Ready for some Ninja Force action? I hope so because today I've got a giant sized review that's packed with so ninja goodness that you'll likely exclaim "Everybody was Kung Fu fighting!" G.I. Joe's Ninja Force was a subset of the A Real American Hero line that was began in 1992, a year when the G.I. Joe brand was still trying to find it's place in the early 1990s toy market that tended to feature figures that were brighter and bolder than the 1980s. Subsets galore tried to court popular themes, color schemes, and social issues and Ninja Force featured brightly colored ninjas with built-in action features (a new step for the G.I. Joe line) that sought to capitalize on the still growing popularity of ninjas (now of the Teenage Mutant Turtle variety). If I go back and look at my toy interests in 1992, this was a year that I didn't pay as much attention to G.I. Joe as I did in others. The only figure I originally has was Destro v3 (though 4 years later, in middle school, I obtained the DEF Shockwave v3 through a trade and that guy has since been one of my favorites) as I was more focused on Toy Biz's Marvel Superheroes and X-Men, Kenner's Terminator 2, Aliens, and Batman Returns, Tiger's Land of the Lost, Mattel's Key Force, Mighty Max, and King Arthur and the Knights of Justice, Galoob's Micro Machines, and Playmates' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Oh, and Snailiens from JPI. Yes, I'm shocked that I purchased more Snailiens in 1992 than I did G.I. Joe. Crazy! I'm making up for that with the Classified Series, though, aren't I? Slice and Dice were both released in the first series of Ninja Force figures and have been a popular Cobra duo ever since. Let's check out this pair of ninjas after the break...
Height: 6 and 1/8ths inches
Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed drop down hips, ball jointed waist, midtorso torso, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, ball jointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: 2 swappable portraits, 6 swappable hands, 2 hooks swords, 2 knives, sheath, 2 katar, cape, rattan shield, and kunai bandolier.
Height: 6 and 1/8ths inches
Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed drop down hips, ball jointed waist, midtorso torso, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, ball jointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.
Accessories: 3 swappable portraits, 6 swappable hands, 2 forearm guards, 1 bicep guard, naginata, and 2 axes.
Non-Scalper Price: $55 dollars
* Slice has been a popular character for Hasbro as he appeared in the vintage line three times, once in G.I. Joe Vs. Cobra, twice in Valor Vs Venom, and once in the Figure Subscription Service through the G.I. Joe: Collector's Club. For the Classified Series, the Joe team has done a great job of capturing the classic 1992 version but upgrading him with some nice armor and gear that really improves the figure and makes him look more combat ready. He shares the base body with a few other ninjas but his armored shoulder pads and wrist guards, plus his belt with some cord on it, all look new to me. The red and black color scheme is also great. While the vintage Slash was red with little black stars printed on him, this one sort of gradually transitions between red and black in places; it's a cool visual effect.
* The belt is cool as it looks like he's carrying some rappelling cord, perhaps for making sneaky ascents and descents into enemy territory. Slice also has a cord of some sort that fits across his chest (it's removable) that's toting some kunai.
* Here's a close-up of his excellent bicep and forearm armor. The black and silver is really neat and clean and the design looks great with the rest of Slice's costume.
* His ninja tabi boots are also incredibly well done. They're not just basic tabi shoes for sneaking but also built with some armor over his shins. Nothing hurts worse than banging your shin so these are a real boon when out in the field slicing and dicing.
* Dice's mask keeps his entire head covered. It reminds me a bit of a fencing mask, but it looks like it's solid and all metal. You can even see where it's strapped on to the hood he's wearing that has a flowing tie in the back. Despite just blank, it's pretty intimidating.
Wild, right? That's some cool inspiration for a new portrait and definitely gives Slice some more character. I like the idea that he can swap his masks out. This is actually a separate portrait, though, and not just a swappable mask feature.
* Let's take a look at Dice now. Dice hasn't been as popular with Hasbro, only getting a figure in the Figure Subscription Service through the G.I. Joe Collector's Club in 2013. Dice is rumored to have once been a Night Creeper and his motto on the vintage file card was "I'm a back-breaker, a face-stomper and bone-breaker! Don't mess with me, or I'll mess you up!"
