RRP: 8250 yen
Star Wars: The Mandalorian season two was a series full of big surprises, but among the biggest of them all was the grand return of Boba Fett. Having survived his supposed death in Return of the Jedi and escaped the Sarlacc pit, Fett returned to reclaim his armour from the Mandalorian Din Djarin before assisting him in rescuing Grogu from Moff Gideon and returning to Tatooine to take Jabba the Hutt's (now in the hands of Bib Fortuna) empire. Meanwhile Bandai Tamashii Nations might have taken their sweet time to add the original trilogy Boba Fett to their S.H. Figuarts lineup, but following his return on The Mandalorian they were one of the quickest off the mark. S.H. Figuarts Boba Fett (The Mandalorian) joins a new version of Din Djarin as the line's first Mandalorian season two figures - a retail release originally intended for January 2022 but delayed until the following month.
Star Wars S.H. Figuarts packaging continues to favour function over form, with Boba's box following the same basic design seen across the whole range so far. The same differences previously seen with The Mandalorian figures are also present here, such as the bronze foil around the front window and side (as opposed to the silver on the main saga releases) and the full Mandalorian logo printed on the front. The other side of the box sports a great image of the figure, with plenty more featured on the back. These show off both the figure's poseability and accessories, and even Bandai even throw in a bit of cheeky cross-promotion with their new Mando figure as well. Inside you'll find both Boba and his accessories neatly laid out on a moulded plastic tray, but behind that is a nice little surprise. Behind the tray is a backing card featuring Slave 1 blasting through space with a pair of TIE Fighters in pursuit. While it can't exactly be used as a diorama backdrop in the same way the desert landscape included with other Mandalorian Figuarts can, it's one of those extra bits of detail that make the release feel a little more special.
This S.H. Figuarts release of Boba Fett is based on his appearance in chapters 15 and 16 of The Mandalorian, where he debuts a newly painted version of armour combined with his black Tusken Raider robes. It's a bold look that symbolises his return to power by combining his past and current lives, making it all the more fitting that this is what he's wearing when he later takes Jabba's throne. Bandai previously did an excellent job on their Return of the Jedi Boba Fett figure, but when compared to other versions at that scale the paint job did look a little more toyetic. The same can't be said for this version though, which features a sharp, clean paint job (mostly) devoid of all the dings and battle damage Boba was previously known for. The little bits of wear and tear it does have is nicely applied, enhancing the look of the armour rather than overpowering it. The solid blocks of colour stand out brilliantly against the new black undersuit, and the sculpt also displays some fantastic moulded detail and tampograph decals. The jetpack is a separate piece that plugs onto the back via thick square plug, attaching nice and firmly. Though its new solid green colour scheme isn't quite as its previous blue and orange look, there's some really nice bits of detail on here that make up for it - particularly the broken antenna piece to the side of the rocket and the raised repair work running across the middle. One of the other key features of this release is the soft goods lower robe section, made from a thick material that's been pleated to give it a more natural look. Though not underwired for true poseability, it can be folded up in a way that works as though it's blowing in the wind - particularly good if you want to pose Boba firing those knee rockets.
Articulation is one area where the S.H. Figuarts line tends to stand out against its nearest rivals, and Boba Fett is a particularly interesting figure in this regard. Overall the figure features;
- Ball jointed head, neck, torso, waist and wrists
- Butterfly joint shoulders
- Swivel hinge shoulders, hips and ankles
- Single hinge elbows, knees and toe sections
- Bicep and thigh swivels
Addressing the elephant in the room first and foremost, it is quite unusual to get an S.H. Figuarts release that has single hinge elbows AND knees. Single hinge elbows have become increasingly more common in some of their Western film franchise releases (particularly the MCU figures), but even then you tend to get double hinged knees to go along with them. Though Boba might not have them, given this new armour design and the thick, billowing trouser parts it makes sense to swap it out with a big single hinge joint. Even if there was a double hinge there, the size of the leg pieces would stop there being a full bend anyway. So despite how they may sound these single hinge joints do a fantastic job of giving Boba exactly what he needs, and with the support of all the other joints surrounding them it does feel like very much has been lost at all. The bicep and thigh swivels on this figure are just sublime. The shoulders can be a little tricky to work with at first because of the amount of layering there's going on with them, but they still manage to retain a good - if a little restricted, range of movement. One other little bit of articulation worth mentioning is of course the helmet, which features a working range finder that can be pushed down in front of the visor. This version of Boba Fett may sound like it has a little less going on than his original trilogy counterpart, but this is also a very different kind of Boba Fett - and it's a kind that this articulation can more than accommodate for.
