Posts

Showing posts with the label The Mandalorian

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series R5-D4

Image
Release Date: December 2023 RRP: $24.99/£24.99 Of all of the things to happen on The Mandalorian purely in the name of fan service, the droid that Luke Skywalker almost bought instead of R2-D2 becoming Din Djarin's personal astromech has to be one of the wildest. But that's exactly what happened in the show's third season, with R5-D4 finally leaving Tatooine  after so many years (and several previous cameos on the show) to join the Mandalorian and Grogu  on their adventures. His prominence on the show has naturally also resulted in a flurry of new figures, among them of course being a brand new Black Series R5-D4 release.

Toybox REVIEW: MAFEX The Mandalorian Ver. 2.0

Image
Release Date: February 2024 RRP: 10780 yen The six-inch Star Wars action figure market has become rather competitive in recent years, particularly when it comes to the most popular characters. While Hasbro will always rule to roost in terms of range with the Black Series , both Bandai's S.H. Figuarts and Medicom's MAFEX lines have become quite the rivals in regards to higher-end alternatives. Multiple seasons also mean multiple renditions of characters, and now Medicom are back with their MAFEX The Mandalorian Ver 2.0 figure. After their initial Mandalorian release back in 2021, this new version of Din Djarin takes inspiration from the second season of The Mandalorian with modifications, improvements and a tonne of new accessories.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Axe Woves

Image
Release Date: October 2022 RRP: $24.99/£25.99 Back in the day, the Star Wars toy line was known for giving an action figure to pretty much every character or alien no matter how long they appeared on screen. That isn't quite as true anymore, but if Hasbro can get an easy figure out of existing mould they will. Calling Axe Woves a background character as such might be a little much, but compared to fellow Mandalorians Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves he didn't really stand out from the crowd as much. Nevertheless, the arrival of Black Series Axe Woves completes the Nite Owl trio from season two of The Mandalorian .

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Dark Trooper

Image
Release Date: July 2022 RRP: £33.99/£36.99 While the old Legends canon may have been thrown out with Disney 's acquisition of the Star Wars franchise, slowly but surely some of its more popular elements are slowly creeping back into continuity. As well as bringing several animated characters to live action, season two of The Mandalorian also saw the return of the Dark Troopers – third generation battle droids utilised by Moff Gideon in his capture of Grogu . Able to withstand blaster fire, flamethrowers and other projectiles, these Imperial Troopers proved a difficult opponent to the Mandalorian Din Djarin . The Black Series Dark Trooper is one of the latest deluxe releases from Hasbro 's six-inch figure line – initially slated for a 2023 release but arriving considerably earlier whilst Hasbro's shipping projections continue to be in disarray.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Death Watch Mandalorian

Image
Release Date: April 2022 RRP: $24.99/£23.99 If you ever want confirmation that Mandalorians are a sure seller right now, look no further than the Black Series Death Watch Mandalorian figure. While this splinter group of Mandalorian extremists played a massive role in Star Wars: The Clone Wars , their role in The Mandalorian has been far more limited – appearing in a flashback that revealed how foundling Din Djarin was rescued from a Super Battle Droid attack. However this all too brief appearance debuted a new live-action look for the Death Watch armour, which Hasbro have now added to their collector figure lines that'll surely entice the army builders among us.

Toybox REVIEW: Black Series Boba Fett (Tython)

Image
Release Date: March 2022 RRP: $24.99/£23.99 There are plenty of iconic Star Wars moments that hail from the second season of The Mandalorian , but easily among the very best was the grand return of legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett in Chapter 14: The Tragedy . Revealed to have survived his apparent demise in the belly of the Sarlacc Pit, Fett tails the Mandalorian to the planet Tython where he demands the return of his armour. Following an attack by Imperial Forces, Boba is reunited with the armour and pledges to assist Mando in retrieving Grogu from the clutches of Moff Gideon. Hasbro have recognised this iconic return with the release of the Black Series Boba Fett (Tython) – a version that showed just how formidable a fighter Fett is even without his Beskar armour.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Boba Fett (The Mandalorian)

Image
Release Date: February 2022 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.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Cobb Vanth

Image
Release Date:  February 2022 RRP: $31.99/£33.99 Although The Mandalorian has done a fantastic job of taking characters from the animated chapters of the Star Wars universe and bringing them into live-action, that isn't the only place the writers are drawing from. They're also drawing from the various comics, novels and video games that make up the current Star Wars canon - with perhaps the primary example being Cobb Vanth . Originally hailing from the Star Wars: Aftermath novels that lead into the sequel trilogy, Cobb Vanth was brought into season two of The Mandalorian as the marshal of Mos Pelgo , helping to keep the peace with the salvaged armour of feared bounty hunter Boba Fett . Not only did the arrival of a man in Fett's armour kickstart the lead up of Boba's return from the dead, but Cobb Vanth remained as a beloved character whose story carried through into The Book of Boba Fett and beyond. 

