The Review:
Like most Star Wars fans I’ve loved lightsabers since I was a kid. Sword fighting with an imaginary glowing stick was just a normal part of a growing childhood. Early toys weren’t much to speak of and always cost, but I managed to harangue a few out of my parents. Now that I’m older I don’t play around as much, but my sense of fun is still there. Lightsabers are meant to be played with, that’s just how I feel. Therefore I never really got into the whole prop collecting thing. No matter how much better looking a replica hilt was, I just couldn’t imagine plunking down the several hundred dollars for something that would just sit there to be admired, even though I would have loved to have one (who wouldn’t). All I wish was that maybe the Hasbro’s could look a little better and was a bit more accurate. When I first heard about the Force FX line they sounded very intriguing, but they weren’t cheap and really weren’t meant to be played with either. Since there weren’t any around for me to check out, and I wasn’t about to order one without seeing it up close I convinced myself they weren’t worth it and promptly forgot about them.
What changed my mind? I got lucky. Before ROTS opened I went to a BB looking for a DVD one fateful Tuesday morning when I saw an MR FX display out. The customer rep told me they were new and were just put out an hour before. I looked at the $149.99 CAD price tag and almost walked past it when they showed me they had an open one for display. The second I wrapped my hand around the FX hilt and switched it on I knew I had to have it. Luckily there was one blue Anakin left with a couple of ESB Vaders. I greedily snatched up the box and quickly left BB with a big credit card debt, but an even bigger smile on my face.
The Look:
I’ve dreamt of being Luke Skywalker facing against a menacing Darth Vader on Bespin with lightsaber in hand ever since I saw the Empire Strikes Back. While I wished I had Luke’s ESB saber, I was in no way disappointed with the Anakin ROTS FX. Besides, plot wise this was supposed to be the same lightsaber that gets passed down to Luke in ANH and ESB anyway. Nonetheless, most hardcore fans will inform you that it appears rather different in each movie and the ROTS hilt is no different. Luke’s original lightsaber prop was modified from old Graflex 3-cell camera flash, whereas the Episode III Anakin hilt, while looking quite similar was not and only based its design on the Graflex. Major differences include the removal of the side clamp lever and its replacement with an unusual gold curved protrusion that is now mounted on the clamp itself. Inserted in the clamp is a shiny gold plate with an etched motif. The centre section of the hilt has a knurled band around the middle. Most noticeably, the 2 thin metal flaps that are typically hinged to the top of the Graflex are now much thicker and are properly mounted on the handle. This all goes a long way to give the Anakin hilt a sense that it’s supposed to be there during the decadent height of the old Republic, rather than modified-from-something-else feel of Luke’s later saber.
Next to the Vader ESB FX, the Anakin ROTS Force FX is probably the most faithful replica of the hilt used in the movie. All the details have been kept intact with solid aluminum construction, a beautiful chrome finish, and in terms of size the FX is only about half a centimeter taller and only a bit wider the real-life prop.
The Force FX polycarbonate blade is permanently attached to the hilt and appears to have a thick clear layer over a white inner shell that holds and protects a string of 64 super-bright blue LEDs that light up sequentially inside the blade. When off, it doesn’t look too different from a fluorescent tube, but when ignited -wow! The first time I powered it on in completely dark room I almost blinded myself! Even my brother was impressed. The blade is pure blue and strong enough to illuminate an entire room.
The LEDs are super bright, and powerful enough to fool you into believing that you’re looking at a real lightsaber, especially at night, but don’t be fooled by pictures that show white core. There is no white core, that’s simply a photographic side-effect. The glow is most effective in complete darkness or even low light situations including the outside, and is considerably lessened in bright light or day.
The blue light is evenly distributed along the blade, but if you look closely you will notice the individual LEDs as well as a “dark spot” in the middle where the two strings of LEDs are joined. This is not a flaw, but a feature of the design. However, there has been mention of two darker spots that are visible on the white layer of the blade. They appear to be small smudges, but are so minor that you won’t notice it unless you look for it and I only mention for the sake of completeness.
Compared to the ESB Vader Force FX, the blue colour seems a bit more vivid. According to MR’s Steve Dymszo, "I like the blue because your eye just picks up blue better anyway, so it just seems brighter, even though when we put it on (a light) meter, they’re both [the ESB Vader and ROTS Anakin are] about as bright. When you light them up, the blue just always looks brighter to everybody because your eye reacts to the blue better. So, the Anakin Episode III we intensified. We got some different LEDs and we optimized the blue color so when you turn it on it's really a vibrant cobalt blue.”
