R4-D23 - Droid Factory

All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. Living on the planet of Coruscant, this little Astromech frequently visits the local droid spa for oil baths and recharging. Join R4-D23 on his adventure throughout the galaxy.

May the Force be with you.... and your Droids!

Disney and Star Wars fans were able to take home some of the magic from this year’s Expo, D23, via an assortment of official D23 EXPO 2015 merchandise including the R4-D23 Droid Factory figure. Based on Mickey’s character from the film Fantasia, his wizard outfit, Disney has now cobbled together their own unique Build A Droid figure for this special event and packaged it for collectors of all ages. This red, white and silver R4 unit is very distinct. It looks equally foreign as it does American, and its sole purposes is to preserve memories from the special Disney Expo, an event that many Star Wars collectors expected to be filled with Star Wars news tidbits, but sadly didn’t deliver, or should we say “delivEAR”? The good news is that R4-D23 is a pretty nice Build A Droid figure and those who love astromech droids should easily find a place in their collections for R4-D23 because it came out very well. In fact, we’d go so far as to say it came out better than expected.

The paint operations on R4-D23 are completely noteworthy. This droid is very colorful. The blue and red accent colors beautifully ornament the silver colored body of the droid. This in turn is highlighted with black and white accents to help pull it all together. We imagine that in some way R4-D23 is meant to be a robotic version of Mickey Mouse (simple conjecture based on the color scheme of both) but the hat is the dead giveaway that this is based on some sort of character (likely Mickey Mouse) from the classic film Fantasia. Wherever of whoever R4-D23 is based shouldn’t matter. The astromech droid stands on its own and will be a fantastic complement to any Star Wars collection. Utilizing the 2015 version of the Build A Droid body, R4-D23 comes with eight points of articulation. As you know well by now, the leg wires have sadly been removed (obviously in a cost cutting measure) and affects the aesthetics of the droid. Hopefully you’ll be able to overlook its shortcomings.

Originally set to be a limited edition item, those original plans were scrapped and it was decided that R4-D23 would be a widely released item (much to the relief of Star Wars collectors). (Editor’s Note: And some fan sites were really rude to other fan sites about this detail too as the clarification was coming through to everyone. We digress.) Retailing for just under $13 before tax, you’re really paying for the exclusive packaging and perhaps the exclusive paint operations that make this droid unique in appearance. One thing is for sure, if you don’t live near Disney you’re only hope is getting direct through the Disney mail order option or the aftermarket. The aftermarket prices are not horrendous. At least you don’t need to pay for a plane ticket. Just pay the shipping and a few extra dollars for the figure and be happy. Who knows how long these will last. It seems that everything is made in smaller quantities than it was just a few short years ago. If you want this figure, don’t take the gamble.