Ninja Cobra Strike Team!
Let us know which figure you like best and please explain why!

http://www.yojoe.com/action/subteams/ni ... rike.shtml

Tim 121RVC

This was a pretty weak set. It could have been awesome but was, instead, a disappointing dud. The Vypras were bad figures whose intricate paint masks cost us V1 Stormshadow accessories in the set. The Stormshadow figure was pretty weak and the Black Dragon Ninja is a pale imitation of Ninja Ku. So, I'd have to take the Red Ninjas as the best of the bunch. That's not saying much as they suffer from questionable quality, uninspired color choices and terrible accessories. It's not hard to find a Satan figure, but these guys are cheaper so that have a place. But, I'd rather drop $80 on a Satan than buy a dozen of these Red Ninjas. So, that really speaks to my feellings on this set.

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I actually liked the green camo Storm Shadow Best. (although I dont use him as Strom Shadow) is kinda an edge over the red ninja.

Also, although the vypra figure was an obvious cop out (we really need some new molds) the extra designs looked cool.

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Camo ninja are so 80's.
I love it!

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Haters to the left, this set was awesome. I bought more of it than any of the other TRU exclusives. Going to have to go with the Red Ninjas. I would have preferred them without the weird paint wipes, but they're still great, simple figures.

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Went with Storm Shadow. I too do not use him as Storm Shadow. I used his body for my custom Kamakura (eligible for JCA nomination) *cough*cough*

I like the Red Ninjas from CP #21 better that the ones from this set

I'd agree if they had gone with a true red instead of the weird neon red.

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This was THE set, in my opinion, that showed a significant change in creative direction and overall quality with Hasbro's exclusive-product development, which only continued to spiral downward with the Desert Patrol set, Heavy Assualy. Prior to this set, we saw the mostly-okay Night Force set, the Anit-venom team, a magnificent update to both Tiger Force and Python Patrol, but this set?

Up to this point, we were used to seeing figures paired as close as possible to their original accessories, which to this day I believe to be a major component to the overall identity and personality of a character and figure design. But this set? The accessories were simply an afterthought of left-over junk thrown into the figure tray.

But more to the point of the figures. Vypra was interesting but utterly pointless addition to the Cobra/Red Ninja ranks. The Black Dragon figure was an interesting idea but it still was just a black and white Storm Shadow that failed at copying Ninja Ku's unique departure from Storm Shadow. The tan/green v2 Storm Shadow COULD have been an interesting figure, had Hasbro actually used camouflage paint masks instead of asinine paint wipes - he just looked like a dirty figure.

The Red Ninjas themselves were notable, but the combination of paint wipes, a darker red plastic, and off-colored details took a figure that should have mimicked Satan, ended up being a muddy red-brown mess. Even though I personally did not care for it, I still consider the Red Ninja to be the best of this set, even if the set as a whole is mediocre.

This whole set was a disappointment for me as I am the BIGGEST Argentina ninja fan. A pack with Ninja Ku, TWO Satan figures, a v2 Storm Shadow / Ninja de Geilo and even two Cobra Jinx figures WOULD have been a terrific set - if the colors were more faithful to their inspiration, and attention to accessories was a priority - accessories we KNOW Hasbro has available and would look AMAZING in new colors - but no, instead this is what we got and it is a testament to the many missed and bungled opportunities the G.I.Joe dev team of 2002-2005 had available to them.

For accessories this set isn't great. But if you're talking about the figures this set shines in my opinion.

The Vypras are really cool figures. They're paint deco is probably the best we've ever seen. I'll repeat for emphasis, the best we've ever seen. They make Jinx's Red Ninja outfit make a little more sense to me too. And of course this was a bone thrown to collectors because who else would really care about female ninjas based on the exclusive and allusive Cobra infiltration Jinx.

The Red Ninja Viper is actually a decent figure too. My favorite RAH version of all of Hasbro's attempts at these characters. They should be dirty. They are evil ninja assasins.

Black Dragon Ninja is a decent homeage to Ninja Ku without being Ninja Ku. I would have prefered they went with the gold hihglights but they didn't so we have homeage and not a copy. Still, he's a decent enough figure and, like the Red Ninjas, are a big enough departure from Storm Shadow that they cna get away with being the same mold and yet different characters.

Storm Shadow wasn't anything I was expecting when we heard who was going to be in this set. He's the weakest figure in this set and yet I really like him. Not because he's a great figure with great paint and accessories. In fact I'd only rank him with a blah "not bad". However, I really like the risk Hasbro took here. They could have given us yet another Storm Shadow in white. Maybe they could have even used this mold but ued the Ninja Force white, black and gold look. But no. They went in a completely different direction and gave us something new and unexpected.

I hear a lot of people say they wish Hasbro would take a look at those RAH molds and give them better paint jobs. Paint them in a way that maximizes their potential. Don't retread but do something different and better. For that reason I can't fault them for trying to do something outside of the normal here. Is it better than this molds first appearance? Not to me, but I now have a Storm Shadow that's fits in a jungle environment.

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I picked up this set,but I am not sure why. I never liked ninjas. I always wished I could find a use for the Storm shadow, I like the coloration and mold but he doesn't have a use in my collection. The Red Ninjas and Female Red Ninjas are sitting with my other Cobra Ninjas in a box. The weapons really disappointed me though.

I picked the Red Ninja's on basis that I used them a grand total of once in a dio set up.

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My name is Jeff and I love Ninjas. I loved this set and wish I had bought two. Vipras were the best.

True the weapons could have been better and so could the paint of the male figures, but I'm happy with what we got.

I'd also like to have seen more uses of the Comic pack heads like SE and Firefly in sets.

No question about it -- BLACK DRAGON NINJA. Very cool figure.

I probably would've said RED NINJA VIPER if they hadn't STUNK UP THE FIGURES WITH BLACK PAINT WASH! And while I do have something that'd clean them fairly well, it'd also take the Cobra logo with it. So much for that idea.

The Vypras always bugged me just a little because (a) they looked too much like Jinx, (b) I came up with that code-name for Hasbro and while on the one hand I'm pleased to see it still in use, it was originally intended for a vehicle driver that was categorically not a pair of ninja twins, and (c), they stunk those figures up, too, and for whatever reason, the legs on mine are a little glitchy. On the plus side, I did like the ornate ornamentation on their uniforms.

Storm Shadow -- as pleased as I was to see the 1988 version return, I didn't like the uniform color, and the weathering or whatever it was that they smeared on him made him look like he'd shared a winter cave with an incontinent bear.

Ultimately, this could have been a much cooler set if they'd left well enough alone in some respects.

Red Ninja Viper.
I agree with GITrekker, without the black paint wash they would've been perfect. Still, I think they pretty good represent the red ninjas.

Camo SS is cool, too bad they didn't change his head. For example Night Vulture, Vega or the later Firefly and make a new character of it.

Tim 121RVC

Red Ninja Viper wins!

Tim 121RVC