Review : Qui-Gon Jinn (The Phantom Menace) Star Wars Black Series (Hasbro) Wave/Series : Wave 11 Released : July 2017 Price : £24.99
Pros : Articulation, Head Sculpt, Robe Weathering
Cons : No Jedi Cloak included
When the Black Series launched in 2013, the Phantom Menace was well represented in the first wave with the inclusion of the very impressive Darth Maul figure. Roll on nearly 5 years and 19 waves and we are now finally getting our 2nd figure from Episode 1, making it the least represented property in the Black Series - unless we count the Clone Wars cartoon?
This 11th wave of Phase 3 was released in the very dangerous Summer period. It was sandwiched between the Rogue One releases who were still filling shelves and the reset for The Last Jedi. It also hit just after the 40th Anniversary hype. All of these factors have conspired to make Wave 11 pretty sought after, particularly as it never hit any major retailer as far as I am aware.
Qui-Gon arrives in the black and red Phase 3 packaging. He carries the larger bottom frame that was introduced in wave 10. This increased frame allows for a larger. and very impressive, grey lined image of Qui-Gon. The Star Wars Black Series header remains the more subtle grey - the final wave to see this before it will be tweaked to a brighter white text.
The red spine denotes Qui-Gon as number 40 in the 3rd phase.
This numbering is repeated on the rear, as is the image of Qui-Gon. Over this sits the four language text giving some background on Qui-Gon and talks about his status as a bit of maverick within the Jedi order and his "feel, don't think" philosophy. The rest of the box rear is turned over to safety and legal notices with the Disney and Hasbro logo's side by side.
The figure is accessed, as usual, by the top or bottom flap - both of which are taped across to seal the figure. Qui-Gon slides out in his deep red background tray and sits into the clear plastic inner tray. His lightsaber sits to one side, and under his right hand sits his spare left hand which is a touch confusing.
The sculpt on Qui-Gon is for me one of the better human likenesses that Hasbro have put out. It is on par with recent figures like Krennic and harks back to some of the likenesses we saw in the first couple of phases before the human head sculpt went a little flat with no paint apps to accentuate the sculpt.
The likeness to Liam Neeson is recogniseable, with emphasis on that deeply furrowed brow and the prominent nose. While the skin tone remains a single flesh colour, there is enough depth in the features (as was the same with Krennic) to allow the natural light to shade the figures features. The eyes are neatly painted and are more realistic than some I have seen. There is no thick black lining, just a white pupil and blue and brown iris.
The hair is well realised with the two side locks and the rear ponytail. There is even a dark brown ribbon in the rear to hold the ponytail in place. The beard is also neat and angular. All the hair is painted in a flat brown and at one side of mine is very glossy? Dare I say the hair is "one wash away" from looking spot on?
Qui-Gon has been released in his Jedi outfit, but without the outer cloak or the poncho he wore on Tatooine. This puts his look as the one he was sporting while fighting Darth Maul at the end of the movie. This pigeon holes the figure a little in terms of options for display. COnsidering that a cloak was worn for most of the movie, the lack of a cloak is disappointing. Even sticking in the one used on the recent Obi-Wan would have been better than nothing and allowed collectors some variation.
Cloak aside, the robes are very well presented with various layers and folds and creases. They are cast in a cream colour with a darker brown over the top to weather the robes. The undershirt is a darker brown as are the trousers. The boots are a darker finish. Neither the trousers or boots carry the weathering we see on the rest of the outfit. Qui-Gon's belt is a very dark grey with brown leather look strapping as well as some pouches. There is also a silver clasp and silver rivets.
Articulation on Qui-Gon is standard fare. The head is a ball joint with a further pivot joint. While turning the head to either side is restricted by the hair, the ability for Qui-Gon to look forward is unrestricted and he can essentially put his chin on his chest - a good look if we ever get a young Anakin for him to look down on?
Shoulders are ball jointed, moving out to the side and up above the head with ease. Elbows are a rotating joint and bend to 90 degrees. The hands are a peg with a pivot so they will rotate and bend forward and backward. There is no torso joint on Qui-Gon, just a rotatig waist which is disguised nicely by the waist sash
The legs are trapped a little under the bottom of the robes. They can be spread into a wider stance, and if you want Qui-Gon can kneel on both knees thanks to the double jointed knees. The ankle rockers are stiff thankfully and feel like they are ratcheted. Qui-Gon has zero problems with standing.
Qui-Gon comes with one alternative hand, and this is packed to his right in the box - leading me to go pulling at his right hand on the figure to swap it out. Its actually his left, and only the left appears to be designed for alternating. Once you get the correct hand, the mechanism for swapping is very smooth and the hands click in reasonably well - with the alternative still retaining the articulation.
The hand is sculpted in the two fingered gesture that Qui-Gon uses for the Jedi mind trick. The left hand is the one he uses in the scene with Watto, on what I guess this is based. It could have been either hand really as he uses his right in the Gungan city - but at least the left allows for the gesture while still holding his lightsaber.
The lightsaber is packed as a single piece, but I can confirm that like the others before it - the blade can be removed from the hilt, although there is a bit of resistance initially. The hilt is gorgeous with black grip, silver ends and detailing and even a red ignition button. There is a short peg on the hilt that allows the hilt to plug into the belt if you want to display Qui-Gon as such.
Qui-Gon is right handed when fighting with his saber and the figure reflects that with the hilt fitting snugly into the right hand. It can also be held in the left (not the mind trick hand) if you wish - but less securely.
Thanks to the arm articulation, Qui-Gon can hold the saber in a two handed pose.
Qui-Gon has a number of iconic poses from the movie including the stance with his saber as he prepares for battle. A lot of these can be replicated on the figure pretty well.
Alongside the only other fellow Episode 1 figure, Darth Maul, Qui-Gon stands a good half inch higher and this is accurate to the movie and to Neeson's height of 6ft 4in. With a bit of playing (mine isn't brilliant) you should be able to get Maul and Qui-Gon into a decent dual pose.
There is a lot of Qui-Gon Jinn to be impressed about. From the head sculpt, to the articulation and the weathering on the majority of the outfit. With his height and imposing features he will be a stand out figure in any collection.
What I cannot do however is look past what is missing. The cloak is a big miss as Qui-Gon wore it for most of the movie, and without it you can't do his hands in sleeves pose that we see on so many images from the film. Even the poncho would have been a nice inclusion to recreate his disguise look on Tatooine.
I guess I should not be surprised by the lack of a cloak. Accessories in the main have been dialled back considerably since the huge wealth of options you got with Darth Maul back in 2013. It's also not unrecoverable however thanks to the talented cloak makers for the secondary/custom market.
Qui-Gon is one of my favourite releases of 2017, but just doesn't have enough extras for a 5 out of 5 scoring. I award him a 4 out of 5.
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