Review: 75534 Darth Vader
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO Star Wars has been running for nearly two decades and certain subjects are often revisited by designers to exploit new building techniques and parts. 75534 Darth Vader is the first proper example of a Buildable Figure being redesigned which is hardly surprising given the character's enormous and enduring popularity.
However, I was very impressed with 75111 Darth Vader when it was released in 2015 so am a little hesitant about this set, simply because I think the original version is excellent. Furthermore, 75111 Darth Vader was only retired towards the end of last year so it seems rather soon to be releasing an updated model. Nevertheless, I have high expectations that this figure will prove to be even better than the last one, especially given its price of £34.99 or $39.99!
The Completed Model
Extensive articulation is vital to a successful Buildable Figure and I am very satisfied with Darth Vader's range of motion. Ball joints are used throughout the model which is ideal for creating dynamic displays. I was delighted to find that the shoulder armour is segmented so does not obstruct the shoulders and the rest of the joints are similarly free to move in almost any direction. However, I still believe LEGO should create a new hand with articulated fingers as that would greatly enhance the versatility of the figure on display.
The structure of the figure has been altered quite significantly since 75111 Darth Vader was released as the Technic core found inside the torso is far simpler and the shoulder armour looks entirely different. In addition, the new figure is considerably taller than the original model. 75111 Darth Vader measures 28cm in height while 75534 Darth Vader stands at an even more imposing height of 32cm. This is certainly beneficial for display but I think the proportions of the 2015 figure are superior.
Increasing Darth Vader's size has allowed the designer to include considerable detail but at the cost of appropriate scaling beside other figures. The Sith Lord stands 2.03 metres tall in the movies so should certainly tower above most characters, although not to the extent demonstrated when compared with 75533 Boba Fett in the image below. Fett looks very short alongside Darth Vader so displaying them together is difficult and creative posing will undoubtedly be required in such situations.
Darth Vader's helmet has also grown in size so matches the rest of the figure. This element looks magnificent, featuring intricate moulded detail as well as silver atmospheric sensors and an attractive reflective finish. The lenses appear dark red in certain shots from both Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story but I think black is more suitable as this figure is primarily based upon the design from Return of the Jedi.
Moreover, part of the helmet can be removed, revealing Anakin Skywalker's scarred face! This is a brilliant feature and I am very pleased with the continuing detail underneath. The vocoder and comlink are highlighted in metallic silver below the mouth while the back of the neck features moulded cooling units which are more clearly visible once the helmet has been taken off. It is a shame that the mask does not come away in two sections, as in the movie, but this simplified design works nicely.
The detail on Anakin's face is equally impressive. Intricate scars run right across the crown of the head and grey bands are printed around the eyes to match his appearance in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Some wrinkles on the forehead would have been a lovely addition but might not be consistent with the established style of the Buildable Figures so their exclusion does not bother me too much.
Darth Vader wears a long cape which is shown to reach the floor in the movies so I am pleased to see this has been improved in relation to the 2015 figure. The soft fabric hangs beautifully but includes a few creases which will hopefully become less visible with time. I love the pearl silver chain that simulates securing the cape and there is a hole for the gear which controls the right arm. However, I think the cape should be slightly wider as it is often shown covering Vader's shoulders in the films.
I was disappointed to see that the torso assembly primarily consisted of a single element when images of this set were revealed. The life-systems control panel was nicely represented by a four-sided sign on 75111 Darth Vader and this printed design looks poor by comparison, although the rest of the torso is more detailed and the silver armour covering Darth Vader's chest is much better. This area of the figure also includes some interesting pieces, the most notable of which are seven black Technic bushes which last appeared in 2005.
The silver clasp lines up perfectly with printed 2x2 curved slopes on either side of the torso. These match the source material exactly, right down to the arrangement and colour of the buttons! Furthermore, Technic panels cover the sides of the torso and give the figure some extra girth to match its height. I certainly prefer this design to that of the 2015 figure but the printed fabric weave on the sides of the older model was excellent. Fortunately, the fabric texture is now printed on the front of the torso which looks even better.
A matching design continues onto the upper arms and the thighs. This printing looks good in relation to the source material and covers the figure appropriately as plain pieces represent the gauntlets and greaves worn by Darth Vader. Unusually, thigh shells form the shins which works well, giving the legs proportional width with the other limbs. I love the fabric tabard worn around Vader's waist which was absent from the 2015 figure and the dark bluish grey skeleton is almost entirely concealed on this occasion, although I would rather the dark bluish grey high friction ball joints fitted at the ankles were cast in black.
Darth Vader is armed with a red lightsaber. The metallic silver hilt consists of three pieces and looks great, ideally suiting the proportions of the figure. However, the hilt should be gripped further towards the blade emitter so I will be displaying it with two sections attached below the hand rather than using the configuration shown in the instructions.
Overall
75534 Darth Vader is the largest Buildable Figure yet, even exceeding the impressive height of 75112 General Grievous which held the record until now. I therefore had high expectations for this figure and am satisfied with the result as the entire model is exceptionally detailed, matching the source material almost exactly. The articulation is also very pleasing and the Sith Lord looks magnificent when displayed independently.
