Jango Fett - TAC - Basic (30 57)

When Jango Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi meet, the Jedi’s questions and the bounty hunter’s replies are civil and bland. But beneath the surface of this polite conversation runs an undercurrent of suspicion and menace as they size each other up, both anticipating that they will meet again under less agreeable circumstances.

The 30 (77-07) line was full of a lot of surprises, many of which were gimmicky action figures. But one of these gimmicky action figures turned out to be one of our favorites from the entire line and perhaps one of the best interpretations of Jango Fett for all time. Jango Fett was eagerly anticipated by the masses, but once he became available some collectors grumbled about the aesthetics of the figure. And to be fair, action figure purists may just have warranted reasons to complain about this figure. But we cannot help but overlook its shortcomings and rave about the good it does bring to the basic action figure line. Yes, Jango has a big hole in his back and poncho when not wearing the backpack. Yes, Jango has a helmet that may not fit perfectly over his head. Yes, Jango has piecemeal (and incomplete) armor that snaps onto his body. But you know what? These are just the play value features of the figure and not meant to complete Jango in his bounty hunter attire. If you recall the scene in Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jango Fett meet for the first time, Jango asks Boba Fett to shut the hatch which housed his Mandalorian armor. This is the reference from which this figure was made. The coloring of his pants and shirt may not be perfect as they appear a little too purple, but are more than fair representations of the costume we saw in the film. We didn’t get to see Jango Fett that often without his armor on, so this is a very refreshing figure indeed. If you prefer to cover Jango up a bit more, you have that flexibile option thanks to his many accessories and 'displayability'.

On top of coming fully loaded with accessories, Jango Fett is also super-articulated. He has a great stance and he has a perfect center of gravity. You can pose him leaning, turning, stepping forward and he can remain upright all the while thanks to his great balance. Another thing we love is that his skin color is just right. Not too pale and definitely not too dark, Hasbro managed to keep this version of Jango out of the sun long enough to develop a figure with an awesome and very accurate portrait and well as a proportioned body that doesn’t look bulky when “fully assembled”. His hands have been exquisitely sculpted and his blaster pistols stay in play effortlessly because of how well they can be gripped in his hands. Since a “western cowboy: pose is likely what most collectors will try to achieve when displaying Jango, we are extremely thankful for Hasbro’s attention to detail here. As mentioned earlier, Jango comes with a plethora of accessories. They include a softy-goods poncho, removable shoulder/chest plate armor, two shin guards, removable jetpack (affectionately known as #2), removable helmet, removable belt/holster (which is very difficult to remove, but definitely has been made to come off) and two blaster pistols. As a result of all of these separate pieces, Jango Fett can be configured into an array of various styles. The playability is limitless and it isn’t too often that we get action figures with all of this versatility. Some of it may not be entirely screen accurate, but it is still cool nonetheless.

The first issue of Jango Fett came with the coin pack-in premium. When the line was tweaked for 2008, coins were replaced with action figure stands. So it is possible to find him with a coin or the much harder to find action figure stand. (We prefer to have both because the stand really completes the figure for us at least.) (Editor's Note: The figure was briefly repacked in the 2008 TLC Saga Legends line as SL15. As a figure that saw release three times so far (as of this review date) it is proof that this is a hot action figure.) It never peg-warmed the shelves and was released in great numbers. (Editor’s Note: Hasbro first issued a 2002 version of Jango Fett in the 2010 SW “Shadow Of The Dark Side” Saga Legends line, but they eventually repacked this version instead as Jango Fett (SL05). The TAC 30 57 version was always pictured on the packaging however.) Whether Jango Fett falls under the “kid figure” category or not, we are unabashed to admit that we are extremely fond of him. Mandalorians and their armor are cool, but it is also very nice to see the “human” side of Jango Fett and to date, this is the only way you are going to get him this way. The Attack Of The Clones wave of the 30 (77-07) was really impressive and it gave fans and collectors a new appreciation for action figures made based on this film. Is this the definitive Jango Fett? The answer is yes and no. (Editor's Note: It may not be Jango in all of his glory like the 2008 TAC The Fett Legacy Evolutions figure or the 2009 TLC Jango Fett (BD 51) figure, but it is the best version of him we have in street clothes. And we love him for that alone.) Definitely make this version of Jango Fett an admired addition to your collection!