JediDefender.com Forums
Collecting => Toy Reviews => Topic started by: Jesse James on April 12, 2007, 08:55 PM
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Reviews return to JediDefender.com... How long that lasts? Who knows. :) Should be good for a few here though.
And to wrap up the Saga Collection I decided to review the Endor Rebel Soldier variant figures.
(http://www.jedidefender.com/reviews/saga/saga046.jpg) (http://www.jedidefender.com/reviews/saga046.php)
Clicky button to read review!
So The Saga Collection is wrapped up with this review, and it goes out on a fairly sour note. The Endor Rebels are a step above their original figure they were based on, however Hasbro didn't knock one out of the park. Such is a kit-bash and not a ground-up resculpt. All rebel Troopers at this point just need to be done from scratch, and all new sculpts. Throw out the past. Look at the future. Give us Rebels that are equal to the Imperial army builders these days.
Of course the main flaws with the figures lies mostly in the old parts... The vest restricts most arm movement, the lack of ball/socket joints at the arms (elbows and shoulders) is disappointing in this day and age. Really though the shoulder joint kills the figure.
Add to that the slight "lean", the wide leg stance (why Hasbro?), and minor flaws like the holster not fitting the pistol properly and a lack of a bandoleir accessory (I didn't even count this last one in the review, but it's still annoying), and in general the Endor Rebel's not cutting the mustard. He doesn't live up to modern standards by far.
Is he an improvement? Over his original figure, yes... Over the POTF2 figure, yes... But he's not up to snuff with other figures he shared the pegs with. Even the Naboo Soldier he shipped with was generally a better figure. That's sad. What's worse is he's the best Rebel Soldier out there, and that's REALLY sad.
Read the full review, share your thoughts... I got a couple of this figure for customizing. Without the vest they're more poseable/tolerable and I'm fixing the legs myself. What I'd do for all 3 Rebel Trooper types to get resculpted though at this point. We need some SA Rebels, STAT.
I hope 2007's figures bring a bit more positive reviews than 2006 did.
PS:
For the curious, the variant figure in "white" (it should be a very light grey, so the color is technically inaccurate), is from cut footage during the battle of Endor of the Gunners on the Millenium Falcon. The figure is a cool nod to cut footage, so kudos to Hasbro there, however the pants are wrong, the character didn't wear a bandoleer, and as noted the color of the outfit is wrong. A neat idea though, so they get an 'A' for effort at least. These figures will hopefully become just good fodder for customs or background filler for a better Rebel Commando someday.
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Another great job, Jesse! I was a little more forgiving on these than I might have normally been because I really needed some articulated knee Endor folks for my ROTJ meeting diorama. I made a few variations that you can see in the pics (including switching the gloves and jacket of the 2002 green versions with the 2006 brown versions), using a dyed VTSC Han trenchcoat like you suggested, and even making a seated Prune Face from one of the bodies (even though the torso isn't completely accurate).
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pbf77b65199e5205c2c42554e45b038ee/ea4139bf.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p20581dd415c5ac6cb7ad1b16df4a1774/ea3674b5.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pb2d1820a764beffd9a60ebdb4e04e2f6/ea32b898.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p32259ea9eaa1128b5bbce1dd57879e6b/ea32b93f.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p6de0818b510ca7e2f072c67c097d5437/ebbafad0.jpg)
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I've got a handful... I think they'll be decent filler, till a good SA Endor Rebel shows up... At that point I doubt these guys get tossed of course, but they'll take a back seat by far. I'm doing the trenchcoat (sergeant) figure at some point too DB, and he'll be amuch better figure since he'll be more poseable. :) It's all in the vest for the most part, but I figured since I was citing the vest as a flaw I wasn't going to ease up on him and cite the fact there's no ball/sockets on the arms...
At this point, I think Hasbro owes us 3 SA Rebel Soldiers... Hoth, Endor, and Fleet... I can accept ONE style of the Endor Trooper (I'm not sure which one at this point I'd prefer), but they really need to deliver 3 good Rebel Soldiers to the masses. I mean geeze, the Naboo Soldier they put out is better. Yikes. :-[
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I agree with this review mostly. I found one problem that you didn't mention however (it may not be wide spread, but all the samples I've seen have been like this). The figure has really tight knee joints. My first figure actually broke off at the knees, and I had to return it and get another one.
One other thing, the white trooper isn't a great army builder because he has a name and a story. He's General Airen Cracken from the X-Wing books. (I found this out here: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Airen_Cracken)
I ended up giving my soldier an extra Han coat, it really made the difference between a good figure and a bad one. Thanks for the suggestion!
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yeah all mine have had their knee joints "stuck" together. nothing an exacto knife couldnt fix. same thing happened with my endore luke. good figure though. i like it anyways. just a shame the elbow joints suck. and one thing i really like is if you switch the white troopers head with a derlin its looks perfect. blends in well the endor trooper will suck but then you will have a cool looking hoth dude. pointless info i know but.. idont know where im going with this anymore. good review.
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I didn't mention (but I agree) on the knee joints because that's actually somethign I've run into on various toys in various lines. It's the articulation style, the paint aps... I've come to, out of habit, loosening up figures with hot water before moving joints though. As a toy though, that's a definite flaw so I agree with you.
I've found I can drastically limit the stance issue (with the wide legs) via a "boil and freeze" customizing technique. Pretty simple really, you boil the figure in water, put the legs in a more narrow stance, dunk it in ice water a while... the plastic takes shape, and that's a positive. It improves the figure slightly and I've done this with a couple. I have a couple more to go though. Still, you shouldn't have to do this and it sucks to see this wide stance trend continue in '07! >:(
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These guys were fine as individual characters, but hardy army building or even custom fodder for me. They add to the Rebel army in terms of variety, but the reused parts limited their potential. These two coupled with the first Saga two really is enough.
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nice review, i wish i bought some of these when i was in the States last winter :-\