DB Evolve Walmart & Target Exclusive SS Goku & SS Vegeta
Oct 10, 2022 12:28:59 GMT -6
Gohan and 1mot like this
Post by Branjita on Oct 10, 2022 12:28:59 GMT -6
Backstory
These are the first exclusive DragonBall Evolve figures we've seen released. The Walmart SS Vegeta was advertised pretty well by Bandai Play's social media accounts, but the Target SS Goku didn't seem to get any advertising at all (at least... at the time I'm writing this... 10/10/22... with the figure already in my possession).
Let's start the review!
Packaging
The packaging is recolored Series 1 packaging with some updated text and graphics and different artwork on the back. It's very nicely done. Effectively, I suppose we could consider these Series 1 exclusives... though they were released several years after Series 1... so it would be inaccurate to say that. They are, however, pink and blue, like the series 1 packaging.
Unfortunately the Walmart Exclusive SS Vegeta has nothing on the packaging that indicates it is an exclusive. Not even a Walmart sticker, so in 10 years, people aren't going to remember that these SS Vegetas were Walmart Exclusives. UPDATE: Apparently SOME of the SS Vegetas DO have a Walmart sticker on them. I ordered my SS Vegeta online from Walmart.com, and it didn't come with a sticker on it. Perhaps ones purchased from physical Walmart stores have the stickers...? I would expect the future value of ones WITH the sticker to be higher than those that never had it... The sticker says:
The Target Exclusive SS Goku has an "Only at Target" sticker stuck to the cardboard, but it can be removed.
Unfortunately the Walmart Exclusive SS Vegeta has nothing on the packaging that indicates it is an exclusive. Not even a Walmart sticker, so in 10 years, people aren't going to remember that these SS Vegetas were Walmart Exclusives. UPDATE: Apparently SOME of the SS Vegetas DO have a Walmart sticker on them. I ordered my SS Vegeta online from Walmart.com, and it didn't come with a sticker on it. Perhaps ones purchased from physical Walmart stores have the stickers...? I would expect the future value of ones WITH the sticker to be higher than those that never had it... The sticker says:
Only at
Walmart
Save money. Live Better.
Walmart
Save money. Live Better.
The Target Exclusive SS Goku has an "Only at Target" sticker stuck to the cardboard, but it can be removed.
I like to keep packaging, and the unique design of each one of these makes them practically like trading cards.
UPDATE: photo of an SS Vegeta WITH the Walmart sticker
A closeup of the Walmart sticker:
UPDATE: photo of an SS Vegeta WITH the Walmart sticker
A closeup of the Walmart sticker:
Comparisons with series 1 SSB Goku and SSB Vegeta figures
I don't have a lot to say about these since the molds are identical to series 1. Did they need to be different? No. Could they have done something a little special? I think so. I would have preferred if Goku came with fists and if Vegeta came with open hands.
The Goku seems largely identical in color to the series 1 version. It may just be mine... so I don't want to suggest this is a difference unless other people say their SS Goku is like this too... but the belt on my Goku is much looser due to the lower torso piece seeming to be a little thinner than the SSB Goku's. It might be a completely different sculpt, but I'm unsure. Goku's boot laces are painted sloppier and I think the mold is getting worn out for them, because the details on the laces are softer than on SSB's. My SS Goku also lacks tan around the bottom edge of his boots, unlike my SSB Goku, but it might just be a slight paint error. Without owning more than one of these... I don't know.
The Vegeta, however, has a warmer gray color on his armor, and the yellow on the armor is different as well. The sculpt seems identical.
The only major difference on both is that the hair is yellow and the eyes are green.
How's the hair look? Amazing! It's worth buying these, just because they have this amazing glowing, sparkly chrome-like yellow hair.
The Goku seems largely identical in color to the series 1 version. It may just be mine... so I don't want to suggest this is a difference unless other people say their SS Goku is like this too... but the belt on my Goku is much looser due to the lower torso piece seeming to be a little thinner than the SSB Goku's. It might be a completely different sculpt, but I'm unsure. Goku's boot laces are painted sloppier and I think the mold is getting worn out for them, because the details on the laces are softer than on SSB's. My SS Goku also lacks tan around the bottom edge of his boots, unlike my SSB Goku, but it might just be a slight paint error. Without owning more than one of these... I don't know.
The Vegeta, however, has a warmer gray color on his armor, and the yellow on the armor is different as well. The sculpt seems identical.
The only major difference on both is that the hair is yellow and the eyes are green.
How's the hair look? Amazing! It's worth buying these, just because they have this amazing glowing, sparkly chrome-like yellow hair.
Final Conclusions
I think these are worthy of every Evolve collector's collection. These are basically exactly what they needed to be, but nothing more. Since Bandai's Dragon Stars line (in particular) has been VERY detail-oriented about color, I'm a little surprised that these Evolve exclusives do not have different clothing and skin coloring than the SSB versions. If you don't understand what I'm talking about: I want to mention that the non-SS Vegeta Dragon Stars figure has darker blue spandex than the SS Vegeta figures do. That's mostly what I'm saying. I'm mostly surprised that this SS Vegeta doesn't have lighter charcoal colored spandex since he's SS. I appreciate the warmer gray on the armor, because I think that might have been an effort to do a Super Saiyan aura variation. But the spandex not being a different shade seems a bit odd. Truly, SS Goku's clothing looking basically the exact same colors as the SSB Goku's is a bit strange to me. It would have been nicer to see a more yellowish orange gi. Hopefully if Bandai releases a non-SS Goku in the future, his gi will be reddish orange and darker than these two. And hopefully if they release a SSG Goku in the future, his gi will appear even more reddish.
I wish all of the SS Vegetas' packaging said it is a Walmart exclusive. It's creating some inconsistency. And it's a little disappointing that they came with the same hands as their Series 1 counterparts instead of fists for Goku and open hands for Vegeta.
Overall, they are great for the collection and I'm glad they exist!
I wish all of the SS Vegetas' packaging said it is a Walmart exclusive. It's creating some inconsistency. And it's a little disappointing that they came with the same hands as their Series 1 counterparts instead of fists for Goku and open hands for Vegeta.
Overall, they are great for the collection and I'm glad they exist!