Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Action Figure Review: Yoda (Force Spirit) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 Near the end of 2017, just prior to the release of The Last Jedi, Walgreens offered up an exclusive action figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Force Spirit. This year, prior to the release of The Rise of Skywalker, Walmart offered up an exclusive version of Yoda as a Force Spirit. I wonder when we'll get Anakin? This version of Yoda is based on the Phase II figure with new paint applications and new robes. Hasbro has attempted many different ways of creating Force Spirit figures but as far as I can recall, the only version of Yoda they've attempted was the translucent version from 1998. This guy definitely shows a lot more effort at creating the ghostly appearance seen in the Original Trilogy. Let's check out Force Spirit Yoda after the break and see how he turned out!



 The Facts:

Height: 3 1/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, balljointed hips, balljointed midtorso, swivel/hinge shoulders, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, and a balljointed head.

Accessories: Robe, belt, flute, and gimer stick.

Non-Scalper Price: $18 -$20 dollars

 Comparison:

*On the left is the the Force Spirit version of Yoda while the original Phase II version is on the right. Oddly enough, I never reviewed the Phase II version. I might have to rectify that some day. This guy is mostly a repaint although the robes are different and Force Spirit doesn't come with the snake and lightsaber that the original release had.
 The Positives:

* You can debate whether or not Hasbro did a good job at capturing the appearance of a Force Spirit from Return of the Jedi, but they definitely did put together a very cool, very unqiue looking figure. Rather than just being molded in translucent plastic, Yoda has multiple colors and lots of metallic paint hues over the translucent appendages, which gives him a luminous quality. There have been a lot of jokes made that Yoda looks kind of like Yogurt from Spaceballs, which actually is spot on. That's not a bad thing though, right? Gosh, I'd love for someone to make Spaceballs toys someday. I know Mel Brooks made a deal with Uncle George back in the day, but Uncle George isn't in charge anymore, so....

 * The headsculpt is fantastic. It's the same as the Phase II Yoda but it uses the faceprinting technology seen on the Archives Yoda. It's pretty solid, right? In the Walmart computers this Yoda was listed as an Episode VIII version, which could make sense, too, although it definitely feels more Episode VI based.

 * The original Black Series Yoda only had one robe, but this one has two robes: An outer cloak and a nonremovable inner robe around his waist. Both are translucent and a bit shimmery, which really adds to the spectral appearance of the figure. It definitely shows that Hasbro put in some extra effort here rather than just making a quick repaint, which is always appreciated.

* The flute around Yoda's neck is actually called a blissl and it's part of the outfit Yoda wears on Dagobah. It's tough to get it over Yoda's head without damaging it but you can remove Yoda's head (it uses a traditional balljoint since it's one of the older figures in the line) to take it off if you want to. It's a cool little extra that looks just fine here.

* While Yoda has far less articulation than most other figures in the line, for his size he's well articulated, particularly his double hinged elbows. Most of the figures with cloth robes have had double hinged elbows to help aid their movement and it works great here. Yoda can take some great poses, although as a Force Spirit he mostly stands around, cackles, and calls down lightning.


 * Yoda comes with his gimer stick, gifted to him by the Wookies, although this time it's cast in a pearlescent purplish plastic to give it an ethereal look.
 The Negatives:

* This is a carry over from the original figure, but Yoda is way too large. Yoda is only supposed to be 2ft 2in, so in 1/12th scale he'd be a little under 2 1/4ths inches. Generally the scale has been good on the Black Series (except for the R2 units), but Yoda definitely is a bit too large. It doesn't look bad, until you rally start to think about it and try to put him on Luke's back or something.

 * How do you think Yoda looks compared to Obi-Wan? Not terrible although he seems to be designed fairly differently, doesn't he? The colors and design are good but it's inconsistent with what Hasbro has done before. When I look at Yoda I think more "holographic projection" and less "Force Spirit."
   Yoda (Force Spirit) isn't a bad figure, though he might be a bit underwhelming. I'd give him a Good and a 1/2. Yoda comes with fewer accessories than the standard release, too, which disappoints. How cool would it have been if he came with some of the Jedi texts from The Last Jedi? Or his cooking kettle? Seriously, something! Being that this is an Original Trilogy variant of one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars galaxy, there's definitely an audience waiting to scoop this guy up. Now, the question is when will we get Anakin and if we'll get Hayden Christensen, Sebastian Shaw, or both! Hopefully sooner rather than later, right?