Being the one-man arsenal that he is, no Boba Fett figure would be complete without accessories and Figuarts' new Mandalorian offer is one that puts most other Bobas at this scale to shame. To start with he comes with three pairs of alternate hands (featuring the usual variety of open, trigger finger and gripping hands), his EE-3 carbine rifle, blaster pistol (I'm unsure if the style of which has been stated yet?) and alternate holster parts. If you've bought any Figuarts figures with holsters before you'll know that for some reason Bandai prefer alternate parts of functioning ones, which is a strange choice but at this point far from unprecedented. Thankfully it's a really easy switch to make, as the holster piece connects to the belt via a basic ball joint. Both weapons are nicely moulded with metallic grey paintwork to bring out the detailing, along with additional brown paint apps on the grip. The EE-3 carbine rifle is a noticeably meatier version that the one included with the Return of the Jedi version too - not just providing a bigger frame for more detailing but also proving a much more suitable weapon for this stockier version of Fett.
Guns aren't the only gadgets Boba has on offer either, with his jetpack also sporting a number of additional parts which really make this release stand out. On top of the jetpack itself there are also swappable nozzles with blast effects, an alternate missile piece (based on the missile fitted when Boba reclaimed the armour on Tython) and a launch effect part which fits between the jetpack and missile. The nozzle pieces are connected to the jetpack via ball joints, which allows for easy removal and posing. The choice of missile pieces is also a really nice touch - giving you the option between the more traditional longer missile or the smaller, more colourful Cobb Vanth was dabbling with. But by far the coolest part of this little selection is the launch effect, which not only looks good but also provides a far better way to convey the missile launch in a pose. While Boba hunched on his own might not look especially impressive, the missile in mid-air adds considerably more context and pizazz.
Last but by no means least are an alternate unhelmeted head sculpt, as well as a chain code projection piece to recreate that moment where Jango Fett was finally acknowledged as a true Mandalorian by the show's new set of rules when it comes to foundlings. Despite having previously produced both Jango Fett and a number of clone trooper figures, this marks the first time Tamashii Nations have a done a Temuera Morrison head sculpt. Much like all of the other Star Wars releases you could argue that the details are a little soft, but the sculpt is still very recognisable as the character. While Bandai have done a good job on the likeness and facial scars, the chosen expression can look a little odd in anything other than the specific scene it was based on (the aforementioned chain code scene). The alternate head also has its own exposed neckpiece, so switching between the two is extremely easy. It also means that the clothed neckpiece can be easily pulled off the helmet, allowing it to be carried like an accessory even if it was expressly intended to be one. Collectors can be quite critical of the live-action head sculpts that come out of the S.H. Figuarts line, but all in all this one has come out pretty well. Moving on the chain code accessory is a small piece of orange plastic with the correct Aurebesh transcription etched onto it, which shows some great attention to detail. Given the size of the accessory and the fragility of translucent plastic in general it's a little scary plugging it in and out of the wrist gauntlet, but it fits into the arm well and isn't showing any signs of damage. While it's inclusion with the repainted Boba Fett armour might not be strictly screen accurate as the scene happened on Tython, it was a big moment for the Fetts so it's pleasing to see it remembered and included in this release nonetheless.
All in all it's fair to say that Bandai knocked it out of the park with S.H. Figuarts Boba Fett (The Mandalorian). Despite being one of the first to produce a Mandalorian-era Boba Fett figure at this scale they've gone and made one that's going to be very hard to top - showing off the high quality the S.H. Figuarts line is known for together with a wealth of accessories that ensure that the buyer is getting something well worth the price they paid for. Bandai did a great job on both their Jango Fett and RoTJ Boba figures, but this one far outclasses them both and displays just how much the line has evolved in the years since their production. Even if you're a Star Wars fan that prefers to stick to the more affordable Black Series, this is not a release to miss out on.
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