Shakespeare, right there. The figure is excellent, though. Like with his best buddy Slice, Dice definitely is faithful to the vintage figure but given more details, armor, and gear. Purple and black is a color scheme and one that makes him look a bit like Hawkeye to me.
* Dice has a lot of gear including a harness on his chest and a belt with lots of pouches and some red cables that look like they might be intended to be some cords of some sort that can be detached for various purposes. The chest harness has some grenades, some pellets (maybe smoke pellets?), and various pouches for carrying other sneaky things. Or maybe dice. Does Dice carry dice? Does he keep them in his pocket but he's too afraid to show anyone? I ask the hard questions here.
* Check out his scale mail looking armor for his forearms and his right bicep? This stays on well and looks excellent.
* He also has scale mail shin guards over his tabi shoes. Interestingly, his tabi shoots curl up on the end. Fancy!
* Even Dice's mask reminds me of Hawkeye a bit. It's a cool mask that looks like it covers the top of his head but has strips of armor going down around his lower face. There's also some pretty crazy looking teeth attached to the mask, giving it an animalistic look. His eyes are visible through it and they're really impressively printed. He definitely looks like a hard dude.
* The second portrait for Dice is an unmasked portrait and it's pretty cool. Who does Dice look like? To me, he looks like martial arts legends Gordon Liu. Doesn't he? I'm loving the scars here, too. There's a lot of character here and it makes Dice even cooler. The Figure Subscription Service figure from 2013 had a removable mask but that version of Dice had hair and was a reused portrait from the Rise of Cobra Aqua-Viper Officer. This is an improvement for sure!
* Dice gets a third portrait, too: A dragon inspired mask! The vintage figure has a spring-loaded action feature called the "Flying Dragon" technique, so this guy comes with a dragon mask. I'd think this would be difficult to fight in but it certainly makes an impression and has fantastic colors! Dice certainly has some showmanship, doesn't he?
* How's the articulation? Excellent, of course. The Classified Series is one of the most consistently excellent toylines out there and this set is no exception. They're sturdy and have a great range of smooth, useful articulation. They look good battling unarmed, utilizing all of their martial weapons, or just standing around looking cool. This is a great set and one that is so much fun with multiple display options.
* Let's talk about some accessories now as this set is loaded with them and they're all pretty unique. First up is a tiny said for Slice. The vintage figure had one sculpted on his right forearm and now you can actually take it off and use it as a weapon or for defending against an attack.
* Rather than just being attached to his forearm with a strap or something, now Slice's small sai fits into this great sheath. Much safer and more secure, that's for sure.
* The vintage Slice came with two accessories, one of which was called a butterfly knife. I always thought of a butterfly knife as a balisong, the knife that folds open, but these are actually butterfly swords, a Chinese weapon. These are really nicely sculpted and look good with the figure. I wish they were more silver rather than grey, but they're still pretty nice weapons.
* They can be stored in a set of removable sheaths that plug into the backpack hole on Slice's back. How convenient!
* The second weapon the vintage figure came with was a hook sword, a very distinctive Chinese weapon also known as a Shuang Gao or a Tiger Hook sword. These are solid sculpts and also new to the line. They also have some paint applications on the hilt, so they stand out quite nicely.
* Last up is a pair of katar, a type of punch dagger or push dagger from India. These are fancy and they look like the helmet of the Witch-king of Angma, don't they? These are pretty wicked looking.
* Six swappable hands are included: A pair of flat hands for chopping, a pair of pistol grips for holding martial arts weapons, and a pair of fists for punching and fist bumping Dice after a battle. They swap easily and give you a nice variety of options.
* Dice also comes with six swappable hands with the same options: Punching and bumping fists, flat, striking hands, and trigger fingers/ pistol grips. Dice isn't wearing gloves but he does have a guard that protects the outside of his hand.
* Dice comes with fewer weapons, but they're a bit more substantial. First up is a pair of rather ornate axes. They've got decorative dragons designs on the blades, a hole in the middle for improving speed, and a blade on the top. They're incredibly cool and match Dice's dragon theme.
