G.I. JOE SIGMA 6 SNAKE EYES & STORM SHADOW
Pics are at the bottom! Well, they will be when I get them up!
Uber-Compressed Version/Summary:
Snake Eyes:
+ stays true to oldschool roots
+ great articulation
+ lots of useful (for the most part) accessories
+ packaging becomes weapons case
- not enough gear can fit in case at once
- sword sheaths cannot cross over each other on his back
- the animé-style design takes some getting used to
- some joints are very tight, feels like you might break figure
- isn't cheap
Storm Shadow:
+ stays true to oldschool roots, feels VERY Storm Shadowy
+ packaging becomes weapons case
+ great accessories
+ comes with sword display rack and cloth pants w/sash, all very cool though not necessary
- sais can't be mounted on bo
- not enough gear can fit in case at once
- isn't cheap
Verdict:
Two excellent figures, and a good sign of what's to come. Yo Joe!
If you have any knowledge whatsoever of action figures, then you have obviously heard of GI Joe. These articuted, modern military action figures define the term 'action figure.' They have been around for decades, and they show no sign of leaving (which is is no way a bad thing!). They have seen many changes over the years. Originally, they were 12" tall before becoming the well-known 3.75" that have become the industry standard. Now, GI Joe figures have a new size: 8"!
Many Joe fans were nothing short of outraged when they heard about this new, oversized, animé-inspired line, where the Joes are more high-tech-teenage-secret-agent than top-secret-government-anti-terrorism-unit. Though I hated the idea of yet another dumbed-down bastardized version of one my favorite toy/comic book line (I prefer the comics over the cartoon, Larry Hama FTW!), I was looking forward to what the toy line had to offer. I was not dissapointed.
This time, I'll be reviewing my two Sigma 6 figures (for effiency/due to laziness -- I mean, work.) : Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow.
Easily the most well-known GI Joe character of them all, Snake Eyes is Special Counter-Terrorist Group Delta's resident disfigured, mute ninja, and Storm Shadow (aka Thomas Arasikage) is his arch-nemesis sword brother. In case you are unfamiliar with these classic characters, make sure to read Marvel's GI Joe (1984), #26 and #27 - Snake-Eyes: The Origin, or Devil's Due Publication's Snake Eyes: Declassified (2005) #1 through #6. They are excellent reads, well worth the purchase (I bought the TPB even after having read Snake Eyes: Declassified). (*coughtorrentcough*)
The packaging in this line is excellent. It allows you to see the whole figure and most of his gear. On the back of the card you have a filecard-like bio and a list of some of his equipment, as well as the usual "Also Available" list. Getting the toy out of the package is a severe pain thanks to numerous plastic ties, barely-visible rubber bands, plastic straps, tape, etc. Be carefull when removing the visor: the little microphone (which is useless since Snake Eyes is mute) gets stuck in the plastic slit. Cut the slit bigger rather than forcing the visor out. You don't want to break it!
Not only is the package eye-catching, it's also useful - the top and the bottom of the case from a foot locker or sorts in which you can store most of the figure's gear. It even includes foam with holes in which to store the equipment. Very, very nice. (Tip: if you want to fit as much of Snake Eyes' gear into this weapons case, equip him with this twin swords and sheats, short sword and sheath, Uzi, visor, dog tag and webgear. Put the remaining masks into the green suction cups, and place the handlebar of the zip line into the groove into which the swords would go. The part in which the string would go can fit into a green suction cup).
Snake Eyes is clad in, as usual, a black skin-tight suit. But not any skin-tight ninja get-up. This here's a 'Sigma Suit,' some kind of high-tech gimmick from the current Joe line. Hence the ports on his shins, outer thighs, right wrist, shoulders, and back. The ports are used to connect his gear. Gone is the single backback port! Now your Joes can carry a crapload of gear to the field with them. The ports are actually very handy, but enough about them. On to the mould itself!
