Hasbro
Released January 2003
Reviewed by Adam Pawlus
Photography by Michael Sullenger
Reviewed on May 13, 2003
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Of course you know and I know this bike really belongs to Owen Lars, but Hasbro went ahead and packaged this set as Anakin Skywalker's Swoop Bike

The set includes one vehicle, one lightsaber, and an Anakin Skywalker figure.

Vehicle

Anakin Skywalker's Swoop Bike is one of those vehicles that everybody knew was coming but nobody knew when. Consider that this vehicle was released months ago and people still don't know that it came out, and odds are you've stumbled upon one of the great oddball distribution mysteries of toys.

While the original Speeder Bike had a springy set of "feet" to make it look like it's floating, and the 1996 Swoop had a way to elevate it up a little as well, this vehicle looks different in that it just seems to be a representation of the prop and not very toy-ish. This is a unique change of pace, and so far, it seems to be a welcome one. The vehicle has some dents and cuts, and it more or less just sits there. Aside from the seat belt, there are no moving parts or mechanisms of any kind.

All in all, it seems that this would make a pretty decent display piece or a decent plaything. As it really didn't do much on screen, this is a toy that meets all expectations. One concern for its longevity, though, is its seat belt. The rubber plastic doesn't seem as if it were built to last.

Figure

This Anakin appears to be completely new, for better or for worse. He was uniquely constructed to sit on the bike, and as such, he can look a little funky on his own.

As mentioned previously, this figure was made for the bike. Off of the Swoop, he looks ridiculous, and some might argue that because of his head sculpt, he looks ridiculous anywhere.

While the body sculpt should be cut some slack due to the need for it to sit on the vehicle, the head sculpt.... there's really no excuse for this. Nowhere in Attack of the Clones did the film give Anakin a feeling of comic fear, and neither the paint job nor the sculpt help represent this figure in an accurate manner. This, to say the least, is a real turkey of a head and odds are won't be remembered fondly.

As to the figure itself, the body sculpt is good for what it is. There's a good amount of articulation, and the mechanism is similar to the Mace Windu, Han Hoth, and Luke Bespin ones except they had the foresight to "hide" the Anakin one by making it look like part of the outfit. The figure fits perfectly onto the bike, and if after most collectors get an eyefull of the figure that's where he's likely to remain.

Notably missing is his cloak, which he was wearing in every shot where he was near the Swoop. Why the omission? Who knows. Odds are a customizer out there will be working on a cloak for this set, and hopefully Hasbro will take note.

Accessories

The lightsaber is a faded blue color, nothing too spiffy but it does the trick. The blade is not removable.

Packaging

These take a page from the Speeder packaging from last year, and as you can see they show off the toys quite well.

Availability

After several months this piece only seems to have shown up online and at some Target stores. While it can be assumed more are on the way, you never know.

Fin

As I have yet to see it in stores, the real value of this piece is unknown to me. It seems like a $12.99 toy, give or take a few bucks, which seems about right for what it is. Since the figure and vehicle tie in together so nicely, it's hard not to talk this up as a worthy purchase just because it works so well. The problems coming from distribution and, of course, that figure's head make this a less desirable piece... but not an undesirable one. If you see it, snag it, you'll probably dig it. Just look at it long and hard before you buy it as many reports of this set and its companion being returned with other figures and vehicles in the box have been floating around.

Our samples were obtained through Entertainment Earth in early 2003.