Star Wars Action Figures

Yodasnews Review:  Anakin Skywalker (Nelvaan Quest) 

Star Wars: Clone Wars – Chapter 25 

Review and Photography by Jeffrey A. Gouse (SithLord0498) 

Review Date: November 5, 2007

 FIGURE SPECIFICATIONS 

Even with Hasbro’s more accommodating view of creating and selling more Expanded Universe figures, the bottom line remains the bottom line, and they need to mix in figures that are both tent-pole characters and will likely sell in large numbers.  For every Hermi Odle, there must be a sixteenth Darth Vader for that calendar year.  With regards to the Expanded Universe, Hasbro needs a Clone Wars release or two to balance out releases from Knights of the Old Republic.

Today, we will look at one of the two Clone Wars figures from Wave 5 of the 30th Anniversary Collection: Anakin Skywalker as he appeared in the final installment of Genndy Tartakovsky’s micro-series.  Keeping in line with Hasbro’s current philosophy on cartoon-based figures, Anakin has been rendered in the realistic style of the cinematic figures. 

Without further ado, here is an in-depth examination of Anakin Skywalker (Nelvaan Quest). 

 

PORTRAIT – Average (Bordering on Above Average) 

There are no two ways about it.  Hasbro has a hard time nailing Hayden Christensen’s likeness.  No Anakin Skywalker figure to date has fully achieved the right look, but this portrait is certainly one of the better ones to come along.  Even so, it still looks like Hayden crossed with Haley Joel Osment of The Sixth Sense fame. 

This portrait has a couple good things going for it.  Perhaps the most impressive is the most subtle feature.  In fact, it was noticed only when I was checking for symmetry in the facial features.  There is a very slight snarl or sneer formed at the corner of Anakin’s mouth on his right hand side.  Whether this was a conscious effort or just an unintentional glitch in the sculpting process, it is still there and still enhances the portrait.  The eyes, while not the best, have been painted well and have no signs of being lazy or askew. 

However, the paint applications are lacking, and it is severe enough to greatly diminish the rating.  The light brown highlights in Anakin’s hair are too clumpy and need to be both lighter and more evenly distributed.  Also, the inside base of the hair isn’t painted, and there are a few areas along the hairline where the paint runs.

 

CHEST SCULPT AND CEREMONIAL TATTOOS – Above Average 

This cartoon-to-reality rendition of Anakin marks, to the best of my knowledge, the fourth male figure in the modern era to lurk around shirtless on store pegs.  The other three were Bacta Luke, Tattooed Darth Maul, and Clone Wars Kit Fisto.  For Anakin, this look is a first for him, and it comes off pretty well.  The muscle tone and definition have been sculpted with high attention to detail, and there are certainly no signs of the “He-Man” syndrome seen in the early days of the POTF2 age.  If anything, the chest may actually be undersized as it looks slightly disproportionate to the head and too short in length.  However, this is something that is not readily apparent or awkward.  Furthermore, kudos should definitely go to the arms, which are terrific for two reasons: 1) the restraint shown with muscle definition and 2) the integration of the shoulder and elbow joints minimally impacts the aesthetics. 

As for the blue ceremonial tattoos, they are impressive as well.  Each line is crisp and follows the natural contours of Anakin’s body.  They even work around the elbow joint, which helps keep it partially hidden in plain sight.  The larger shoulder joint, sadly, does disrupt the flow of the tattoos, but that isn’t a huge surprise considering how much larger that joint is compared to the elbow.  The bigger issue with the markings is the curious omission of the blue tiger-like stripes on Anakin’s neck in the cartoon.  They are missing on the figure. 

All of these observed gaffes, however, pale next to everything that is right about the upper torso of this figure.

 

 

TATTERED JEDI CLOTHING AND BOOTS – Average 

Might as well get the goof-ups gone right from the get-go.  The pants aren’t even close to the right color, and that is an extremely obvious oversight.  Anakin Skywalker, in both Revenge of the Sith and the final installments of the Clone Wars micro-series, wore dark brown pants.  For some confounding reason, Hasbro decided this figure should wear mustard-colored pants.  It is incorrect, and it is definitely painful on the eyes.  Additionally, Anakin’s pants were not torn in this episode, so the single large rip is completely out of place.  It looks as if Hasbro’s team confused the Nelvaan quest with the Ventress duel on Yavin 4. 