I remember finding it really strange that Joes kept on getting bulkier and more bulky, buffer and more buff. Sigma 6 figures are downright bullimic! Look at Snake Eye's waist - I guess he's not a big fan of Roadblock's cooking... (Okay, wrong era, but you get the picture.) Nonetheless, the figure's mould is nicely done. You can see detail in the musculature, the layers of armour, grey 'mesh'-type sections, the belt... It's a very nicely done figure in terms of mould and detail. It's larger where it has to be large (muscles and chest mainly), and thin where it has to be thin (limbs).
I understand that Snake Eyes doesn't have to be, say, as built as Heavy Duty, but his overly thin appearance might turn away some long-time fans. But not this one. I find that in making him thinner than we're used to, it sort of gives a Spider-Man or Spike Spiegel vibe: he's not overly muscular, but he's still strong and agile as hell!
The figure has 15 points of articulation: neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, chest, waist, hips, knees, and ankles, utilizing a combination of ball joints and ratchet joints to allow an insane range of motion and ensuring that the figure will retain the pose you place him in. I figure with loose joints is basically worthless in terms of poseability, so the ratchet joints will help extend ol' Snakes' life span. He can be placed in a variety of excellent ninja poses, even kicks, and better yet, he'll hold that position and most likely remain standing!
The new 8" size a probably a reminder of days gone by, back when Joes where 12 inches tall and more cloth fatigues. Well, obviously the gang at Hasbro remembers, so they naturally threw in some cloth goods and even a dog tag with the Sigma 6 logo (the 12"-ers used to have dog tags too, for you young 'uns out there). While Snake Eye's cloth gear isn't anything as impressive as Long Range's Trench Coat, or Duke's Tactical Vest, it doesn't have to be, since Snakes doesn't need anything that complex. He has cloth webgear with tiny yet fully functional buckles and some nice shoulder pads, which I particularly enjoy since they remind me of the straps that oldschool Snake Eyes used to have. Only this time, they aren't filled with grenades. Plus, the larger lower-most belt-like strap with buckle adds some much neaded 'meat' to his waist, which helps to counteract the 'overly thin' look.
And of course, where would a GI Joe figure be without his (or her) gear! Snake Eyes includes:
The gear is, for the most part, usefull and looks very nice due to the level of detail and the paint applications. The buckles on the webgear and the Jinsoku's sheath are very tiny yet are fully functional. The swords look very sleek, thanks to the combination of angles and curves and the application of silver as well as blue paints. I really don't like the green 'switches' on the hilts, but it seems that green has somehow been associated with Snake Eyes, as it is used in his masks, his sword hilts, his Whip-Star, and on other toys, such as Ninja Armour Snake Eyes and his Lightning Cycle. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
One of the big gimmicks of this figure is the 'Whip-Star,' which essentially is an oversized shuriken. By twisting the knob, you can open the green-and-black weapon's deadly curved silver-and-blue blades. Snakes can use it to cut stuff up and throw at foes, but that's not all. There is a small amount of string coiled underneath the Whip-Star. The zipline handlebars can be placed (with much difficulty due to the hook at the end of the string) on the string and the powerful magnet will keep the Whip-Star firmly latched onto a wall. Snake Eyes can swing into action this way, or just be displayed in a very cool pose. The magnet is strong enough to hold up his weight.
His Anti-Gravity Climbing Cups are also very powerful. Attach them to Snakes' hands (which takes some work!) and stick him onto windows and other surfaces. They can actually support the weight of the figure, which is a huge bonus.
Snake Eyes' gear can also be lent to other characters, and can be attached to Duke's Tac Vest. The swords' sheaths, the Uzi, and the Climbing Cups all have the tab which lets them hook up to Duke's vest, just in case he needs a little MORE firepower, or is going to be sent in on an infiltration mission that doesn't require a hangglider, boat, ATV, etc... ...but I"m not sure why he'd need swords. I don't think Duke was ever trained by the Arashikage, at least I hope not!
