Obi-Wan Kenobi - TCW [R] - Basic (CW19)

To gain free passage through Jabba the Hutt's shipping routes, the Republic agrees to rescue the crime lord’s kidnapped son, Rotta the Huttlet. Obi-Wan learns that Anakin and his team have found the child and are under attack by Separatist forces. Obi-Wan races to join them on the remote planet, bringing much-needed reinforcements to Anakin and his embattled team.

The Clone Wars line hit hard in July 2008 with the release of eight brand new figures in a new animated style. Hasbro expressed that the figures would actually fall somewhere in between realistic and animated, but fans and collectors concluded that they were definitely designed with the animated look in mind to a much greater degree than anything realistically styled. It’s interesting to say the least because Hasbro has always been a licensee who has based their toys on realistic designs time and again and moved away from animated style whenever possible (like the original Clone Wars for example), so we’re not sure why the change of heart for The Clone Wars lineup. Without a doubt it is certainly a nice change of pace from the main line. This “second” line of basic figures has been warmly embraced by all and continues to gain new fans. For us, we can’t seem to get enough of these figures in our Star Wars collections. Still, Obi-Wan Kenobi has seen more than his fair share of re-releases at this point. We understand why he is constantly re-released, but isn’t it time to develop a new figure to keep the line a little more fresh? Obi-Wan Kenobi is outfitted in cool armor that is well designed and tailor fitted for his tall and lean frame. And while the figure lacks in articulation, it supersedes in design and paint operations.

Obi-Wan Kenobi comes to us in an expertly crafted outfit that has exceeded our own expectations of what Hasbro is capable of producing in this scale. The figure is covered in dirty washes throughout and it really stands out on the white “clone trooper armor” parts. This beautiful attention to realism is such a comfort and we hope that Hasbro will continue this approach with future action figures. He has a Jedi Temple insignia on his left shoulder armor and it is so explicit and clear we are simply amazed how Hasbro replicated this fine detail so well (even if technology makes this relatively simple in this day and age)! Obi-Wan also comes with a removable backpack and while this is a pretty cool accessory, if you don’t leave it attached to him, he is unfortunately left with a big old hole on his back. Hasbro apparently decided not to futz around with designing a removable helmet and instead gave us a bonus interchangeable head to pop onto his head. It is a revisited phase I clone trooper head with an antenna and it simply looks fantastic! We really prefer action figures that come with an interchangeable helmeted head sculpt instead of a removable bucket. It looks SO MUCH better. Removable helmets are a plain joy for some figures that require it of course, but when the helmets become too big and bulky we think a separate tooling is the better option.

If you recall, variations on the color used on Obi-Wan’s beard exist. But lately Hasbro has remained more consistent. The Clone Wars [Red] version is pretty consistent to recent version that have been released in multipacks and the like of this action figure. We have also found variances in the color used on his Jedi robes, but again, Hasbro making changes seemed to have ceased as of late. Keep in mind that this figure utilizes the final dirty wash, so each figure will almost be unique to the next. You’ll go crazy trying to collect them all. Obi-Wan Kenobi is another figure that tends to suffer from “eye” issues. We have found some perfectly painted samples here and there, but many come with eyes that are off center from where they should be. We recommend being selective when purchasing your sample because it does make a big difference. Obi-Wan Kenobi is not super-articulated, but he serves a purpose as is. He has a bit of a wide stance and this helps keep him standing very well and erect. And his plastic molded robes inhibit his hip movement. Obi-Wan also comes with a few other accessories. In addition to his backpack he also comes with a projectile and his signature lightsaber. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a decent action figure (and a necessary purchase)! We are sure you already own him by now, but if you don’t, you should at least grab one.