What manages to keep this facet of the figure securely in the middle of the spectrum is the highly detailed sculpting.  The pants have a healthy amount of creases and folds, attributes that also help mask the ball-jointed knees when the legs are in their original resting positions.  The boots are also intricately detailed with the bamboo-patterned grooves accurately layered, and the paint wash adds superb definition.  Unfortunately, the brown paint runs onto the pants just above the boot tops, so even that positive is marred to some degree.

 

ARTICULATION – Above Average 

This is a well articulated figure, and it shows through the variety of poses of which it is capable.  Since this is “Topless Ani”, obligatory muscle flexing is obviously in order, and Anakin can be posed in a very natural looking flexed arm stance.  It only works with the mechanical arm though because it requires wrist articulation to look realistic.  Anakin can even pull off a very Abercrombie and Fitch-esque pose with stretching both arms behind his head while subtly jutting out his chest—probably a good pose if you’re a teenie-bopper Star Wars fan.  The rest of us, however, are more interested in poses such as a two-handed, wide-leg lightsaber combat stance as well as Anakin clutching his mechanical arm as if nursing an injury. 

The only two flaws here are a lack of ankle articulation and a limited range of motion for the head.  While the figure stands just fine without those ankles, it prevents the figure from certain poses such as kneeling.  As for the limited range of motion in the head, that is due entirely to the sculpted hair.  Once the hair hits the shoulder blades, the head cannot tilt back any farther.  If you try, the head will pop off the ball joint.

  

INTERCHANGEABLE MECHANICAL ARMS – Excellent 

Aside from the obligatory lightsaber, which is recycled from every other Episode III Anakin figure and does not even warrant a category, this version of Anakin comes with two accessories that are very specific to Clone Wars Chapter 25—his mechanical arm and the blown-off stump version seen at the climax (and the reason for the more advanced version seen in Revenge of the Sith).  Both are exceptional accessories, highly detailed, and vital to the look of this character.  The full arm is posed in a saber grip position and is eerily reminiscent of the Endoskeleton arm kept in the Cyberdyne vault in Terminator 2.  The mixture of gold and black paint adds an immense amount of texture, but the piece could have been better served by filling in the deeper crevices with solid black.  As for the stump version, it fares even better because the damage is shown with a high degree of realism (i.e. – wires and tubes blossoming out in multiple directions) and the carbon scoring has been painted with varying gradations.

  

INTERCHANGEABLE ARM SYSTEM – Poor 

Sadly, this sample cannot take advantage of the interchangeable arms because the peg-and-socket system is truly useless here.  The peg attached just below the elbow is made from a weak plastic, one so weak that pulling the arm greatly threatens to tear the peg off of the figure.  As for the damaged stump, the socket is too small to fit the peg, and there are two results:  1) the stump cannot be attached and 2) the peg bends out of shape under the pressure.  In fact, the image above of Anakin with the stump is a trick of forced perspective.  The stump is actually just barely resting on the tip of the peg, and the figure was positioned so that the connection was hidden.  

Discussion with a local collector reveals that this weak peg is not sample-specific.  Their Anakin figure suffers from the same massive flaw as well.

 “FUN FACTOR” – Above Average  

For a shirtless Sith Lord-in-training, this is a surprisingly fun version of Anakin—probably because of its unusual appearance.  Whether or not this is a tad disturbing…that’s for you to decide.  The articulation is very good despite missing a few joints, and the range of poses is more than adequate.  All that holds this figure back from the top rating in this category is the inability to use the “stump” arm.  

OVERALL RATING – Above Average 

The pants may be frightful to the eyes, but it is the flawed interchangeable arm system that ranks as this figure’s greatest shortcoming.  Oddly enough, that’s a good thing because it is not a vital element, and that means everything else makes this a solid figure and a definite recommendation.  For some female collectors, one can imagine that the visual appeal is even greater.  And rightfully so too!  After all, how many of the guys out there started drooling over Gentle Giant’s Slave Leia statue?  It’s about time someone catered to the fairer sex. 

Bottom line—this is worth seven bucks.  Grab it if you see it.