After a heavy concentration of characters from Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones in 2002, Gentle Giant Ltd. turned their attention to the core Original Trilogy characters. It took them until 2005 however to bring us Yoda, a character once thought to be a diminutive Jedi Master until we saw him in action in Episode II. With a great first offering of Yoda wielding a lightsaber in 2003, Gentle Giant Ltd. felt it was time to deliver him as he appeared on Dagobah. The results were very positive. The sculpt captured a brilliant likeness and the pose was ripped right from a scene in The Empire Strikes Back. You’ll probably be able to envision the scene almost immediately. One of the few Mini Busts to come with a soft-goods, yet non-removable, accessory, Yoda literally captures everything you remember of the character and introduces you to some details you may have overlooked.
Gentle Giant was confident with the Yoda [Episode V] Mini Bust. They were so confident in fact that they decided to produce 15,000 units of the collectible. Obviously an effort to reach a mass audience, the price point of $44.99 encouraged those that normally wouldn’t purchase such collectibles to, at the very least, consider it for their own collections. Yoda [Episode V] has a stunning paint job. You’re first drawn to his eyes. When Yoda was designed by Stuart Freeborn, Albert Einstein’s eyes were the source of inspiration and were imitated for Yoda to give him that Master’s wealth of knowledge and to command that authority. Yoda’s eyes are so realistic and accurate that we only can utter how impressed we are with them. But the expert paint operations don’t end there. His skin, his clothing and even something simple like his cane are expertly decorated and perfectly replicated from Episode V. The final product is very impressive.
The Mini Bust line continues to get better and better. Yoda [Episode V] is testament to that. If Gentle Giant Ltd. continues to focus on adding the classic Original Trilogy Star Wars characters, we believe it will keep the collection popular. It’s our opinion that the edition size of Yoda [Episode V] is much too large. While unable to be proven, there is doubt that there are even 15,000 Hasbro Star Wars action figure collectors in the market today, so there is no way there are that many Mini Bust collectors. This is what us believe that Gentle Giant had intentions to reach our to a much broader market and introduce it to Mini Busts. Yoda [Episode V] is a necessary purchase for Original Trilogy collectors. And he opens the door for even more Mini Bust characters based on the fan favorite The Empire Strikes Back film. Even if you don’t collect Mini Busts, you should still consider this one. It will fit into any collection like a charm.
Collector Notes
Yoda
Status: Laser scanned in three dimensions directly from original costumes and props in the Lucasfilm archives whenever possible, this collectible is unmatchable in its level of authenticity. Digital modelers process the raw data, sculptors perfected the design, and painters brought the piece to life. The talented artisans at Gentle Giant each contribute in their own unique way to the quality of this piece. We hope you enjoy it.
Exclusivity: N/A
Assembly: N/A
Date Stamp: 2005
UPC: 871810000524
Retail: $44.99 USD
Market Value: Click here to check the latest prices based on listings.