Review: 75409 Jango Fett's Starship
Posted by CapnRex101,
Many versions of the famed Slave I have been produced, although the vast majority are based on Boba Fett's green-accented vessel instead of Jango's. The Original Trilogy edition is definitely better known, but I do find the scarcity of LEGO models of Jango's vehicle remarkable.
After all, 75409 Jango Fett's Starship is only the fifth version of this vehicle in its Prequel Trilogy colours and three of those are microscale renditions! Moreover, the model has an interesting opportunity to improve on the much-loved 75060 Slave I released in 2015 and it appears the chance has been taken, as the starship's unique curvature looks better than ever.
Summary
75409 Jango Fett's Starship, 2,970 pieces.
£259.99 / $299.99 / €299.99 | 8.8p / 10.1c / 10.1c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
75409 Jango Fett's Starship is the definitive rendition of the Slave I
- Spectacular on display
- Accurate bodywork shape
- Surprisingly detailed interior
- Good functions
- Brilliant Jango Fett minifigure
- Quite a few avoidable stickers
- Boba Fett needs dual-moulded legs
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Like his starship, Jango Fett has only appeared in four sets before now and looks better than ever here, unsurprisingly. The minifigure now includes printed arms and the helmet decoration greatly improves on the previous figure from 2017, featuring a more accurate visor and cleaner lines overall. The new rangefinder is also a welcome addition, with better sculpted details.
A young Boba Fett accompanies his father, featuring the short legs designed for him and Yoda in 2002. His simple tunic and belt are superb, but the colour of his arms is debatable. Dark blue has been used in the past and I prefer that shade to sand blue, although neither colour is wholly accurate. I imagine sand blue was chosen to match Jango's attire.
The lack of dual-moulded legs to represent boots is a greater concern and the hairstyle is too messy, so there are certainly areas to improve. On the other hand, Boba's double-sided head looks good and I like Jango's scarred face, complete with stubble and an angry expression on the reverse.
Notably, these minifigures reflect the change made to Clone Troopers' skin tone in 2020, now using medium nougat rather than the paler flesh tone seen on these characters in 75191 Jedi Starfighter with Hyperdrive.
The Completed Model
Jango Fett's Slave I has always been my preferred version of the vessel and looks fantastic in LEGO form, especially when presented in flight mode. This colour combination makes a lovely change from the normal black and grey that tend to dominate the Ultimate Collector Series and the vehicle's rounded hull shapes are distinctive as well.
Of course, Boba Fett's 75060 Slave I is a natural companion for Jango's vessel on display and the pair look marvellous together. The older model is marginally larger, though the difference is very slight and the proportions of the modern design are more accurate, with a shorter boarding ramp and boom extending beneath the cockpit.
However, the clearest improvement is the rounded engine housing, which takes full advantage of the various curved slopes introduced since 2015 and employs a couple of new elements too. Furthermore, the back of the Slave I captures far more detail and any gaps on the earlier model are closed on the new one. Honestly, the previous version is dated by the comparison.
The display stand remains fairly consistent though, mirroring the skeletal style of these stands across the Ultimate Collector Series. The blue Technic pins are a bit distracting, but the simple structure feels completely stable. Additionally, the supports hardly interfere with details seen on the reverse, leaving as much as possible visible.
Whereas the display stand for Boba Fett's Slave I slid into holes on the back of the model, this one includes actual hooks. The original design was perfectly secure unless you tilted it forward drastically, but a firmer grip between the display stand and its vehicle is helpful, in case disaster strikes!
The plaque is thankfully printed, using the familiar graphic style introduced in 2010. I am sure some will be bothered by the name change, but this was unavoidable. Unfortunately, it seems mistakes on Ultimate Collector Series plaques are equally inevitable, so I have to note that the listed 'concussion missile launcher' should be plural because there are two onscreen.
You can display the transport in its landed configuration if you wish. As mentioned, I favour the flight mode mounted on the stand, but this option would look brilliant in the middle of a Kamino diorama. Also, presenting the model this way highlights the engine cowling, which is one of the set's outstanding attributes.
The 4x4 curved slopes introduced in 75429 AT-AT Driver Helmet are used to brilliant effect on the sides, which makes sense because the piece was actually developed for this set. The egg-like shape is evidently difficult to recreate using LEGO elements and there are a few noticeable gaps where sections join, though most blend into the hull.
The engine housing's varied colours make building an accurate shape even more challenging. Nonetheless, the distribution of dark blue, sand green and light bluish grey around the ramp is effective, albeit needing two larger stickers on the sides. 25 stickers are included in total, which is more than I would ideally like and I do think these slopes should have been printed.
Attack of the Clones provides a great view of the boarding ramp, showing how it sinks into the hull. This model includes a similar feature and pushing the ramp down actually opens the door as well, which is incredibly satisfying. Also, the function works in reverse, so closing the Technic door returns the ramp to its standard position.
Technically, a secondary ramp should extend down to the ground, but there is not really space for a more complex mechanism. However, studs are available to pose Jango Fett boarding his ship and the scale is flawless. You could even recreate the bounty hunter bumping his head on the door, as seen in the film!
The most conspicuous gaps are found around the wings, although even these are minor and I doubt they could be avoided. Otherwise, the structure around the wings looks excellent, as do the wings themselves. The pale yellow highlights are splendid and I appreciate that these vary slightly from one wing to the other, showing some signs of battle wear.
While the Slave I's base has been totally overhauled and is primarily responsible for the nearly 1000 extra parts in this set, compared with 75060 Slave I, the boom section remains pretty much the same. The combination of dark green and sand green curved slopes is accurate and the panels on both sides look fantastic as well, featuring external power conduits and tiny static discharge vents further up.
