One Force Awakens character that's been noticably absent from the line of 3 3/4" figures is Han's old mentor, Maz Kanata. Instead of releasing Maz as a stand-alone figure. Hasbro has instead opted to release her first as part of a "Takodana Encounter" pack. Whether or not this pack would hit New Zealand shores was a little hit-and-miss, but a short while ago these began to show up at a number of stores, including The Warehouse for $45.00.
Unfortunately, the other three figures that come with this set are repacks of earlier releases. Both Finn and Rey are identical to their cardback versions, with the notable addition of Luke's lightsaber as an accessory for Finn. BB-8 is a little different to his earlier two-pack release - his body now heavier, and a small figure peg located on the underside of his spherical body. These couple of minor changes make him a worthwhile upgrade to his earlier incarnation however.
Of course the real highlight of this pack is Maz - and she doesn't fail to disappoint. Hasbro's offering for The Force Awakens infamously saw a huge simplification in the 3 3/4" figure line. But Maz is one of those figures where this is hardly noticeable. Her smaller build lends itself to the reduced articulation, and no detail has been spared in the paint application. Her goggles are even separately molded with transparent lenses (something we all wish would have been done with Poe Dameron back in the first wave of figures). Maz also comes with the wooden chest used to store Luke's lightsaber. I'm always a sucker for accessories that enhance the displayability of figures, so this particular inclusion was one of the highlights of the pack for me!
Of course the real highlight of this pack is Maz - and she doesn't fail to disappoint. Hasbro's offering for The Force Awakens infamously saw a huge simplification in the 3 3/4" figure line. But Maz is one of those figures where this is hardly noticeable. Her smaller build lends itself to the reduced articulation, and no detail has been spared in the paint application. Her goggles are even separately molded with transparent lenses (something we all wish would have been done with Poe Dameron back in the first wave of figures). Maz also comes with the wooden chest used to store Luke's lightsaber. I'm always a sucker for accessories that enhance the displayability of figures, so this particular inclusion was one of the highlights of the pack for me!
