Review of Yondu - Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Sixth Scale Action Figure

Introduction

The Guardians of the Galaxy characters and films remain one of my favorites in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A great combination of actors playing fun, adventurous roles with a backdrop of both superheroes and science fiction, make it the sort of team I can get behind.

Hot Toys has done a pretty good job bringing the characters to sixth scale, finally finishing up the main group last year with Drax. We're getting new versions based on the more recent appearances of course, but there was one very important character who was still missing - Yondu. He's shipping now, in a regular and deluxe version. I'm checking out the deluxe tonight, which will run you around $250 (at least that was original retail), but the regular was closer to $225.

Packaging - ***1/2
I really like the packaging for the 'Volume 2' characters, with the old school tape deck, equalizer, and speaker stacked, and the Awesome Mix Vol. 2 visible through the plastic window. It's all collector friendly of course, and the plastic trays inside the shoe box keeps everything safe. The design works best, in my opinion, for a character like Star-Lord, and it's a little generic for someone like Yondu. But it still looks great, no matter which character they pack inside.

Sculpting - ****
There's only one portrait, but you actually get two looks thanks to a swappable 'Mohawk'.

The standard portrait in the box looks fantastic, and has the short fin on top of the head. The skin around the fin looks extremely good, like scar tissue that has built up around an old wound. The detailing on the beard is amazing, and the skin texture, especially around the eyes, creates an amazingly realistic sculpt.

It's also very clearly Yondu, with spot on accuracy to the character and the actor. You can find a minor nit here or there - I'm not quite sold on the nose - but these nits are truly minor.

And then you add in one of the best expressions I've seen in months from any company. It's dynamic enough to give him life, matches the character's attitude and personality, and yet isn't over the top or cartoony. From the squint in the eye to the smirk on his lips, it's a perfect Yondu.

As I mentioned, this short fin (which is held on with a strong magnet) can be popped off, and the extended fin put in its place. Either looks great, and no matter which you go with, you'll be very happy.

Of course he fits in nicely, scale-wise, with the rest of the line, coming in at just over 12 inches tall in the short fin. The hands are sculpted to work with the various accessories, and they swap easily with no worries.

Paint - ****
Hot Toys always nails the paint work, but they had a lot to work to make it special this time.

The skin tone is even and Smurfy, and there are slightly darker areas where there should be - around the damaged skin along the fin, for example. The eyes are amazing of course, with a realism and life that no one else seems to match, and there is a subtle transition to the darker beard. The skin even has a slightly mottling, just like the real deal.

But it's the tiny veins on the head that really set this one apart. These flow and extend in a realistic way, and it's the sort of small detail, when done right, that creates a truly amazing portrait. This is one of those situations where the sculpt and paint come together perfectly, forming a hyper realistic appearance even in macro photos.

Articulation - ***1/2
I suppose there's a minor nit or two here as well, but they are really, really minor.

The head and neck are one piece, which was a smart move. The beard needs to flow together evenly, and they couldn't have managed that with a two piece design. However, this one piece design does mean the head is less mobile, and you'll get less tilt and lean movement.

The rest of the body is exactly what you'd expect from a TrueType. There's plenty of joints - shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, waist, chest - and they are all tight and solid. The outfit is a little restrictive, but not any more so than it would be on a real person.

The highlight is the two piece boots design, which allows a full range of movement in the ankles.

Accessories - ****
This is where the deluxe has some extras over the regular version, with three additional items.

Let's start with what they both have. There are four sets of hands, plus one extra. The sets include fists, tight grips, grips for holding the edge of the jacket, relaxed hands, and one extra right for holding the Yaka arrow. A hint - those coat holding hands can work with the arrow just fine as well. They all swap easily but stay in place when posing, and there's a couple extra blue wrist pegs just in case. There's some extra buttons too - I usually forget to mention that.

He also comes with two versions of the Yaka arrow. There's a standard version which fits neatly in the holster, and a 'flying' version, attached to one of three hunks of translucent plastic 'flying effect'. These three pieces attach together to make a long, looping swirl, and can be posed around him in various ways.

I already mentioned the second extended fin, but it's worth noting again here. They swap easily too, and both look great.

I had a hard time seeing it in the black plastic tray, but there's a small dagger as well. This fits neatly in the sheath on his left arm.

Both versions also come with a tiny Groot in his Ravager outfit. He's attacking too, with extended arms. He can stand on his own, sorta, but they supply a tiny black base for him to make it easier.

He can also go inside one of the deluxe extras - his cage. The cage door opens of course, and you and set him inside, arms extended through the bars.

Another deluxe extra is the rocket pack. This is a re-use of course, from the deluxe Star-Lord, but it still looks great. It fits tightly over his coat, so take your time putting it in place. It can be a little frustrating getting the snaps on the shoulders to shut and stay shut, but it is possible.

And the third and final extra with the deluxe version is a special gun for Rocket, which he had when they fought Ego. It looks great, and if you're creating a scene with one of the new Rocket's, it will come in handy.

Both the regular and the deluxe finish off with the standard display stand, designed with the GotG 2 look. There's a crotch support, but no flying support. If you're going for a rocket pack look on the shelf, you'll need to supply your own.

As I mentioned, the four stars is for the deluxe version, because the three extras really are nice additions. I'd drop a half star here for the regular release.

Outfit - ***1/2
Another nice Guardians outfit, and one that's more complex, similar to the work we saw them do on Star-Lord.

The pants, short jacket, scarf, and outer coat are well crafted, with great materials and excellent construction. I already mentioned the two piece boots, and they look great while allowing for excellent movement in the ankles.

The outer coat includes several wires, which allow you to put the lower half in various flipping, blowing poses. They help even when the figure is in a more restful pose, because without them, the coat material isn't heavy enough to hang naturally. With the wires, you can get a straighter hang that looks like gravity is doing its job.

There's also suspenders or a rigging that goes around the waist and torso, and includes the nifty holster for the arrow. The arrow goes into the slip, then a strap with a hole in it holds the bottom of the shaft.

One of the coolest features is the sculpted pieces on the coat, like the arrows on the front right. Don't try removing them - they are a permanent addition to the costume.

Overall, the tailoring is quite good, but I will say the outer coat seems a little big on him to me. Not a lot, but a smidge. It's another  of those very minor nits, and I suspect most folks won't have any issue with it.

Fun Factor - ****
Combined with other Guardians, this guy will make for a terrific display. I love the B characters, and I think having them really sets a display apart from the norm.  I'd go for a Nebula or a Mantis, or even a Taserface, if they'd be so kind as to produce them.

Value - **1/2
The deluxe will run you - originally - around $250 or so. That's a 'deluxe' price for sure, but there's enough accessories, as well as the sort of quality to make the price average.  The regular release is closer to $225 - I'd say the same about that one.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. I will caution you that the arrows have very sharp tips that can damage the outfit.  If you're not posing him with the arrow clearly visible in the holster, I wouldn't leave it in there. With the coat pulled over it, the tip can damage the lining.

Overall - ****
Hot Toys has several male figure releases that will contend for best of the year in 2018.  This is going to be one of them, and his advantage over several of the others - like the deluxe Star-Lord or the new DX Jack Sparrow - is that he is a unique character.  While we'll be getting more versions of the other Guardians over time, this might very well be the one and only Yondu we ever see them produce. I'm very glad I picked him up, and he's one of the best of the Guardian releases so far, rivaled only by the aforementioned Star-Lord.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ****
Outfit - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Hot Toys Guardians include the 1:1 scale Groot, the deluxe Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket and Groot, Gamora, the original Star-Lord, and Thanos.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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