The blaster cannons are linked through the fuselage, so they can rotate in unison. The texture on the barrels looks superb and I love the 1x1 half round tiles forming intakes seen very briefly onscreen. The yellow panels underneath should cover a pair of missile launchers, but these are not included. Realistically, there is not room for a sliding function here, but perhaps alternative panels with weapons deployed could have been provided.
A panel on the underside finishes this structure and highlights the mix of smooth surfaces and studs. I think the combination works well, as the avoidance of studs across the engine cowling helps to convey its rounded shape, while studs on the fuselage give an impression of wear and rough surface texture.
The transition between the side panels and the 2x8x2 double bows forming the nose was a bit smoother on Boba Fett's vessel than it is here. Conversely, there was a far larger gap between these panels and the wing shrouds on the earlier version, which are much-improved on the new Slave I.
Jango Fett's ship is armed with a pair of rapid-fire laser cannons, featured in the asteroid chase over Geonosis. Unfortunately, they are unable to retract into the hull as they should, although I am glad such often forgotten weapons are included at all. Similarly, I like the Aurebesh stickers reading 'no step'; a sage warning so close to the laser cannons.
The dark green shrouds protecting the wing mechanisms are beautifully sculpted, putting 5x5 curved corner slopes to perfect use. The decorative yellow stripes look accurate to the source material and the contrasting dark orange elements inside are effective as well, offering another splash of colour.
I think mechanical detail has improved on recent Ultimate Collector Series sets, as designers have paid closer attention to capturing texture actually seen onscreen instead of adding more generic greebles. This is a good example, as the taps and nozzles placed inside match details found on studio scale models of the Slave I.
As usual, the wings rotate automatically as the transport moves between its flying and landing modes. This mechanism is fairly smooth and I like the grooves integrated to accommodate the wing struts once the wings reach their horizontal position.
This model appears almost as impressive from behind as it does from the front. The dark blue border around the edge is appealing and the various hinges used to attach sections of the hull are well disguised. Though most do remain exposed, their colours blend into the bodywork and simply become part of its textured surface.
Slave I's engines are among its most recognisable features, with two round thrusters lower on the fuselage and a single engine band above. The use of reddish brown curved slopes around the lower engines is interesting and could look awkward, given the shade is not used anywhere else, but those pieces and the trans-yellow dishes inside really draw attention to the engines.
The panel between these engines opens, similar to a feature on 75060 Slave I. There are a few gaps around the cockpit where accessories or other pieces could fall into the lower fuselage, so this hatch is useful to remove them, just in case.
Of course, Jango Fett's starship would not be complete without its minelayer and the famous seismic charges inside. One seismic charge is included and fits neatly inside a standard door frame. Sadly, the doors cannot slide back and forth, though you can attach the panels in either open or closed positions.
The seismic charge itself is fairly basic, but its shape and the yellow lights correspond with the movie. However, I was disappointed to learn that stickers are used on the 2x2 truncated cones because these pieces have almost always been printed in the past and the stickers are tricky to apply perfectly.
I find it strange that the upper engine is surrounded by black tiles instead of reddish brown like those below, but I suppose either colour suffices. The rectenna dish is well positioned and now includes the horizontal tuning antenna briefly visible in the films, which was missing from 75060 Slave I.
A new cockpit element has been produced for this set, similar to that on the 2015 model, but a couple of studs longer and a brick deeper. The canopy is packaged in its own bag to avoid any scratches, so should arrive in good condition. However, the need for stickers is frustrating, even though I think their colour matches the neighbouring parts better than official images show.
Naturally, the shape of this specialised piece is faultless and I like the stickered stripes beside the cockpit, which are another feature frequently missed from products based on Jango's ship. The yellow highlight and band of sand green elements above the cockpit look splendid too.
The canopy is easily removable to access the interior, which is spread over two decks. I have seen some criticism that the cockpit does not rotate with the wings, but that is not a feature of Jango's Slave I. The gyroscopic cockpit was presumably added by Boba Fett, although Hondo Ohnaka is a candidate too, especially given the ship's terrible condition when it came into his possession during the Clone Wars.
Jango and Boba look superb once placed inside and they are intended to be kept here, hence the lack of space on the display stand. Perhaps headlight bricks could have been provided for Boba to sit down similarly to the Hobbits in the recent The Lord of the Rings sets, but he looks fine standing up because his legs are completely hidden.
The curvature of the command console corresponds with the source material, as does the red-tinted scope on top. However, my favourite feature is the Oovo 4 sticker applied just above the cockpit, in reference to the prison moon where Jango acquired his craft. The designer, Jackson Hughes, was eager to include this homage to the Star Wars: Bounty Hunter video game.
The upper deck slides out, which makes it much easier to place the minifigures inside. Three seats are available and their slender backrests are faithful to the film. Moreover, the stickered consoles are inspired by designs seen in Attack of the Clones, with a chart of nearby asteroids on the left, a status display on the right and the targeting computer in the centre.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars gives an extended look at the vessel's interior and a door located behind the cockpit. There is no space for a proper door and adjoining dormitory on the LEGO model, unsurprisingly, but the black tiles and frame around the door look marvellous, even so.
Additionally, the door functions as a hatch for storage, with clips for Jango Fett's blaster pistols and a stud to keep his jetpack on the back. The bacta tank underneath is a clever inclusion too, although I wish there was somewhere for Jango's helmet. Of course, you can merely place it on an empty chair, but a proper rack would be preferable.