* Next up is a naginata, another weapon the vintage figure had. This one's pretty close to the vintage accessory though the blade is more ornate as is the claw like back end.
* In the promotional images for this set there is a cape and a rattan shield that are shown with both figures though the marketing copy connects them to Dice, listing them as his accessories. The cape fits Dice better and offers up an interesting look; it's a brown cape with an uneven hem and a high collar. I really like Slice in this.
* The rattan shield also functions as a hat, something that was included with the RZA version of the Blind Master (Wu-Tang!) from G.I. Joe: Retaliation. The design of the weave is really impressive with an excellent sculpt and there is a cord attached that helps keep it on the head of a figure.
* The handle allows the bladed shield to be held and there are eight blades around, giving it more defense by repelling attackers.
The Negatives:
* Dice has a lot of gear including a harness on his chest and a belt with lots of pouches and some red cables that look like they might be intended to be some cords of some sort that can be detached for various purposes. The chest harness has some grenades, some pellets (maybe smoke pellets?), and various pouches for carrying other sneaky things. Or maybe dice. Does Dice carry dice? Does he keep them in his pocket but he's too afraid to show anyone? I ask the hard questions here.
* Check out his scale mail looking armor for his forearms and his right bicep? This stays on well and looks excellent.
* He also has scale mail shin guards over his tabi shoes. Interestingly, his tabi shoots curl up on the end. Fancy!
* Even Dice's mask reminds me of Hawkeye a bit. It's a cool mask that looks like it covers the top of his head but has strips of armor going down around his lower face. There's also some pretty crazy looking teeth attached to the mask, giving it an animalistic look. His eyes are visible through it and they're really impressively printed. He definitely looks like a hard dude.
* The second portrait for Dice is an unmasked portrait and it's pretty cool. Who does Dice look like? To me, he looks like martial arts legends Gordon Liu. Doesn't he? I'm loving the scars here, too. There's a lot of character here and it makes Dice even cooler. The Figure Subscription Service figure from 2013 had a removable mask but that version of Dice had hair and was a reused portrait from the Rise of Cobra Aqua-Viper Officer. This is an improvement for sure!
* Dice gets a third portrait, too: A dragon inspired mask! The vintage figure has a spring-loaded action feature called the "Flying Dragon" technique, so this guy comes with a dragon mask. I'd think this would be difficult to fight in but it certainly makes an impression and has fantastic colors! Dice certainly has some showmanship, doesn't he?
* How's the articulation? Excellent, of course. The Classified Series is one of the most consistently excellent toylines out there and this set is no exception. They're sturdy and have a great range of smooth, useful articulation. They look good battling unarmed, utilizing all of their martial weapons, or just standing around looking cool. This is a great set and one that is so much fun with multiple display options.
* Let's talk about some accessories now as this set is loaded with them and they're all pretty unique. First up is a tiny said for Slice. The vintage figure had one sculpted on his right forearm and now you can actually take it off and use it as a weapon or for defending against an attack.
* Rather than just being attached to his forearm with a strap or something, now Slice's small sai fits into this great sheath. Much safer and more secure, that's for sure.
* The vintage Slice came with two accessories, one of which was called a butterfly knife. I always thought of a butterfly knife as a balisong, the knife that folds open, but these are actually butterfly swords, a Chinese weapon. These are really nicely sculpted and look good with the figure. I wish they were more silver rather than grey, but they're still pretty nice weapons.
* They can be stored in a set of removable sheaths that plug into the backpack hole on Slice's back. How convenient!
* The second weapon the vintage figure came with was a hook sword, a very distinctive Chinese weapon also known as a Shuang Gao or a Tiger Hook sword. These are solid sculpts and also new to the line. They also have some paint applications on the hilt, so they stand out quite nicely.
* Last up is a pair of katar, a type of punch dagger or push dagger from India. These are fancy and they look like the helmet of the Witch-king of Angma, don't they? These are pretty wicked looking.
* Six swappable hands are included: A pair of flat hands for chopping, a pair of pistol grips for holding martial arts weapons, and a pair of fists for punching and fist bumping Dice after a battle. They swap easily and give you a nice variety of options.
