Review of Jyn Erso - Star Wars Rogue One
Deluxe Sixth Scale Action Figure

Introduction

If you hold a gun to my head and ask me to pick between Force Awakens and Rogue One, I'm going to pick Rogue One. In fact, just ask, no death threat necessary - it's Rogue One. While some of the acting was a bit over the top, I loved Jyn Erso, and as much as I also like Rey, I think Jyn leaped to the second place spot on all time best females in the Star Wars Universe.

Hot Toys is shipping their first figure of her, and there are two different releases. There's the regular version, which runs around $220, and then there's the deluxe version, packed with a bunch of extras, that will cost you $250 at most retailers. I'll be covering the deluxe version tonight, and point out the differences as we go.

Packaging - ***1/2
I'm going to give Hot Toys some extra props in this category. While it might look like just another boring Star Wars slip cover, this time they created a unique box inside. Unlike most of their slip cover boxes, which allow you to open the interior box from the end, this one requires removing the slip. The interior art is very attractive, and there's even a nifty closure. Of course it's all collector friendly, and keeps the figure and accessories safe and sound.

Sculpting - ***1/2
As I understand it, there has been some serious debate over the quality of this portrait, and whether or not it's an improvement on the prototype. I'm leaning towards a solid portrait...but not quite as perfect as we saw at SDCC.

The realism is there of course. The fine skin texture, the thin stranding in the short hair, the soft lips and subtle eyebrows - it's the usual work of perfection in regards to realism.

I'm also good with the emotive aspect. There's just the right amount of sternness to the look, and the face is taught and serious. The eyes are slightly squinted, just slightly, so it avoids the wide eyed blank stare. She's also looking upward, again just slightly, and it works well with most poses.

I used three images to compare - this one, with messy hair and the scarf, this one with a wry smile, and this one from a slight side view. There are plenty of stills out there of course, so you can judge for yourself without using your memory.

I think the face itself is extremely good. The shape of the nose, perhaps her most unique feature, is spot on, and the placement and size of the eyes and lips look good as well. Even the jawline and overall head shape are just about perfect.

I do think the hair is throwing it a bit. Thanks to the way it rides forward on her face, it tends to be a bit helmet-like, and while the stranding is certainly fine, it's a bit softer than what we saw with the prototype.

Still, I'm extremely pleased with the final look, and glad they went with sculpted hair rather than rooted. Rooted works better for long hair - sculpted for short.

It's also worth noting that her various hands, sculpted to work with the accessories, are about right when it comes to scale. She's appropriately short too, coming in at 10 1/2" tall.

Paint - ***1/2
Like the sculpt, the paint is *this* close to a full score, but some very minor nits held me back.

The skin tone looks amazing, and while there's a little bleed in the eyes, the color and reflective quality are excellent. The eyebrows are sharp and clean, as are the lips. I like how the subtle eye makeup works too, and the tiny eyelashes aren't too obvious or sloppy.

Along with the slight bleed, I have two other minor issues that are very subtle in hand. One is the tiny 'lip line', which is often inside the mouth of a Hot Toys figure. It adds some depth and definition, but I can see this one a bit too clearly.

My other nit is with the hair color, or more specifically, the lighter dry brushed or rubbed highlights. It's not really working for me, and some of the hair detail gets lost. Still, these are pretty minor problems with an otherwise excellent paint job.

Articulation - ***1/2
The underlying TrueType body works just as well as you expect. Lots of potential poses, and the joints are tight and smooth.

The costume isn't too restrictive, and the neck can do plenty of tilting and leaning. The shoulders, elbows, and torso are a little encumbered by the clothing, but not much more than a real person would be. Likewise, the wrists are blocked from anything extreme by the glove sculpts, but you can still get slight bends out of them.

The most restriction comes with the legs, thanks to the tight pants. It's tough to get her to sit, and deeper stances can be hard as well. The body does take some very natural, fluid short and medium stances though, and you should find plenty of options.

Accessories - ****
Here's where the figure goes from hot to nuclear. The deluxe version comes packed with a ton of goodies, well worth the extra $30.

There's even a few items they don't mention in the marketing info. But let's start with the hands - she has four sets in total. The relaxed pair she comes wearing, plus a set of fists, a set of gun grips, and a set of tight grips. The sculpts are good, and they work nicely with the various other accessories.

