PERSONAL COLLECTION #2: 2006 Wave 4 STORM SHADOW

This was the second 8-inch Sigma 6 action figure that I purchased: Storm Shadow.

I've been fond of ninjas ever since my younger days. I still remember buying ninja magazines, and the times when I and my childhood friends would play dress-up ninjas at night, tresspassing (lols) on neighbors' premises mainly to see whether we would be noticed.

So it was also the same with my action figures when I learned all about GI Joes way back in 1986. Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes figures were instantly - and at the top - of my GI Joe wish list (though my first 3.75" GI Joe figure was Sci-Fi, because these figures were hard to come by back then).

And, 21 years later, these two figures were once again the priority figures to start my 8" S6 collection.

It was by pure luck that I came across this figure in the toys section of a department store, and in my opinion it was a good decision on my part to have bought this on impulse. Why? Because at the time of writing, this figure has practically vanished from the shelves. And the only two pieces I have seen on separate hobby shops have now been overpriced to more than US$50 each. Gotta love those greedy capitalists.

Again, the body sculpt is exaggerated to anime-like proportions, as one may have noticed in the pic above -- bowling ball deltoids and triangular triceps on those oversized arms. And those hands. Those big hands. They remind me of Mr. Bean's hands. Or baller hands. ;p But those oversized limbs are, I think, what gives this figure its character, along with those feudal Samurai-like pants and black bandaged forearms.

As for the weapons, this figure comes with a lot of them. A Samurai sword and its scabbard, Ninja BAT swords, nunchaku with flip-out blades, mace chains (pictured at left), foot claws, climbing suction cups, a grappling hook, and a spring-loaded bola launcher (well, that's what they were calling 'em so I'll just go along with it).

I just wish that they included some sort of strap for the scabbard, and perhaps something to allow Stormy to carry all these stuff around -- I bet he'd have a hard time creeping through enemy territory with a nunchuk in one hand, mace chain wrapped around his neck, and the Samurai scabbard in his mouth - especially with that facemask he has on. And then there's those big suction cups, foot claws, and bola launcher.

I can't say that I'm a fan of those Ninja BAT swords, though. They should've left that to those BATS, and gave Storm Shadow another sword. Much like on the first 3.75" Storm Shadow figure, where he had two swords, and a backpack to keep those and the nunchuks in place. As for the bola launcher, it was a nice looking but useless weapon in my opinion. Just like those giant suction cups.

Overall, I think this is a very decent figure to have in one's S6 collection.