1/6 1/6 Hot Toys - MMS 452 - Star Wars: Episode V ESB - Darth Vader

[hellgrammite00]

Yeah, it's definitely a subjective thing as far as what looks accurate enough to different collectors. I've seen opinions vary dramatically with head sculpts. It just seems that more people are okay with Vader inaccuracies; maybe because the desire to own Vader (or multiples) is more than with most other characters.

Strangely, I do not own a Vader. I have kept an eye on them over the years. This design I love, and Hot Toys is delivering an excellent figure. But I can see how people are 2,3....6 Vaders in over the years, and the minute differences become even more noticeable. I will add this to my collection and likely never desire another Vader. But I appreciate the mega-hardcore collector keeping Hot Toys honest, and always pushing for the better and better figure.

For me, taking a step back, I can appreciate how far these types of figures have come since I was a child in the 80s and 90s, and can appreciate just how badass this looks.

 

[FlyAndFight]

So I found what was bugging me about the gantry / display base...

It's backwards. The cut-off piping should be on Vader's right-hand side, not left. It's like they set the stand piece to snap in on the opposite side.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Skip the base with the mini-step... keep the railing with lights.

It's total mini-Sarlacc base...

 

[FlyAndFight]

Yeah, it's way too small but understandable as a figure display.

But how can they goof up the positioning of the parts? They went all out in having the blinking lights and other detailing and then just place everything incorrectly...

(The base was had me initially even considering this figure.)

 

[krmpr1]

In another similarly angled comparison, the mouth tilt difference is obvious as well. The figure mouth goes in toward the chin, while the movie Vader's mouth juts out.

View attachment 423682

I can easily see how this wouldn't be a big deal to some, but to me the Vader mask should be no different than an actual face sculpt in terms of the importance of getting features right. If the mouth (or cheeks, eyes, nose, etc.) on a human figure were off by this much, I don't think nearly as many people would be as okay with the inaccuracy as seems to always be the case with Vader. I don't get that. Vader's mask is iconic; shouldn't accuracy be just as important as a human face sculpt?

Hopefully just lens distortion, the R1 Vader seems to be right on the money.



This can't be such a huge step back just because of the added reveal function.

 

[bebe13junior]

Hopefully just lens distortion, the R1 Vader seems to be right on the money.

View attachment 423695

This can't be such a huge step back just because of the added reveal function.

How similar are the RO and new ANH helmets?


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[Wor-Gar]

View attachment 423695

This can't be such a huge step back just because of the added reveal function.

Actually yes it can. Looking at it now with the reveal function in mind, that's why the grill has been tilted forward making the "mouth" look shallower -- to accommodate the stupid headsculpt, of which there is none on this figure.

My lingering hope is that its the lighting.

 

[krmpr1]

How similar are the RO and new ANH helmets?


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The new ANH helmet seems to reuse the same sculpt but with a matte finish.

 

[canofhumdingers]

@flyandfight

I don't think it's backward so much as you just need to turn Vader 90 degrees (towards the cut poles/blindly lights) to recreate the movie pose.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Yeah but the figure stand can't be re-positioned, so you get that backwards looking display. It's still wonky.

 

[davejames]

Hopefully just lens distortion, the R1 Vader seems to be right on the money.

View attachment 423695

This can't be such a huge step back just because of the added reveal function.

Yeah the RO head might not be perfect in every way, but they got the size, angle, and asymmetry of the mouth a lot closer I think.

The large and strangely angled mouth on the ESB almost reminds me of the awful Sideshow Vader mask, which I can only hope won't be as apparent in hand...

 

[punisher1974]

You noticed!

Yep, Vader, Indy and Bond... my personal triumvirate.

At the rate corporations are polluting and cross-pollinating IPs, there's a good chance there will be a movie that has James Bond team up with Indiana Jones to stop Darth Vader.

I would watch that for sure. Be in a heavy rotation with Infinity War for the sheer awesomeness of such an idea.

 

[yy0925]

So I found what was bugging me about the gantry / display base...

It's backwards. The cut-off piping should be on Vader's right-hand side, not left. It's like they set the stand piece to snap in on the opposite side.

View attachment 423690

View attachment 423691

Did you really check the accuracy of those tubes?

 

[Wor-Gar]

Vader, Fett, now Royal Guards.... Emperor is not far behind...

So many villains!!!

 

[bebe13junior]

Vader, Fett, now Royal Guards.... Emperor is not far behind...

So many villains!!!

Royal Guards are released?


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[yy0925]

Same here. To my eye, it makes this Vader look more like some kind of concept-sketch Vader as opposed to what we see in the movie. The mouth tilts down and makes the tusk angle even more noticeably off.

I've tried finding on-screen matches for some of the blogger pics in order to illustrate this, but the quality of the screen captures are garbage. In any case, here's the comparison that I think best demonstrates the mouth/tusk angle problem. The dome is actually in almost a 100% identical angle in the blogger pic and the movie capture. But, when you look at the mouth (and especially where the tusks are pointing), the difference is striking.

View attachment 423681

In another similarly angled comparison, the mouth tilt difference is obvious as well. The figure mouth goes in toward the chin, while the movie Vader's mouth juts out.

View attachment 423682

And from the profile, the tusk angle and mouth tilt still differ (but less so - to me at least).

View attachment 423683

I can easily see how this wouldn't be a big deal to some, but to me the Vader mask should be no different than an actual face sculpt in terms of the importance of getting features right. If the mouth (or cheeks, eyes, nose, etc.) on a human figure were off by this much, I don't think nearly as many people would be as okay with the inaccuracy as seems to always be the case with Vader. I don't get that. Vader's mask is iconic; shouldn't accuracy be just as important as a human face sculpt?

In this shot the mouth does jut out:



Guys, how about we wait for some in hand videos or reviews to make final judgement?

 

[Wor-Gar]

Royal Guards are released?

10-day notice from Sideshow.

 

[rayeknor]

The downward tusks are noticeable and I can see it happen on a full reveal sculpt, not ESB. Lazy. Still so much more making this figure good over little nitpicks, he cant ship soon enough.

 

[Wor-Gar]

That picture above is making me think the chest box is oversized too.

It should be smaller than ESB. Funny: original ANH was ESB size, so they made it larger, now ESB chest box is ANH size, so inevitably they will make it smaller.

This figure seems to indicate a terrible 'double-dipping to come' from HT -- so many 'little things' that can be fixed with another version: widow's peak removal, smaller chest box, fixed separation point on the tusks, etc.

 

[swfan217]

Did any body got charged today by SS? My shows processing, but no tracking?


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