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Koska Reeves

Image
Release Date: October 2021 RRP: $22.99/£21.99 If there's one thing that Hasbro can count on being big sellers in their various Star Wars toy lines at the moment, it's Mandalorians. The success of The Mandalorian on Disney+ has propelled the warrior creed to the very forefront of the Star Wars universe, and every new addition is able to turn heads. Even bit-part characters such as Bo-Katan Kryze loyalist Koska Reeves can make a big impression when played by the likes of WWE superstar Sasha Banks (real name Mercedes Varnado). Now another Mandalorian is added to the collection with the release of the Black Series Koska Reeves , joining the previously released  Bo-Katan in her fight against Moff Gideon and the remainder of the Empire.

Toybox REVIEW: Meisho Movie Realization Ronin Mandalorian

Image
Release Date: April 2021 RRP: $100 Given the clear inspiration it takes from Japanese stories such as Lone Wolf and Cub , The Mandalorian is the perfect candidate for representation in Bandai Tamashii Nations Meisho Movie Realization line. Previous releases Boba Fett and Jango Fett prove that the Mandalorian armour lends itself particularly well to line's reimagining of classic Star Wars characters as feudal era samurai, and the popularity of The Mandalorian would make the figure an almost sure-fire seller. But while it's extremely pleasing to see the release of the Meisho Movie Realization Ronin Mandalorian  figure, the circumstances of its release are some of the strangest Bandai have done in a while. The figure was produced as a Tamashii web exclusive , but only made available via the US version of the web store. Whether this means Japan have their own plans for a Movie Realization Mandalorian in the future (maybe based on the full Beskar armour version of the suit?) is un...

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Bo-Katan Kryze

Image
Release Date: February 2021 RRP: $19.99/£19.99 One of the highlights of The Mandalorian season two for many Star Wars fans was how it helped bridge the gap even more between the live-action and animated sections of the franchise, with many core characters making their leap to live-action after years of development in the animated series. One such character was Bo-Katan Kryze , the Mandalorian and former Death Watch operative who defied both Maul and the Empire before being presented with the Darksaber in a bid to unite Mandalore once more. When she appears in The Mandalorian (played by her voice actor Katee Sackhoff ), not only is she instrumental in teaching Din Djarin that the ways of Mandalore are more flexible that he was taught, but has lost the Darksaber at the hands of Moff Gideon . She has been a key character in the development of the Mandalorians for many years now, which is why a Black Series Bo-Katan Kryze figure is LONG overdue.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Kuiil

Image
Release Date: December 2020 RRP: $19.99/£19.99 Hasbro needed a little bit of time to get the ball rolling, but now Star Wars fans have plenty of action figures from Disney+ smash hit The Mandalorian to look forward to in a number of different scales and styles. Wave 28 of the Black Series paid particular attention to the show, as Moff Gideon and Greef Karga were also joined by a Black Series Kuiil figure. A hermit Ugnaught that’s freed himself from a life of service and chosen to live in solitude, Kuill encounters Mandalorian Din Djarin when he arrives on Arvala-7 in search of “the asset”. Later the Mandalorian enlists his help again Moff Gideon and the Empire remnants in a bid to protect the Child , where he is shocked to find Kuill has repaired and reprogrammed bounty hunter droid IG-11 . Kuiil is tragically gunned down by Imperial Scout Troopers attempting to retake the Child, and is buried by Mando in an unmarked grave on the planet Nevarro.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Moff Gideon

Image
Release Date: December 2020 RRP: $19.99/£19.99 Every hero can be judged by the quality of their enemies, and with The Mandalorian taking place between the fall of the Galactic Empire in Return of the Jedi and the rise of the First Order you might think that the Star Wars universe would be short of big bads during this time period. But of course you'd be wrong, as Moff Gideon has quickly proven himself to be one of the Empire's most cunning and threatening leaders. This is of course helped by the fact that actor  Giancarlo Esposito has already proven himself to be arguably one of the best TV villains of all time. Thankfully we haven't had to wait too long for Hasbro to add this key character to their various collector toy lines, with Black Series Moff Gideon arriving as part of the line's 28th wave.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series The Armorer (Deluxe Version)

Image
Release Date: October 2020 RRP: $29.99/£29.99 (Deluxe Edition), $19.99/£19.99 (Standard Edition) With the cancellation of conventions across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hasbro needed to find a new avenue for all the various exclusives they had planned in 2020 - just as well they had Hasbro Pulse (in the US at least) and the “Fan Channel” (a network of online retailers that stock Hasbro products) to funnel them through. One such exclusive was the Star Wars The Black Series The Armorer, which had a special deluxe release planned for Star Wars Celebration as well as the standard retail version. Leader of the tribe of Mandalorian warriors that Din Djarin hails from, the Armorer is an enigmatic figure that provides spiritual guidance to the clan as well as forging their armour. After surviving the Empire’s attack on Nevarro, it is her who tasks Djarin with reuniting the Child with the Jedi . When questioned why he should return the Child to an order that was once at war ...