Snake Eyes is a great figure with lots of poseability and a great weapons locker full of (mainly) useful equipment. If you can get over the animé look of the toy and don't mind the size/price point, you're in for a treat. He is not your Daddy's Joe. He's not your Granddaddy's Joe. Hell, he isn't even your Joe, but that doesn't mean that he is in any way a bad addition to a Joe fan's collection. Highly recommended!
Whew.... That was a lot longer than I was anticipating. Feel free to take a break right about now. Go get yourself a sandwich and something to drink and come back for Storm Shadow's review when you're ready.
Stormshadow is Snake-Eyes' sword brother, Thomas Arashikage. They fought together in 'Nam along with the man who would later be known as Stalker, one of the Original Thirteen GI Joes. Tommy saved Snake-Eyes' life in the war and invited him to go to Japan to join the family business - which Snake-Eyes learned to be a ninja clan. Well, that was the original story in the 80s, now it's obviously different in the Sigma 6 TV show and cartoon. Oh well.
As with Snake Eyes, Stormshadow's package is very eye-catching. The figure is clutching his katana and surrounded by his gear, in front of a very nice red background. Carefully remove the figure from the package! You will find that he has more gear than Snake Eyes, though a lot of won't get much use. He includes:
Storm Shadow is dressed sort of like his original incarnation from way back in '84. His costume is, naturally, white. His pants have some gray patches on them, but he includes white cloth pants that cover over his legs, and they come complete with a red sash. His feet and ankles are protected by his red ninja footgear (sorry, I don't know the technical term), which have very nice detail in them. His chest is covered in white armour, which sports a similar line pattern as his footgear and his gauntlets. His arms are bare, of course, and his Arashikage clan marking is not on his wrist this time. It is clearly visible and not hidden under his nicely-detailed red gauntlets. His head is covered by his white mask.
Since he isn't a Joe, Storm Shadow has no Sigma Suit, and therefore no ports for weapons on his body. Luckily, he can load up thanks to his carrying strap and, to a lesser extent, his pants. The pants slide over his legs nicely and help to add some much-needed bulk to this figure (I really don't like the overly-thin look of most Sigma 6 figures). The pants are not necessary, though, and without them, he is still clothed in his white ninja jumpsuit, as I explained earlier. The pants are fastened thanks to velcro under his sash. The weapon carrying-strap simply slides onto him and rests against his neck. The strap can carry 2 sais and a sword in its sheath. His nunchaku's string can be attached to his pants by closing the velcro over the string of the weapon. I personally don't like the way that he looks with the nunchaku dangling from his pants, but this method does allow him to carry an additional weapon.
Much like Snake Eyes', Storm Shadow's gear is highly detailed. You can see plenty of curves, folds, and diamond-shaped symbols on the 'fabric' of the hilts of his weapons as well as on the bo's grip. The colours of his weapons work very nicely - black, silver, grey, gold, and reddish-brown. The blades of the swords are, just like Snake Eyes', painted silver and have blue paint on the blades. I'm not sure why they did this, but it looks very nice. Unfortunately, the blades of the sais are not painted. Also, the paint on the handles can be rubbed off. My Stormshadow figure now has a strange-looking red palm and grey patches on his sai's grip. The nunchaku are painted gold and black, colours which contrast each other well. Their blades are silver and blue, too.
This is essentially, a no-gimmick figure, but he does have some features. The package explains that the nunchaku have deployable blades. And how! Simply use your fingernail to flip out the blade and the nunchaku instantly look even meaner. The blades are long, as long as the nunchaku itself, and I often find them touching the ground when I pose Storm Shadow wielding them. Another feature is combination (yet again!). His bo can convert from a long blunt staff to an even longer bladed staff to an overly long lance-like double-bladed staff. His swords can attach to the ends of the bo, making it look downright deadly, albeit hard to use while not riding a horse. Unfortunately, the sais cannot be attached to the bo due to the balls at the base of their hilts. I think that this was a bad idea on Hasbro's part. Having the sais attach to the bo would result in a long yet still serviceable staff with two twin ends (attaching both swords will result in one end being longer than the other).
