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'Star Wars' meets Kurosawa in samurai figurines

I really want these Samurai Wars action figures. Make sure to check the links to see a Stormtrooper, Vader, and Boba Fett!

Matt Hickey
With more than 15 years experience testing hardware (and being obsessed with it), Crave freelance writer Matt Hickey can tell the good gadgets from the great. He also has a keen eye for future technology trends. Matt has blogged for publications including TechCrunch, CrunchGear, and most recently, Gizmodo. Matt is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. E-mail Matt.
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Matt Hickey

Samurai Wars figurines
I think the Lando figure should look like me. Sillof

Critics like to point out that in some ways, the original "Star Wars" was something of a rip-off of Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress." And in some ways the films definitely are similar. One fan/artist, however, wishes they weren't just alike, but that Kurosawa had been the one to make his movie first. So the artist, who goes by the name "Sillof," made some custom action figures which, in his opinion, resemble characters Kurosawa would have used had he made "Star Wars" himself, 50 years ago. And they're awesome.

Sadly, these aren't for sale. I wish they were: I'd buy them. I love "Star Wars" and I love Samurai films, and I've actually wondered what it would have been like had Kurosawa been in charge. I have to say, this is pretty close to what I'd had in mind.

What's even better is the awesome backstory of Samurai Wars that Sillof has put together. It includes a full plot synopsis, the story of found stills from the "lost" film, and even full casting for all the main characters. It's so fleshed out that it's almost real, and I kind of wish it were.