Review: 75119 Sergeant Jyn Erso
Posted by CapnRex101,
Most of the Rogue One range received an overwhelmingly positive reaction when the sets were revealed at the beginning of September. 75119 Sergeant Jyn Erso was perhaps the only exception as it appears to suffer from some of the issues which have plagued previous Buildable Figures including some strange proportions and an oddly stylised head sculpt.
Nevertheless, the Buildable Figures have surprised me in the past and there are certainly some appealing features which I am excited to explore. Read on to find out whether the set has surpassed my modest expectations or if, as many expected, it is among the weakest Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sets.
The Completed Model
The figure measures 24cm in height so is significantly shorter than 75120 K-2SO but they are still not scaled perfectly together and I think the length of Jyn's legs should be reduced. However, Jyn Erso looks remarkably impressive on the whole, with few visible gaps between panels and fairly realistic proportions which are an improvement over many previous Buildable Figures.
Her head sculpt incorporates a dark tan helmet, a pair of goggles and a generic face with the angular features we have come to expect from the Buildable Figures range. It hardly resembles Felicity Jones but I like the helmet and the goggles introduce a bit of welcome colour. I wonder whether a more realistic design would benefit these figures as on a traditional action figure, although the stylisation does set them apart which is to be admired in my opinion.
The torso includes a new piece which is slightly more shapely than usual and might therefore be better suited to most female characters. It is printed with a plain jacket which is accurate to Jyn's attire in the film but the absence of colour leaves the model looking dull in comparison with some of the other Buildable Figures. It is also worth noting that the panels covering the arms are new in dark bluish grey so this could prove to be a valuable parts pack. A gear on the back of the torso can be turned to move the arms back and forth and two batons are stored on her back. They look rather incongruous but I appreciate the attempt to store the weapons and they make sense given the flailing arm function.
The batons can be held in Jyn's hands and this provides plenty of options for displaying the figure as it is possible to create some dynamic poses. However, they seem unnecessary to me and feel more like an attempt to increase the piece count than something which truly improves the set, much like the blaster pistol and handcuffs included with 75110 Luke Skywalker.
The new thigh panels appear in all three of the Rogue One Buildable Figures and I think they look particularly good on this model. The gap between the legs and the torso is relatively subtle and the articulation is not compromised which is very impressive. I also like the contrast between the black trousers and the dark brown feet, although it would have been nice to see a pair of 3L liftarms used to fill the spaces on top of each foot.
Jyn is also armed with a large blaster rifle which looks brilliant. I love the extended barrel and the light bluish grey stock matches it nicely, complementing the pearl dark grey element which forms the core of the weapon. The sight looks great and is also functional, concealing the trigger mechanism for the spring-loaded shooter which is a nice change as the trigger is often positioned beneath the barrel, thereby interfering with the hands of the figure.
Overall
I had relatively low expectations for this set but have been pleasantly surprised. Human characters with exposed flesh are particularly difficult to recreate in this form but the new panels are quite effective and I think the head looks decent, although it would be interesting to see a more authentic sculpt in future. The new torso element is splendid and it works perfectly with the black thigh panels which have also been introduced in this wave.
The price is also a little higher than I would like. I think the batons and geared function could have been omitted while the limbs could have been shortened a little in accordance with a reduced price of £14.99 or $19.99. At its core, the figure is quite similar to 75113 Rey and there is no need for superfluous accessories which attempt to justify a higher price point.
I cannot recommend this figure over 75120 K-2SO and 75121 Imperial Death Trooper given that all three share the same price point but I must emphasise that this is a good set and I think it is worth purchasing, although perhaps not until it is available at a slightly lower price.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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14 comments on this article
That torso piece would have been great if it was recolored for Bionicle's Gali. Pity that line was cancelled.
Definitely the best human sculpt for a Star Wars buildable figure since Obi-Wan in my opinion.
That last shot may have convinced me to get this set... well, actually, no it hasn't. I'm still going to collect all the system sets first.
Bought this set the day it came out. It's really quite good. Even better with a few modifications. The first thing I always modify with these sets is the gun. I hate the missile launcher thing in it. I actually shot myself in the eye with her gun befor I modded it.
I think LEGO should create a new hand piece for the human figures. (Or at least an opened hand).
I like this set also, but I will not get it. The torso is fantastic. We all like the new leg pieces because they are rounded off more. This set suffers because they did not make rounded shell 4 and 5 for the arms. It makes her look like a husky linebacker. The arms throw it out of proportion.
This set's overall shape and proportions are great, and I have no real problems with the face. However, I do have some gripes. First of all, the head would be a lot more versatile if it didn't have any sort of headgear. That was something that bothered me a bit about the Rey figure as well. Second, the outfit on this set is not as strong as Rey's was. The fact that only the front of the new torso shell can be printed, not the sides, means that her pants and ESPECIALLY her jacket feel discontinuous. Rey's more custom torso construction using a textile element, a classic 5x8 torso shell, and some Technic panels on the back felt more purposeful and effective, I think. Jyn does have some strengths compared to Rey, though, like the back of her legs being more filled out and a gun with an actual shooting function.
As parts go, it's neat to have some basic shells in Dark Stone Grey for the first time, and the hands in Sand Yellow are nice as well. I hope to see the torso shell used with more effective patterns in the future, and the new thigh shells look better than the official pics suggested. Dark Brown is not the most useful color for the gearbox housing, but I could see it having some potential use in MOCs together with other rare Dark Brown CCBS elements. The head is a nice new option for female MOCs even if it would've been more useful without headgear, and fortunately the headgear here doesn't impede articulation the way Rey's did.
Even if the batons were omitted, I'm not sure how much her price point could be lowered, since it seems to me like the size and complexity of her gun is more likely what separates the two sets. Both of Rey's weapons (her pistol and staff) were made from fairly small, basic parts and didn't have much net volume. Jyn, on the other hand, has a gun even bulkier and more parts-intensive than any of the TFA buildable figures. Omitting the batons would also leave Jyn's gear function feeling relatively purposeless.
Overall, though, I find the Jyn Erso buildable figure a much more appealing set than the Death Trooper. Her color scheme is less bland, her proportions are better, she has more functionality, and and she conveys an actual personality beyond just looking scary. The difference in piece count between the two sets is negligible. Overall, I feel like she offers a fair value for her price compared to previous $25 Star Wars buildable figures.
Excellent review. I bought the three Buildable Figures earlier this week and completely agree with your comments, this is the weakest of them but not by much.
@Aanchir - The two main blasters actually contain the same number of pieces: 25. The piece counts for 75119 and 75121 might be similar but many more printed pieces are included with the Death Trooper and the plastic pauldron must also count for something.
The new torso element is great and I hope it gets reused again, preferably non-printed. The dark grey armor shells were also a nice surprise. This turned into a well rounded figure.
The gun looks very much like a real-world sniper rifle to me, and that's not a bad thing!
Jyn is the first constraction figure with an exposed face I've considered getting. The others just looked a bit... off to me.
Just thought I'd let you guys know, Jyn is currently $19.99 on Amazon.
Ok, let's get over the System sets of RO reviews when you can.