He also features climbing gear: claws, grips, and a grappling hook. The gear features some detail, such as the grip on the handles and a little Arashikage marking on the bottom of the claws. They fit well over his feet and into his hands, though I'm not sure if they can be used to actually support the weight of the figure (unlike Snake Eyes' suction cups), as I haven't tried it. His grappling hook might be able to, if you you wrap the string around him tightly enough.
He also includes a sword display stand, which is hard to see from within the package. You will always have to leave the stand out, since it won't fit inside of the Weapons Case. This isn't a bad thing as you can have it displaying some of the gear that Tommy isn't using at that moment. It can hold all of his weapons nicely, and if you were looking for a good display stand for the Megatron pistol that came with your 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime/Masterpiece Convoy, here it is! Megs will even block the Cobra logo.
This figure is, on its own, amazing. Paired up with his sword brother, his is even better. If you are a fan of the characters, these toys only get better. If you were skeptical about the Sigma 6 line, pick up these figures and tell me they don't change your mind. These two are highly recommended, and they complement each other so well that if you get one, you'll have to get the other!
If you want to get them both, you should look for the Ninja Showdown pack, which features both figures (repainted somewhat), most of the gear that they came with individually, and a DVD.
Pics are at the bottom! Well, they will be when I get them up!
Uber-Compressed Version/Summary:
Snake Eyes:
+ stays true to oldschool roots
+ great articulation
+ lots of useful (for the most part) accessories
+ packaging becomes weapons case
- not enough gear can fit in case at once
- sword sheaths cannot cross over each other on his back
- the animé-style design takes some getting used to
- some joints are very tight, feels like you might break figure
- isn't cheap
Storm Shadow:
+ stays true to oldschool roots, feels VERY Storm Shadowy
+ packaging becomes weapons case
+ great accessories
+ comes with sword display rack and cloth pants w/sash, all very cool though not necessary
- sais can't be mounted on bo
- not enough gear can fit in case at once
- isn't cheap
Verdict:
Two excellent figures, and a good sign of what's to come. Yo Joe!
If you have any knowledge whatsoever of action figures, then you have obviously heard of GI Joe. These articuted, modern military action figures define the term 'action figure.' They have been around for decades, and they show no sign of leaving (which is is no way a bad thing!). They have seen many changes over the years. Originally, they were 12" tall before becoming the well-known 3.75" that have become the industry standard. Now, GI Joe figures have a new size: 8"!
Many Joe fans were nothing short of outraged when they heard about this new, oversized, animé-inspired line, where the Joes are more high-tech-teenage-secret-agent than top-secret-government-anti-terrorism-unit. Though I hated the idea of yet another dumbed-down bastardized version of one my favorite toy/comic book line (I prefer the comics over the cartoon, Larry Hama FTW!), I was looking forward to what the toy line had to offer. I was not dissapointed.
This time, I'll be reviewing my two Sigma 6 figures (for effiency/due to laziness -- I mean, work.) : Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow.
Easily the most well-known GI Joe character of them all, Snake Eyes is Special Counter-Terrorist Group Delta's resident disfigured, mute ninja, and Storm Shadow (aka Thomas Arasikage) is his arch-nemesis sword brother. In case you are unfamiliar with these classic characters, make sure to read Marvel's GI Joe (1984), #26 and #27 - Snake-Eyes: The Origin, or Devil's Due Publication's Snake Eyes: Declassified (2005) #1 through #6. They are excellent reads, well worth the purchase (I bought the TPB even after having read Snake Eyes: Declassified). (*coughtorrentcough*)
The packaging in this line is excellent. It allows you to see the whole figure and most of his gear. On the back of the card you have a filecard-like bio and a list of some of his equipment, as well as the usual "Also Available" list. Getting the toy out of the package is a severe pain thanks to numerous plastic ties, barely-visible rubber bands, plastic straps, tape, etc. Be carefull when removing the visor: the little microphone (which is useless since Snake Eyes is mute) gets stuck in the plastic slit. Cut the slit bigger rather than forcing the visor out. You don't want to break it!
