Hot Toys Mandalorian & Grogu Review

I love how this Mandalorian looks with the clean chrome Beskar over that brown flight suit. His body looks fuller through the chest and shoulders, and the legs don’t look skinny underneath all that armor. Those changes make a big difference to the way he stands in my display case.

Then there’s the Pedro Pascal head sculpt, which is freaking awesome. I’d normally want Mando wearing the helmet, but this face makes that decision a lot harder. With the Deluxe set, I also get three versions of Grogu and the hover pram, so there are plenty of ways to set these two up together.

I Don’t Want to Hide This Pedro Pascal Head Sculpt

The likeness looks fantastic. The furrowed brow and slightly uneven eyebrows give him a serious expression, and the stubble and skin detail look natural instead of overly smooth. I can see Pedro from the front and the sides, which makes me happy when I’m deciding where to turn his head.

The paint app on the neck matches the face nicely, and the head doesn’t look too big for the body. I’d straighten the collar and cape before deciding on the final pose so they aren’t bunching up around his jaw. With his eyes looking slightly to one side, I think he’d look great standing beside Grogu without the helmet.

The hair is sculpted, with little strands around the sides and enough shape to avoid looking like one solid cap. There are moving eyes as well, so I can change where he’s looking instead of having to turn the whole figure. I don’t need a dramatic pose to get something out of this expression.

The Clean Chrome Beskar Looks Amazing

This armor is shiny. Hot Toys left off the heavy dirt and speckling on the main chrome plates, and I love being able to see that mirror finish properly. The black visor is a separate piece under the helmet, so there’s some depth to it instead of just a painted black shape on the front.

The jetpack has the same clean chrome finish and attaches magnetically to his back. There’s padding behind it to help keep the hard pieces from rubbing directly against the back armor. I’d still take my time fitting it and move the cape out of the way rather than trapping fabric between the parts.

Chrome like this will show fingerprints, so I’d handle it carefully while posing him. I don’t want to cover the helmet and chest in marks just before putting him into the display case. The darker detail around the helmet and the black visor look really good against all that shine.

The Brown Flight Suit Makes the Armor Look Even Better

I’m glad this version has a brown flight suit. The contrasting stitching and quilting add some detail under the armor, and the fuller body fills it out without making Mando look like he’s wearing an oversized costume. The straps and belt sit more naturally against him, too.

I like the texture on the straps and the stitching against the brown flight suit. The pouches and several belt pieces are sculpted, with some weathering worked into them. I like that the armor can be clean while the smaller pieces still look used.

The holster sits close to the thigh instead of sticking out away from the body. That’s a small thing, but it makes the outfit look tidier when he’s standing with his arms down. The darker thigh armor also gives me a little contrast beside the chrome chest and shoulders.

The cape has wire along the edges and through the middle, so I can arrange it around the jetpack or bring it away from his legs. I like the worn bottom edge and holes in the fabric. I’d keep the shape fairly relaxed for my display rather than have it sticking straight out behind him all the time.

I Love the Weapons, but Take Your Time With That Rifle Peg

The long Amban rifle has a lot of detail, with darker paint in the grooves, gold-colored sections and wear around the stock. The prongs at the front are thin, so I’d be careful handling that end. It’s a really cool weapon to have back with Mando.

I don’t love the little attachment peg for carrying it on his back. It’s a small plastic connection on a large weapon, and I wouldn’t force it into the harness or twist it while it’s still locked in place. I’d rather take my time than risk snapping the peg just to change the display.

There’s another long blaster, the familiar pistol, a sword and the vibroblade, along with the grappling hook and flamethrower effect. The darker paint, silver wear and wood-looking sections on the rifles look great. I’d start with one weapon instead of trying to have him carrying everything at once.

The flamethrower fits at the gauntlet, and the grappling hook gives me another option for an action pose. I’m annoyed that there aren’t any jetpack blast effects, though. If Hot Toys includes a jetpack with a Deluxe Mando set, I want the choice to display him flying with the thrusters firing.

The hands are a mixed bag. Some have much better glove texture than others, and I wish they all matched that level of detail. You get fists, trigger hands, relaxed hands and weapon grips, but there isn’t a dedicated vibroblade hand.

The exact Deluxe parts are covered in my Mandalorian & Grogu preorder guide if you’re comparing editions. The three Grogus and the hover pram are the reason I’m discussing this set instead of treating every version as the same box of accessories.

Grogu Looks Happiest in the Hover Pram

I’d use the little smiling Grogu with his ears back in the pram. The three head sculpts can swap between the included bodies, so I can choose the expression I like instead of being stuck with the head that came on that particular Grogu. I love having that option.

The paint app on the pram is fantastic. The clear parts have an aged look, the metal-looking areas have dirt and wear, and the seat has sculpted texture inside. Even the thrusters look like they’re glowing, although that effect comes from the paint rather than working lights.

The canopy doesn’t close, and Grogu isn’t magnetically secured in the seat. I’d check how he’s sitting before moving the pram, because he rests inside rather than gripping the controls. I also wish the clear support connected to Mando’s base instead of needing its own little stand.

The Grogu that attaches behind Mando’s shoulder is the weaker display option for me. It relies on the loose magnet placed under the cape, so he isn’t properly supported against the body. I’d be happier having Grogu in the pram beside him than worrying about that cape attachment every time I adjust the display.

I still want Hot Toys to give Grogu a proper fabric robe and more articulation. Getting three different bodies is nice, but I’d love one little figure I could pose more freely. Until then, the interchangeable expressions give me something useful to work with.

Mando and Grogu Can Look Great Without a Big Action Pose

I’d start with Mando standing beside the pram, his blaster down and his head turned toward Grogu. The chrome, fuller body and wired cape give me plenty to work with before I even get to the flamethrower or grappling hook. I don’t need to hide half the outfit behind weapons to make him interesting.

The elbows and knees bend past 90 degrees, and the split boots give the ankles a good amount of pivot. There’s less movement through the torso because of the armor, vest, straps and padding. I’d work around those layers rather than force him into a deep forward bend.

The sandy base has a white patch meant to suggest snow, but it looks too much like a painted shape to me. I’d have preferred a more convincing finish on a base for a set this good. If you’re comparing this Mando with other figures for your collection, there’s more covered in Hot Toys Reviews.

This Is the Chrome Mando I’d Choose

I love the proportions, the brown flight suit and that clean Beskar finish. The Pedro head sculpt is a huge part of the appeal, and the Deluxe pram gives me the Grogu display I’d actually use.

I wish the shoulder attachment for Grogu worked better, the rifle had a stronger connection and the jetpack effects were included. Those complaints wouldn’t stop me choosing this set, and I give the Mandalorian & Grogu Deluxe an 8.5 out of 10.