Princess Leia (A New Hope) - Mini Busts

As the youngest senator ever in the Imperial Senate, Princess Leia ran a number of "diplomatic aid missions" that were fronts for Rebel resupply missions. She used her diplomatic immunity and her consular ship to gain access to restricted areas. One such mission saw Leia's ship intercepting vital Imperial plans stolen by Rebel spies. Armed with the Death Star plans, Leia was given a mission by her father to find one of the Republic's greatest heroes and recruit him into the Alliance.

Do you find it as surprising as us that Gentle Giant Ltd. waited so long to being collectors an Episode IV version of Princess Leia into the Mini Bust line? No one may ever find out the reason why she wasn’t at the top of their list, but ultimately she was released and the Mini Bust is done very well. Her likeness averages anywhere between good and excellent. Her hairdo and her cherubic facial features have been replicated flawlessly. The sculpting of these details is right on par with what we saw in the film. Then the artists brought the piece to life with an excellent paint job. It’s all here: rosy cheeks, red lips, dark eyelashes and doe-like brown eyes. This is Princess Leia how we all remember her. This gorgeous portrait sits atop her classic white pleated gown and on the back of the bust is the hood lying flatly against her back at the ready to be used.

Princess Leia’s body is cocked with attitude, although the expression on her face appears attitude free. She is brandishing an E-11 blaster rifle, stolen from the Imperials, and she has it pointed in a manner that seems to scoff at the Galactic Empire instead of fight against it, despite her being a member of it. We really would have wished Gentle Giant Ltd. sculpted he holding her signature long-necked Rebel blaster rifle instead. While she used both blasters somewhat equally in Episode IV, there is something special about the Rebel blaster that makes it feel like it’s her own. Maybe there wasn’t even a need to include a blaster as part of this Mini Bust at all, but maybe this would have been a perfect piece to include interchangeable hands, each holding the two different blasters she used in the film. That would have resolved the decision of which blaster to use rather easily.

Gentle Giant Ltd. has seemed to focus their attention to characters from Episode IV in the 2007 Mini Bust line. What perfect timing because it’s exactly the 30 year anniversary of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Jawas and Obi-Wan Kenobi (A New Hope) are also great additions to the 2007 lineup. We really prefer it when Gentle Giant Ltd. doesn’t take too much artistic license with the pieces in their Mini Bust line. Sometimes they get a little too creative and start making their pieces screen inaccurate. That isn’t the case with Princess Leia (A New Hope). This is a faithful representation of our favorite princess from the Original Trilogy. With a healthy edition size and an excellent sculpt, this Mini Bust is one you won’t have to ponder for too long to decide to add it into your collection. Gentle Giant is getting better and better with their human likenesses. We’re impressed with this one and we hope you are too.