Not only is the package eye-catching, it's also useful - the top and the bottom of the case from a foot locker or sorts in which you can store most of the figure's gear. It even includes foam with holes in which to store the equipment. Very, very nice. (Tip: if you want to fit as much of Snake Eyes' gear into this weapons case, equip him with this twin swords and sheats, short sword and sheath, Uzi, visor, dog tag and webgear. Put the remaining masks into the green suction cups, and place the handlebar of the zip line into the groove into which the swords would go. The part in which the string would go can fit into a green suction cup).
Snake Eyes is clad in, as usual, a black skin-tight suit. But not any skin-tight ninja get-up. This here's a 'Sigma Suit,' some kind of high-tech gimmick from the current Joe line. Hence the ports on his shins, outer thighs, right wrist, shoulders, and back. The ports are used to connect his gear. Gone is the single backback port! Now your Joes can carry a crapload of gear to the field with them. The ports are actually very handy, but enough about them. On to the mould itself!
I remember finding it really strange that Joes kept on getting bulkier and more bulky, buffer and more buff. Sigma 6 figures are downright bullimic! Look at Snake Eye's waist - I guess he's not a big fan of Roadblock's cooking... (Okay, wrong era, but you get the picture.) Nonetheless, the figure's mould is nicely done. You can see detail in the musculature, the layers of armour, grey 'mesh'-type sections, the belt... It's a very nicely done figure in terms of mould and detail. It's larger where it has to be large (muscles and chest mainly), and thin where it has to be thin (limbs).
I understand that Snake Eyes doesn't have to be, say, as built as Heavy Duty, but his overly thin appearance might turn away some long-time fans. But not this one. I find that in making him thinner than we're used to, it sort of gives a Spider-Man or Spike Spiegel vibe: he's not overly muscular, but he's still strong and agile as hell!
The figure has 15 points of articulation: neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, chest, waist, hips, knees, and ankles, utilizing a combination of ball joints and ratchet joints to allow an insane range of motion and ensuring that the figure will retain the pose you place him in. I figure with loose joints is basically worthless in terms of poseability, so the ratchet joints will help extend ol' Snakes' life span. He can be placed in a variety of excellent ninja poses, even kicks, and better yet, he'll hold that position and most likely remain standing!
The new 8" size a probably a reminder of days gone by, back when Joes where 12 inches tall and more cloth fatigues. Well, obviously the gang at Hasbro remembers, so they naturally threw in some cloth goods and even a dog tag with the Sigma 6 logo (the 12"-ers used to have dog tags too, for you young 'uns out there). While Snake Eye's cloth gear isn't anything as impressive as Long Range's Trench Coat, or Duke's Tactical Vest, it doesn't have to be, since Snakes doesn't need anything that complex. He has cloth webgear with tiny yet fully functional buckles and some nice shoulder pads, which I particularly enjoy since they remind me of the straps that oldschool Snake Eyes used to have. Only this time, they aren't filled with grenades. Plus, the larger lower-most belt-like strap with buckle adds some much neaded 'meat' to his waist, which helps to counteract the 'overly thin' look.
