April 19, 2021

Sideshow Toys 1/6 Scale Star Wars Tusken Raider

 

I know I know... every Star Wars post started off with a "Wookieepedia" write up is getting really really old. But still... LOL!

Tusken Raiders were a species native to the desert world of Tatooine. Their homeworld's harsh environment resulted in them being extremely xenophobic and territorial of their native resources, often attacking the outskirts of smaller settlements such as Anchorhead. They viewed themselves as Tatooine's locals and everyone else as trespassers. The Sand People believed that all water was sacred and promised to them, resulting in them raiding moisture farms set up by colonists. Rare water wells, such as Gafsa, were also sacred to Tuskens. An individual simply trespassing close to one of these water wells could provoke immediate violence. Additionally, Tusken Raiders harvested black melons which grew in the Jundland Wastes, providing them with a reliable source of milk.


Sideshow Toys released this Tusken Raider under their own brand name in 2012, and at that time, it was retailed at US$134.9. Those were the days where the 12" figures were still quite affordable. But comparing the economics of the toys market 9 years ago, it is still considered as a premium product.
Nevertheless, Sideshow's Tusken Raider is the next best thing apart from Hasbro's Collector's series version, which is the only other choice for this guy in 1/6 scale. But Sideshow is not sloppy in their version. Now in 2021, it still proudly displayed in my cabinet.

Let's run through the grading and we'll see if this is worth anything.

Design - 4/5
This figure has faithfully recreate a Tusken Raider from A New Hope into 1/6 scale action figure. The outer robe tied everything together.
Bandages on the head are fully sculpted and that should be how it should be made with an expected higher handling than anywhere else, it should keep its shape.
But not sure what prompted the designer to go ahead to bandage wrap the calf to the entire feet which causes it to lose the ability to stand on its own without support. In another words, the Raider need a doll stand merely to stand upright and to make any pose. If need be, a sculpted bandaged lower leg should be the way to go.
Overall, the high points goes to the great rendition of the OG Tusken Raider.

Sculpting - 4/5
The only sculpt need to mention here are of the head and the weapons. Both are done in very high standards.
Special mention of the "wooden" stocks on the weapon. Wooden grain sculpted and edge wear all very well done.
Again another department bagging the high points.

Painting - 4.5/5
Painting and shading on the sculpt made the sculpted bandages very believable as cloth bandage. However, more lighter to darker brown shades should and could be applied onto the mouth piece to give it a little bit more dimension. A small nitpick from an otherwise great looking painted headsculpt.
Earlier in the sculpting section, I also mentioned about how well the "wooden" stock of the weapons were sculpted. That only works when coupled with excellent paint job and weathering. Both are present here.

Articulation - 2.5/5
Sideshow's Prometheus body has received a fair amount of malign from collectors. I haven't really meddle with one that much until this photo shoot and boy I wish to swap out this floppy mess there and then. There are no thigh swivel articulation. This has turned out to be my biggest gripe. Arm looks chunky like the old Hasbro's body and reiterating the floppy joints on the knees and the ankles.
Nevertheless, it can still make a decent pose - especially on the neck joint, the only saving grace.

Accessories - 3.5/5
Rule of thumb for me is to never get a pleather clad figure no matter how cool it looks. Never did for awhile. But there is an oversight. "Important" pleather accessories also need to take note. For the Tusken Raider, it's chest bandoliers are important contributors to it's identity as equally important than their bandaged body. Sideshow uses a material that can crumble and burst into flakes. Of course they are not the only company that fail in this area. Medicom, Hot Toys, etc you name it. All high end brands. Surprisingly, venerable brand like Dragon Models uses a pleather material that never flakes. Had a Panzer crew in pleather jacket and it held it's shape and integrity till today, 20 years!
It can be done if they put some effort in researching the materials.
This version I got is the Sideshow Exclusive so it came with an additional spike shaft with a diamond shaped like point and a rifle like butt. Quite a unique weapon.
On top of this, there is the signature gaffi stick and also a long barrel single shot rifle. From The Phantom Menace, a Tusken Raider was seen firing at one of the Pod racers and looks like it is firing a conventional projectile instead of a laser beam.
An impressive amount of weapons accessories but the bandoliers fail the test of time. That contributes to the score.

This is my 2nd copy of the Sideshow Tusken Raider. Got it off Carousell couple weeks back at a really good price but the previous owner told me the bandolier and the belt pouches have all gone bad. I thought it is not that difficult to make replacement for these.The pictures here shows the custom made bandoliers from pleather bought at Spotlight some years back. Belt pouches from DML BAR Ammo pouches. It is a good idea, I think, to have them different from the original so as to give each my raider something unique which should be true to how it is.
My first Raider is not an exclusive, bought 7 years ago on Dec 2014. I have long given up army building in 1/6 scale but the Tusken Raider is a character I like alot in the Star Wars universe and I couldn't let slip a chance to own another one with an exclusive weapons. So they are same but different.

Hot Toys has announced their own version from The Mandalorian series. Maybe getting one to add to the crew and to have some variety between them. Lets see how it goes.

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