Slave Leia Mini-Bust by Gentle Giant

After the Oola mini-bust turned out so well, I think a lot of people had high hopes for the Slave Leia one. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look nearly as nice as the prototype. You’re always going to see some differences when you compare a prototype to a production piece, since the production piece has to be made under factory conditions instead of being painstakingly painted by an artist who has a lot of time to make it look its best. But in this case the changes are a lot more drastic than that. They changed a lot about the face, including the facial features and the tilt of the head, as well as the length of the vibroaxe she’s holding. I don’t know if Gentle Giant has said anything official about these changes, but it’s not uncommon for licensees to blame Lucasfilm or the actors that the pieces are based on for demanding changes. It’s hard to believe that anyone would insist on going from the prototype version to this, but I guess it’s possible.

From reading responses from Gentle Giant fans online, I think it’s safe to say that most people are disappointed, but as long as you don’t compare it to the prototype (which, it should be mentioned, is still pictured on the box that the bust comes in), it’s actually a pretty decent version of Slave Leia. The likeness to Carrie Fisher is weaker in the production version, but I’ve certainly seen worse. I got a good deal on it on eBay (less than half the retail price, brand new) so I guess the lukewarm reception wasn’t all bad. I’m glad to have her in my display of Jabba’s palace-related busts. Still need to get Yak Face though…