And of course, where would a GI Joe figure be without his (or her) gear! Snake Eyes includes:
- Webgear w/shoulder pads
- Sigma 6 dog tag
- Classic Snake-Eyes visor ('Visual Input Device')
- NVGs w/zoom feature (Night Vision Goggles with built-in binoculars)
- Gas mask
- 2 Tonfa-style swords (Google 'tonfa' if you don't know what it means) w/sheaths
- Jinsoku dagger w/sheath
- 2 Sword connectors
- 'RFB System' (ie an Uzi)
- 'Anti-Gravity Climbing Cups' (ie Suction Cups)
- Whip-Star w/string (oversized magnetic shuriken w/retractable blades and zip line)
- Zip line handlebars
- 2 Handles and 2 latches for Weapons Case
The gear is, for the most part, usefull and looks very nice due to the level of detail and the paint applications. The buckles on the webgear and the Jinsoku's sheath are very tiny yet are fully functional. The swords look very sleek, thanks to the combination of angles and curves and the application of silver as well as blue paints. I really don't like the green 'switches' on the hilts, but it seems that green has somehow been associated with Snake Eyes, as it is used in his masks, his sword hilts, his Whip-Star, and on other toys, such as Ninja Armour Snake Eyes and his Lightning Cycle. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
One of the big gimmicks of this figure is the 'Whip-Star,' which essentially is an oversized shuriken. By twisting the knob, you can open the green-and-black weapon's deadly curved silver-and-blue blades. Snakes can use it to cut stuff up and throw at foes, but that's not all. There is a small amount of string coiled underneath the Whip-Star. The zipline handlebars can be placed (with much difficulty due to the hook at the end of the string) on the string and the powerful magnet will keep the Whip-Star firmly latched onto a wall. Snake Eyes can swing into action this way, or just be displayed in a very cool pose. The magnet is strong enough to hold up his weight.
His Anti-Gravity Climbing Cups are also very powerful. Attach them to Snakes' hands (which takes some work!) and stick him onto windows and other surfaces. They can actually support the weight of the figure, which is a huge bonus.
Snake Eyes' gear can also be lent to other characters, and can be attached to Duke's Tac Vest. The swords' sheaths, the Uzi, and the Climbing Cups all have the tab which lets them hook up to Duke's vest, just in case he needs a little MORE firepower, or is going to be sent in on an infiltration mission that doesn't require a hangglider, boat, ATV, etc... ...but I"m not sure why he'd need swords. I don't think Duke was ever trained by the Arashikage, at least I hope not!
Snake Eyes is a great figure with lots of poseability and a great weapons locker full of (mainly) useful equipment. If you can get over the animé look of the toy and don't mind the size/price point, you're in for a treat. He is not your Daddy's Joe. He's not your Granddaddy's Joe. Hell, he isn't even your Joe, but that doesn't mean that he is in any way a bad addition to a Joe fan's collection. Highly recommended!
Whew.... That was a lot longer than I was anticipating. Feel free to take a break right about now. Go get yourself a sandwich and something to drink and come back for Storm Shadow's review when you're ready.
Stormshadow is Snake-Eyes' sword brother, Thomas Arashikage. They fought together in 'Nam along with the man who would later be known as Stalker, one of the Original Thirteen GI Joes. Tommy saved Snake-Eyes' life in the war and invited him to go to Japan to join the family business - which Snake-Eyes learned to be a ninja clan. Well, that was the original story in the 80s, now it's obviously different in the Sigma 6 TV show and cartoon. Oh well.
As with Snake Eyes, Stormshadow's package is very eye-catching. The figure is clutching his katana and surrounded by his gear, in front of a very nice red background. Carefully remove the figure from the package! You will find that he has more gear than Snake Eyes, though a lot of won't get much use. He includes:
- Red carrying strap (holds 1 sword and 2 sais)
- White cloth pants w/red sash
- Katana w/sheath
- Wakizashi (looks like a short katana) w/sheath
- 2 Sais
- Bo
- Nunchaku w/flip-out blades
- Grappling hook w/red string
- 2 Climbing grips (for hands)
- 2 Climbing claws (for feet)
- Display stand for 2 weapons
- 2 Handles and 2 latches for Weapons Case
Storm Shadow is dressed sort of like his original incarnation from way back in '84. His costume is, naturally, white. His pants have some gray patches on them, but he includes white cloth pants that cover over his legs, and they come complete with a red sash. His feet and ankles are protected by his red ninja footgear (sorry, I don't know the technical term), which have very nice detail in them. His chest is covered in white armour, which sports a similar line pattern as his footgear and his gauntlets. His arms are bare, of course, and his Arashikage clan marking is not on his wrist this time. It is clearly visible and not hidden under his nicely-detailed red gauntlets. His head is covered by his white mask.
