IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) - TSC - Vintage

Celebrate the legendary Star Wars films that changed the universe forever, with The Saga 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 re-creations of the iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are back with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. 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. May the Force be with you!

As exciting as 2006’s The Saga Collection “vintage-styled” action figure line was, 2007’s second wave eclipsed it by light-years. The 2007 wave contained long-awaited updates to Star Wars fans’ favorite Star Wars characters. Hasbro also amped up their approached and added premium articulation wherever possible/ This approach produced some of the most significant Star Wars action figures the line had ever seen. The standout figure from the 2007 wave 2 collection is undoubtedly IG-88 (Bounty Hunter). It’s inarguable that it won’t be the best 3.75” super-articulated version of IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) the line will ever receive. If you pass on this figure, don’t expect a better one in the future. It’s not getting better than this release. If you think back to this assassin droid’s history in the basic figure line, most can agree that it didn’t get the respect it deserved. Whether lacking articulation or coming with inferior articulation, past versions of IG-88 significantly pale in comparison. As far back as the 1995 reintroduction of the modern Star Wars basic figure line, Hasbro appears to be making up for the lost time by creating the end-all version of IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) in action figure form. They were spectacularly crafted, realistically painted, wonderfully accessorized, and possessing the capability to be posed in ways that were never before attainable, IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) should make ALL collectors shed tears of joy. The vintage-styled line rarely disappointed collectors, but Hasbro essentially knocked us all off our feet with IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) and company. It’s not an overstatement to say that both bounty hunters in this wave dramatically exceeded our expectations. Again, Hasbro will never need to revisit IG-88 (Bounty Hunter).

IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) comes with a stunning 26 points of articulation, and if you count the swiveling armor on his thighs, you can technically add two more points. This articulation feat is unprecedented for a “humanoid-ish” Star Wars character. IG-88 (Bounty Hunter)’s various articulation points are everywhere, from unique areas on the body that require different tooling and precise engineering to the more standard arms and legs. Coming with the same guns like 1980’s ESB IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) vintage figure, the modern IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) can hold these weapons reasonably well. If you decide to be adventurous, the figure is capable of some energetic action-oriented poses. Interestingly, the droid comes with a bladed weapon/bandolier on its back. We don’t recall seeing this particular detail on the on-screen character. And it wasn’t added to the 1980 figure either, or any modern version to date for that matter. But we appreciate it this time around. You can’t do much with the vibro-blade, and the holster is incapable of storing the E-11 blaster. Hasbro also added a tiny hole on the back of the figure to plug the bandolier in to keep it in place. The ammunition bandolier has grenades tooled on it, but they’re not removable. There are some impressive details like the hoses on this bounty hunter’s legs, for example, are just brilliant. And while it may be easy to cast something in pretty much a solid color, Hasbro effortlessly matched the droid perfectly to its appearance in Episode V from the rusty brown wash to the brighter silver accents. Interestingly, IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) ’s head has two articulation points: one in the middle of the head and one at the base of the neck.

Another bonus here is that IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) has a perfect and balanced stature, which we appreciate and don’t want to take for granted. You won’t experience any awkward lean, or bizarrely unbalanced stances. It also comes with a ball-jointed torso, so you can bend the figure down or back as you need. Your options seem endless with this action figure! It doesn’t disappoint in any way! We now have premium updates to all but a couple of bounty hunters from the unforgettable Executor’s bridge scene with the 2007 VTSC Bossk (Bounty Hunter) and IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) figures. Of course, some are a lot better than others, but we’re getting closer to having them all super-articulated. Do you remember the “awful” 2006 TSC The Hunt For The Millennium Falcon: Bounty Hunter Pack Previews exclusive? All of the figures in that set are a joke. And we have significantly better versions of all of the characters represented in that set. We sometimes feel many of us take for granted how far indeed the line has come, and do not fully appreciate the small masterpieces Hasbro creates. It is quite unbelievable how awesome IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) is, and if you don’t have this figure in your collection yet, you are surely missing out on a figure that eclipses the quality of most others. Releasing figures in the “vintage-styled” packaging certainly seem to ensure collectors that only the best quality is put forth in the figures contained within them. If you haven’t had the fortune of adding the IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) to your collection yet, you lack an exceptional figure in your collection. This opinion is not an exaggeration, and it is not a plug for Hasbro. It is advisable to heed what we’re saying here because without this figure in your collection, your collection incomplete.