The Sound:
What really sold me on the Force FX though was the sound. While I couldn’t see the bright blue of the blade under all the fluorescent store lights, the sound was utterly amazing. Just hearing the powerful blade up and down effect sold me of the ROTS Anakin. It has a very loud saber hum, louder than the ESB Vader even! I love the quick power up and down sounds that are perfectly synced with the LEDs. There are two swinging sounds and four clashes! They are mostly variations on the saber sizzle. Each saber has its own unique sound FX, so no two sound alike, and (although I can’t verify this) should accurately reflect the movie from which it’s digitally recorded. Note that while the sound FX are strong and relatively clear, they come from the bottom of the hilt with the speaker unit built into the battery housing ,so you should avoid covering the bottom with your hand to avoid muffling the sound.
As I mentioned, compared to the ESB Vader Force FX the Anakin is louder and has more effects, but the higher volume does seem to give it a slightly scratchier sound.
The Feel:
The second I put my hand around the hilt and felt the solid heft, I was in heaven! I finally felt like I was holding a real lightsaber. Swinging the Force FX is a pure joy that must be experienced. While the blade is a bit long and heavy for traditional Asian martial arts as seen in the films, it has a nice balance and can still be used for a few fancy moves. The motion sensor is very sensitive and movement is timed to the sound effects fairly well, although it will take some practice to get used to. Striking is no problem as the blades are quite durable, but it does need a solid whack to register the clash effects (I’ll slip in Master Replicas usual disclaimer about never dueling with the Force FXs here, as this is clearly meant to be a collectible. However, this recently came to light on MR’s blog, “Andrew Wen, an engineer who helped design the latest [Force FX] models says these collectibles were meant for play. "They're made to be clashed with another saber and you don't have to worry about them breaking. It might make marks on the tube, but the strength is durable," he says, adding: "But it's not a baseball bat." Run full speed across a room and swing it into a friend? The saber is likely to break - and so is the friendship. So take that as you will).
The gold protrusion on the control box acts as the power switch and works quite well as it’s in easy reach of the thumb as you grip the handle. However, the gold pieces on the Anakin ROTS are made of plastic and are slightly mushier when pressed compared to the Vader ESB FX saber. The slight rattling that sounds like something small is loose inside the top of the hilt is just the motion sensor and isn’t heard when the saber is ignited. There has been some reports of creaking where the blade meets the hilt and fears that the blade might fall off!, but as seen in the Disassembly Tutorial the Gen 3 FX blades are held in place with two metal pins so this is not necessarily shoddy workmanship, but more likely a case of how tightly the top of the hilt is screwed into the blade, as not every Anakin exhibits the creak. The battery compartment unscrews easily from bottom and the 3 AA batteries are a snap to put in. The Force FX even automatically turns itself off after two minutes if you leave it unattended, a nice battery-saving touch!
Conclusion:
So is it worth it? That’s really up to you. No amount of money in the world will get you a ‘real’ lightsaber. They don’t exist, and while the Force FX are not perfect, they are darn close. For the average user, they may be expensive as a collectible, but for what they offer and deliver in terms of fun and coolness I think they’re worth it. Especially in comparison to lightsaber prop replicas that don’t do anything and just sit there to be admired (although they are of much higher quality) and cost hundreds more! Be realistic, don’t expect miracles in bright indoors or daylight, but when the sun goes down and everything is quiet, it’s time to let your imagination out!
The Anakin ROTS Force FX lightsaber is an amazing collectible and without hesitation receives my highest recommendation! If you’re wondering whether the Vader ESB or Anakin ROTS model is better, both are outstanding examples of the 3rd Generation Force FX line and perfectly compliment each other. The Anakin sound effects are a bit louder and the blue LED may even outshine the Vader’s red, but really it comes down to a matter of taste. If you can’t get both, get the colour or hilt you like the most and feel safe that you do indeed have the best Force FX saber.
Here is Part 2 of my Force FX Video featuring the Vader ESB and Anakin ROTS :
http://rapidshare.de/files/2987406/ForceFxVideo2.wmv.html
Topic: *REVIEW*: ANAKIN ROTS Force FX Lightsaber (and Vader ESB) *Updated with VIDEO!* (Read 17802 times)