1/6 Hot Toys MMS699 & MMS700 ROTJ Darth Vader

[satanatos]

Have him on my desk and he is really amazing.

 

[TheClient]

I remember reading in this thread somewhere that the DX27 or the MMS338 Vader bodies can be used as a swap on the too short ESB body. Is that true?

Depends on the helmet sculpt. I tried it myself but I seem to remember the R1 body with ESB head was an awkward fit. I think the attached peg from the ESB head was a bit too short for the MMS338 neck. For my ESB kit bash I ended up using the body, helmet, and shoulder armor from MMS338 with the ESB costume parts. Works for me.

 

[d-mon]

Oh wow there goes my plans… will have to figure something else out.

Yeah, I noticed the taller stand, so I improvised my detolf. Go to the hardware store and get some of these. Works great!

 

[rayeknor]

Besides a little to big mouth triangle and a little to small noseplug this updated RoTJ sculpt is pretty much perfect, as good as if not better then the 1/4 scale figure. I was surprised today when taking a little time to recreating the lighting from scenes in episode 5 and 6 in a room how spot on this figure is, notably since they got the paint tone right this time it is like having Vader walk off the screen with the right lighting, it gets that uncanny realism effect their best headsculpts get when you look at them.

Out of the box this and dx28 clean mask both look really great but with the right lighting this figure jumps ahead and is imo their best Vader by quite a bit, and the Shaw sculpt is just the icing on the cake if the OT is your jam.

 

[agonistes86]

My 1/6 Vader madness

From L to R...Custom DX28, HT ANH (customized), MEDICOM V1, HT TESB (customized), HT ROTJ, KAIYODO/SS custom and SIDESHOW DELUXE

View attachment 726815

I've been wondering what you did with your kaiyodo Vader!
That's a great line-up.

Still don't think a single Vader release in 1/6 has nailed onscreen Vader yet. In Matrix's line up his Kaiyodo custom to me still seems closest to "nailed," even though the new HT ROTJ version is a nice bump in accuracy over the HT ESB.

Like Indiana Jones, it just may be that Vader will forever be on the list of characters that can only really get 98% to fully nailed with a ton of fan customizing love. If the stunning (but decade long) TooMuchGarlic custom Vader 3D sculpt project ever crosses the finish line then that may finally be the day that Vader is conquered in 1/6.

Agreed that no Vader has come to 100% yet.

I don't think that is impossible to obtain though. Some human sculpts are so difficult to capture it seems impossible to get right, but Vader is technically only painted sculpted pieces, the bodysuit and black fabric.

I'm currently on a mission to get my 1:4 HT to a 99%+ accuracy to ESB.

That's actually the TMG ANH Vader in the bottom left corner. I've been using it as reference for my 1:4. I just sold my custom HT ANH, and I'm planning on building my TMG ANH in 1.5 years or so.

Besides a little to big mouth triangle and a little to small noseplug this updated RoTJ sculpt is pretty much perfect, as good as if not better then the 1/4 scale figure. I was surprised today when taking a little time to recreating the lighting from scenes in episode 5 and 6 in a room how spot on this figure is, notably since they got the paint tone right this time it is like having Vader walk off the screen with the right lighting, it gets that uncanny realism effect their best headsculpts get when you look at them.

Those are exactly some of the elements I'm fixing on the 1:4.

Here's where I am so far, still a ways to go.

 

[satanatos]

Actually on the shot here, the size of the mouth grills are spot on with what we got from HT, at least to my eyes.

 

[agonistes86]

Actually on the shot here, the size of the mouth grills are spot on with what we got from HT, at least to my eyes.
View attachment 727083

Vader did have a larger chin vent in ROTJ compared to ESB, and the vent on the stunt helmet during the throne room battle was even slightly bigger than during the rest of the movie IIRC.

I don't have the 1:6 ROTJ so I don't know for sure, but on the 1:4, which the 1:6 appears to be based on, the mouth triangle is too large.
The mouth on the original helmet is not symmetrical, with one side (his left) longer than the other. The HT has both sides long because they made it symmetrical, making the overall mouth too large.

Of course, this probably doesn't matter to most collectors. But for us obsessive Vader enthousiasts who have spent hours and hours studying every single screenshot and BTS shot in existence, aiming for that exact movie replica look, it matters.

 

[Nyhargo Dirge]

I've been wondering what you did with your kaiyodo Vader!
That's a great line-up.


Agreed that no Vader has come to 100% yet.

I don't think that is impossible to obtain though. Some human sculpts are so difficult to capture it seems impossible to get right, but Vader is technically only painted sculpted pieces, the bodysuit and black fabric.

I'm currently on a mission to get my 1:4 HT to a 99%+ accuracy to ESB.

That's actually the TMG ANH Vader in the bottom left corner. I've been using it as reference for my 1:4. I just sold my custom HT ANH, and I'm planning on building my TMG ANH in 1.5 years or so.


Those are exactly some of the elements I'm fixing on the 1:4.

Here's where I am so far, still a ways to go.

View attachment 727062

How did you get the garb to drape so naturally? Is that water treatment or just extraordinary discipline in not messing with it after you pose?

And another question: which gauntlets under the robe/how do you have the arms posed?

That’s just a dynamic look for a static position.

 

[HyperDrive]

From Jedha’s review.

