Anakin Skywalker - Premium Format Figures

As the bitter Clone Wars drag on, a weary Galactic Republic looks for heroes to strengthen their hope in the long, grim darkness. Seemingly invincible and without fear, the Republic's poster boy is young Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. Of humble birth and childhood, Anakin was a slave on the Outer Rim backwater world of Tatooine before his discovery by Obi-Wan Kenobi and subsequent induction into the Order of the Jedi. His has been a remarkable journey, from slave to Jedi Knight, and in his few years, he has lived and fought more than almost any Jedi alive. Amphitheatres of battle on a hundred different worlds have been the classes of Anakin's schooling and have tested his character like no training the ancient Jedi could have devised.

But within the heart of the Republic's favorite son, a growing firestorm is gathering strength. The corrosive effects of the conflict have tarnished the idealism of the Jedi way. Anakin has seen death and suffered often in the long war. His duel with the would-be Sith assassin Asajj Ventress and the dismemberment inflicted upon him by Count Dooku have left him scarred, but his inner wounds are more extensive still. Misgivings and doubt, fueled by fear of loss and by pride, gnaw at Anakin Skywalker. His secret love and marriage to Senator Amidala fosters a quiet resentment of the stark law of the Order, which forbids such attachments. The fear of losing those he loves, a seed planted with the death of his mother and nourished by prophetic nightmares, begins to drive Anakin's actions. And ever in his ear, the softly spoken praise of the Supreme Chancellor stokes the fires of a young man's vanity, insidiously wilting his Jedi humility, burning a wedge between him and his dearest friend and mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he not the Chosen One, the greatest Jedi to have ever lived? Why, then, should he be bound by rules designed to limit his power?

As the war enters its final days, the fiery turmoil within Anakin Skywalker gathers strength. Loyalties and agendas tear at him from all sides. Conflicting demands are made of him and sacrifices begged. Though he knows it not, the Republic's hopeful savior holds the fate of the galaxy in his hands. His choice governs the coming storm, until finally, the tempest consumes him. Unleashed upon the galaxy is a seemingly unstoppable scourge. Deceived by his own turmoil, Anakin Skywalker turns to the dark side, bound by the power of the Sith.

The Anakin Skywalker Premium Format Figure is without a doubt the definitive Episode III Anakin Skywalker collectible. Even despite the small whispers of criticism our ears have picked up regarding the accuracy of the portraits, there is no denying that Sideshow Collectibles made amazing strides at recreating Anakin’s stature, proportions and attitude. And we haven’t even gotten to to near exact replication of his outfit. If you want the best likeness of Anakin Skywalker, we still feel that this is the collectible to chase after because we bet you’ll never be able to find a better interpretation of our favorite wayward Jedi. Some scoff that Premium Format Figures are just glorified statues. That is true to a certain degree. But the mixed media that Sideshow Collectibles works into the pieces brings them to life and in our opinion makes them infinitely better than anything Gentle Giant Ltd. can do by a long shot. Sideshow also seems to manufacture a higher quality polystone and on average their pieces are weightier which in and of itself lend to an overall higher quality collectible.

This Anakin Skywalker Premium Format Figure has layer after layer of clothing. You are immediately aware of the high end attention this collectible received in the clothing department. The materials are also woven from high quality fibers and do not have a synthetic feel at all. The out robe is felt like while the pants feel like felt and his shirts feel like different styles of cotton. Anakin Skywalker comes complete with an undershirt, black crepe tunic, brown crepe tunic, and lastly a faux leather tunic surrounded by a real leather belt with metal details. Just his clothing alone should prove that no attention to detail was spared. And since these pieces command such a high premium (no pun intended), it’s satisfying to see this manifested in the materials Sideshow uses. Even the materials used to represent the leather portions of his costume are excellent and the drape of all fabrics hang beautifully. The outer Jedi (or Sith) cloak has a wire bottom for infinite arrangement. Sideshow has truly gone the extra mile to provide this particular collectible with authentic and movie accurate costuming. He even comes with a light-up lightsaber. We’re not big fans of this, but it works well for Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin's stance is intimidating and daunting. When displayed with the “Sith eyes” portrait (which is the exclusive “accessory” to this figure), the figure looks as if he jumped out of Episode III into your home. The anger and aguish in his expression is reminiscent or inspired from the scene where Anakin attempts to choke Padme out of anger for thinking he was betrayed by her. His self doubt, anger and fear are captured well in his face. Interestingly, we don’t think that the standard portrait captures the same level of emotions or feelings as equally well. This figure is honestly more impressive than the popular Darth Maul Premium Format Figure and looks great displayed next to both General Grievous or the Asajj Ventress Premium Format Figures. The Anakin Skywalker Premium Format Figure may not be on top of your priority list, but he have to be clear and let you know that it is one of the finest in the line that Sideshow Collectibles has produced for the Star Wars license. It sold out rather quickly, but we recommend trying to find it for a fair price on the aftermarket. You will not have any regrets.