* Dice also comes with six swappable hands with the same options: Punching and bumping fists, flat, striking hands, and trigger fingers/ pistol grips. Dice isn't wearing gloves but he does have a guard that protects the outside of his hand.
* Dice comes with fewer weapons, but they're a bit more substantial. First up is a pair of rather ornate axes. They've got decorative dragons designs on the blades, a hole in the middle for improving speed, and a blade on the top. They're incredibly cool and match Dice's dragon theme.
* Next up is a naginata, another weapon the vintage figure had. This one's pretty close to the vintage accessory though the blade is more ornate as is the claw like back end.
* In the promotional images for this set there is a cape and a rattan shield that are shown with both figures though the marketing copy connects them to Dice, listing them as his accessories. The cape fits Dice better and offers up an interesting look; it's a brown cape with an uneven hem and a high collar. I really like Slice in this.
* The rattan shield also functions as a hat, something that was included with the RZA version of the Blind Master (Wu-Tang!) from G.I. Joe: Retaliation. The design of the weave is really impressive with an excellent sculpt and there is a cord attached that helps keep it on the head of a figure.
* The handle allows the bladed shield to be held and there are eight blades around, giving it more defense by repelling attackers.
* Here's a quick shot of the hat. I like it, but it does tend to be very loose on either figure. The shield handle could have been a bit higher up with more of a head shaped area to keep it on a bit more snugly.
* Overall Slice's paint looks good but there are some rough edges on mine, especially around the black pads on the sides of his pants.
If you haven't put the details together by now than let me tell you this is another incredibly Epic set from Hasbro. This is likely one of the best sets of ninja/ martial artist action figures ever, too. Great designs, cool weapons, multiple cool portraits, and excellent articulation should make even haters of the vintage Ninja Force admit that the Classified Series team of Slice & Dice are worthy of some attention. Both of these guys are absolutely knockouts, making me wonder if 2025 is the best year of the G.I. Joe: Classified Series yet.
These are the first figures of Slice and Dice that I've reviewed on the site. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
* Overall Slice's paint looks good but there are some rough edges on mine, especially around the black pads on the sides of his pants.
These are the first figures of Slice and Dice that I've reviewed on the site. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
Courtney "Cover Girl" Krieger (Retro)
Craig "Rock 'N Roll" McConnel
Crimson Guard
Crimson Strike Team
Crimson Viper
Croc Master & Fiona
Craig "Rock 'N Roll" McConnel
Crimson Guard
Crimson Strike Team
Crimson Viper
Croc Master & Fiona
Darklon
David "Big Ben" Bennett (Night Force)
David "Crazylegs" Thomas (Night Force)
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen (Tiger Force)
Desert Commando Snake Eyes
David "Big Ben" Bennett (Night Force)
David "Crazylegs" Thomas (Night Force)
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen
David L. "Bazooka" Katzenbogen (Tiger Force)
Desert Commando Snake Eyes
Profit Director Destro
Python Crimson Guard
Python Patrol Officer
Quick Kick
Range Viper
Recondo (Tiger Force)
Python Crimson Guard
Python Patrol Officer
Quick Kick
Range Viper
Recondo (Tiger Force)
Storm Shadow
Storm Shadow (v2/ G.I. Joe)
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk (Tiger Force)
Techno-Viper
Tele-Viper & Cobra Flight Pod (Trubble Bubble)
Tomax Paoli
Tripwire, Aspara, & M.A.C.L.E.O.D.
Tunnel Rat
Tunnel Rat (Night Force)
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone & Quarrel (Night Force)
Vypra
Storm Shadow (v2/ G.I. Joe)
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk
Stuart "Outback" Selkirk (Tiger Force)
Techno-Viper
Tele-Viper & Cobra Flight Pod (Trubble Bubble)
Tomax Paoli
Tripwire, Aspara, & M.A.C.L.E.O.D.
Tunnel Rat
Tunnel Rat (Night Force)
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone
Vincent R. "Falcon" Falcone & Quarrel (Night Force)
Vypra
No comments:
Post a Comment
What'chu talkin' 'bout?