Deluxe Leia and Amanaman review

[AmanaMatt]

I have had these figures since the 23rd of December, but have wanted to wait on reviewing these bad boys so that I could be as objective (yeah, right) as possible. As always, this review is based on having seen these figures loose, up close, and very personal (I actually managed to make that sound R rated); here we go:


Deluxe Leia - overall, I am very happy with this figure as it is a far cry from the original (makes me want a new Leia Boushh now). The figure is pretty tiny, but seems to be in the correct scale. Also, the new Leia seems to have a much more feminine sculpt to it and that's fine by me...Carrie Fisher was looking pretty good at the beginning of ROTJ. The soft goods feature is acceptable, if a bit on the cheap-cloth side, but the new chain and the soft goods hair is a very nice improvement since POTF2. I think this fig has a very good sculpt, a decent paint job (not quite as good as the proto pics, but not that far off, either). The paint detail does seem to vary from fig to fig as mine is pretty good, but others I've seen are a little sloppier in their application. I like the pose: dynamic without having that goofy AOTC pose ...gotta give Hasbro a little jab on those new pics, but that's another story.

As to the separate accessories, I like the look and paint detail on the new skiff weapon, but the really flimsy plastic used causes the thing to really not hold it's shape too well; mine's all over the place. As to the new Skiff Gun: it's a great sculpt, has decent play value, and has movable parts, BUT, I am really not that impressed enough to be overally happy paying the extra $3 or so extra dollars to have the new Leia. I'd just assume get a new one of her carded, but, this set kinda grows on you.
My grade B+

Amanaman - what can I say? Based on my username, I'm obviously not the most objective fan. However, my expectations as a result of my appreciation for the character (and original figure) were high. I personlly feel that Hasbro rose to the challenge because Amanaman rocks!!!!!!!!!! The sculpt is excellent, the paint deco is fantastic, and an actual improvement over proto pics. The ones show by Hasbro were too clean looking. Amanaman needs grime, and boy, does the final product have it. As far as the articulation goes: it's better than I expected; the shoulder and wrist articualtion is really the only thing you need. Some type of head articulation would have been cool, but would have made the sculpt kinda goofy due to the fact that the A-man is one long neck and a sort of head.

As far as the plastics used for both his staff and body, I have no problem with these at all. The figure itself to me, is perfect, and I don't notice any sub-par quality here that I have others mention. The staff is flimsy, yes, but nothing like the new Leia skiff staff. I have no problem standing Amanaman on his own at all and as a result, the only weight on his staff is the staff itself. Thus far, mine has not warped out of place. AS to the detail of the staff, both the sculpt and paint detail are awsome! Much more that I really expected. Even the inside of the main skull is decent.

A lot of folks feel that Amanaman could easily have been a standard POTJ fig, and I agree to a degree, HOWEVER, if he was a standard fig, we probably would not have gotten the skeleton accessory and to me, that's worth the extra dough. This is one mean-looking alien. How can you not love a figure that has skeleton and skull staff accessories? oh yeah, the same crappy muppet accessory still sucks! I would have actually prefered if S. Crumb had not been included, and feel the price would have been justified with Amanaman and both the staff and skeleton accessories alone. For fans of this alien, it has been a wacky ride. After the first fans' poll, I thought our chances were slim to none and during the second, I almost stroked out a couple of times watching the poll numbers slide, but we made it and proof enough that fans' themselves can make a difference.

As a result of the fantastic job done here by Hasbro on the new Amanaman, I am really looking foward to Epahnt Mon. Personally, I feel the new deluxe line should be used for larger figures themselves that couldn't be made without the deluxe-size packaging. Having a normal fig with large accessories, like Bacta Luke and Amanaman with long arms and extra accessories, is fine once in awhile, but not everytime. The one exception for me would be a super-detailed Jedi luke with massive articulation and a ton of accessories. Bring on Hermie Odel, the Gargan, and a much deserved Tonnika Sisters two-pack!

My grade for Amanaman: A+
My grade for S. Crumb in all his PVC glory: F

ps. this guy is no peg warmer in my area

[bigbarada]

Great review, Amanamatt! I noticed most of the problems I had with my Amanaman's staff and his body constantly warping and making him fall over was due to the fact that I was initially displaying him very near to the heater vent that is in my room.

Well, no more, as I plugged up the heater vent (it's not that cold here anyways) and moved him to the other side of the room. After letting him sit in the refrigerator for a while to cool off. I have no problems with him now.

I think Amanaman is probably the best looking figure to come down the pipe since the line relaunched in 1995!

[Jargo]

I agree with most of Amanamatts post. exept that I dislike the plastic vinyls used to make these figures intensely. I live in a cold climate and even keeping Amanaman in a cold room with no heating his staff still bends in two if I have him hold it. Salacious Crumb is the most pointless accessory ever! horrible horrible horrible! I agree that he should just have been left out of the pack rather than ship this substandard crud.

The skeleton is ok but hardly justifies the special packaging or deluxe status. The Gamorrean guard from the POTF line was bigger and he was just carded normally. Seems like a eip off to me this does. Bacta Luke and Slave leia are indeed classable as Deluxe but this is not.
Very good sculpt, nice paint job, Excellent sculpt on the staff, crappy plastic. useless pack-in figure. - GRADED: B

[JEDIpartner]

I'm watching the clock and waiting for mine to show up. I ordered the Leia and Amanaman on-line for $10.00 and $11.00 respectively. I totally agree with the opinion of the Salacious Crumb pack-in. I really can't understand why they put him in here when they already included him with Oola (which I haven't gotten, but still...). I have the original vintage Jabba w/Dais playset and Crumb came with that! I kinda feel that Crumb should have been a pack-in for a Jabba "super Deluxe" figure. Sure, the original Crumb wasn't that great either, but at least it came with the proper set!

[ThomasLane]

The only thing I didn't like about the Leia (besides the rubber staff) was the way her hips extend below the bikini straps and overlap her legs. It looks weird. Quick work with an x-acto knife and it looks much better.