Vintage Collection

VCBASIC

Clone Trooper

Info and Stats
Number:  
VC45
Year:  
2011
MSRP:  
$8.99
Definitive Status:  
Definitive
 
This is the only version of this item you will need.
Grade:  
9/10 Bantha Skulls
 
* Bantha Skull is compensated for any purchases made through these Ebay links.

Clone Trooper - PhotoReal

* Bantha Skull is compensated for any purchases made through these Ebay links.
This figure is part of the following iconic scenes:
Review by: Bret&Chris
Review date: 03/31/2020

Editor’s Note:  This review has been updated with our second look at TVC…

Original Review:  Chris - 3/11/2011 01:49 AM

Hasbro, come clean.  This is Clone Wars tooling, right?  This is an otherwise outstanding figure. It’s one of only a handful of figures released to date with ball jointed articulation at every point of articulation.  In a refreshing change for the Vintage Collection, the removable helmet is fairly white. But the long slender super model legs just look weird (see comparison pic).  It really is a great figure besides that so I don’t want to deduct too many points.  So this would be 10 out of 10 figure is reduced to a still respectable 8 out of 10 bantha skulls.

Updated Review:  Chris - 07/02/2018 07:05 AM

Photo credit:  Last three photos from Mr. Nomadscout

The Phase I Clones appear on screen for about 30 to 40 minutes in Attack of the Clones.  In the grand scheme of things, this amounts to an eye blink in the Star Wars cinematic universe which stands at 10 movies and counting at the time of this review.  Despite this minimal on-screen footprint, Hasbro delivers a figure that is just about as close to definitive as army builders in this scale get.  Contrast that with the Stormtrooper which has an omnipresence in four films and makes an appearance in a fifth AND IS STILL USING DATED AND INSUFFICIENT TOOLING FROM 2004!!!!  Keeping in mind this is a toy site you’re visiting and thus the perspective of the relative unimportance of the subject matter should be baked in as an unmentioned understood, this is a travesty.  I needed that preface as a prophylactic measure against the “these are just toys, people” guy.  NOOOOOOO DUH.  You say that sort of thing here, and you will get three kicks.  Shoot.  I just realized that by making the first paragraph of this Clone Trooper review mostly about the Stormtrooper, Mr. Nomadscout is going to make me review the VC41 Stormtrooper.  DANG IT.  I DON’T WANT TO REVIEW THAT TURD ANYMORE!

Okay, back to the subject figure.  I was originally shocked by the spindly limbs as you can see above.  This was probably due to being prejudiced by the previous stocky Clone Trooper figures.  Checking the on-screen references, the legs are probably a tick too thin, but not egregiously so.  To that point, the original score of an 8 has been upgraded to a 9 for this review.  This is unprecedented for Bantha Skull.  The scores usually go the other way in these retrospective reviews. Once you take away that negative, you have a figure that is flirting with, but just missing, perfection.  The figure does an acceptable approximation of shouldering the DC-15A blaster rifle.  The ball jointed wrists allow for some dynamic CQB poses with the DC-15S carbine.  Thanks to the ball jointed hips, the figure can kneel naturally and unassisted.  These are big things for a trooper figure.  I would give my eyeteeth for a 3.75” Stormtrooper figure that could does these things.  I should have mentioned earlier that I’m not happy with the current Stormtrooper figures. 

Where this figure falls short of perfection, aside from the aforementioned spindly legs, is in a few areas.  The removable helmet is a net negative.  There are no issues in terms of being over or undersized, but the detailing shows a slight vagueness endemic to this type of soft plastic accessory.  The other improvements that could be made today are rocker ankles and an upper thigh swivel.  However, this is another figure source that should be rested for a while.  This figure is definitive enough to be considered the only Phase I Clone Trooper you will need.  If Hasbro updated this figure before giving us a definitive Stormtrooper, I would probably revolt.  I should have mentioned earlier that I’m not happy with the current Stormtrooper figures.

The negatives on this figure are so minor, there is no justification for upgrading and it was largely available at retail during its release.  Supply on the secondary market is slim, but with patience, you can score one at an acceptable premium.  If Hasbro ever did re-release this figure, it should be in some sort of multi-pack.  Taking up an all too precious slot in the Vintage Collection basic figure lineup would be a waste.

Updated Review:  Bret - 03/31/2020 07:05 AM

I guess Chris owes somebody his eye teeth.

Hasbro apparently didn’t read the rest of Chris’s re-review of this figure. He very clearly stated that they need not revisit this VC45 Clone Trooper.  It was already pretty much definitive (although I was partial to the older clone sculpt, vs. this newer skinny mold), and there wasn’t much of a premium for it on the secondary market.

Nevertheless, Hasbro decided to update this Clone Trooper with Photoreal technology.  The result is a very slight improvement, unless, of course, you’re looking very close and you start to make out the individual dots of the paint application.  Unlike several other PhotoReal updated figures, I cannot find any other differences with this release versus the 2011 version.  It’s certainly a good figure, perhaps even great, if you can get over the thin limbs.  If you’re interested in adding this to your collection, it’s a good opportunity to pick up a few at retail prices if you wanted to army build.

While I initially was against this aesthetic, I’ve kind of warmed up to it.  I guess that’s good, since Hasbro is all in on it.  As you can see by the group shot, we’ve gotten quite a few updates using this sculpt, but still have several more to go.  Notably abesnt from the Phase I lineup are the captain (red) and commander (yellow).  Overall, Hasbro hit a homerun when they used the VC45 base to make the VC54 ARC Trooper Commander, but whiffed badly on their first attempt at the 41st Elite Corps Clone Trooper from the Black Series Phase I.

As of this writing, you can pick these up from our Sponsor, Entertainment Earth.  Or you could go the full case route, as it is part of the AWESOME Mandalorian wave.

* Bantha Skull is compensated for any purchases made through these Ebay links.
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