REVIEW: Bruce Lee - 70s Casual Version

Background

Thanks to Sideshow Collectibles, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Bruce Lee (70s Casual Wear Version) from Hot Toys. This 1/6th scale figure was recently released by Hot Toys, with US distribution being taken care of by Sideshow.

Bruce Lee (Lee Jun-fan; 27 Nov. 1940 – 20 Jul. 1973) was a Chinese American actor, film director & producer, screenwriter, martial arts instructor, philosopher, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement. Lee is considered as one of the most influential martial artists of the 20th century. His martial arts philosophy has profound influence to the next generation.

The Facts  

Bruce Lee – 70s Casual Wear Version
Series: M Icon
Manufacturer: Hot Toys
Sculpted by: Arnie Kim
Authorized Likeness: Bruce Lee
Material: Hot Toys' articulated muscular body
Dimensions: 11.5” tall
Points of Articulation: Over 30 points of articulation
Outfit: Dark blue, long-sleeved shirt ; Pair of grey pants; Faux leather brown belt; Pair of socks; Pair of brown and white shoes; Watch
Accessories: Red, white and blue beach chair; Pair of sunglasses; Hands: Pair of relaxed palms; Pair of fists; Right hand - thumbs up; Right hand – Peace sign; Figure stand with Bruce Lee nameplate

Packaging

The Bruce Lee figure comes packaged in a stylish blue box with red detailing and writing. There's an image of a smiling Lee on the front of the box. The image is blended in with the box coloring, making Lee look a light blue.

Inside, there is a sheet the length of the box that features images of the figure, as well as some background information about Bruce Lee. Underneath that, the figure and all of its accessories are secured between a pair of giant foam pieces.

Our Opinion

I'm guessing that the majority of collectors would be interested in purchasing a Bruce Lee figure based on his image from a film. Well, Hot Toys has created a Lee figure based on Enter the Dragon, but this version is a completely new sculpt and, obviously, different attire.

So, the big question I have is “do you have to be a hardcore Bruce Lee fan to want to purchase Hot Toys' Bruce Lee 70s Casual Wear Version?” I would say...not exactly. If you are a fan of amazing sculpts, this is a near perfect portrait of Bruce Lee. The figure features Hot Toys' muscular body, so if you want to swap out clothes into something more “martial-arts film” like, you have that option.

I look at the figure and realize that there is a market form this. But I liken it to someone purchasing an Arnold Schwarzenneger Terminator figure compared to an Arnold as Governor of California toy. There's definitely a market for a Bruce Lee "the person" collectible.

I really feel that Hot Toys is just showing off. They've perfected Lee's face sculpt, so why not release figures with slightly different expressions? But this version actually does have historical backing. As you can see above, Bruce Lee was photographed in a similar outfit, sitting on a similar beach chair, back in the 1970's.

Speaking of that beach chair...the accessories aren't as plentiful as some of Hot Toys other figures. But it's not like Bruce Lee was carrying around guns and nunchuks in his everyday life. This is one of the first figures where I needed to think about which hands to put on him. There are some pretty good choices there. The canvas chair is pretty nice and will probably be my display choice (over the stand). And the sunglasses work pretty well, actually sliding their cutoff ends into tiny slots in the figure's hair.

Overall, it's a pretty impressive figure. The sculpting work is your normal Hot Toys caliber, which means amazing. It lacks the large amount of accessories that we see from other lines, but the lower price reflects that. I still think that this version will appeal more to the Bruce Lee connoisseur, who already owns a few other Bruce Lee figures.