Phil Roberts 
Get up close and personal with the greatest Star Wars bounty hunter of all time with the Medicom Toys Mafex Boba Fett (No.25)
With his customized Mandalorian armor, deadly weaponry, and silent demeanor, Boba Fett was one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy. Over the course of his career, which included contracts for the Empire and the criminal underworld, he became a legend.
Review:
Alongside Han Solo, Boba Fett is arguably my most beloved character from the Star Wars franchise. Over the course of six films, the mysterious and notorious bounty hunter cemented his iconic status amongst the fans despite his criminal lack of screen time. Is it his armor? his charisma, or just his downright awesomeness? Who can say? But one thing is undeniable, he has solidified a special place in the hearts of the fanbase.
Being a passionate action figure collector, I have recently been entranced by the incredible range of action figures being produced by Medicom Toys’ Mafex line. The Justice League collection is above and beyond any action figures being produced to date, easily surpassing that of Hasbro’s The Black Series and Bandai’s S.H Figuarts range. So, imagine my delight when I discovered Medicom Toys had turned its attention to the glorious cast of characters from Star Wars.
There are several Star Wars characters bolstering the Mafex range including icons like Darth Vader, C-3PO, R2-D2, Stormtrooper, Sandtrooper, Clone Trooper, First Order Stormtrooper, First Order Execution Stormtrooper, Captain Phasma, Kylo Ren, Rey, Deathtrooper and the Shoretrooper, but taking pride of place amongst these great characters is Boba Fett. Mafex has produced an incarnation from both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and it’s the latter that this review will focus upon.
Boba Fett | Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Medicom Toy Mafex
After being left in awe by the quality of the Justice League collection, I had high hopes for the Mafex Boba Fett, and I am pleased to report I have been totally blown away by the quality of this figure. IT IS BREATHTAKING. From the intricate detail on the famous Mandalorian armor to the weathering of his battle-hardened wrist gauntlets, this figure is quite frankly the best version of Boba Fett I have ever seen. It has almost everything a collector could want.
The packaging is, as is always the case with Mafex is simple and economic but pleasantly effective in preserving the quality of its contents, all the while showcasing them in all their glory. The reverse offers a look at the figure in various poses and goes to great lengths to highlight the attention to detail Mafex has taken in producing this figure.
Upon liberating the figure from its plastic prison and I was immediately aware of its quality, but it is here I discovered the one minor detraction.
The accessories. Sadly, Boba Fett comes with nothing more than his sawn-off blaster rifle, three changeable hands, and a stand. Some might say that was ample given he uses little more during his albeit short involvement in Return of the Jedi, but when compared to the accessories bestowed upon the Justice League collection, Boba Fett is overwhelmingly short-changed. The addition of a removable helmet uncovering Jeremy Bulloch or Temuera Morrison‘s face would have been amazing, as would the addition of a flame projectile for his wrist gauntlet flame-thrower but sadly, this figures’ accessories are as basic as they come.
Back to the figure, and the helmet sculpt has been crafted to perfection. Every single dent, blemish, and scorch mark has been recreated in amazing detail which aligns the contours of his Mandalorian helmet in the most pleasing way.
The rest of the armor follows suit. It’s perfect, right down to the Bantha skull logo on his left shoulder pad. However, you may want to be careful with the cables that connect the right wrist gauntlet to the jumpsuit sleeve. They have been made so they can detach from one end, which is fine, but they have a tendency to pop out when posing but easily slot back in so it’s not a major issue.
The grey jumpsuit has been color-matched to the on-screen incarnation perfectly which offsets the vibrant coloration of the armor and serves to enhance its visual brilliance. The utility belt, the Wookiee hair, and the cape have all been recreated using plastic instead of fabric and the results are all the better for it.
Despite crafting the Wookiee hair and the utility belt from plastic, Hasbro opted for a cotton cape for their Black Series incarnation and the results were mixed. The cape never really seemed to hang properly and left the figure looking a little cheap. The Mafex figure easily surpasses its inferior Black Series predecessor and is vastly improved by these changes.
With regards to articulation, and again, the joints are exceptionally refined giving you the ability to achieve any pose your mind can conceive of. I have tried several, and they all look amazing. The interchangeable hands afford you the ability to recreate every pose from Return of the Jedi and the added bonus of having a joint for the jumpsuit leg lapels allows you to achieve action poses previously unattainable with other versions.
Up Close:
Final Thoughts:
All in all, the Mafex Boba Fett is stunning. It is simply the best action figure of the character ever produced. To put it into simple terms, even if Bandai’s S.H Figuarts range was to produce a version similar to that of its Jango Fett action figure, it simply could not compete with the quality of Mafex. It is the equivalent of having a miniaturized version of the actual character in your hand…yes, it’s that good. It will never be bettered, never surpassed. It is definitive, breath-taking, and has set a new standard for action figures.
Kudos Mafex.
The Medicom Toys Mafex Boba Fett (Return of the Jedi) is available to buy now.
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Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager, and Editor-In-Chief of The Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter @philthecool where he uses the force and babbles frequently!
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Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager, and Editor-In-Chief of The Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force and babbles frequently!
