One of the big news items out of spring's Tokyo Toy Fair was that Bandai had picked up the Star Wars license, with the centerpiece being a Meishou MOVIE REALIZATION Samuraidaishou Darth Vader. This figure is now available for pre-order with the Takayuki Takeya designed 18cm figure, featuring three alternate hands and lightsaber pieces, shipping in December for 9,504yen.
The Star Wars movies drew heavily from Japanese samurai cinema. Elements, particularly C3P0 and R2D2, were inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress. The word "Jedi" is thought to be derived from the period drama term "jidaigeki," and Darth Vader's look is said to be inspired by samurai armor. Date Masamune's specifically.
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Scott Green is editor and reporter for anime and manga at geek entertainment site Ain't It Cool News. Follow him on Twitter at @aicnanime.
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