Plush Rotta the Huttlet Backpack Buddy by Comic Images

This “Backpack Buddy” is one of a line of plush/stuffed backpacks that includes R2-D2 and is soon to include C-3PO in pieces and Boba Fett’s rocket pack. When this was originally announced, Star Wars Shop was supposed to have an exclusive version that just consisted of the plush Rotta doll without the backpack, but they apparently canceled it and all mention of it has been removed from the site. If I recall correctly, the Rotta plush was going to sell for $20 or so, while the Rotta + Backpack combo retails for $50. I didn’t really have any interest in the backpack, so I was disappointed that there was no way to get the Rotta plush without getting the whole package. That said, after waiting for quite a while I managed to find a relatively good deal.

The backpack itself is modeled after the clone trooper backpack that Ahsoka uses to cart around Rotta in the Clone Wars movie. While I guess you could theoretically use it as an actual backpack to carry things, it has no pockets or other compartments aside from the main one, and it only closes with a single snap. It’s also not particularly sturdy, since it is essentially a “plush” figure itself, albeit reinforced with some sort of cardboard or plastic sheets inside. It’s pretty obviously intended more for play than for practical use. It appears to be more or less the same size as the on-screen backpack, so it’s fairly large for the younger kids who would likely want to play with it.

Rotta himself is the star of the show, of course. I think they did a really good job of replicating the CGI character. He’s nice and soft, and pretty large at around 16 or 17 inches. He has wrinkles and folds in the right places and looks pretty darned cute, especially given how his arms are out in a “hug me!” kind of pose.

When I first heard about Rotta appearing in The Clone Wars, I made fun of the idea, but he’s grown on me quite a bit. Part of it is that my 4-year-old son has kind of latched onto him, often pretending to be Rotta while I play Jabba. (And that little Huttlet can get into a lot of mischief, let me tell you! ;)) I’m saving this as a little surprise for him that I hope he will enjoy.