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Introduction
Hot Toys has been dipping back into the well a lot over the last couple years. Sometimes, it's re-issuing a figure pretty much straight up from the original. Other times, they've altered a costume or accessory, improved the paint application, but used the same overall basic building blocks. This trend seems to be accelerating, and is clearly a big part of their on going strategy.
Today's review definitely falls into this category. This is Grogu, the popular little guy from the Mandalorian. We've gotten him several times now along with the title character, but this release is all him, albeit using parts from previous versions.
This figure will run you around $150, depending on the retailer, and is shipping now.
Packaging - ***
Nothing ground breaking or earth shattering here. The style matches
what we've seen with every shoe box package from Hot Toys, and of
course it's all collector friendly. No problem taking everything out
without any damage to the package, and it will stand up to storage.
Sculpting - ***1/2
You're getting three different versions of Grogu with this set.
There's the swaddled version, which was a new one for me. There's
also two versions on the same exact body, one with the open mouth,
one with the closed. Both these head sculpts have been released
before.
The bodies are a re-use as well, designed to sit in the pram or the storage box. There's a magnet that holds them tightly in place, and the sculpt works perfectly with the containers. You won't be able to do much with him outside of these bases however.
The detail work on the heads is great, and there's the wrinklies and texture you'd expect. The glassy eyes have a lot of expression, and the two looks work with the personality of the character nicely.
The clothing has lots of texture too, and overall the sculpting is excellent. But again, the only new piece here is the swaddled version of Grogu. The ears are tucked in, and he's got a quiet expression. The texturing on the sculpted blanket is realistic, and it works great with any version of the Mandalorian.
These guys are tiny of course, only a couple inches tall in the crouched position.
Paint - ****
The paint work on these is an improvement over the earlier versions,
but it's a very slight improvement. Those were really good, these
step that up with a bit more wash and detail on the skin. This
brings out the sculpted wrinkles a little bit better in hand.
The skin is also very realistic, as is the tiny teeth. Everything is super clean and sharp, but it's really the big eyes - the focal point of both sculpts - that pull you in and make these figures so life-like.
The work on the accessories is great as well, especially the wear and detail on the storage box. For those that already have the other version of the pram, being able to get the storage box and display it is a big plus.
Articulation - *
Yea, these are almost statues. Almost.
There's one point of articulation on the two sitting Grogus, the ball neck. But even that is pretty much completely locked up, thanks to the high collar on his robe. You can get a little bit of tilt and lean, but not much.
And the rest of the figure is just a solid piece, with no shoulder or wrist articulation. None of the accessories, including the Loth-cat, have any articulation either. The pram has a cover that can be removed, but there's no actual articulation point.
Accessories - ***1/2
This is a bit tricky with a figure like this. What's the figure and
what's the accessories? It depends on your point of view.
The character is clear though - it's Grogu. And you are getting three versions, which is a big plus even if two of them are straight up re-uses. The swaddled version may be as well, since I don't have every version they've included up to this point to compare. Still, you're getting three, and that means you can use both the pram and box in your display at the same time.
The pram is a new version, with a cover. You won't use the cover, but it's there. I've included a shot of this one with the earlier release for comparison, but it's a very different look. There's also a blanket - blue this time - that's cloth.
The storage box works great as well, and is perfectly designed for the figure to fit inside. Again, being able to use both of these at once is a big plus.
There's two more extras - the one eyed frog, and the Loth-cat. The frog is cute, and considering Grogu's appetite, a great addition. The detail work is middle of the road, but acceptable.
But the Loth-cat is fantastic, with a terrific, detailed sculpt and great shelf presence. Along with the storage box, he's another good reason to pick this set up.
Outfit - N/A
I just wanted to include this to be clear - there's no outfit, it's
all sculpted. This is unusual for a Hot Toys figure, making it worth
noting. There is the extra cloth blue blanket, but the robe on Grogu
and the swaddling blanket are sculpted.
Fun Factor - ***
This is a set you'll put on the shelf and never touch again, but at
least it will look good sitting there. It will add something to your
Mandalorian display as well.
Value - *1/2
At $150, you're getting, in essence, seven accessories. That's a
little over $20 each. If I didn't have the sitting Grogu and the
storage box, I'd be tempted at $40. But I'm not sure most folks
would feel they are getting their money's worth if these were parted
out at that price.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing There's nothing to break, nothing to lose.
Overall - ***
The sculpts and paint are excellent. But there's no surprise there,
and we've seen this sitting Grogu and both the head sculpts before.
The three big extras here for me are the swaddled version, the
storage box, and the cat.
If you don't have the pram version of Grogu, getting a second figure that allows you to show off both the pram and storage box at the same time is a huge plus. Thankfully, the pram is different enough from the first version that it's worth displaying even when you have them both.
But the price point is high, and it does concern me that we are seeing more and more re-issues and re-used portraits from Hot Toys. It's a trend that will save both them and me money, but that's not always a positive thing.
Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ****
Articulation - *
Accessories - ***1/2
Outfit - N/A
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 recent Hot Toys Star Wars figures include the double pack Boba
Fett, and the Tusken Raider.
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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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and
text by Michael Crawford.