1/6 Hot Toys MMS699 & MMS700 ROTJ Darth Vader

[ScoutingForToys]

Ok, I've heard enough mention of the pleather that I will ask, how big of an issue is it? Is it a problem of damage from holding certain poses or a deterioration?

The pleather will disintegrate over time. I've seen so many Vaders on ebay with deteriorating pleather suits.
If you live somewhere humid it's worse.
It might last for years, it might start to fall apart in only a couple of years or so. Depends on environment.
The pleather on the older Predator figs, particularly the AvP Preds and Predators Preds are infamous for the pleather straps on those turning into dust.
Pleather is definitely a problem. If it's a strap, you can replace easily enough but a whole suit like on Vader is a big problem.
I've cancelled my PO of this figure because it's pleather.

 

[ScoutingForToys]

Is it actually the pleather itself? Or is it just the quality of pleather that HT uses to keep the price down?

The original 1/6 ANH Vader released by Sideshow is pleather, no? That figure came out in 2009 I believe. 15 years ago. And mine still looks as good as the day I got it and opened it.

All pleather deteriorates in time but given the amount of examples I've seen of pleather falling apart on HT figures, it's safe to say HT uses the worst pleather available.
Perhaps the pleather on ROTJ Vader is better quality. We'll find out in a couple of years or so whether we start to see pics of his suit falling apart.
Personally I'm not risking it.

 

[Blackout]

We might get the tiniest glimpse as Luke takes off his mask but it would be very brief as he pulls it down out of shot. I'd doubt the inside of the mask was very detailed.
I don't want to watch ROTJ to check.
I suppose, even though its not ROTJ screen accurate, people were excited about it.

I've rewatched that portion a couple times but I cannot discern anything with detail, it's concealed by shadow. Even tried to brighten the frame digitally, nothing clear. Twice now that user has claimed that it's more accurate now, and twice now they've been asked "accurate to what?" but they go on posting and ignore the question. I remain left to wonder.

All pleather deteriorates in time but given the amount of examples I've seen of pleather falling apart on HT figures, it's safe to say HT uses the worst pleather available.
Perhaps the pleather on ROTJ Vader is better quality. We'll find out in a couple of years or so whether we start to see pics of his suit falling apart.
Personally I'm not risking it.

I ultimately decided the same upon realizing my R1 vader is already starting to deteriorate. I hadnt experienced it yet so I thought I would do okay in my climate, but apparently not. I have another figure (from a different company) that has survived much longer, but Hot Toys pleather is seemingly not as hardy. So I suppose I'll wait for a potential nylon release someday.

 

[HyperDrive]

@Blackout

Full disclosure, this is allegedly a custom replica prop helmet. Best I can find, but it seems to match with what Hot Toys did. So wherever they got it from must come from somewhere that would be accurate to the ROTJ official prop.

A reason why the ROTS interior is inaccurate is cause that was built for Episode III and Vader didn’t have red lenses in ROTJ.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I can't make that interior out in the photo with all the arrows.

 

[Blackout]

@Blackout

Full disclosure, this is allegedly a custom replica prop helmet. Best I can find, but it seems to match with what Hot Toys did. So wherever they got it from must come from somewhere that would be accurate to the ROTJ official prop.

A reason why the ROTS interior is inaccurate is cause that was built for Episode III and Vader didn’t have red lenses in ROTJ.

View attachment 721087

Thanks for your response. Where did that image come from? And if that's from a replica, and not any screen source, what's the actual original source for those details? I'd love to dig into this topic deeper. But I'm a bit hesitant to accept as canon something that has never appeared on screen, and doesn't even include hardware or holes for the mouth vent! Would something so lacking in detail even be meant to be seen? Send me down the rabbit hole! I would love to learn more about the origins of this interpretation.

 

[Wor-Gar]

 

[satanatos]

Guys, you knew it was pleather when you placed the PO. HT did not mention the suit material so it was pretty much clear they will use the same old one. Any changes that are positive are more than welcome, like the addition of the usb hilt, but canceling you PO based on the fact they are using the same suit material is a ×××× move. Its not like they have turned the prod release bad enough compared to the proto to warrant dropping it. Yes, its your money, so ima shutup now.

