(More Star Wras related stuff while being on holiday in China with my Chinese missy: Episode II this time. You can read Episode I somewhere else.

So Hasbro produces all the modern stuff in China nowadays? So tell me, why I haven’t seen a single Star Wars toy in any of the big warehouses in Shijiazhuang today? Shidjawhatthef*ck…Yes I admit, it took me a while to pronounce it correctly too, even a simple word like 'ma' (mother) can turn you into a little family drama when pronounced incorrectly, as it might mean something completely else (horse). Did I just just call my GF's mother a horse-in-law?
Anyway, back to the warehouses, there were Transformers, lots of Manga stuff from Japan, Barbie, Playmobil, LEGO, even a military LEGO rip-off with tanks, aircraft carriers. Star Wars was virtually absent. I guess the modern SW toys are just produced here, but Hasbro doesn’t regard China as a market? Well I can imagine, once you are successful here you have cheap bootlegs all over the place two months later. Why border? Coz I had hoped to get a cheap modern vintage likeBoba with removable rocket here to bring back to Holland. Keep on dreaming.

Though the toys are only produced and not sold here, this doesn't mean Star Wars is not absent in China, oh no dudes, not at all. The Force is strong here!! Even long before '77, Star Wars had already obtained an important position in Chinese cultural and spiritual life (see Episode I). So it was quite smart of G Lucas to release all movies here as well. (proof here). My GF remembers seeing Phantom Menace here in China back in 1999 (not a good start I know, but meanwhile she has seen the original trilogy on DVD too at home, and she liked it much better than all prequel crap. ). That in mind, it would only be a matter of time when I would actually experience the strongly Star Wars influenced inner spirit of modern China. And today, while walking through the city, walking away my rocket boba frustrations, the big moment was suddenly there. There it was, painted on a wall of a local play ground. YEAHHH, Star Wars is out there in modern China!!! And how!!! IMPRESSIVE is an understatement.

A disproportional X-Wing, let's call it a Chinese C-Wing Fighter


Star Destroyer


Somehow the frontshape of this starship resembles an A-Wing, what do u think?




BTW: you saw some funny Star Wars related pics abroad, pls go ahead and post them here!

Recently I have been very lucky to pick up a life size Battle Droid based upon its appearance in Episode I. It was constructed by some skillful engineer students from the Technical University Delft, the Netherlands in the late 90s.

The droid is an fine piece of art work imo, and when standing next to it, you get impressed and even a bit scared by it. No wonder I let him guard my collection while we were on our trip to China.

Battle Droid posing with girlfriend. (Please no remarks abour the dachshund, that was her idea )

WOW! That Battle Droid is amazing! I would love to have that guarding my collection as well.

But seriously how do you expect us not to make comments about the girlfriend holding the "Dachsund Blaster". That picture is just begging for a funny caption contest.

Brad

Have to echo what Brad said: Wow that Battle Droid is amazing!

Marco, what material is it made from? And is it all one-piece or do you have to assemble?

I think the 'Dachsund blaster' is the Lily Ledy version

Oh come on guys, I said no remarks about the dachshund blaster, and what you guys do...

The battle Droid is made from wood, paper and even has some Lego parts to make the head rotating. Apart from the head which can be disassembled it is constructed in one piece.

Cool stuff. Lovin' that battle droid. No surprise the head comes off!!!

Last Thursday my girlfriend and I visited the China Central Television (CCTV) Tower in Beijing. It is the number 9 on the list of towers worldwide with a height of 405 meters. At 234 meters there is a restaurant where we were having our lunch, enjoying the slowly rotating view of Beijing below us.

However, after eating some strange mushroom icecream, my Star Wars mind could not help to see other things....













BTW, this was not the first time, similar things happened to me in China before.

Mushroom icecream ? I'm not surprised you started seeing things