Do you seek Yoda? If so, check out the Hero Mashers version, the Micro Machines Classic Characters (2nd edition) Yoda, and the green hologram Yoda from the Micro Force advent calendar.

For more figures from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III, check out the following:
0-0-0 (Triple Zero)
442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper, 212th Attack Battalion Utapau Trooper, Coruscant Guard ---(Phase II), and 501st Legion Clone Trooper 4 pack
4-LOM
Admiral Ackbar and First Order Officer
Admiral Piett
Ahsoka Tano 
AT-AT Pilot 
Battle Droid
Baze Malbus
BT-1 (Beetee)
C-3PO
C-3PO (Resistance Base) 
Cal Kestis
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu) 
Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton)
Captain Poe Dameron
Cara Dune
Chewbacca (Target Exclusive)
Chewbacca (The Force Awakens)
Chirrut Imwe 
Chopper (C1-10P)
Clone Captain Rex (HasCon Exclusive)
Clone Commander Gree
Clone Commander Fox
Clone Commander Obi-Wan Kenobi
Clone Commander Wolffe 
Constable Zuvio
Darth Revan 
Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath)
Death Star Trooper
Dengar
Dewback/ Sandtrooper
Director Krennic 
DJ (Canto Bight)
Doctor Aphra
Dryden Vos
Elite Praetorian Guard
Elite Praetorian Guard (with Heavy Blade)
Emperor Papatine and Throne
Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfys Nest
Ezra Bridger
Finn (First Order Disguise)
Finn (FN-2187)
Finn (Jakku)
First Order Flametrooper
First Order General Hux
First Order Jet Trooper
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Snowtrooper Officer
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter
First Order Stormtrooper
First Order Stormtrooper Executioner 
First Order Stormtrooper (with Gear)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot
Gamorrean Guard
General Grievous
General Leia Organa
General Veers
Grand Admiral Thrawn (SDCC Exclusive)
Grand Moff Tarkin 
Guardians of Evil 4-Pack
Guavian Enforcer
Han Solo (Exogorth Escape)
Han Solo (Mimban)
Han Solo (Solo)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens)
Hera Syndulla
IG-11
Imperial AT-ACT Driver
Imperial Death Trooper
Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) 3 pack
Imperial Hovertank Pilot 
Imperial Jumptrooper
Imperial Patrol Trooper
Imperial Shock Trooper 
Imperial Royal Guard 
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
Jannah
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Kylo Ren 
Kylo Ren (SDCC 2016)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi) 
Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base)
Kylo Ren (Throne Room) 
L3-37
Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Lando Calrissian (The Empire Strikes Back)
Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard)
Luke Skywalker 
Luke Skywalker (Death Star Escape)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)- Ahch-To Island
Luke Skywalker (Skyalker Strikes)
Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ceremony)
Mace Windu
Maz Kanata 
Moloch
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Padawan) 
Obi-Wan Kenobi (SDCC 2016) 
Padme Amidala
Phase 1 Clone Trooper Commander, Phase II Clone Trooper, Imperial Stormtrooper, and First Order ---Stormtrooper Officer four pack
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron and First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Porgs 
Princess Leia (Bespin Escape)
Princess Leia Organa 
Princess Leia Organa (Hoth)
Qi'ra (Corellia)
Qui-Gon Jinn
R2-A3, R5-K6, and R2-F2
Range Trooper
Rebel Trooper
Red Squadron (R2-D2, R5-D8, and R2-X2)
Resistance Tech Rose
Resistance Trooper
Rey (Island Journey)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8 
Rey (Jedi Training)
Rey (Jedi Training)- Crait
Rey (Starkiller Base) 
Rey's Speeder (Jakku)
Rio Durant
Sabine Wren
Sandtrooper Sergeant, Crimson Stormtrooper, Lieutenant OXIXO, and R2-Q5
Scarif Stormtrooper
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader 
Second Sister Inquisitor
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Eadu)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Snowtrooper 
Stormtrooper (Mimban)
Stormtrooper (With Blast Accessories)
Supreme Leader Snoke (Throne Room)
Tobias Beckett
Tusken Raider 
Val (Vandor)
Vice Admiral Holdo
Wedge Antilles
X-34 Landspeeder & Luke Skywalker (SDCC Exclusive) 
X-Wing Pilot Asty 
Zuckuss


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