One of the unmentioned extras is her necklace. It's very tiny, so be careful when swapping clothes. If you drop it, you'll likely lose it.

Also in the first photo below is the Stormtrooper blaster, and her baton. In this photo I have it extended, but you can also have it closed. The small tip replaces the long silver piece to create the closed look. I'll have it in that state in another photo further down.

One of the coolest features of the deluxe release is the extra pieces to attach to her blaster. In the next photo, you'll see the standard small blaster, and this version fits neatly in the holster on her hip. There are four additional pieces - the long silver tube, the short silver end, the butt, and the scope/extension. With these four pieces, you can create a wide variety of blasters, and I've included a photo that shows four of the potential configurations.

Also in this photo is the baton, this time closed up with the long extension off to the right. There are two canisters which I believe are grenades, but they aren't listed on the marketing materials. They fit neatly in a pocked on the vest, or can attach to the bag harness.

Finally, there's the case to get the plans safely to the Rebellion. This thing is really cool, with a ton of detail.

The final photo shows three extras that could also qualify as 'costume'. There's the helmet, with affixed goggles, the bandolier and bag for the gas mask, and the scarf with a wire for posing. The quality on all of these is outstanding, and really improves the overall impression of this figure.

There's also a crotch support display base, including the lenticular card for the top. This has been a consistent addition with the Rogue One figures.

Outfit - ****
To go with all those accessories, she has a couple different costume looks.

She comes wearing a shirt (with properly short sleeves), jacket, vest, pants, boots, belt, and holster.  The tailoring and fit are excellent, and the quality of the materials, the stitching, and the scale is fantastic.

You can add the scarf to this ensemble for one look. The scarf has a wire in the edge to allow for better posing, but I couldn't get it down away from the face and on the shoulders as much as we saw with the prototype. The scarf is tacked, and to get it looser around the neck, you'll need to cut that tack. I wasn't going for it, but you might be more adventurous.

This scarf works as a hood as well, which you can lift over her head to disguise her. That's not a look I'd go for, but your mileage may vary.

The holster strap closes over the gun and stays put thanks to a magnet. It's not as tight or strong of a connection as I'd like, but it does work. You'll notice in some of the photos that it popped loose - in others it's properly closed.

You can remove the jacket and scarf, and just go with the shirt and vest. That's another look from the film, and if you want to do your own thing, you can also remove the vest but leave the jacket on.

She also comes with a pretty complex pancho. You'll have to pay attention to the instructions for getting it on, but once you get it right it fits great. The bandolier and mask bag fits over it, and with a little adjustment, everything comes together nicely. To finish this look, she has the hat and googles. You pop off the top layer of her hair (there's actually a second layer along the sides) and pop the hat in place. A strong magnet keeps things were they are supposed to be.

With all these costumes and all these accessories, buying a second figure to kit up is awfully tempting...

Fun Factor - ****
This figure is a ton of fun. Swapping clothes, hands, and accessories is relatively easy, and you have so many different options for her on the shelf.  I suspect most folks will stick with the scarf, vest, jacket look, but having the poncho and helmet is a really big plus.

Value - **1/2
Here's a shock - a Hot Toys figure at $250 that's completely worth the $250. You're getting a ton of extras here, with and by swapping around costume pieces and extras, you can match several scenes in the film. You won't feel like you got an amazing deal, but you won't feel ripped off either.

Things to Watch Out For -
I mentioned the necklace earlier - it can fall off pretty easily when you're swapping around clothes, and I'd hate to try to find it.

I'd also take some care with the three snaps on the front of the poncho. I was able to work with them, but too much pressure either opening or closing them could cause damage. Take your time.

Overall - ****
Hot Toys knows that the odds of ever doing another Erso figure (after the pilot outfit version) are pretty slim, so loading this one up with everything and the kitchen sink made a lot of sense. It's also very much appreciated, since the deluxe version gives you so many different looks.

It's rare for a Hot Toys figure to actually give you enough to justify their price point these days, but this is one of the exceptions. She looks terrific, and you'll enjoy working with her to find that perfect pose for your display.

I'll be buying the pilot uniform version as well, but if I could only get one Jyn, it'd be this deluxe model.

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

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Sideshow has the deluxe for $250 and the regular for $220.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other Hot Toys Rogue One figures include K-2SO, the Death Trooper Specialist, Death Trooper Specialist Deluxe, the Patrol Trooper, Chirrut Imwe, and Darth Vader.

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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