Fellow toy collectors, if you've been having trouble sleeping lately, as if you've sensed a disturbance, it must be your awakening as a Force-sensitive individual! It's certainly not due to some mundane reason like the weather being too hot and the AC not being strong enough. With the upcoming Star Wars Day (May the 4th), are you ready to grab your lightsaber and helmet and gather with your friends?....What, you don't have a lightsaber yet? No problem! Today, this editor has a "Sabine Wren Force FX Elite Lightsaber" from the Black Series by the major American toy manufacturer Hasbro to check out with you. We also have two 6-inch Black Series action figures: "Darth Vader" and "The Mandalorian." So, let's dive right in!
First up is the "Sabine Wren Force FX Elite Lightsaber" from the Star Wars series "Ahsoka." Sabine Wren is a Mandalorian warrior who shined in the animated series "Star Wars: Rebels," and in the live-action series, she is portrayed by Australian actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo. In the lore, she is Ahsoka's comrade-in-arms and also her apprentice. Sabine's lightsaber duel scene appears at the end of the first episode. To face an approaching enemy, she takes out her long-unseen lightsaber to confront them, but her skills in lightsaber combat prove to be somewhat lacking, and she is defeated by Baylan Skoll's apprentice, Shin Hati.
The packaging for Sabine's lightsaber is massive, measuring 102 cm. The overall color scheme is black and green, and the front of the box features an image of Sabine wearing her Mandalorian helmet.
▼ The box features close-ups of various parts of the lightsaber, explanations of the light and sound effects, and an image of it on the display stand.
▼ The contents after unboxing include the lightsaber hilt, the blade, an instruction manual, a stand, and parts for the stand.
▼ The instruction manual features an illustration of the lightsaber's user, Sabine Wren, wearing her Mandalorian helmet. Inside, it details the pre-activation assembly steps and explains the light and sound effects, making it very easy to get started.
▼ Made with a significant amount of metal, the lightsaber hilt weighs 570 grams. Not only does it have a substantial, weighty feel when held, but the sound of metal scraping and clanking during assembly and disassembly is incredibly exciting, as if you're truly crafting your very own lightsaber.
▼ Here is a look at all the components that make up the lightsaber hilt. It requires three AA batteries (not included with the product) to activate the light and sound effects!
▼ In addition to the excellent feel mentioned earlier, the sharp lines of the metal parts, the paint application, and the subtle weathering effects are all fantastic. While admiring the details of the lightsaber, you can once again feel the charm of the Star Wars universe.
▼ It looks incredibly cool displayed on the stand!
▼ Now, let's get to the main event: the "light-up effects"! This lightsaber has two buttons. The first is the round button that ignites and retracts the blade. When igniting, it has a powerful, rapid beam effect, and when retracting, the blade slowly fades away. Accompanied by the sound effects, it's truly immersive.
▼ Next is the second button. Pressing it while the lightsaber is lit reproduces the effect of deflecting blaster bolts or clashing with an opponent's weapon.
▼ If you hold the hilt level as if in a forward thrust, you can replicate the effect of piercing an object with the lightsaber. You can now master the unreasonable technique Jedi use to bypass door controls by simply cutting through them! And when you swing this lightsaber, it emits the characteristic "vwoom" sound.
Next, let's check out the action figures! Behold the terrifying lord of the Empire, "Darth Vader"! This figure is based on his appearance in "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" and features a soft goods cape.
▼ A look at the packaging. The angled artwork on the side is super cool.
▼ The Darth Vader figure itself recreates his iconic helmet, armor, the black suit that covers his entire body, and the life support and temperature control unit on his chest.
▼ Although the only accessory is his red lightsaber, when combined with the left hand sculpted as if performing a "Force choke" and the cape that drapes naturally, you can achieve a wide variety of cool poses.
▼ Thanks to the flexible hip joints and the good ankle pivot, you can even get him into a powerful crouching pose!
▼ "I don't like failure.... There won't be a next time...." You can almost feel the suffocating presence as some unlucky soul in the Empire is about to lose their breath (haha).
▼ The helmet's mask and dome feature different black paint finishes—matte and a striking gloss—to create a sense of depth. The instrumentation on his chest and belt is also very well-replicated, and the highly flexible, fire-resistant, and insulated black suit, along with the fire-resistant metal boots, all have an excellent texture.
The second figure is the protagonist from the popular Star Wars series "The Mandalorian," Din Djarin. The packaging has the same design as the Darth Vader figure, with an illustration on the angled side panel depicting him in a combat stance holding the "Darksaber."
▼ This version of The Mandalorian is designed based on Season 3, Episode 2, "Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore." It recreates the Mandalorian after he has donned his Beskar armor and comes with three weapon accessories: the Darksaber, a blaster pistol, and a dagger.
▼ In addition to the black blade, the Darksaber's radiating energy is represented with white paint.
▼ Unlike the previous Vader figure, The Mandalorian's outfit and equipment feature a rich variety of colors. The silver armor is finished with a striking metallic paint, and with weathering applied throughout, the figure is packed with detail. It's delightful to see this level of intricacy in an action figure at this price point.
▼ In the "Mines of Mandalore" episode, during his battle with the wild creatures, it was clear that The Mandalorian couldn't wield the Darksaber properly.
▼ This version of The Mandalorian's right hand is primarily for holding the blaster (the index finger is separated from the palm), while the left hand is also a gripping hand that can hold the Darksaber and the dagger. However, a drawback is that the grip is a bit too loose when holding the dagger.
And that's a wrap for this Toy-People review of the Hasbro Black Series Sabine Wren Force FX Elite Lightsaber and the Darth Vader and The Mandalorian action figures! The lightsaber's detailed sculpt and the weighty feel from its metal components are incredibly exciting. Combined with the light-up function and the super immersive sound effects, the moment you hold it, your inner fan spirit is instantly unleashed! As for the figures, this editor personally believes that Hasbro has created two excellent figures with great value. Although they don't come with many accessories or interchangeable hands, their sculpts and articulation alone are highly appealing.
All three of these products are on sale now. For detailed sales information, please follow Hasbro Taiwan's Facebook page