Mafex Boba Fett Return of the Jedi Review

The Mafex Boba Fett from Return of the Jedi seems to encapsulate the fact that without fail, I always get the least popular iteration of an item. When people were getting Nintendos, I got a Sega Master System because it had Afterburner on it. When my friends bought Super Nintendos, there I was with a Sega Genesis. Sure, I nailed it with my PS1 and though technically when I got the PS2 it had more longevity, it too was the wrong choice.

Alternatively, at that time all of my nerd friends were into the original Xbox because they were swapping out hard drives and RAM, etc. Now here I am with the ROTJ version of the Mafex Boba Fett when it appears the rest of the internet picked up the Empire Strikes Back version.

I know there are people dedicated to Boba Fett fan-ism the same way I’m dedicated to comic books and divorces. For instance, Dan Larson at Toy Galaxy loves Boba Fett. Yet someone like me, who thinks he’s “cool” but not worthy of owning every figure that’s ever been produced with his likeness, just wants a “definitive” version. For me, it came down to wanting a good Fett that would pop on my shelf. If it makes you think less of me, that’s ok, but I bought the ROTJ version of the Mafex Boba Fett because his jetpack had more color on it. That’s it.

The Empire one has a pistol and holster, in addition, to a strap on its rifle. I like both of those but at the end of the day, I just want things that make my shelf look visually interesting. That doesn’t mean I don’t know I got the least popular of the two. Heck, it is almost impossible to find any write ups on this one at all.

However, I’ve never been one to let popular opinion dissuade me from doing ridiculous things, so we’re going to go ahead and review this guy.

What’s in the Mafex Boba Fett Box?

We get the figure itself, a blaster rifle and a few sets of extra hands. Let’s take a look.

What doesn’t work with the Mafex Boba Fett?

The reason why I started fussing with Fett again in the first place is that I ordered a custom non-helmeted head from OLDBOY CTTS. You may remember some of his other work I own, like Poe, Leia, and Lando. That, in turn, reminded me of how much I like looking at this figure. Yet, it is not without its drawbacks. Mostly the usual QC issues with Mafex. Let’s start with this issue:

Do you see the piece of plastic at the base of the rangefinder? It falls off. It will fall off when you are not paying attention. That piece will disappear and hey, if you’re wondering… not only does Mafex not sell replacement parts, they also don’t bother responding to emails either. Once it falls out, your Range Finder is done-ski. Mine kept falling out. I eventually glued the finder on and gave the whole figure to my then 9-year-old son. Yes, I did buy it again, because I still think it looks great. I just couldn’t have a visibly inferior Fett on my shelf.

Next issue is this:

These three cables never stay in their sleeves. I am not sure what the point was to make them so they detach. Point being, plan on futzing around with those cables a lot when you get him.

What works with the Mafex Boba Fett?

These are spectacular paint apps. Sure, some of it is a LITTLE off (like the writing on the yellow circle located on his chest) but the battle damage, the dirt, and grime look as real as it can in 1:12 scale. This is a miniaturized version of the character himself. I’ve not owned the ESB version, and I probably never will. However, for my needs, this is probably the best Boba Fett I’ll ever own. Or, to put it in terms us import collectors will understand, I doubt I’d replace him if Figuarts released a version.

While the available hands are few, they do what I want the Mafex Boba Fett hands to do. He can pull off about any pose you’d expect from a Boba Fett.

This wasn’t a new purchase for me. I actually preordered him and got him when he was new, so I’ve had time to think about him. After over a year, I just don’t think there will be a more perfect Boba Fett. Unless one came with a clip-on accessory that allows us to envision him being digested for 1000 years.

Should you get the Mafex Boba Fett?

Yes, BUT… (I hate that word sometimes) he is sold out almost everywhere I look. It could be because he was really popular, or it could be that Medicom figured out the ESB version would be more popular and they put out limited qualities of the ROTJ version. However, that last sentence was conjecture on my part.

If you want to pick him up, here are some links: