“Yes… Yes… Yes… Yes…”
Grogu’s short-lived IG-12 robot suit was released in the Star Wars Black Series in 2024. The set was a Deluxe release using the wider packaging format but following the same principles established for the new squared-off boxes with a matt black base colour and the Galaxy Collection Mandalorian accent colour of deep orange used on the text and accompanying artwork. Grogu & IG-12 are number 41 in the series, with the side artwork connecting into the single release of the Shriek Hawk on one side, and then onto the Imperial Armored Commando on the other.
The artwork neatly ties in both Grogu in the IG-12 frame along with the Anzellan droidsmiths. On the back of the box the background for the machine is covered briefly alongside the same illustration. The card back for the figure, in the same orange accent colour, incorporates some of the architecture from Greef Karga’s office on Nevarro where Grogu first pilots the machine.
We will start with the Anzellans who built IG-12 for Grogu with two of them included in the set. These do seem to utilise parts from the original Babu Frik figure. They stand just an inch high and feature sculpted faces complete with individual facial hair - one with a shaped beard, and the other with an elongated moustache. The faces are painted in skin tones with white on the hair and a gloss black for their eyes. Each Anzellan is wearing a headpiece and hood in grey-blue with grey and brown robes.
Each Anzellan has three points of articulation, with the ability to raise each arm independently on a basic shoulder joint. The third joint is built into the waist allowing a swivel. The lower legs are fixed as a pair after the waist joint with the splayed feet providing a stable base for standing our droidsmiths securely on display.
Grogu is a new variant following similar principles to the other releases we’ve seen since 2019. The body in particular looks slimmer and taller with Grogu’s feet now visible under the robes. The feet, hands and head are cast in green plastic that then plugs into the cast sandy brown arms and central robes with some variation added to the collar of the robes, and around the cuffs of the sleeves. Grogu’s features are picked out with black for the eyes and some pinker skin tones over the green around his cheeks and in his ears.
Grogu stands an inch high and also features articulation, with five useable joints allowing this head to rotate within its socket, the arms to be raised and extended, and the wrists to be rotated. While the feet are jointed as such where they plug into the base of the figure - there is no real movement available.
The IG droids have existed in the Star Wars Black Series since IG-88’s release in 2015, with the same base figure used to release the first IG-11 figure from The Mandalorian in 2019. Both of these releases always felt undersized in the line with the onscreen IG droid standing - as seen clearest in The Mandalorian - with its entire head taller than a standard human, something the original body lacked. This new IG-12 release faces in to that height issue with a full new IG droid figure built from scratch.
vs IG-11 from 2019 (right)
The majority of the robotic elements are cast in dull gun-metal grey with plenty of complex robotic workings built into the sculpt including visible pistons, fixings and hydraulics. Elements on the arms and legs are given a partial casing in a sandy brown with further bronzed glossy components around the shoulder joints. Pipework extending from the main body around the legs and the rear of the torso in particular are added as individual soft rubberised sections. The overall look is not accentuated, as we might expect with any wash, weathering or dry brushing to show off the complex sculpt.
The head is also new and increased in size vs the original. It uses the same gunmetal plastic with protruding sensors alongside recessed eyes and lenses. Like the body, it lacks any paintwork other than the recessed lenses which are picked out in white.
The set comes into its own when the IG-12 droid unit is combined with its pilot. The chest section on IG-12 is on a pivot which folds down revealing the pilot cavity within. Like the outer body, the cavity contains no paintwork or additional decor save a black painted padded backrest. On the folded-down section, there are two joystick controllers which are both articulated.
The Anzellan droidsmiths fit into the pilot chair with ease, with their articulated shoulders allowing the arms to be raised to line the hands up with the joysticks - and with patience, you can probably get them to grip them.
Grogu is a slightly tighter fit, mainly due to his ears, and needs easing into the pilot’s compartment ears first. Grogu’s arm articulation also allows the arms and hands to line up with the joystick controls and a rudimentary grip is established.
With the pilot in the chair, the IG-12 unit can be posed using its 22 points of articulation (including the two poseable joysticks). While the original IG unit had rubberised grommets around its elbow and knee joints, the new version sticks to sculpted plastic while still looking like the black corrugated joints seen on the original props. The legs are able to provide a stable footing in upright positions, but lack the hip movement for anything over extensive. The feet are a bit tricky to get on with and finding a stable position for IG-12 takes a bit of time. While the original IG figure was notoriously difficult to stand on its own, the IG-12 has stability once this footing is established.
The waist joint is a basic swivel, while the head features a neck joint and two further head segment joints, all of which rotate independently allowing a variety of head configurations. The arms have a full range of motion, including a cleverly incorporated wrist that features both a swivel joint and a scissor joint for the pronged hands, allowing them to open and close.
Despite this grip function, IG-12 is not supplied with any accessories or weaponry. Although I can confirm if you have a spare E-11 blaster or similar, the clawed hands can hold it in place.
Blaster not included
The Star Wars Black Series Deluxe release of IG-12 with Grogu and the Anzellan droidsmiths has plenty of positives, not least choosing to correctly resize the IG body and potentially open up the option in the future for a re-release of IG-11 and IG-88 at their correct height. The figure demonstrates a lot of engineered components and both the articulation and the pilot compartment with its articulated twin joysticks are impressive. The smaller scale figures all incorporate new parts and sculpting and despite their small size,e come with a neat and tidy paint job and basic articulation.
The only downside on the set is back with the IG-12 droid and the paintwork. While the basic colours are there, the droid components still look too much like cheap grey plastic and there has been little to bring out the depth of sculpt - a darker wash and some weathering would have finished the IG-12 figure perfectly.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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