Editor’s Note:  This review is edited from that of the same figure released in the Walmart Black Series line, written by Bret on 10/26/2017.  The is a subtle differences between these two figures.  Additional notes for this specific release are at the bottom of the review.

TBS review (10/26/2017): 

We continue our look at Rogue One toys, but this time we take on the Black Series 3.75.  After reviewing a whole bunch of 5POA figures, it’s a relief to finally be able to spend some quality time with a good ol’ fashioned collector-focused super-articulated figure.  While I have reluctantly been forced to alter my opinion of the 5POA’s due to a few quality sculpts and paint applications along with a few pleasant surprises, the Rogue One Cassian Andor figure that came as a pack in with the Rebel U-Wing Starfighter left a lot to be desired.  That’s okay, because Hasbro delivered on the Black Series 3.75” version.

The figure more or less performs in the way you would demand.  It has 16 points of articulation, which is 2 more than what probably is considered standard.  It can sustain a variety of unsupported action poses, which is great to see after my run of 5POA reviews.  The sculpt is outstanding, with a lot of excellent detail all over the clothing - lots of texture, folds, pockets, and flaps.  The separate belt holster sculpt is great, except that it is glued down to the hip for some reason, which does restrict full movement of the right leg.  The right hand his sculpted with a separate trigger finger, which perfectly accommodates the included pistol accessory.  The jacket is a separate sculpt, although, as with several other figures, the sleeves are not part of it.  The “vest” is removable, should you so desire, but it leaves behind the dreaded baseball shirt, so don’t bother.  The face sculpt is light-years ahead of the 5POA version, as are the paint applications.  However, the beard, while superior to the 5POA facial hair, is still lacking in appearance.  The goatee part is decent, while the 5 o’clock shadow part looks like his face is bruised rather than stubbled.  The overall effect is pretty good, and has a passable likeness to Diego Luna. 

Cassian comes with a pistol, but the pistol also serves as 1 of 3 parts to a larger rifle.  A stock can be added, as well as a barrel.  The figure’s left hand is sculpted so that it can hold the barrel firmly, thus able to perform the always awesome two-handed weapon grip.  Take that, 5POA!  It’s a thing of beauty.

A few nits:  The two extra joints are at the hips.  Not sure I’m a huge fan of these cuts.  In some ways they give a little extra posability to the figure.  However, the sculpt is compromised a bit too much in the crotch area.  As with the Resistance Tech Rose figure, there is a definite diaper-like quality to the crotch.  The good news is that Cassian’s belt/holster disguises this so it is not as obvious.  OK, that’s enough crotch talk.

The legs are naturally spread outward a bit, giving the figure a slightly wide stance.  I prefer figures be able to maintain a completely neutral pose.  I know I just said I don’t want to talk about crotches anymore, but I think it’s possible the crotch sculpt has something to do with this.  Moving on now…the head takes little advantage of the ball and socket neck.  It can only move up and down very slightly.  Also, the ankle joint isn’t fully painted, so when the foot is flexed downward, you can see the pants color come through.  Finally, there’s a date stamp printed on the back of the right leg in black.  I don’t know why Hasbro has done this with recent figures, but they should stop doing that immediately.  None of these complaints are deal breakers, but they do prevent the figure from attaining perfection.

All in all, it’s an outstanding figure, and one of only two super articulated members of the Rogue One strike team.  Nice job on the figure, Hasbro, but we hate that you haven’t released the rest of the team.  Please take care of this oversight.

TVC review (10/13/2018): 

The only new photos for this review are the two carded photos and the last two photos.  The final photo is a comparison shot with the TVC figure on the left.  The notable difference I can spot is that pants appear more tan as opposed to a more yellow appearance on the TBS release The tan looks more natural and the TBS release looks slightly cartoony in comparison.  Slightly.  It’s not a major difference.  The good news is that if you couldn’t find the TBS release, which was somewhat scarce, this second chance is actually mildly better.  The card is okay, but would have benefited from the narrower bubble.  This figure remains a 9 out of 10.

TVC Update Review (3/29/2024): 

Hasbro has given us another Photoreal update to an existing figure.  It was originally released in the horrendous Walmart exclusive Black Series 3.75” line, and then re-released in 2018 as VC130.  Cassian Andor is a little bit more relevant due to having his own show, although obviously this outfit is from Rogue One.  I didn’t realize just how little Cassian wears this on screen.  I think this figure’s existence made me think he wore his Alliance jacket more often.  But after skimming through the movie for purposes of this review, it’s his parka outfit that is much more common.  He wears that during the action sequences on Jedha as well as Eadu.  That’s a figure we should have in TVC, but will likely never get.

We’ve got a couple of the typical upgrades that a Photoreal update delivers.  First, the paint application on the face is a nice improvement over the original.  This is the most obvious difference.  Additionally, Hasbro has done us a solid by painting the ankle joints the proper color.  Beyond that, there may be some slight variations to the coloring of the figure, but basically it’s meant to be the same.

Beyond the cosmetic changes, the figure remains the same.  Since it’s about 7 years old, the sculpt has a few drawbacks when compared to today’s standards.  There are no rocker ankles, and the hip joints are of the old ball joint style, coupled with the thigh swivel.  Also, the range of motion of the neck is limited (which, annoyingly, is making a return to the line), while the elbows and knees don’t bend past 90 degrees.

Overall, it’s still an excellent figure, even if the minor upgrades aren’t enough to increase the score.  In fact, I’m lowering the original score from a 9 to an 8.  Not because the figure is bad, it’s just that recent advancements bring out the warts a bit.