Monday, January 4, 2016

Review 1: Hot Toys MMS297 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker

In the Star Wars universe, Luke Skywalker was a Tatooine farmboy who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest Jedi the galaxy has ever known. Along with his friends Princess Leia and Han Solo, Luke battled the evil Empire, discovered the truth of his parentage, and ended the tyranny of the Sith.

Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS297 "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker collectible figure is young Luke at its origins. In the original May 1977 release, the movie was just called "Star Wars" as nobody expected a sequel or a future for George Lucas' space drama / sci-fi film - boy, did they get it wrong! This 12-inch (approximately 28 cm tall) figure was only recently released by Hot Toys - see the toy blog post of my December haul HERE - which makes it 38 years after the film has been released, talk about late arrivals! Still, this is by far the best Luke Skywalker figure ever produced so I guess it was worth the wait. With all the recent hype about Star Wars and it's ever popular status, this figure will not be outdated or remain unknown with all the eager and excited Star Wars fans in the world.


I don't even remember Mark Hamill being this young. His last portrayal of Luke Skywalker was in the "Return of the Jedi (1983)" and by then, he was no longer the farmboy who grew up on the desert planet Tatooine. He had become a Jedi master. But one must always remember their roots and not forget how they came about. That's why we have this Hot Toys "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker 12-inch collectible figure to bring us back to the beginning.

This is the first Hot Toys figure I own to have the LED-lighted blue lightsaber (white light, battery operated). In fact, this is the first 1/6th scale light-up lightsaber I have ever seen or come across so that's advancement in technology for the 12-inch figure collecting community. Posting this action figure review on my toy blog will set in record when this innovation took place. How do they fit batteries into the lightsaber hilt to make it light up? It's a case of clever engineering on Hot Toys' part and you'll have to read on to find out. Once again Hot Toys is showing the way for others to follow. They are certainly market leaders in the 1:6 scale collecting world that is ever growing and expanding.

Scroll down to see all the pictures.
Click on them for bigger and better views.


Like I mentioned before in my Christmas haul posted earlier HERE, the black box packaging (picture above) has become pretty standard for all Star Wars merchandise and it looks quite boring. Hot Toys tries to make the figure more appealing by including an inner card with more pictures of Luke Skywalker when the cover is lifted. There are a lot more colors splashed here :)


Here's Hot Toys MMS297 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker 12-inch Collectible Figure in his tray with all his accessories. He's got quite a bit of stuff, so much so there's another tray at the bottom containing more stuff that belongs to Luke. I love it when there's so many accessories included as it offers more posing options for the figure. Certainly a lot more than the Hot Toys MMS317 Star Wars: The Force Awakens 1:6th scale First Order Stormtrooper Collectible Figure (reviewed earlier HERE and HERE)


Before proceeding further, please remember to read the instructions. You wouldn't want an expensive figure like this to be damaged because you failed to read the dos and don'ts. Don't be like Harrison Ford who thrashed and ruined a Hot Toys Han Solo 12-inch figure on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The MMS297 Instruction Sheet shows you how to activate the LED-light up lightsaber right arm where the batteries and switch are located. The blade is then attached to the lightsaber hilt. The LED-light up lightsaber right arm can be easily switched with the regular / normal right arm. The macrobinoculars have a closed and open mode for the eyepiece which can be attached. It also shows you how to attach the accessories.


The instruction sheet also shows you how to wear the training helmet, Luke's desert gear and assembling / dismantling the figure stand. It advises you against removing the outfit.


Pictured below are some of Luke Skywalker's 1/6th scale accessories laid out. They include: long rifle, brown colored poncho (Moisture Farmer Poncho), hat, goggles, lightsaber hilt (non light-up version) with removable blade, pair of macrobinoculars with extra eye piece, droid caller, training helmet, training remote and specially designed figure stand with Luke Skywalker nameplate and movie logo


Also included: LED-lighted blue lightsaber (white light, battery operated) with right arm attached, interchangeable hair sculpture for wearing hat, pair of fists, pair of palms for holding lightsaber, gesturing left palm, left palm for holding blaster. Figure comes with relaxed palms.


Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS297 "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker 12-inch collectible figure comes dressed in off-white colored tunic, brown-colored belt with pouches, a pair of light beige-colored pants and a pair of light grey colored boots. The authentic and detailed likeness of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope" is well captured in the 1/6th scale head sculpt with movie-accurate facial expression and detailed skin texture. The action figure body is approximately 28 cm tall with over 30 points of articulations. No problems articulating the figure here as compared to the rather stiff First Order Stormtrooper (see pictures HERE).


I was very excited to switch out the regular right arm for the LED-light up lightsaber right arm. All the pictures taken are with the lightsaber lighted up but you really cannot tell how bright the light is unless I show the figure contrasted in darkness (see pictures below). The light is white but the transparent blue blade brings out the colors nicely.


Check out the close-up pictures of the Hot Toys MMS297 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker head sculpt. Not sure if the resemblance to Mark Hamill is all there. Seems a little off to me but without a doubt one can say that this is Luke. Luke Skywalker doesn't actually use the lightsaber a lot until his training with Yoda on Dagobah but there are a lot of promotional pictures of Luke wielding the lightsaber in his Tatooine outfit.


NEXT: More pictures of Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece Series MMS297 "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" 1/6th scale Luke Skywalker 12-inch collectible figure

3 comments:

  1. So great... wanted to be him when I was a kid!

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  2. And some of us wanted to be Han Solo :)

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  3. Poor likeness. If you saw this figure without the clothing you would never guess it's supposed to be Luke

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