs the negative.  On the upside, Hasbro did an excellent job on the highlights streaking through the layers in the figure’s hair.  It lends a healthy dose of definition to the portrait.  They also did a good job approximating the gray-tinted olive color of Yularen’s uniform, using a shade that seems to fluctuate depending on the light.  The eyes are very precise, and there is nary a trace of bleeding and/or “lazy eye”.  The blue is too subtle, but this isn’t a major complaint given the extremely small size of the eyes.  Also, the black rings on the wrist cuffs and the dark gray seam on the tunic are well defined.  As for the figure’s flaws, the rank bars are extremely sloppy (thanks in large part to the poor manner in which they were sculpted), and this is what brought down the ranking.  It is just too noticeable and distracting.  The second and more minor paint gaffe is that the olive gray on the collar bleeds onto the whole perimeter of the neck.  Fortunately, it is so consistent and precise that it ended up looking like the border of the actual collar rather than runny paint, and that prevents it from being a major aesthetic issue.

 

ARTICULATION and STABILITY:  Above Average (Bordering on Average) 

Despite the rating here, it should be noted that there isn’t really a need for “super articulation” on Admiral Yularen.  As commander of Resolute, the character is not going to be featured in very many action sequences.  Most movements will be upper body-based, and the ball hinged shoulders and elbows accommodate them nicely.  Nevertheless, ball hinged knees and ankles would be welcomed here if no other reason than to increase the figure’s stability.  He can stand without the aid of a figure stand, but it has to be a completely level surface and it takes a little bit of work trying to find the figure’s center of gravity.

ACCESSORIES:  Excellent 

In terms of weaponry, Admiral Yularen comes with the standard Clone Wars blaster pistol plus a functional holster.  There is nothing new left to say regarding the pistol because it is a 100% rehash of the sidearm used for figures like Captain Rex.  It’s sufficiently detailed, cleanly sculpted, and fits nicely into the figure’s hand.  While it stores the pistol beautifully, the holster can be cumbersome, and it interferes with placing Yularen into a neutral relaxed pose.  Fortunately, Hasbro had the foresight to make the holster easily removable (it attaches via peg).

The primary accessory for this figure is a very big one—a holoprojector table with miniature Obi-Wan Kenobi hologram.  While probably under-scaled, it is the perfect size for a pack-in accessory, and you can comfortably fit four (maybe five) figures around it.  It sits level on display surfaces, and it can be used to subtly prop up figures which may be a tad shaky on their own two feet.  The translucent blue plastic tabletop does an acceptable job simulating the surface of the projector although it would have been better if it matched the hologram’s shade of blue.

As for Kenobi, Hasbro continues their red-hot streak of crafting exceptionally high-quality holographic accessories for their figures.  Kenobi, Dooku, Ventress—all of these Clone Wars holograms cram so much crisp detail on such small canvases that they almost rival the sculpting found on the characters’ larger action figure counterparts.  This highly photogenic hologram can hold its own under a macro lens, and collectors could identify it as Obi-Wan based on the facial sculpting alone.  These are certainly better than the so-called “holographic” 3.75 scale figures.  The only room for improvement is the base of the hologram.  It easily tips over on the table.  A better approach would have been to etch a deeper grid on the tabletop and put the hologram on a pedestal that could snap onto the grid squares.

 

OVERALL RATING:  Above Average 

The general lack of articulation isn’t really damaging to the figure’s play value since Yularen is an “officer figure” charged primarily with standing on a capital ship.  Obviously, he has seen some action, but kids really aren’t going to be looking for action poses from this character.  While not the best work Hasbro has ever done, the sculpting and paint applications are more than adequate and give this figure a solid aesthetic quality.  The holoprojector is both the perfect accessory for Yularen and an excellent centerpiece for a small diorama, and the Kenobi hologram is phenomenal.  The only truly negative aspect of this figure is the high MSRP of $8, so collectors may choose to pass him over for budgetary reasons. 

Ultimately, Admiral Yularen is a solid but not revolutionary entry in the Clone Wars figure line and is worth a purchase if you are a fan of the character, Republic and Imperial officers, or if you have an extra 800 pennies that you won’t regret not spending elsewhere.

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