On the topic of empty chairs, two further seats are situated on the lower deck, with columns to reinforce the level above. This area is never explored onscreen, although passenger seats are pictured in reference books, so their inclusion is certainly appreciated.
Overall
Like so many, I have been looking forward to a modern version of Jango Fett's Slave I, finally improving on the classic 7153 Jango Fett's Slave I produced in 2002. Over two decades is an extremely long time to wait, especially given how regularly Boba's version of the ship has been revisited, but 75409 Jango Fett's Starship is an exceptional reward for our patience!
The characteristic hull shape is more authentic than ever and the creation of some new curved slopes to capture its shape seems appropriate, as new slopes were similarly introduced for the 2002 model. The colour scheme and interior are stunning too, though the quantity of stickers is disappointing for an Ultimate Collector Series model.
Otherwise, I have few complaints. Boba Fett's hair piece could be improved and dual-moulded legs would have been ideal, plus somewhere to stow Jango's helmet inside. Fortunately, these flaws are easily outweighed by the set's many qualities and even the price of £259.99, $299.99 or €299.99 feels fairly reasonable, given the high standard of detail.
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75 comments on this article
This is probably one of the best UCS sets; my favorites have always been the minifig-compatible ones (the Falcon, AT-AT, Ewok Village, etc.).
That's easily the best Jango Fett minifigure we've ever gotten. Also, love the picture of him bumping his head, lol.
Awesome set and review. I have a certain fondness for AotC, it being the first SW film I recall seeing in theaters as a kid. I was so young that “clone” wasn’t in my lexicon, and thought the title was “Attack of the Clowns.” I guess some critics would suggest that’s a more appropriate title.
If the rumors of a play scale set coming this summer are true, I’ll probably snag that. Otherwise… this is mighty tempting.
I didn't see the concealed weapon systems? Am I missing something?
Never mind, you addressed it in your review.
Thank you!
It is VERY tempting.
*adds to want list*
It is veeery nice, but c'mon, at least the cockpit (same issue in the boba fett ucs) and the droid heads should be prints.
I'm definitely going to the LEGO Store to pick this up day 1!
I am looking forward to getting this and placing it opposite the 2015 version. I love collecting Slave-1, and I hope there’s a smaller scale version of Jango’s coming soon, because we need a swooshable version to go along with this one!
Thanks for the side to side with the Slave I, I was waiting for it !
It’s real nice, it is. But what about retracting weaponry? I know play-set versions have it but so did the last UCS Slave 1. It was a critical scene in the movie where the torpedo panel opened and JANGO fired a homing missile to “finish off” Obi-wan. Why not include similar weapon panels like on the previous Slave 1?
What a stunning set. The build itself is nearly perfect. There were a lot of things I didn't like about the 2015 UCS Slave I build, but this new version fixes pretty much everything and introduces an amazing new feature in the boarding ramp. Can't wait for the playscale version this fall!
Here I am holding out for a micro fighter.
Kinda disappointed with the lack of hidden weapons and Jango should be purple-ish in my opinion, but the seismic charge is really cool. Not very fond of sets I can't swoosh around, but this was almost tempting. Almost. Will wait for his little bro, I hope it will be updated as well since the BoBF version, because I was able to improve that one tremendously with just a few pieces.
I love it so much, especially the references to Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Such an amazing game that really fleshes out Jango’s story. In fact, I think I’ll play through it again while I eagerly await May 1st!
Very pretty set. I always love seeing the designers show off how well they can work with curves. And I'm definitely a fan of many of the more colorful and personalized Star Wars ships like this one.
I'm also a kid of the prequel generation, and while I appreciate that those films are more divisive among older fans than the original trilogy, I still have quite the fondness for them, especially at some of their sillier moments. Like, a Ben Hur sendup with colorful, tricked-out rocket chariots? A flying car chase in the big city? Obi-Wan playing detective for an hour after getting a lead from his mild-mannered informant buddy at the space diner? A gladiator fight against three monstrous alien beasties? That's what I love Star Wars for, more so than any of the actual "war" elements.
The improved Jango Fett minifig is much overdue — it's kinda wild that it took this long to get a non-whitewashed minifig of him, and his expressions definitely bring the sort of energy that Temuera Morrison brought in his on-screen performance. His stubble could maybe stand to be a bit lighter, but that's my only nitpick.
Can't say I see myself picking it up — my wife is the bigger LEGO Star Wars fan between the two of us, and they seemed disinterested when I brought it up — but it's a beautifully designed set all around, and one that brings back quite a few fond memories for me. Thanks for the review!
Nice review! The comparison pics to the previous UCS set of Boba's version really hit home just how much has been improved design-wise in the decade(!) since that set's release. The lower dome is now much nicer, replacing the compound curves of the original with much smoother, more precise shaping.
Wow!
Details and shaping are exquisite.
Love to see a new UCS Slave-1 given this treatment down the road.
Great set, weak price.
OMG IM PRAYING THEY MAKE A MICRO FIGHTER
IT WAS SO FUNNY WATCHING EVERYONE LOSE THEIR MINDS AT THE CAPTAIN REX ONE, I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO WITNESS THAT AGAIN!!!!
Overall I like the new building techniques and the amount of space in the cockpit on both levels, but those gaps in the white parts next to the windscreen and underneath the green round armor look horrible. Why couldn't they place a more proper curved slope around the cockpit instead of setting the old 1x4 curved slope at an angle? The gaps that those hinges create look very unpleasing. Stickers on the seismic charge are also horrible but this has been mentioned plenty of times.
