I don’t collect the 6” scale and likely never will.  Yet, this is one of my favorite figures that I own, and I didn’t even buy it.  This TBS 6” scale Island Journey Rey was given away as part of the “swag bag” for attending Toy Fair in February.  I originally planned to give this figure away as part of a Bantha Skull contest, but sorry, internet.  She’s staying with me.  This figure will probably take up residence on my desk for quite a while. 

We should probably address the 6” scale a bit before continuing.  We’ve actually got nothing against it or the people who collect it.  We really meant it when we said that collectors should collect Star Wars in whichever manner makes them happy without some other nerd telling them there’s a better way.  I completely get the merits of the 6” scale.  This figure is a testament to those merits.  It does almost every single thing an action figure should do. If collecting the 6” line is your thing, more power to you.  We know we crack wise here at the expense of the 6” line and its collectors, but it’s really in the spirit of good natured ribbing like a high school rivalry.  Don’t get me going about those jokers from Jefferson High.  The 6” scale doesn’t work for me personally.  Not only is it incongruous with the 3.75” scale figures I’ve spent a literal lifetime collecting, it also doesn’t work for the way I enjoy collecting.  I collect for depth and for creating dioramas that represent the movies.  Those two things simply take up too much room at the larger scale. For me, a larger scale is about the “mains” whereas the smaller scale is about the Walrus Men and Yak Faces, and that’s what thrills me about collecting. 

This is not quite the source of the figure.

Enough about the great scale debate and let’s talk about this figure.  Immediately out of the package, you get that hyperrealism feeling that is usually reserved for Sideshow products.  Here’s a little behind the scenes for you with these galleries.  The first picture I take is the one that will be used for the menu image.  So I try to keep the pose simple, but also try to convey the complete context of the figure.  I thought Rey presenting the saber would do just that. After posing the figure for that picture, I started to marvel at it.  The head sculpt uses the “Photo Real” technology and it’s amazing.  Thanks to some strategic stitching, the soft goods poncho hangs and drapes perfectly in that pose. 

So far we’re discussing the aesthetics of the figure, but a good lookin’ collector figure is only as good as the poses it can achieve, and that pose-ability is the reason this is one of my favorite figures.  Taking photos of figures should be fun, and it often is.  How much fun that process is directly correlates with how many pictures I take. What made this figure particularly fun to photograph is the ease with which the lower body can be posed.  The articulation moves freely and all manner of dynamic dueling poses can be achieved.  The soft plastic lower tunic is highly malleable and easily moves out of way to accommodate the hip articulation.  The hands are pliable and the saber hilt is made of sturdy plastic.  This is the ideal combination.  Gripping the weapons is a breeze because of this, and the ball jointed wrists allow the figure to grasp the weapon in lifelike poses.  This Island Journey Rey also incorporates one of my favorite features:  an enclosed trigger guard on the blaster with a floating index finger on the hand.  This likewise makes blaster poses appear natural. 

It does pain me to say that the figure isn’t perfect.  If you recall my previous compliment of the soft goods poncho, I carefully qualified that statement with “in that pose.”  The same stitching that perfectly pins the hood down causes the whole thing go awry when you try to pose the figure with the hood up.  Since soft goods hoods have been problematic for time immemorial, having it pinned down is the lesser evil.  The upper vest is sculpted plastic and appears to be removable (but I didn’t try).  This vest flares at the shoulders and this slightly impinges medial articulation of the shoulder toward the midline of the figure.  In some of the poses above, the vest let loose plaintive sqeaks as I forced the arms into position.  FInally, the bottom knot in the figure’s hair prevents the figure from looking up.  None of these negatives can convince me to deduct a point, however.  The last time I enjoyed photographing a figure this much was the Black Series 3.75” Praetorian Guard.  In that review I said that subjective factors can cause me to give an imperfect figure a perfect score, and that’s what I’m doing here.  10 out of 10.

Readers, don’t worry.  I’m not going to become a 6” convert.  But this figure is staying in my collection.  The Black Series 6” Rey (Island Journey) is available on Amazon at the time of this review.

Editor’s Note:  Chris has been placed on indefinite administrative leave pending legal investigation into the above gallery and review.  He will also attend a rigorous Sixer rehabilitation program. We wish him and his family a speedy recovery.