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Cara Dune

Image
Release Date: December 2019 RRP: $19.99/£19.99 If there's one thing that The Mandalorian has received near-universal praise for, it's the number of kickass women it's added to the Star Wars universe. Season two especially earned high marks with the live-action debuts of Ahsoka Tano and Bo-Katan Kryze , as well as expanding the role of Fennic Shand and introducing Koska Reeves . But before it gave us any of those, it gave us Cara Dune . A survivor of Alderaan , the former Rebel Alliance shock trooper quickly become one of Mando's most trusted allies - assisting him in his fight against Moff Gideon and the remnants of the Empire on multiple occasions. As one of the major recurring characters in the Disney+ series, she was one of the first to arrive in Hasbro's Black Series toy line.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Incinerator Trooper

Image
Release Date: October 2020 RRP: $19.99/£19.99 The Mandalorian is currently making huge waves in the Star Wars universe with its various connections to the various feature films, but one of its most exciting aspects to long-time fans is how its re-canonising elements from the old expanded universe of novels, video games, comics and more. These works were the lifeblood of the franchise at one point, but pushed aside once Disney went forward with plans for their own sequel trilogy. Incinerator Troopers were first seen in the 2008 game The Force Unleashed , notable for their red markings and flamethrower weapon. Considered one of the most devastating classes of Stormtrooper , they have since reappeared in chapter eight of The Mandalorian under the command of Moff Gideon . And with  Hasbro recently unveiling a new trooper mould in their new phase of the  Black Series , now was the perfect time to release the Black Series Incinerator Trooper .

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts The Child

Image
Release Date: September 2020 RRP: 3850 yen Disney  and Lucasfilm might have successfully been able to keep the Child (aka Baby Yoda ) a secret in the lead up to season one of The Mandalorian , but in order to do so it meant there wasn't any figures or merchandise in sight at the height of his popularity. Fast forward to a year later and the midst of season two and the companies behind  Star Wars certainly aren't going to make that mistake again, with just about every bit of merch you could possibly imagine on the shelves right now. Meanwhile Bandai Tamashii Nations are comfortably in the midst of their S.H. Figuarts releases, and The Mandalorian (Beskar Armor) means nothing without an S.H. Figuarts The Child to go with it. As you can expect from a character of this size Bandai are offering it as a much smaller (and thus cheaper, but S.H. Figuarts standards at the very least) release compared to their full-sized figures, but are also offering plenty of accessories alongside i...

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts The Mandalorian (Beskar Armor)

Image
Release Date: September 2020 RRP: 7700 yen The biggest problem when it came to toys from The Mandalorian was that every company had to strike whilst the iron was hot, despite not knowing anything about how the series was going to pan out. Take that brown and tan armour we saw the titular character wearing in all the promo images and footage for example - all those toys produced were slightly inaccurate within five minutes of the first episode and then by the third the armour had been completely discarded. It's only now a year after the completion of season one that the Disney+ series is getting the full action figure treatment, and this is one element of Star Wars that Bandai Tamashii Nations aren't going to drag their heels on. Following only a few months after their original S.H. Figuarts Mandalorian figure, Din Djarin returns in a new S.H. Figuarts The Mandalorian (Beskar Armor) variant! Despite only being a little bit more expensive than its predecessor, this is a far more...

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts The Mandalorian

Image
Release Date: May 2020 RRP: 6600 yen Compared to the more mixed reaction to the sequel trilogy The Mandalorian has become the first Star Wars franchise’s new golden goose, so it’s no surprise to see toy companies making the most out of the lucrative Disney+ series. Bandai Tamashii Nations have solidified their Star Wars range as a key part of the  S.H. Figuarts brand, and now that only continues to expand with the release of S.H. Figuarts The Mandalorian . The first of what will likely be many releases from the series, this figure features the bounty hunter Din Djarin is his initial armour.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series The Child

Image
Release Date:  April 2020 RRP:  $9.99/£10.99 The Mandalorian  has done many things for the  Star Wars  universe and fandom, but in terms of its impact it doesn't get much bigger than  The Child . The best kept secret in the run up to the series premiering on  Disney+ , from the very first episode  "Baby Yoda"  fever swept the globe - and with no merchandise planned until the middle of 2020  Hasbro  had to scramble to get their product ready to meet demand. It's been a bit of a wait, but finally the  Black Series The Child  figure has arrived. One of the more unique entries in the 6" collector figure line, The Child's small stature means it comes at a smaller price point than usual - and overall presentation is rather different as well.