I remember how advanced 7153 looked back when it first came out, using all those new curved wedge pieces. Looks downright primitive beside this, now. Looks like a really nice rendition, worthy of the UCS line-up. Not quite for me, though--I've never been able to get past how much it looks like an iron.
This is definitely going up there as one of my favorite UCS sets of all time! Like you, Capn, Jango’s version of the starship has always been my preferred version and I’m thrilled to be getting this set after so many years.
Luckily, not being a fan of the prequels, I can save $300 and skip this. Very happy with my UCS Slave I.
As long as SW nerds will still buy this on day 1 at full price, even though the figures are so lackluster and every detail is solved with stickers, LEGO will never make UCS sets better. The company moto should be rather changed to "only the bare minimum is good enough".
Too expensive for my liking, plus I hate stickers with a vengeance.
Perhaps I'll get the upcoming playscale version to accompany my 7153.
That set has two strange distinctions. For one it's the only set I ever got during my dark ages. My parents gifted it to me at Christmas 2002.
Secondly I never wished for this set at all. I wasn't a Star Wars fan at the time (still wouldn't call myself a fan today, I just happen to like SciFi in general) and I never particularly liked that vessel to begin with. It has grown on me over time, but why I got that set back then is a total mystery to me.
The second SW UCS I will get in over 17 years of collecting. The first was Death Star 10188. I now just have to wait my birthday in August, and gather VIP points, as much as possible. Thanks for the excellent review and detailed pictures.
Love the idea of the microfighter in the future... What I was really hoping in this review was the obligatory photo of all the Jango 'starships'; of all scales!
If I currently was not saving up for other things right now, I would order it right now. Still, this may be my favorite UCS starship of all time, I just simply love the color of this version over Boba's. As a kid I loved every moment in Attack of the Clones with Jango and his starship. And the price just seems very fair as well, while I do think they could have printed some parts, stickers have never really bothered me.
Much love for the Oovo IV detail - is Star Wars: Bounty Hunter canon again? I sure damn hope so, brilliant game.
Why can't Lego make transparent pieces anymore? The canopy has a bluish tint.
I like it. The shape is much better than 75060. I will display them together nonetheless.
Contrary to many around here, I don't really mind stickers. I do however mind the stickers on the seismic charge. Those are downright stupid.
Argh. I don't get UCS sets as a rule but I am sorely tempted to break that. Jango has always been one of my favourite characters in Star Wars and I have a huge fondness for 7153 - I remember seeing early photos and having my mind blown when it turned up under the Christmas tree the year after.
What I *should* do is finally make that colour swapped version of 75312 and try and pretend this doesn't exist.
"It's beautiful"
I actually think dual molded legs to represent boots would be less accurate, because Jango doesn't actually wear boots!
The blues look so much darker in the official photos. I prefer that shade though I understand it’s all lighting, the color is the color.
@Jumperstud said:
"Why can't Lego make transparent pieces anymore? The canopy has a bluish tint."
Because they switched from PC to MABS to save on tooling costs. MABS will never be as clear as PC used to be and it's also less scratch resistant.
@R0Sch said:
" @Jumperstud said:
"Why can't Lego make transparent pieces anymore? The canopy has a bluish tint."
Because they switched from PC to MABS to save on tooling costs. MABS will never be as clear as PC used to be and it's also less scratch resistant."
While MABS is less scratch resistant, I disagree about the other aspects. First, for whatever reason MABS holds onto its mold release and needs to be washed with Dawn or similar. That removes the cloudiness. Second, MABS flouresces in UV light, which only becomes noticeable either in direct sunlight or with other UV sources. Either that or the mold release are what people are seeing as a “bluish” tint.
I have a few pics on my Flickr stream detailing the comparisons. You absolutely cannot tell which is MABS and which isn’t until I apply the UV light source.
But I do wish LEGO would wash the new trans parts first. It seems ridiculous that we should have to do that just so they can pretend to be planet friendly or whatever.
@peterlmorris said:
" @R0Sch said:
" @Jumperstud said:
"Why can't Lego make transparent pieces anymore? The canopy has a bluish tint."
Because they switched from PC to MABS to save on tooling costs. MABS will never be as clear as PC used to be and it's also less scratch resistant."
While MABS is less scratch resistant, I disagree about the other aspects. First, for whatever reason MABS holds onto its mold release and needs to be washed with Dawn or similar. That removes the cloudiness. Second, MABS flouresces in UV light, which only becomes noticeable either in direct sunlight or with other UV sources. Either that or the mold release are what people are seeing as a “bluish” tint.
I have a few pics on my Flickr stream detailing the comparisons. You absolutely cannot tell which is MABS and which isn’t until I apply the UV light source.
But I do wish LEGO would wash the new trans parts first. It seems ridiculous that we should have to do that just so they can pretend to be planet friendly or whatever.
"
Thank you for this info! It didn't occur to me to wash my MABS parts.
I like the fact we can get more parts in Transparent colors.
I'll stick to the 70828 Pop-Up Party Bus, eventally I'll take it apart, and make something else of it, but uses the same canopy as the original UCS , and purple transparent pieces became more useful now that Friends space uses the colors ( 42602 Space Research Rover)
@TheMikeStrikesBack said:
"I love it so much, especially the references to Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Such an amazing game that really fleshes out Jango’s story. In fact, I think I’ll play through it again while I eagerly await May 1st!"
Jango Fett: Open Seasons is a must-read for anyone who liked SWBH... really, any Jango fan in general.
As for the set: if I didn't have 75060, I would get this in a heartbeat. But I also don't have any more space for large sets, if we're being honest.
It's so pretty! Coming from the 2002 version this seems so much more like the one in the movie, it's insane! Those colors look so good!