So much better than the ESB helmet.. man, I can’t wait to have this in hand already. Looks great despite the minute inaccuracies.

 

[satanatos]

The mouth on the original helmet is not symmetrical, with one side (his left) longer than the other. The HT has both sides long because they made it symmetrical, making the overall mouth too large

And so losing that smirk the mask had, whether intentional or not

 

[agonistes86]

How did you get the garb to drape so naturally? Is that water treatment or just extraordinary discipline in not messing with it after you pose?

And another question: which gauntlets under the robe/how do you have the arms posed?

That’s just a dynamic look for a static position.

I made a new inner robe from a different fabric that drapes much better.

The cape is still the HT, but I removed the inner liner and shortened it (too much though). Once I'm done with the body and chest armor mods (so I know the final height needed), I'll make a new cape from the same fabric as the inner robe. Then the silhouette will be improved, and the chest and shoulders will look better, as the neck opening is not right at the moment.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Vader did have a larger chin vent in ROTJ compared to ESB, and the vent on the stunt helmet during the throne room battle was even slightly bigger than during the rest of the movie IIRC.

I thought ESB and ROTJ chin vent were essentially the same size... it's ANH that has a much smaller chin vent.

 

[HyperDrive]

I thought ESB and ROTJ chin vent were essentially the same size... it's ANH that has a much smaller chin vent.

Based off pictures I’ve just looked up, it looks like the ROTJ vent has thicker/larger mesh, but the inverted triangular shape is roughly the same size as ESB.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yeah, the mesh inside all three varies.

But that's why you can use this HT ROTJ mask as a replacement for their old ESB mask... only the most diehard Vader fans and helmet-builders will know the difference.

 

[agonistes86]

I thought ESB and ROTJ chin vent were essentially the same size... it's ANH that has a much smaller chin vent.

Based off pictures I’ve just looked up, it looks like the ROTJ vent has thicker/larger mesh, but the inverted triangular shape is roughly the same size as ESB.

Yeah the big change in size was from ANH to ESB. The change from ESB to ROTJ is much more subtle.

Yeah, the mesh inside all three varies.

But that's why you can use this HT ROTJ mask as a replacement for their old ESB mask... only the most diehard Vader fans and helmet-builders will know the difference.

That's exactly it. What I'm talking about here is not really relevant to most collectors. As you say in your sig, I'm at the "desire for perfection" end of the spectrum though.

Over the past 6 months, as I've been converting my 1:4 to ESB, I've been diving deep into Vader prop building, spending way too much time on the RPF and propden, and taking and studying screenshots. During this time, I've really come to love the ESB look, and have started to dislike the ROTJ look, subtle as it may be. The combination of the larger chin vent, the complete removal of the dome peak, and the repositioning of the dome to show more of his eyebrows are what I've come to dislike about it.

 

[Wor-Gar]

started to dislike the ROTJ look, subtle as it may be. The combination of the larger chin vent, the complete removal of the dome peak, and the repositioning of the dome to show more of his eyebrows are what I've come to dislike about it.

I agree, ROTJ is my least fav of the OT for many reasons.

I actually plan to display the reveal Shaw head for ROTJ display... but I hope to get away with using the ROTJ helmet on my old HT ESB for an upgrade.

 

[HyperDrive]

During this time, I've really come to love the ESB look, and have started to dislike the ROTJ look, subtle as it may be. The combination of the larger chin vent, the complete removal of the dome peak, and the repositioning of the dome to show more of his eyebrows are what I've come to dislike about it.

I wish I had your talents to create custom pieces, but I don’t lol, so I gotta settle or ask for commissioned work.

I also regard the TESB look as my favorite OT Vader, it’s arguably the definitive OT Vader or overall Vader in general, and I wish I had a 1/6 figure of that as accurate as possible. That being said, I think I’ll be content with having this ROTJ Vader figure with the new mask mold for my “Empire” look w/ ESB chest box. I envy my relative who is building a ROTJ display and so far it’s looking awesome. I’m still waiting for a proper Bespin Han..

 

[rayeknor]

This RoTJ Vader is closer to ESB Vader then the ESB figure, excluding minor details such as the chest panel differences. This chest panel does look better in hand imo. It has same body proportions as OWK Vader, I am pretty sure it is the exact same body having both in hand and does look a lot better overall then the ESB figure sans the cloak.

As others have said, if you want a 1:6 OT (episode V-VI) Vader this is definitively the one to go for.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Has anyone sorted a fix for the cape -- the stitching at the shoulders that makes the cape tweak?

Would undoing the stitching help at all?

Or perhaps adding some tape underneath the cape in the shoulder area to help smooth it down? I've done this before and it has helped in the past.

 

[HyperDrive]

This RoTJ Vader is closer to ESB Vader then the ESB figure, excluding minor details such as the chest panel differences. This chest panel does look better in hand imo. It has same body proportions as OWK Vader, I am pretty sure it is the exact same body having both in hand and does look a lot better overall then the ESB figure sans the cloak.

As others have said, if you want a 1:6 OT (episode V-VI) Vader this is definitively the one to go for.

We were discussing the minute helmet/mask differences lol, which are valid.

And you would for sure need to get the ESB chest box if you want it to be accurate to TESB. The ROTJ chest box is strictly accurate to ROTJ.