Storm Shadow (2012 Ninja Showdown)
This figure, from the Retaliation Ninja Showdown three-pack, looks nothing like what we’ve seen of Storm Shadow in previews for for the new movie, and I have no problem with that. I’ve not been a fan of his movie look thus far. I would have been impressed had the movie version sported this more comic book inspired style. Or more specifically, I should say super hero (or super villain) look.
About all it shares in common with the typical Storm Shadow design is the basic color and presence of a mask. Again, it’s not a bad thing at all. I enjoy seeing new interpretations of the classics, even when the end result is a little off the beaten path. This is a very sleek and modern looking Stormy, and one that probably won’t be seen too much longer, since the later waves of the sequel movie figures are more accurate to their on screen counterparts. Maybe the mold will get reworked later as a basic ninja trooper. I would buy the figure in any flavor Hasbro chooses to recolor it.
I prefer this figure to the single pack version. The darker colors make for a better contrast to the white, and further take this figure away from the typical pure white Storm Shadow look. The first movie’s Storm Shadow figures were really bad about the pure white, and turned out to be fairly boring looking to me. I also really like the strikingly large Cobra emblem on his chest.
Accessories are fair, though I would have preferred a different sword. The one here has an odd long handle. Now I may be uninformed, and if it’s based on a real type of sword, I apologize, but I still find it odd. Then again, it’s not like I don’t have a million extra swords to give him. The other weapons included are interesting, especially the partially folding compound bow.
Thankfully, there’s no reduced articulation. In fact, the figure sports an extra ankle swivel, much like Snake Eyes from the same pack. The added feature makes for some very creative posing possibilities.
This Storm Shadow was a pleasant surprise for me. I picked up the Ninja Showdown pack primarily for the Red Ninja, but then got really sold because of the Snake Eyes that riffs on the version that was released at the end of the Valor Vs. Venom line.
However, I didn’t really have that much interest in Stormy here…until I started messing around with the bow. I don’t know why, but I thought the scene in THE AVENGERS (I’m not totally sure it was in the movie, but the comics have done the same thing I’m about to describe) of Hawkeye taking out his bow, giving a swift jerk and it fully deploying just looked really cool. I realize it would be horrible to do a bow in real life, but it just looked so awesome. The thought of Storm Shadow being able to do that just really appealed to me. That made me give a closer look at the Storm Shadow I’d just kind of written off and was impressed by the articulation and the super-hero styled scuplt.
I like this mold, I’d like to buy this figure.
Weird sword. It’s somewhere between a wakizashi (but where’s the katana?) and a tanto (is he going to commit suicide after shooting all his arrows?). I’m guessing random accessory assignment. The figure looks kinda fun, and Hasbro would get more out of it if they marked it “Concept Series”.
Decent figure, great articulation – but there is one issue. Since when did pantaloons become standard ninja garb?
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