Star Wars 1/12

C-3PO

Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Seals

1/12 C-3PO - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

1/12 C-3PO (1/6) 1/12 C-3PO (2/6) 1/12 C-3PO (3/6) 1/12 C-3PO (4/6) 1/12 C-3PO (5/6) 1/12 C-3PO (6/6)

1/12 C-3PO - Detail shots (1/4) 1/12 C-3PO - Detail shots (2/4) 1/12 C-3PO - Detail shots (3/4) 1/12 C-3PO - Detail shots (4/4)

Detail shots

1/12 C-3PO - The back of the knees can be fitted with either plated parts or seals — your choice. (1/2) 1/12 C-3PO - The back of the knees can be fitted with either plated parts or seals — your choice. (2/2)

The back of the knees can be fitted with either plated parts or seals — your choice.

1/12 C-3PO - The wiring bundles around the waist are covered entirely with seals to represent them, but getting them on 1/12 C-3PO - The wiring bundles around the waist are covered entirely with seals to represent them, but getting them on

The wiring bundles around the waist are covered entirely with seals to represent them, but getting them on neatly is no easy task.

1/12 C-3PO - The feet don't fit the stand's fixing pins very well, so they keep popping off. -_-

The feet don't fit the stand's fixing pins very well, so they keep popping off. -_-

1/12 C-3PO - Two arm options are included — articulated (left) and fixed (right). The fixed arm even has the linked cyli

Two arm options are included — articulated (left) and fixed (right).
The fixed arm even has the linked cylinders at the elbow finished with plating.

1/12 C-3PO - Two hand options are included — an open hand and a slightly curled hand, where the curled one is designed f

Two hand options are included — an open hand and a slightly curled hand,
where the curled one is designed for holding the comlink.

1/12 C-3PO - Open up the backpack and you can see the internal gimmick inside.

Open up the backpack and you can see the internal gimmick inside.

1/12 C-3PO - The articulation is extremely limited.. ^^; The hip joints barely move at all, and the knees feel like they

The articulation is extremely limited.. ^^;
The hip joints barely move at all, and the knees feel like they only bend about 10 degrees?

1/12 C-3PO - The elbows at least move to that extent, and the two front and rear cylinders each link together independen

The elbows at least move to that extent,
and the two front and rear cylinders each link together independently.

1/12 C-3PO - That awkward, shuffling pose is C-3PO's trademark, after all ^^

That awkward, shuffling pose is C-3PO's trademark, after all ^^

1/12 C-3PO - Some articulated poses (1/2) 1/12 C-3PO - Some articulated poses (2/2)

Some articulated poses

1/12 C-3PO - There really aren't many poses worth striking... (1/3) 1/12 C-3PO - There really aren't many poses worth striking... (2/3) 1/12 C-3PO - There really aren't many poses worth striking... (3/3)

There really aren't many poses worth striking...

1/12 C-3PO - Accessory parts are included for the face, chest, and more.

Accessory parts are included for the face, chest, and more.

1/12 C-3PO - The comlink can be plugged into the hand.

The comlink can be plugged into the hand.

1/12 C-3PO - With the accessory parts attached.

With the accessory parts attached.

1/12 C-3PO - The damage head with the eye popped out and a dent in the skull, plus the chest with the control bolts expo 1/12 C-3PO - The damage head with the eye popped out and a dent in the skull, plus the chest with the control bolts expo

The damage head with the eye popped out and a dent in the skull,
and the chest with the control bolts exposed.

1/12 C-3PO - Together with best buddy R2-D2.

Together with best buddy R2-D2.

1/12 C-3PO - Together with same-scale Stormtrooper / Darth Vader.

Together with same-scale Stormtrooper / Darth Vader.

Following R2-D2, best pal C-3PO has now been released in 1/12 scale as well. As expected, it came out as a fully plated kit, and the coating quality is top-notch — the shine is absolutely dazzling ^^

The overall build quality is clean and up to modern standards, with most parts molded using under-gates so gate marks are barely visible. The appearance is excellent in every way, but the articulation is disappointingly poor — likely a deliberate design choice to avoid compromising the look by forcing in too much movement. The hip joints barely move, the knees only bend about 10 degrees, and the elbows manage only around 40 degrees, so there really aren't many poses you can pull off, which is a shame.

Another disappointment is that the foot-to-stand connection is really flimsy — it's pretty common for the feet to pop off the stand and the whole thing to topple over. Thankfully the joint strength throughout the body is fairly solid so the proportions don't collapse easily, but the foot fixing pin feels like an uncharacteristic design oversight from Bandai..

On the accessory side, you can swap in damage parts featuring a popped-out eye and a dented head, plus an extra chest armor piece with exposed control bolts. There's also an additional set of slightly curled hand parts included for gripping the small comlink. Opening the backpack cover reveals an internal gimmick as well.

Anyway, it's a little smaller than I expected, but the appearance is quite premium and I'm pretty happy with it. The articulation is terrible, but since C-3PO's charm is all about standing around in that awkward pose anyway, it doesn't really matter all that much. For any Star Wars fan, just having this released at all is something to be grateful for :-)

1/12 C-3PO | 2015. 4 | ¥4,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.