@peterlmorris said:
" @R0Sch said:
" @Jumperstud said:
"Why can't Lego make transparent pieces anymore? The canopy has a bluish tint."
Because they switched from PC to MABS to save on tooling costs. MABS will never be as clear as PC used to be and it's also less scratch resistant."
While MABS is less scratch resistant, I disagree about the other aspects. First, for whatever reason MABS holds onto its mold release and needs to be washed with Dawn or similar. That removes the cloudiness."
Really? That would be awesome since I have stopped buying new sets with the new trans-milk material as the pieces just look awful. It's not just a feeling either, the difference in appearance is highly noticeable.
What do you wash the parts with in order to get rid of the cloudiness? Dawn? What is that? What are it's ingredients and what is it used for normally? Is it some special chemical compound?
Sorry for the many questions but I have never heard of a product called Dawn before.
@AustinPowers said:
"Sorry for the many questions but I have never heard of a product called Dawn before. "
Dish soap
Perdonen mi ignorancia. ¿Esto es una plancha o una aspiradora de mano?.
I hate when Brickset intentionally goes out of their way to be less negative to avoid joining the mob. That Boba minifig is an abomination in every possible way, not just the lack of dual molded legs. You don’t have to be an MandR fan to recognize that
@lego4elio said:
"I hate when Brickset intentionally goes out of their way to be less negative to avoid joining the mob. That Boba minifig is an abomination in every possible way, not just the lack of dual molded legs. You don’t have to be an MandR fan to recognize that"
“That Boba minifig is an abomination…”
Lol. You’re one of those MandR guys alright. Haha keep those comments coming!
@lego4elio said:
"I hate when Brickset intentionally goes out of their way to be less negative to avoid joining the mob. That Boba minifig is an abomination in every possible way, not just the lack of dual molded legs. You don’t have to be an MandR fan to recognize that"
I think describing the minifigure as an abomation is a bit strong! The head and torso are both fine, but there are undoubtedly issues.
The hair piece is not really suitable and I think they should have used the element from his past minifigures, although that is not perfect either: https://brickset.com/parts/design-88283
The lack of dual-moulded legs is disappointing. The graphic designer was asked about this in a roundtable and acknowledged that it was a choice based on budget for new parts, which is always a frustrating reason for us to hear as fans, but a reality.
The arm colour is debatable. I would prefer dark blue, but the LEGO shade of dark blue is far from an ideal match for Boba's onscreen garb and I can see why sand blue was chosen. The essential factor is consistency between Jango's undersuit and Boba's sleeves, in which case both needed to be changed to dark blue or both remain sand blue. Maybe that would be a worthwhile change for both minifigures, but I am not sure whether it would work for Jango.
Great review! However, I believe there are a couple typos: 1) "While the Slave I's base has been totally overhauled and is primarily responsible for the nearly 1000 extra parts in this set, compared with 75060 Slave I, this section remains pretty much the same."; 2) "pair of rapid-fire lase cannons,".
I always learn something from a CapnRex SW review. Had no idea that the original bridge was stationary. I do prefer the extra storage and seating regardless. I love the ramp functionality, and the update shaping is also fantastic. Overall, it's truly a great set.
On the other hand, the canopy, astromech, and base slope stickers are the worst. The color-matching may be better than official images (which is humorous), but is still atrocious and likely to be worse in North America. The absence of dual-molded legs on Boba is inexcusable. Jango should also have a pilot headset print and silver backpack and silver pistols (that would be a very useful part with a metallic sheen). The faults, combined with the lack of an exclusive GWP (non-Lego doesn't count) make the price deplorable.
I will almost certainly wait.
The budget cop-out really belies the need for indepth follow-ups. There really need to be questions asked when Lego convenes a group of so-called journalists and then refuses to permit tough questions or bans those who ask them. Lego's use of the LAN to promote products in this manner violates various anticompetitive regulations in the US and Europe- especially regarding truth in advertising aspects.
It would be a fun lawsuit. I guarantee that would certainly blow through the budget.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @lego4elio said:
"I hate when Brickset intentionally goes out of their way to be less negative to avoid joining the mob. That Boba minifig is an abomination in every possible way, not just the lack of dual molded legs. You don’t have to be an MandR fan to recognize that"
I think describing the minifigure as an abomation is a bit strong! The head and torso are both fine, but there are undoubtedly issues.
The hair piece is not really suitable and I think they should have used the element from his past minifigures, although that is not perfect either: https://brickset.com/parts/design-88283
The lack of dual-moulded legs is disappointing. The graphic designer was asked about this in a roundtable and acknowledged that it was a choice based on budget for new parts, which is always a frustrating reason for us to hear as fans, but a reality.
The arm colour is debatable. I would prefer dark blue, but the LEGO shade of dark blue is far from an ideal match for Boba's onscreen garb and I can see why sand blue was chosen. The essential factor is consistency between Jango's undersuit and Boba's sleeves, in which case both needed to be changed to dark blue or both remain sand blue. Maybe that would be a worthwhile change for both minifigures, but I am not sure whether it would work for Jango."
Couple of things, Boba's torso is actually not fine. His belt should absolutely be black like the previous versions. There is no reason for them to have used brown. Hairpiece aside, this figure has plenty of issues. Pretty much everything is wrong.
Second, Jango's flight suit on the actual costume has NEVER been blue. This is a common misconception. It is actually purple. This can be most clearly seen during the Geonosis scenes in Episode II, but also during the entirety of the Star Wars Bounty Hunter game. This is why the original figure used the now-discontinued violet for the arms & legs. The sand blue that they used in 2013 was wrong, and it's still wrong now. It really annoys me that they can't seem to get this right, especially now that there's a wealth of purple colors to choose from. I think lavender or medium lavender would work best, personally. Sand purple would be PERFECT if they hadn't discontinued that beautiful color.
