Die Cast in Space: Star Wars Elite Series Figures

Being a compulsively collecting nerd on a budget, I'm always looking for opportunities that provide me with durable, screen-accurate replicas from my favorite franchises at a reasonable price. This isn't as easy as it sounds but some occasional luck comes my way, such as with the Star Wars Elite Series line of figures.

According to Wookieepedia, "Star Wars Elite Series was a toy line created by Disney and sold exclusively through the Disney Store, starting in 2015. It features 6-inch tall, mostly metal, die cast action figures of characters from all of the live action films to date." The four Elite Series figures I picked up are Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper, a Death Trooper, and a First Order Stormtrooper. 

Honestly, I've completely lost track of how many different kinds of Star Wars action figures have been made these days. I know that there's the Black Series, and Lego Star Wars minifigs, and high-quality, highly detailed figures imported from Japan, and ... well, that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Thus, I was caught off guard when I found a selection of Star Wars figures made of die cast metal at a toy con. The figures' accessories and display bases are made of plastic, but the figures themselves are mostly made of die cast metal.

The sculpts and paint applications of these figures faithfully capture the screen likeness of the characters they represent. However, what really sets these figures apart from others of their scale is their heft. These figures are SOLID, the most solid figures I've ever collected. Even at only six inches, these figures are much heavier than even the large-scale Star Wars figures I've collected. As such, the figures feel more like statues than action figures, something to put on display and not for play. 

Of course, my figure selection reflects how I feel about the Elite Series uses die cast metal in the figures. I picked up characters that wear armor because I think the die cast metal accentuates this detail, particularly in how the armor shines. In contrast, I can't imagine getting a metal figure of a character that isn't wearing anything that's comparable to metal.

However, depending upon what you are looking for in a collectible, the Star Wars Elite Series may not be for you. These figures have many points of articulation, but the joints in the legs cannot not move very far and thus limit the figures' range of posability. If you want figures that can be arranged in a wide variety of action poses, the Elite Series is not for you.

As I mentioned years ago when I did a post about the Movie Maniacs Alien Queen set that was released by McFarlane Toys, the Elite Series figures are odd combinations of posable toy and screen-accurate replicas. They have some range of posability but also seem to be stuck in a pre-sculpted pose; they feature plenty of screen-accurate details but are sold at a price that's much lower than many other screen-accurate collectibles. What sets the Elite Series apart from other figures like this is the die cast metal, which adds considerably to their durability and displayability. As long as they are connected to their bases, these figures stand firmly and if they fall over, they won't chip or break as easily as other figures that are made entirely from lightweight plastic.

Below are 3D photos of my Elite Series figures in both anaglyph and stereoscopic formats.