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Review |
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| Sculpt: |
| Chief Chirpa, the aged, gray-furred leader of the Ewok tribe that eventually befriends Princess Leia and the Rebel strike force on the Endor moon, as seen in RETURN OF THE JEDI. After some initial hostility, Chirpa agreed to include the Rebels as part of the tribe. He even devoted his forces in the final battle against the Empire on Endor. This is the figure's first incarnation in the modern line; hard to believe, but the last time this figure was released, ROTJ was still in its original theatrical run! For an Ewok, Hasbro really went all out on this sculpt. The fur detailing is excellent, and the facial resemblance to the mask worn in the film is exceptional. The headpiece and other accessories are loaded with tiny details that really make this figure a nice addition to the tribe. It rates a 9 out of 10. |
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| Paint: |
| The figure is molded in gray plastic. All areas of fur are dry brushed with white, to give him the proper, two-toned, aged look. The head has medium brown paint decorations around the eyelids, nose, and mouth, with the eyes and interiors of the nostrils painted black, and the teeth painted white. The hands have medium tan paint applications to the fingers and palms. The same tan color is applied to the toes, with black applied to the toenails. A light brown is used on the figure’s belt, which holds a small knife, some bones, and a pouch. The torso, hood, and tunic bottom are molded in a rusty brown, with the pelvis molded in medium tan. The knife comes out of its sheath, and has an off-white blade. His staff is molded in brown, with a dark brown strip of fur and a bone-colored top (because it is a bone). The headdress is also molded in a light brown, with a few areas of darker brown painted on it to represent aging of the leather. There are black, bone, and gray paint decos added to feathers, bones, and claws that adorn the headdress. At the very bottom of the headdress, Chirpa’s medallion peeks out, and has dark gray and metallic purple apps. 9/10. |
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| Articulation: |
| Ball-jointed neck, with planer-cut shoulders, wrists, waist, and hips. For such a tiny character, eight points of articulation is decent: 8.5/10. |
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| Accessories: |
| Character-specific figure stand, removable headdress, ornamental staff, and removable knife and sheath, and random mini-holo: 8.5/10. |
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| Packaging: |
| The same The Saga Collection card as the rest of the series, with a character-specific background image--in this case, the final battle against Imperial forces on Endor. The insert image is a nice close-up shot of Chief Chirpa, and has The Saga Collection logo to the right of the character image. The figure's name is just below TSC logo, with its collection number (Chief Chirpa is Saga #039) just to the right. To the left are the five white-orange triangles, indicating the position of the enclosed mini-figure. The cardback features a small film image of Chirpa, with text that explains his role in ROTJ, along with the diecut display area for the Exclusive Hologram Figure: 8.5/10. |
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| Availability: |
| As of this writing, the figure has been appearing at retail for just about two months. In some areas it sells out quickly, but in others it sells more slowly (yet it does seem to sell); it is also available from most online sources: 8.5/10. |
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| Conclusion: |
| While this one might appeal mostly to kids and completes collectors, it's an Ewok with nice accessories and a great paint job. Long overdue for a modern version, Chief Chirpa is one of my favorites in The Saga Collection so far, giving him a final score of 8.7/10. |
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