I would pay good money for a custom minifig company to actually fix these issues, though that really shouldn't be necessary in the first place. UCS sets should contain the definitive versions of each character, but unfortunately this one really misses the mark IMO. The arm printing on Jango is lovely but that's just about the only positive remark I have. It's such a shame they printed it on the wrong color of arms.
I won't even begin to list the issues I have with the color accuracy of the ship itself, but suffice to say they are numerous.
@StyleCounselor said:
"The budget cop-out really belies the need for indepth follow-ups. There really need to be questions asked when Lego convenes a group of so-called journalists and then refuses to permit tough questions or bans those who ask them. Lego's use of the LAN to promote products in this manner violates various anticompetitive regulations in the US and Europe- especially regarding truth in advertising aspects."
Seriously? They're a private company, not the government. They aren't required to give the press unfettered access to anything. Truth in advertising laws are more about keeping companies from making patently untrue, and provably deceptive claims to the public. The main delineation between fan media sites that are part of the LAN and those that are not comes down to breaking embargo on new product reviews. And that's absolutely a fair way to play it. Otherwise, closest to the factory is incentivized to crank out a rushed review just to get the clicks, while someone who actually takes the time to write an in-depth review, or just happens to live far enough away that shipping takes several more days, will be walking onto the stage as the last member of the audience is walking out the door. Furthermore, for licensed IP, TLG frequently has firm street dates imposed on them by the studios and/or distributors, and a fan media site breaking the embargo puts _TLG_ in a bind when they mailed that person the set that got plastered all over the internet the day before anyone was allowed to show pictures. If those sites and channels want to fight for the claim of being first, and they can manage to get their hands on black market copies before the embargo date arrives, kicking them out of the LAN at least shows that TLG's hands are clean and keeps them in the good graces of their licensing partners.
More to the point, none of these sites are involved in legitimate investigative journalism. If they were, the people who end up posting early reviews should be focusing on uncovering how they managed to obtain their black market copies, which almost certainly results in them being in possession of stolen goods.
@PurpleDave said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
"The budget cop-out really belies the need for indepth follow-ups. There really need to be questions asked when Lego convenes a group of so-called journalists and then refuses to permit tough questions or bans those who ask them. Lego's use of the LAN to promote products in this manner violates various anticompetitive regulations in the US and Europe- especially regarding truth in advertising aspects."
Seriously? They're a private company, not the government. They aren't required to give the press unfettered access to anything. Truth in advertising laws are more about keeping companies from making patently untrue, and provably deceptive claims to the public. The main delineation between fan media sites that are part of the LAN and those that are not comes down to breaking embargo on new product reviews. And that's absolutely a fair way to play it. Otherwise, closest to the factory is incentivized to crank out a rushed review just to get the clicks, while someone who actually takes the time to write an in-depth review, or just happens to live far enough away that shipping takes several more days, will be walking onto the stage as the last member of the audience is walking out the door. Furthermore, for licensed IP, TLG frequently has firm street dates imposed on them by the studios and/or distributors, and a fan media site breaking the embargo puts _TLG_ in a bind when they mailed that person the set that got plastered all over the internet the day before anyone was allowed to show pictures. If those sites and channels want to fight for the claim of being first, and they can manage to get their hands on black market copies before the embargo date arrives, kicking them out of the LAN at least shows that TLG's hands are clean and keeps them in the good graces of their licensing partners.
More to the point, none of these sites are involved in legitimate investigative journalism. If they were, the people who end up posting early reviews should be focusing on uncovering how they managed to obtain their black market copies, which almost certainly results in them being in possession of stolen goods."
Companies, private or otherwise, do not have unfettered discretion as to what they can mandate, especially when controlling the speech and advertising they benefit from and subsidize through supposedly neutral journalists/creators.
The more Lego tries to control them, the easier it would be to pierce the veil of supposed independence. The recent update to the LAN terms that have been disclosed show an incredible amount of regulation and control. Also, on a real level, the behavior of these supposed independents at 'media events' is truly laughable (having to put up with Duck-dude's constant, audible gushing would personally drive me crazy!).
It is amazing to me that Lego would dramatically increase its LAN control at precisely the same time the FTC was clamping down on social media and their creators. Yet, corporate lawyers are notoriously under-educated and lazy when it comes to the real law. It comes from the cushy, corner office, executive perks, managerial job description, and 9-to-5 hours. They get criticized as it is for getting in the way of what executives want to do. That's what trial attorneys are for.
This case would almost certainly go to a jury, and that's always when things get interesting. Like I said, it would be fun. I just have better/bigger fish to fry. Lego is my relax space.
Somehow the ship's picture on the UCS plaque feels "different" - more bland somehow. I remember older ones using some shadows to make it feel more dynamic. Was this the first time they did this new style?
Other than that I really like it (especially when compared to the older UCS Slave I).
Great review! Very nicely comprehensive.
Thank you for mentioning Hondo Ohnaka too; I managed to snag 75060 for half price without minifigs so modified the cockpit slightly to allow side-by-side piloting by Hondo & Aurra (with a slightly non-canon young Boba hiding behind them).
I suspect I will not be able to repeat that pricing trick with this new set...
@TeriXeri said:
"I'll stick to the 70828 Pop-Up Party Bus, (...)"