However, there are some issues to be addressed. The sheer scale of this figure exceeds that of others and makes it quite tricky to display them together, although this can sometimes be achieved with a little creative posing. I also think the proportions look a bit odd from certain angles and am somewhat disappointed by the relative simplicity of the building techniques given the price of the set. Nevertheless, I think this model is better than 75111 Darth Vader and would recommend adding it to your collection of Buildable Figures.
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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22 comments on this article
Thanks for the review!
Do you think the set is still worth getting if we already have the original, or is this set more for people who didn't get Vader the first time around?
Since I don’t have any of the buildable figures, the size is not a issue for me. Love this version more than the older one
Calm love the last shot of Chirrut!
This review was great. It was nice to see the side by side comparison which helped me decide if I liked it or not. Would love more side by side comparisons in future reviews since SW gets so many remade sets.
vader is waaaaaaaaaay too tall to be in scale with the other figures. it's a shame because he looks really nice. maybe his legs could be modded to make him a little shorter but i dunno.
I've heard criticism that this new Vader is too thin, but the comparison makes the older one look way too bulky in the chest. The helmet removal is probably my favorite feature, but I wish it was a three-piece structure like the film, and Anakin's face is too angry for the one time we actually see the mask off. The size discrepancy doesn't bother me. This Vader feels like more of a standalone collector's piece, and the orginial can be an in-scale toy to go with the others.
Still can't decide if it's woth the money to upgrade or not. Some things I prefer on this one, other things on the older one.
"Impressive... Most impressive..." Excellent review, Cap'n! I'm really irritated he's a full $40, the rise in price of these figures when they were already too much is really unfortunate for me. That said... dang. When rumors and fuzzy CONFIDENTIAL images of the set first arose, I was pretty bummed. 2015 Vader I already loved, and just 3 years later they make a new one? Once some review came up though, this guy looks stellar! The bigger cape, complete with chain like in the films, the side skirt/kama he wears, the metallic silver lightsaber hilt, to say nothing of the gorgeous helmet sculpt, complete with what is easily the best face LEGO's made so far. I hope in the future LEGO adds more customizability to the lightsaber hilts, though, considering how unique and individual they all are. Vader's in particular has the black vanes on the grip, the D-ring on the bottom, and that black cover on the end. The one piece they've used for every lightsaber is boring me a bit, I hope they can fix that in the future. Those are my thoughts, though, and this was a wonderful review as always, sir!
This looks incredible, so detailed and his Armour really stands out,
I knew he was here I felt his presence lol..
the Bobba fett one looks cool too and I've seen chewie buildable who would also look good somewhere in my lounge,
The only buildable figure I currently have is captain America from about 4 years ago..
Nice that you included comparison with the older model! Nice review!
Great review, and the set remains a no-go for me. The old Vader looks just fine on the shelf and I don't need a 2nd. This new one does have parts that look much better, but putting him on stilts was a bad move imho. He's just too tall.
It seems really strange that he so out of scale with all the other buildable figures. He's going to look really daft stood with a couple of stormtroopers - he's just too big. However, I'd be interested to see some of the pieces combined with the older version to make an Ultimate CCBS Vader!
Also, he now makes me curious to see more figures that are much more film-accurate than the old models. Grievous is still my favorite figure, but he isn't super accurate in many ways. Something more along the lines of the UCS model they made, featuring his armored collar piece, transparent gutsack with movable armor plates, accurate talons, and an awesome cape, would certainly pique my interest. Oh, an a gear function could be insane for him!
Have the other new 2018 buildable figures also increased in size or just Darth?
^ I think every figure so far has been somewhat to the same scale, but this Vader kind of throws it out of the window, which is quite frustrating.
Hadn't realised this Darth was so out of scale. I bought the last one specifically to pose with a couple of stormtroopers and death troopers. Had been thinking I'd have to upgrade, but I'll scrap that plan now.
I thought when this was first announced that I would really want it, but the larger size just seems off especially if you want to display along with other buildable figures. The original Vader is still a pretty good representation and I am happy sticking with that one for now, until a third model is released in a couple of years ;) I do want Boba Fett though.
Vader is tall, but not so much... good representation, but to include head under the helmet has forced to do a very large helmet, and therefore, the body is also huge .... Good to stand alone, not so good to display with others BFs. I also prefer the 75111.
I was all set to get this until I saw the scale problem. I may get some of the pieces though to upgrade my 75111
Wow, that side by side with the old one from 2015... the 2018 model is way better. Sure it’s a bit bigger, but it looks way more accurate to the films. The 2015 model was practically a Bionicle model with Vader’s head. The Buildable Figures line has really come a long way.
I love both hima and Grievous so it is very difficult to choose which one to get.
Truly awesome posing in these photos and great review! I really wasn't sure about these figures when they started but I'm collecting them all now and will certainly be grabbing Vader, though the scaling issue is a shame.
I hate buildable figures almost as much as the ugly BrickHeadz... for me they go against the very spirit of Lego which has always been (and should always stay) based on the minifigs scale.