I agree that this version of Anakin does seem like a curious choice. Like the reissue of the Peasant disguise version of Anakin, I think this was a case of trying to release a figure of Anakin Skywalker that would benefit from the photo-real update and is just a straight reissue - no kitbashing or updated sculpts, no reissuing a figure from another line on a TVC card for the first time. Those seem to be the criteria for these waves.
The theme I sense with this wave is to have that core 3 characters from THE CLONE WARS in a single wave. So what's available? There have been a grand total of 4 Anakin Skywalker figures released in the first run of The Vintage Collection. Both VC-032 (Peasant disguise) and VC-092 (Clone Wars realistic) have already been reissued. That leaves VC-013 (ROTS Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader) and VC-080 (TPM Padawan). I would actually argue that the VC-080 figure is probably the better of the two to get the photo real paint apps because the sculpt on VC-013 looks off. I think Hasbro has come to the realization that the photo real process can't save every figure, and VC-013 Anakin might be one of them, and I think that would also include another key Jedi Master like Qui-Gon Jinn (VC-075). It's probably better for them to be realized as newly sculpted figures.
Hasbro certainly could have gone with a different PT character. General Grievous or Jango Fett would have been great choices. But I get the feeling that Hasbro wanted this wave to specifically include Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka since the characters have such strong ties to one another. All of that being said? The Mace Windu repaint looks good. The repaint treatment on Obi-Wan looks fantastic. The softgoods? The Star Wars team said during the livestream that they've worked on improving them, but the photos didn't reflect them being more form fitting. And then there's Ahsoka - that original TVC Ahsoka sells for CRAZY MONEY on the secondary market - I've seen listings for it going over $600. The 3.75" Black Series version may have gone on clearance, but that even sells for $40 - $50. Hasbro is not stupid - they see the demand for that version of Ahsoka on a TVC card and they're looking to meet the demand.