That was such a fantastic reuse of the mould, and a truly wonderful set. I'm hoping this new mould means we'll get an updated, larger Party Bus! ;-)
This will go into history as one off the LEGO SW UCS GOATs. Looks almost like a MOC; insane how well they managed to replicate the proportions.
Day one buy.
It looks very nice, perhaps the most beautiful UCS set. I wasn't going to buy it, but I might change my mind. We'll see how the supposed playset version turns out.
I think the Boba minifigure wouldn't be half as controversial if there hadn't been a very similar kid figure with the same hair and skin colour in the Dark Falcon last year. Rumour has it that in the playset version he'll get new hair later in this year, so Lego probably knew this wasn't the best choice.
Thanks for the review!
Thank you for the great review, and especially for the many comparison photos with 75060. The revised ovoid shape is undeniably truer to the source material, but the gaps between the forward blue slopes bother me tremendously, likewise the aft sand green pieces with stickers. Like the Mon Calamari Home One, this craft is almost entirely bulbous shapes and therefore notoriously difficult to recreate with bricks. I respect the creative solutions employed here, but I think 75060's flared nose portion looks much better.
From the back/underside, this one is definitely more refined, but the choice of brown around the engines is bizarre and off-putting, especially given the black border around the third engine. As you noted, this region is better filled-in than 75060, but I think only moderately so. Looking at the comparison photos of both sides, I still can't see where 1,000 additional pieces have gone. A couple hundred maybe, but a thousand? It's a mystery.
The stickers on the conical pieces is just shameful. I'm lucky to have 75060, so this one is an easy pass for me.
Going off the rumours of the playset, I would probably get that one once it comes out. But if not, this is very tempting. I wouldn't mind picking it up as my first (and probably only) UCS set actually.
Great review as always.
Design seems far too similar to the original to worry about curvature and detail improvements using later pieces to go out and buy. Also made me want to source the original as prefer the Empire Strikes Back color scheme, whereas this just looks too much like a MOC using spares.
I really hesitate: this one, or Birthday party in the Shire (with its magnificent Party Tree) ? Both would make a pretty birthday gift anyway, the hardest is to choose between them... I just wish I could have them both.
SPACESHIP!11
@R0Sch:
@peterlmorris:
Thanks guys for the answer!
@b2_O said:
"OMG IM PRAYING THEY MAKE A MICRO FIGHTER
IT WAS SO FUNNY WATCHING EVERYONE LOSE THEIR MINDS AT THE CAPTAIN REX ONE, I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO WITNESS THAT AGAIN!!!!"
Imo the funniest thing about the Rex microfighter is how much everyone complained about how "bad" that figure was when the Venator came out, and then did a complete switch-up when the microfighter came out. It's just like the Gunship, where people are still whining about that yellow Commander years later but were somehow mad about that figure (which they hated) being rereleased in another set.
So actually a microfighter WOULD be funny, but only if it came with this set's exclusive Young Boba Fett, haha
@Brick_t_ said:
"I really hesitate: this one, or Birthday party in the Shire (with its magnificent Party Tree) ? Both would make a pretty birthday gift anyway, the hardest is to choose between them... I just wish I could have them both. "
Well, one is $100 overpriced, a tiny cramped main build that uses large curved slope pieces that look awful, has one of the worst side builds in LEGO history, and an impressively lazy set of minifigures.
The other is a cool spaceship with a cool guy in a cool helmet.
Difficult choice.
The shaping on the new one is undeniably fantastic, especially compared to the old one which itself was already well regarded. I can't believe how good Jango's ship looks from behind, his figure is damn nice too.
@Nokturn said:
"Couple of things, Boba's torso is actually not fine. His belt should absolutely be black like the previous versions. There is no reason for them to have used brown. Hairpiece aside, this figure has plenty of issues. Pretty much everything is wrong.
Second, Jango's flight suit on the actual costume has NEVER been blue. This is a common misconception. It is actually purple. This can be most clearly seen during the Geonosis scenes in Episode II, but also during the entirety of the Star Wars Bounty Hunter game. This is why the original figure used the now-discontinued violet for the arms & legs. The sand blue that they used in 2013 was wrong, and it's still wrong now. It really annoys me that they can't seem to get this right, especially now that there's a wealth of purple colors to choose from. I think lavender or medium lavender would work best, personally. Sand purple would be PERFECT if they hadn't discontinued that beautiful color.
I would pay good money for a custom minifig company to actually fix these issues, though that really shouldn't be necessary in the first place. UCS sets should contain the definitive versions of each character, but unfortunately this one really misses the mark IMO. The arm printing on Jango is lovely but that's just about the only positive remark I have. It's such a shame they printed it on the wrong color of arms.
I won't even begin to list the issues I have with the color accuracy of the ship itself, but suffice to say they are numerous."
Boba Fett's belt appears to be a dark leather onscreen, so black works, but dark brown is by no means a disastrous choice.
With regard to Jango's undersuit, this has been a debate since 2002. The colour on Geonosis and in promotional shots of the costume is definitely a bluish purple, but the behind-the-scenes documentary for Attack of the Clones shows it closer to blue during the scenes on Kamino. The general concensus is that two different colours were used and the 501st actually permits either 'slate blue' or 'burple', as they describe them: https://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:BH_jangofett
Sand blue is quite a close match for that slate blue shade, though I can understand wanting something nearer purple. I think LEGO's current purple or lavender tones would be too vivid, so sand blue seems like a reasonable compromise.
As for the colour of the actual ship, its true colours are obviously dirtier, like so many things in Star Wars, but these are suitable shades from the LEGO colour palette.
@CapnRex101 said:
"As for the colour of the actual ship, its true colours are obviously dirtier, like so many things in Star Wars, but these are suitable shades from the LEGO colour palette."