 

[jimbean]

 

[satanatos]

Looking at the R1 and ROTJ I really like the ROTJ one better. Yes, hes chubby compared to the sleek R1, but im still picking him up.

 

[pixletwin]

It would seem that, hope of hopes, RotJ Vader managed to avoid the ESB treatment.

 

[Pose Mastery]

I ultimately decided the same upon realizing my R1 vader is already starting to deteriorate. I hadnt experienced it yet so I thought I would do okay in my climate, but apparently not. I have another figure (from a different company) that has survived much longer, but Hot Toys pleather is seemingly not as hardy. So I suppose I'll wait for a potential nylon release someday.

It’s true my Predators’ straps all deteriorated but the HT Vaders all held up fine with no sign of pleather degradation.

Can you clarify what climate and the level of deterioration? My R1 is still the same condition as the year I got it, with no deterioration, and I posed it a lot. And how was it stored and was it at any time put back into a box?

Another thing is avoid buying old Vader releases years after their original runs from sellers stating it’s “Never opened” trapping it in a plastic box is the worst thing that can happen to pleather.

 

[mrred]

I don't really understand the obsession about his legs or not being stocky enough. I can't seeing many clear full body shots of him in the film, and the figure still towers over Luke's so .

This is the only clear full length image I can find and he's not exactly a big leggy, muscle bound monster like people are expecting. In my head, it's what- 30 years on? He's not a young bloke the same as he was in ROTS

 

[pixletwin]

Agreed. OT Vader should be bulky.

 

[TonTon]

Ok, I've heard enough mention of the pleather that I will ask, how big of an issue is it? Is it a problem of damage from holding certain poses or a deterioration?

At some point I noticed that my ANH Vader suit had a tear in the groin from the crotch grabber so I planned to replace when it seemed feasible -- I live in the Northeast with humid summers generally, at times with central air other times no. More recently I went to replace the suit when I got hold of the Kenobi Vader suit and when I was removing parts like the chest/shoulder armor and chest box, they seemed a bit stuck to Vader's suit and pulled some of the material off when I was separating them. Also seemed to be some damage in the arm, maybe from the occasional finger-pointing or fist pose.

If you just leave Vader in one non-extreme pose and never ever touch him again he'll probably be fine, but I imagine any futzing after a decade or whatever it's been will start to reveal some degrading areas in the pleather. But it's not like the figure becomes useless. I could barely see the issue on the shelf and I have to imagine there will always be other opportunities to upgrade.

 

[HyperDrive]

View attachment 721100

Thanks, lot better lol. I couldn’t find anything better in my 5 min search on Google.

 

[HyperDrive]

He should be bulky I guess, but it’s more so the proportions that are off. The figure is too stocky.

 

[Gipetto0812]

IMO Sidehow's most recent ROTJ Vader had great proportions overall. Just happened to be too tall. If those same proportions could be scaled down just a tad to get him closer to the proper height, it would be accurate.

 

[Wor-Gar]

The ROTJ one does look nicer than ESB and the newer OWK Vader, I think.

That OWK has some odds things going on there -- the huge diaper and the small chest armor being immediately noticeable.

 

[Blackout]

View attachment 721100

That appears to be a fan-made item:
https://www.yourprops.com/Darth-Vad...ar-Wars-Return-Of-The-Jedi-1983-YP810237.html
I'm still on the hunt for the true heritage of those internal details.

It’s true my Predators’ straps all deteriorated but the HT Vaders all held up fine with no sign of pleather degradation.

Can you clarify what climate and the level of deterioration? My R1 is still the same condition as the year I got it, with no deterioration, and I posed it a lot. And how was it stored and was it at any time put back into a box?

Another thing is avoid buying old Vader releases years after their original runs from sellers stating it’s “Never opened” trapping it in a plastic box is the worst thing that can happen to pleather.

Purchased at release, owned only by myself, promptly placed in a relatively standard display cabinet, southern california weather so pretty variable. It's not widespread but it's getting a little flaky between the legs below the crotch, but he's not on a stand.
Maybe I'm just unlucky, but this is a fairly new experience for me, hence it's relatively recent effect on my decision-making.