Josh Hendrickson
Last january, we told you about a future The Mandalorian-inspired Life-size replica of Baby Yoda (yes, yes, we know, The Child) from geek Sideshow collectibles maker. At $ 350 (now $ 375), there was simply no logical reason to buy a mostly static figure. But I did it anyway, and now that Baby Yoda is at home, I have no regrets.
Sideshow originally promised the child would arrive at our door between August and October, but mine didn’t arrive until the end of November. Apparently the company has done as many side quests as the Mandalorian in their journey to find the Jedi (next stop, Ahsoka Tano).
It’s about as big as a HERO BB-8 toy Josh Hendrickson
But now that he’s here, the kid proves it’s worth the wait. Sideshow did a great job recreating the original puppet. This leads to a first surprise – very rosy cheeks.
The puppet used in the show also has rosy cheeks, but it doesn’t show up after the special effects team fixes each episode. So this figurine is more accurate to the prop than to the accurate screen. If you don’t like it, you can use water and a paper towel to blur some of the pink, but I choose to leave it for now.
Josh Hendrickson
The other surprise is its size. It’s hard to get a feel for the scale of the series. Baby Yoda looks taller in some scenes than in others. But the full-size replica is easily taller than a two-liter soda bottle. The company focused on the details; the eyes are lifelike and adorable, the wispy hairs look real, and the skin, finger and toenail paint jobs are excellent.
I have no reason for this image. But it’s adorable and you know it. Josh Hendrickson
If I have a major complaint, it’s about the Baby Yoda poncho dress thing. It looks too blank and too long. Again, this length is accurate, but I wish they had chosen aesthetics over precision in this case. This is because it covers Baby Yoda’s feet and hands.
This last part is particularly disappointing as Sideshow included a shift knob from the Razor Crest so Baby Yoda could hold it. It attaches magnetically, so it’s easy to remove but won’t fall off. It’s a shiny little touch that conjures up a big stage in the show that is unfortunately covered by its poncho sleeves.
The gear lever knob is magnetically attached. Josh Hendrickson
But with a few quick tweaks, you can at least improve it. A tug here, a slide there, and it looks disheveled and reveals the child’s hands and feet, fit for the show. I wish it was a little more articulate, you could turn your head, but that’s it. Unless you’re crazy and wanna tear it apart as Adam Savage.
Another interesting detail that the company has sneaked into is the artwork at the bottom of the stand. The stand is supposed to look like parts of the Razor Crest and to be fair, it really isn’t. It looks more like a metal bottle cap at first glance. But that doesn’t bother me; you are not here to look at a booth.
Josh Hendrickson
Unless, of course, you want to look down. The background features beautiful illustrations from the series of the scene where the Mandalorian discovered Baby Yoda. It’s completely unnecessary but it looks good.
And “completely unnecessary, but looks so good” is an apt description of this figure as a whole. At the current price of $ 375, it costs an obscene amount of money. You could buy an Xbox Series S and a game to play for that money (well, if you could find one in stock).
The hair is so delicate. Josh Hendrickson
But I don’t care. I have no regrets. Every time I look at this adorable baby Yoda, I smile like a fool. How can you not? He steals every scene he’s in The Mandalorian, and now it’s in my office on my desk. It steals the scene of all the geeky stuff I’ve got here, from a Zelda-inspired Ocarina to a Doctor Who LEGO Tardis. Even as I write this, he’s on my desk and I smile at him. This is silly, and I don’t care because I’m happy.
You know you want to read a good bedtime story to the child. Josh Hendrickson
I have an Xbox Series X, yes the $ 500 one, and that doesn’t make me smile so much. So for all the happiness and joy this has already brought to me, I say it’s worth every penny. I would buy it again, without hesitation. You can order yours life size replica of today’s child, although Sideshow says they won’t ship until early next year. If you have the money to spend, do it. You will not regret it.