Chewbacca - OTC - Large Size Action Figures (Exclusive)

Celebrate the legendary Star Wars trilogy that changed the universe forever, with The Original Trilogy Collection. This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. The finest recreations of the iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are back with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the original trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. And, as a tribute to the dedication of Star Wars fans everywhere, we are re-releasing elements of the original packaging that harken back to the creation of Star Wars action figures, which began over 25 years ago with the original trilogy.

After two pitiful attempts to bring Chewbacca into the Collector Series/Action Collection line utilizing plush fabric, Hasbro changed things up in 1999 with the launch of The Power Of The Force “2” [CommTech/FlashBack] line. Going back to basics, Hasbro tooled an all-plastic version of Chewbacca, but the likeness was dreadful, and the articulation was wonky at best. As one of the choices for The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection, Hasbro developed a true-to-scale 15” Chewbacca figure that featured a faithful on-screen likeness of the beloved character, and vintage Kenner packaging to wrap around it. Coming in a box that is significantly larger than the three previous figures, Hasbro had to figure out a way to get Chewbacca out to collectors because adding it as a running change would not be an option. After some aggressive negotiations, Hasbro got KB Toys to pick it up as their holiday 2004 exclusive, and collectors of the line were eager to pick up Chewbacca to get another vintage Kenner-inspired collectible into their homes. Chewbacca may not be Hasbro’s greatest effort, but it’s the best Original Trilogy Chewbacca in 12” scale money can buy.

As mentioned, Chewbacca is significantly larger than the other figures that are part of The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection Large Size Action Figures line. For most collectors, everything changed in 2004 because of the focus on vintage Kenner-inspired items. The breaking news that the Star Wars Original Trilogy on DVD was set for September of that year. The highlights of The Original Trilogy Collection figures were the all-new premium collector-focused figures (both in 3.75” scale and 12” scale) packaged in vintage-Kenner inspired packaging. These new releases won the hearts of collectors from across the globe. Twelve action figures with premium features, four from each Original Trilogy film, were released as The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection and went over hugely with the collecting community. But four less-popular Large Size Action Figures were also given The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection treatment as well, and they are some of Hasbro’s finest work in the 12 Inch Figures line. Chewbacca isn’t an exception. Tall, large, athletic, and poseable, Chewbacca enters the 12 Inch Figures line ready for action, and we feel that collectors will find favor with this collectible toy.

Hasbro added 13 points of articulation into the Chewbacca Large Size Action Figure. These points include a swivel head, ball-jointed shoulders, swivel biceps and wrists, and two swivel points in Chewbacca’s torso. Lastly, Hasbro added two swivel hips, which aren’t the best for posing the figure. We would have loved to see Hasbro add ball-jointed knees and ankles, but that wasn’t part of the equation here. Chewbacca has an admirable head sculpt. The hair-parting is a bit strange on this head sculpt, but it’s hard to deny that this figure looks like the beloved Wookie. The paint operations on this figure are gorgeous. Hasbro was certain to add multiple colors for highlighting purposes, and it looks like they nailed Peter Mayhew’s blue eyes perfectly here too. The bandolier is permanently affixed to Chewbacca’s body, but the lower portion hangs freely, which gives it a free-flowing effect. Hasbro did well here. They also included Chewbacca’s signature bowcaster. The weapon breaks down into two separate pieces (it comes in the box as two parts) and is easily assembled. Chewbacca doesn’t hold it well, but with a little patience, you can make it happen rather easily. A KB Toys exclusive, Chewbacca retailed for $39.99.