Since he isn't a Joe, Storm Shadow has no Sigma Suit, and therefore no ports for weapons on his body. Luckily, he can load up thanks to his carrying strap and, to a lesser extent, his pants. The pants slide over his legs nicely and help to add some much-needed bulk to this figure (I really don't like the overly-thin look of most Sigma 6 figures). The pants are not necessary, though, and without them, he is still clothed in his white ninja jumpsuit, as I explained earlier. The pants are fastened thanks to velcro under his sash. The weapon carrying-strap simply slides onto him and rests against his neck. The strap can carry 2 sais and a sword in its sheath. His nunchaku's string can be attached to his pants by closing the velcro over the string of the weapon. I personally don't like the way that he looks with the nunchaku dangling from his pants, but this method does allow him to carry an additional weapon.
Much like Snake Eyes', Storm Shadow's gear is highly detailed. You can see plenty of curves, folds, and diamond-shaped symbols on the 'fabric' of the hilts of his weapons as well as on the bo's grip. The colours of his weapons work very nicely - black, silver, grey, gold, and reddish-brown. The blades of the swords are, just like Snake Eyes', painted silver and have blue paint on the blades. I'm not sure why they did this, but it looks very nice. Unfortunately, the blades of the sais are not painted. Also, the paint on the handles can be rubbed off. My Stormshadow figure now has a strange-looking red palm and grey patches on his sai's grip. The nunchaku are painted gold and black, colours which contrast each other well. Their blades are silver and blue, too.
This is essentially, a no-gimmick figure, but he does have some features. The package explains that the nunchaku have deployable blades. And how! Simply use your fingernail to flip out the blade and the nunchaku instantly look even meaner. The blades are long, as long as the nunchaku itself, and I often find them touching the ground when I pose Storm Shadow wielding them. Another feature is combination (yet again!). His bo can convert from a long blunt staff to an even longer bladed staff to an overly long lance-like double-bladed staff. His swords can attach to the ends of the bo, making it look downright deadly, albeit hard to use while not riding a horse. Unfortunately, the sais cannot be attached to the bo due to the balls at the base of their hilts. I think that this was a bad idea on Hasbro's part. Having the sais attach to the bo would result in a long yet still serviceable staff with two twin ends (attaching both swords will result in one end being longer than the other).
He also features climbing gear: claws, grips, and a grappling hook. The gear features some detail, such as the grip on the handles and a little Arashikage marking on the bottom of the claws. They fit well over his feet and into his hands, though I'm not sure if they can be used to actually support the weight of the figure (unlike Snake Eyes' suction cups), as I haven't tried it. His grappling hook might be able to, if you you wrap the string around him tightly enough.
He also includes a sword display stand, which is hard to see from within the package. You will always have to leave the stand out, since it won't fit inside of the Weapons Case. This isn't a bad thing as you can have it displaying some of the gear that Tommy isn't using at that moment. It can hold all of his weapons nicely, and if you were looking for a good display stand for the Megatron pistol that came with your 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime/Masterpiece Convoy, here it is! Megs will even block the Cobra logo.
This figure is, on its own, amazing. Paired up with his sword brother, his is even better. If you are a fan of the characters, these toys only get better. If you were skeptical about the Sigma 6 line, pick up these figures and tell me they don't change your mind. These two are highly recommended, and they complement each other so well that if you get one, you'll have to get the other!
If you want to get them both, you should look for the Ninja Showdown pack, which features both figures (repainted somewhat), most of the gear that they came with individually, and a DVD.
posted by 1337W422102 at 11:01 AM
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