Review & pics by: Fred Meyer
 
JBL Review: Ninja Battles boxed set - Page 2

 

Tiger Claw:

Tiger Claw frontTiger Claw back

I’m honestly torn on this character. On one hand, Snake Eyes has replaced Kamakura with a new apprentice. (If you can’t tell, I’m a Kamakura fan!) On the other hand, Kamakura’s skills have apparently progressed to the point that he is no longer considered an apprentice. So, Tiger Claw isn’t so much a replacement as he is the “new freshman”. This being said, Tiger Claw is a complete repaint of Kamakura v3. The headpiece is now orange as is the trim on his gei, and his forearm and calf guards are now black. He’s also got a big tiger paw print painted on his sash and sports the Arashikage sigil on his right arm in black. Oddly enough, his body is molded in the same color as the enclosed display base, which causes him to blend is a bit too well with this set. It’s not a bad thing but it is the first sign that this is a “value pack” figure and not a regularly released figure. Overall, his color scheme is pretty bland and he also has the dreaded mini-skirt that hampered the movement of Kamakura.

Tiger Claw closeup

One particularly nice thing about Tiger Claw is his pair of accessories. In a move similar to the Wave 6 Slash, Tiger Claw carries his new-mold sword in an ornate carrying case. Rather than simply reuse Slash’s, TC gets a brand new mold case to go with his detailed new sword. (Yes, this is the same sword featured in the DVD!) It’s nice to seem some new accessories showing up—especially in a set of repaints. If we had simply been handed the all of the same accessories that we’ve seen time and time again (including that one awful wavy sword) I’d have written this set off decent value. New weapons push it over the edge into the “freakin’ sweet” category!Overall Tiger Claw isn’t a bad repaint—he’s just a bit bland. His file card at least breathes some life into the character but I don’t know how much use he’ll get with Kamakura still around.

Tiger Claw sword and scabbard

Shadow Strike:

Shadow Strike frontShadow Strike back

I admit it—I was a fan of the first GIJoe vs. Cobra Storm Shadow mold. I realize that it didn’t have an o-ring but there was something oddly appealing about the design of the character. I don’t know if it was a great representation of Storm Shadow but the design worked overall. I was pretty overjoyed when I saw that it was getting the o-ring treatment and now we’ve seen its release on two occasions. Of those two releases, this is the superior repaint.

Shadow Strike comparison

I understand that the retooling isn’t perfect—the legs are a bit awkward and the head is now smaller, but I really like this design. As Shadow Strike, the figure is now almost entirely red with dark gray straps and black wraps. The only flesh tone used on the figure is found around the eyes as the arms are now entirely covered in the costume. For this figure, it works. I wasn’t certain originally if this was meant to be just a red ninja or an individual character. After watching the DVD I’m glad that this isn’t a generic troop as I really have learned to despise Shadow Strike. I like the figure but the character is one that you’ll learn to hate—not because he’s a ridiculous character (he’s not!) but because he’s the kind of person you’d expect to be a ninja. Fans (and Hasbro) tend to forget that ninjas aren’t samurai with their code of honor—ninjas are assassins and thieves and spies. Being a ninja wasn’t an honorable profession and the Arashikage clan was not the Knights of Camelot, righting the wrongs of the world and then selflessly returning to the dojo to discuss their exploits over a piping hot pot of tea. Shadow Strike is a scheming deceiver who manipulates people to his own ends and I, for one, am happy to own a figure of him. Befitting his character, Shadow Strike comes packed not with a sword but with a pair of trench knives with hand guards. These knives just fit the character somehow and the only way I’ll have other figures using them is when they have to pry them from his cold dead hands. (At which point he’ll resemble one of the Cobra Ninja Troopers, but that’s a gag from another review!) Of the new characters in this set, Shadow Strike is my favorite and a great new addition to the Joe Universe.



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