Sorry, but I just don't agree. This isn't about weathering. Everywhere LEGO has decided to use dark green, the actual ship uses something much closer to black. This is very apparent on Kamino, as well as in every scene the ship appears in during the course of The Clone Wars. LEGO's dark green is simply just too vibrant to look correct, and black would've looked significantly better. They even used it on the original 2002 set. Other toy companies have gotten this wrong as well, though there are some counterexamples. I am genuinely not sure what reference material the dark green is coming from. Even the Incredible Cross Sections book shows it as black.
Additionally, the engine output should be transparent orange rather than transparent yellow. The wings should probably be tan, and the boarding ramp should be dark gray.
Those issues aside, the thing that bothers me the absolute most is the choice of windscreen color. It is very clearly tinted in the film. I have no idea why they didn't use the beautiful newer transparent black color here. It would've looked so much nicer and more accurate than clear. The rest of the issues I have can be fixed with some modification, this one cannot and will likely never be possible to fix.
Sadly, for me, the entire existence of Star Wars was destroyed the second Jake the Muss appeared in the movie. If you know…
I had no idea the cockpit didn't rotate in AotC, but you're right. However, now that I've watched all the Slave I scenes again, I think you're wrong about Hondo/Boba adding that feature. I think it NEVER rotates, even after the original trilogy - in the Mandalorian they show Boba lying back in the seat at takeoff. The passenger compartment below the actual cockpit does rotate, however.
I can't wait to get this.
Though I would still like to see a more affordable Jango Slave 1.
I can't believe that as a long-time Star Wars fan, I've only just learned from this review that the rotating cockpit feature was only introduced with Boba's version of the Slave I.
I'm definitely expecting a playscale Jango Slave I sometime soon, hopefully with another Kaminoan minifigure to join Taun We
@Nokturn said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
"As for the colour of the actual ship, its true colours are obviously dirtier, like so many things in Star Wars, but these are suitable shades from the LEGO colour palette."
Sorry, but I just don't agree. This isn't about weathering. Everywhere LEGO has decided to use dark green, the actual ship uses something much closer to black. This is very apparent on Kamino, as well as in every scene the ship appears in during the course of The Clone Wars. LEGO's dark green is simply just too vibrant to look correct, and black would've looked significantly better. They even used it on the original 2002 set. Other toy companies have gotten this wrong as well, though there are some counterexamples. I am genuinely not sure what reference material the dark green is coming from. Even the Incredible Cross Sections book shows it as black.
Additionally, the engine output should be transparent orange rather than transparent yellow. The wings should probably be tan, and the boarding ramp should be dark gray.
Those issues aside, the thing that bothers me the absolute most is the choice of windscreen color. It is very clearly tinted in the film. I have no idea why they didn't use the beautiful newer transparent black color here. It would've looked so much nicer and more accurate than clear. The rest of the issues I have can be fixed with some modification, this one cannot and will likely never be possible to fix."
I agree that the canopy could have been darker, although trans-clear has the advantage of showing the interior more clearly, so there are positives and negatives.
With regard to the dark green areas, I think dark green is accurate. It is difficult to tell in the film because the Slave I's environment is always dark, but I just looked back at the scene on Kamino and there are a few shots where a green tint is definitely visible. like this one: https://images.brickset.com/news/120794_AOTC%20Screenshot.png
Also, the vast majority of Slave I products developed for the film in 2002 featured dark green and I imagine 7153 Jango Fett's Slave I only used black because dark green was then a brand new colour created for a specific Galidor character, so may not have been available to the Star Wars designers. I think Lucasfilm would have objected to the vast majority of products using dark green if that was wrong.
Lastly, you mentioned that those areas are distinctly black in The Clone Wars, but I disagree. Look at this shot from season two: https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/images/slave-i-3-retina_8ffc7514.jpeg?region=0%2C0%2C1200%2C511
@CapnRex101 Funny, that exact screenshot from TCW that you linked is the one I was thinking of to illustrate my point. That is very clearly black, at least to me. At the very least, LEGO's dark green certainly does not match that color. It is far too saturated. Jango's ship is colorful, but it's not THAT colorful.
As a side note, I looked into the viability of replacing every dark green piece with black, and unfortunately it is not currently possible. Some pieces are just too new and haven't been released in black yet. Guess I'll be waiting a long time to be able to make some much-needed modifications. I'm honestly surprised more people don't have an issue with the colors chosen for this set, I genuinely think it looks terrible and clashes pretty heavily in a way that the on-screen ship does not. I've always preferred Jango's color scheme over Boba's but I guess that doesn't extend to the 'definitive' LEGO versions.
Wow, I thought the UCS Boba Fett Slave I was new, until I realized its 10 years old now. Am I really that old? I remember when it came out I was 9, now I'm 19.
I can't believe how quick time flies
Gorgeous set, simply gorgeous set. Maybe my favorite UCS so far. I'm very excited to pick one up next week - or more accurately, wait for it to be delivered. If only it wasn't a Thursday release, I'd go to the LEGO Store when it opens. Oh well!
But if some sales rumors are true, perhaps I can visit later in the day and finally pick up that Venator..
Not even Lego's fault, but that's nicely done thing is just an aesthetic disaster that looks bad from every angle. The original color scheme was bad enough and this version does nothing to improve on it. A litany of weird decisions made manifest as a three-hundred dollar nostalgia trap.
Obviously, opinions may vary, and Lego knows the market better than I do.
Also, wow, stickers on conic sections? Thats just unnecessary cruelty.
Do the side panels open like Boba’s where it shows hidden cannons?