The Good: Good concept, Decent execution
The Bad: Slight balance issues, Overproduced, Still looks goofy
The Basics: This C-3P0 figure is one of the few worthwhile ones,offering several options for its appearance as it comes with panels to make it into the Attack Of The Clones version.
As I prepare for my next big move, I continue to clean out boxes of toys and other things, in the process finding tons more stuff to review. As a result, I find I am enjoying - generally - the concept of getting rid of the old and getting psyched about getting in some new! With my Star Wars figures, I have been bogged down with the unpopular "Episode 1" figures and it seems the only Attack Of The Clones figures I've found in my collection so far to review are overly common ones. Well, today that changes! Tonight, I unearthed . . . a C-3P0. Sigh. I guess nothing changes there. It just goes from one inaction figure to another. Still, of all of the C-3P0s on the market, the Attack Of The Clones version is one of the most intriguing and, despite how it was overproduced, is one of the few of the droid that I would solidly recommend!
C-3PO, the Protocol Droid built on Tatooine by a young Anakin Skywalker who is recovered from that desert world in Attack Of The Clones (reviewed here!), has been immortalized several times as action figures from Hasbro. Appearing in the second film with a hodgepodge of metal panels, he is present throughout the scenes on Geonosis when Amidala and Anakin attempt to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi. This C-3P0 appears much as he does in The Phantom Menace with all of his circuits exposed, but comes with eight panels that allow the person playing with him to build him up to his Attack Of The Clones appearance!
This 4" C-3PO figure is one of the best 3P0 figures and he fleshes out the full Star Wars universe fairly well, in addition to eliminating the need for collectors to pick up the less inspired "Episode 1" version of the figure. Ultimately, despite the sculpt, it ends up as a pretty average action figure, though it does have higher play possibilities than most C-3P0s and droid figures!
Basics
C-3PO in this form is stripped to his wires, but comes with appropriately colored panels to allow those who play with the figures to build him up so he appears as he did in Attack Of The Clones. He stands flatfooted and is generally well-balanced with or without his additional panels on him.
This C-3PO figure stands only 3 3/4" tall and the addition of his panels does not add anything to his height. C-3PO is appropriately unadorned by any clothing, as he is a robot and never wore any in the films. This figure is made entirely of soft plastic, so even his limbs have a little play to them. The panels are the hardest pieces of plastic this figure comes with, which is somewhat ironic because they could be considered choking hazards.
This toy is a decent sculpt, though the brightness of the wires in the "naked" figure is unsettling and does not look right at all. With the panels on, the figure looks wonderfully like he did in Attack Of The Clones. As well, the coloring details for the panels are precise; this C-3P0 looks both worn and assembled, not pristine. Hasbro did a good job making each panel look somewhat grimy.
Accessories
C-3PO, being a Protocol droid, requires very few accessories. As a result, this figure comes with only his panels and a trunk to store the panels in. The panels include a breastplate, facemask, thigh, bicep and shin pieces. Each piece features a peg which plugs into a corresponding hole in the action figure. This holds each piece of paneling to the droid and effectively builds up C-3P0. The only piece that does not have a peg is the face mask and there the eyes essentially act as pegs pushing through the mask's eye holes.
The only other accessory is a little chest, like the one seen on the refugee ship when Amidala, Anakin and R2-D2 headed back to Naboo. This chest has a hinged lid and opens to hold all of the pieces of paneling from C-3P0, which is a nice way to keep from losing the small parts if one is leaving them unattached.
Playability
The four inch toy line was designed for play and C-3PO is not bad in that regard. That is to say, he is about as active as the character in the film, especially considering C-3P0 is a stiff character. Unlike many Star Wars toys I have recently reviewed, C-3PO stands and remains balanced. However, moving the figure's feet a bit out of a flatfooted position makes him easy to topple. He has a great range of movement for his legs when the panels are not attached to his thighs, but when they are, the figure is somewhat more restrained. As well, even flatfooted, the figure becomes somewhat unbalanced when the arms and hands of C-3PO are posed too far forward.
C-3PO is not a bad figure as far as posability goes. He is graced with only six points of articulation, but he moves much like the character in the movie does! Because of the balancing issues, the minimal flexibility pretty much mandates collectors pose the figure in very set ways. C-3PO, as an action figure, has joints at the groin socket, shoulders, waist and neck. There is no articulation in the knees or ankles, which prevents him from remaining stable in forms other than with legs straight below him.
Collectibility
C-3PO is part of the 2002 Star Wars Attack Of The Clones collection of four-inch action figures. This series of Star Wars action figures was fairly common and the C-3PO figure was #04 in that collection and was in no way shortpacked in the cases. As a result, C-3PO was pretty well available in the cases of this product and as a result is still widely available on the secondary market today. In other words, this C-3PO is a poor investment and is more ideal for collectors and children who actually want an interesting C-3PO to play with!
Overview
C-3PO is an interesting figure and this is one of the cooler ones as C-3P0 may be used for imaginative play involving his panels being blown off or such. He might not be a great investment, but he has great play appeal and can be found ridiculously inexpensively these days because of how overproduced he was!
For other Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones action figures reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
#01 Acklay Battle Obi-Wan Kenobi
#02 Arena Escape Padme Amidala
#10 Shaak Ti
#13 Kamino Escape Jango Fett
#23 Yoda
#26 Luminara Unduli
#27 Count Dooku
#35 Orn Free Taa
#39 Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
6.5/10
For other toy reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!
© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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