Sigma 6 collectors, as a whole, have come to the realization that as the line continues, we are simply destined to get many versions of some of the more popular characters, especially characters at the center of the G.I. Joe mythos like Snake Eyes. It's simply the nature of the line, and I think for the most part everyone has kind of grown to accept this fact. I know I accept it to a certain degree, as long as the updates have something new and exciting about them that makes the figure interesting, regardless of which character it represents. From 2005 right up until now, Hasbro has done an exceptional job giving us some terrific new concepts, even for figures that have been done ad naseum. This year alone we've gotten several different versions of Snake Eyes, yet each one has managed to have some sort of unique look, form, or function which still makes the figure desirable.

Well, now, because of the apparent end (whether temporary or permenant) of the 8" scale, and a slight mix-matching of series, we now have the ultimate Snake Eyes overload...two figures in one wave! This is the perfect ammunition for all of those Sigma 6 haters who have big issues with the rehashed characters, but to me, as long as the figure adds some new twist or new appeal, it's no big deal to me.

While the Samurai Snake Eyes adds several cool new elements, honestly I don't feel like the Dojo Training Snake Eyes really does, and as a figure, it doesn't offer a whole lot to really excite me.

Earlier this year, we saw Hasbro change focus a little bit towards the "Tactical Ops" branch of the Sigma 6 team, which focused on larger, more play valued accessories. Dojo Training Snake Eyes was originally planned to run alongside that theory, but to rework him into a Kung Fu Grip style figure, he was delayed along with Windfire COBRA Commander, and was kicked into this wave instead. As a result, being mixed in with some of these more impressive figures, Dojo Training Snake Eyes just doesn't come across as being quite as cool to me.

The figure itself is a total re-use of the Windblade Snake Eyes, complete with increased articulation in the joints, which is appreciated. However, this now marks the third time we've seen a Snake Eyes with this overall look, without many stylistic or aesthetic changes. While I appreciated the similarity to some degree with the Windblade version (since I could then use it as my default Snake Eyes) I'm a bit offset by the fact that this version now retains that almost exact same look. There is new tooling with the head sculpt, making his old school visor a bit larger and more prominent, but in my opinion, the look is not necessarily an improvement.

Something about that "Sigma 6" style head sculpt was very cool to me. I absolutely loved the removable visor, goggles, etc... from the first version, but this one takes it a bit further, really enhancing the animated features, broadening the visor, and giving the head a somewhat slimmer and more stylized appearence. It's a slightly different look, but not a better look, and that's kind of what I hope for when we're seeing these figures re-released.

Of course Snake Eyes also comes complete with the Kung Fu Grip, this time reworked from the standard Snake Eyes hand, and it works well, and kind of makes me wish all of the figures had this improved articulation. Not quite enough to warrant yet another purchase.

As for accessories, that's another downpoint, at least in my opinion. Some of the perks of getting these figures re-released to the extreme is that it sometimes offers us a chance to get some great new gear, and a lot of times the gear is some of the best stuff in one of these packages. In this case, though, I'm really not a big fan of the gear he comes with. The training dummy he comes with has a very interesting design scheme, and the removable/exchangable weapons are a novel idea, but it adds no real combat usefulness or interesting elements to the accessories we already have. Removing these weapons gives Snake Eyes a ton of options for ninja blunt weaponry, but ultimately devoting so much accessory space and money to a training dummy sort of indicates some lost potential for something really cool.

On the plus side, Snake Eyes does come with a terrific pair slim swords which are very nice and a great departure from the chunky, somewhat bulky blades we've gotten in times past. These black blades are narrow, sleek, and have some insanely well-designed hilts (complete with little Arashikage symbols on them). They also fit seamlessly into a great new sculpt sheath with belt that Snake Eyes can wear as well. This belt also has some great detailing in the symbol on the front, and a couple of nice spots to store some of his gear. As nice as this stuff is, though, it's only a small bright spot in an otherwise somewhat dull package. The cloth frontpiece is sort of nice, too (and is, surprisingly a separate piece, apart from the rubber belt and strap) and I like how it blends Snake Eyes in with his apprentice a bit (perfect for training) but still, not enough to really excite me.

Those completist fans who have to have them all will find something to appreciate with the new swords, new sheath, and some of this new ninja gear, but for discriminating buyers who only have a certain amount of space in their budget, you may want to rethink this purchase, as it doesn't have a whole lot new to offer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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