Combat Assault Tank Commander - S.H. Figuarts

S.H. Figuarts is a new standard figure series that incorporates the Bandai action figure "Art" under the theme "Pursuing Character Expression through Humanoid Action."

Hasbro gave us the Imperial Hovertank Pilot in The Black Series [Phase III] line which was one of their finest exclusive figures of the entire 2016 calendar year. Now S.H. Figuarts gives us the commander, except they decided to call him the Combat Assault Tank Commander instead. It’s another fabulous release in the S.H. Figuarts line. We didn’t get to see many of the Imperials clearly in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. They were obviously there in the film, but they were either obscured or moved by the camera lens so quickly that remembering exactly what they looked like is a difficult task. Thankfully, we have a great collectible line of figures where we can inspect the uniforms and costumes of these characters carefully and take in what makes them look so incredibly awesome in the films. One of the first leaked images from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the Combat Assault Tank Commander standing up through the cockpit door. We were all surprised when Hasbro made their version of this character for a TARGET exclusive because the figure was missing color flashes that designated it as a commander. (We didn’t know that for sure at the time, but with a little forethought we could have figured it out.) This particular version of these Imperials is a little more interesting. We’re glad S.H. Figuarts decided to go with this model.

The Combat Assault Tank Commander is one of the better “troopers” in the S.H. Figuarts format. Bandai has learned how to incorporate ideal articulation or armored figures. Initial figures in the line didn’t arrive with everything perfectly in place. We think they’ve successfully ridden their learning curve, addressed the issues, and perfected the approach so that they produce the most screen-accurate and hyper-articulated action figures Star Wars collectors have ever seen. Although very close to Hasbro’s 6” scale, the S.H. Figuarts line is in a scale that is ever so slightly smaller. Sadly, this does cause some problem when displaying the two lines together. Sometimes the figures interact nicely, sometimes they do not. When any licensee approached a character like a Combat Assault Tank Commander, you have to wonder why. Sure, it’s a great looking figure, but what do you do with it once you have it. In fact, we didn’t even see this characters from the chest down. As we’ve mentioned earlier, it’s great to see what these characters do look like from head to toe. And you’ll only see this complete detail in a Star Wars collectible or toy line. Perhaps it is silly to determine whatever a figure should or shouldn’t be made in a line, but when there is limited space in every collectible line today, it gives pause if some choices are better than others.

The Combat Assault Tank Commander is specific to the Hovertank vehicle. The character doesn’t serve any other purpose than that. Our point is that there will never be vehicles (of a larger size) for this line to accommodate these figures. So, a character like the Combat Assault Tank Commander feels a bit incomplete from that perspective. For many collectors, however, it’s all about appreciating action figures regardless if they have a corresponding vehicle or not. The Combat Assault Tank Commander comes with a few accessories, but it much less equipped than other figures in the S.H. Figuarts line. He comes with a blaster rifle and two interchangeable pairs of hands. We aren’t crazy about the fisted hand attachments. They appear too small and don’t do much for the figure aesthetically. We do appreciate the blaster holding hands and cupping hands. You can make the Combat Assault Tank Commander hold the gun with both hands (in either direction) which allow for many options when it comes to posing the figure. We’re also especially taken with the paint operations given to this figure. All of the lines and neat and clean and the color and battle-damage markings are realistic and beautifully applied. For us, the Combat Assault Tank Commander may seem like a wasted spot in the line, but we love what was done with it.