K-2SO stands up to Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). (Disney/Lucasfilm trailer)
In 2013, Hasbro decided it was time to introduce 6” Star Wars figures for the first time under the “Black Series” label. These highly-articulated figures might draw scorn from longtime fans who would rather have Hasbro focus on highly-articulated figures in the 3.75” scale, that clearly isn’t happening. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story got its own Black Series figures, which were made available on Force Friday. Heavy.com got a look at some of these figures, as well as other products from Hasbro.
The 6” Figures
Imperial Death Trooper, Capt. Cassian Andor, K-2SO and Jyn Erso make up the first wave of 6″ Black Series figures from Rogue One. (Photo by Daniel S. Levine)
The first wave of 6” figures based on Rogue One include Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones in the movie), Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna’s character), a Death Trooper and K-2SO. The unmasked Kylo Ren made available at San Diego Comic-Con is also part of the wave (without his flag or burned Vader helmet). The Jyn figure is the same as the figure released at SDCC, just without the fancy packaging.
All of the figures in the wave are as articulated as the previous waves, but the K-2SO figure is particularly impressive. It is as articulated as the CGI droid will be in the film. Hasbro even figured out how to retain the hollow joints by using a clear piece of plastic. There might also be some fear of it being made of flimsy plastic, but there’s no need to worry. He’s made of plastic that isn’t going to wilt. He doesn’t come with a single accessory, but the design makes up for it. You’ll have a hard time letting this figure just stand on a shelf.
Titanium Ships & Helmets
(Hasbro)
Last year, Hasbro expanded the Black Series label to include Titanium die-cast ships and helmets. Hasbro provided us with Krennic’s Imperial Shuttle, which is a ship similar to shuttles used in Return of the Jedi and Kylo Ren’s shuttle in The Force Awakens. While you can move the ship’s wings and there’s even tiny landing gear, much of the ship is really plastic. The only die-cast element is the small part of the ship itself. All three wings are plastic.
We also got a look at the helmet two-pack with Sabine Wren’s and Darth Vader’s helmets. These are based on the Rebels series. Vader’s helmet is even based on the cartoon design.
Rebel U-Wing Fighter With Cassian Andor
(Hasbro)
Only a couple of Rogue One ships were made available on Force Friday. One of them is the U-Wing, a new ship for the Rebel Alliance. It’s been revealed that the U-Wing is really a troop carrier, so Hasbro’s take on the ship will be disappointing. If it was just a fighter, this would be pretty cool. The S-Foils swing out, just like the movie and the NERF missile launcher is pretty easy to hide if you prefer not to use it. But knowing that the doors on the side of the ship are going to slide open to allow troops to jump into action in the movie dampens the final product.
As a toy primarily for kids though, the $50 U-Wing is pretty nifty. As an added bonus, it does come with a Cassian Andor figure, as well as his blaster. Assembly is quick and easy, with no stickers required. (No stickers is always a bonus.)
For collectors, the Black Series products are always the way to go, it’s just unfortunate that 3.75” Black Series figures are only available at Walmarts. However, the 6” figures are easy to find at Target, Walmart, Toys R Us and anywhere else you can buy toys.
These figures were provided to review by Hasbro, save for the Imperial Death Trooper, which the reviewer purchased.
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‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Toy Reviews: A Closer Look at the Black Series