Thanks to Sideshow Collectibles, TNI brings you this exclusive preview of Sideshow's , available March 2009! Be sure to check him out at their website .
Package Description
Ninja, Commando, deadly force of nature…
These terms merely scratch the surface of the enigma known as Snake-Eyes. Arguably one of the greatest assets to the G.I. Joe team, Snake-Eyes’ record of honor and valor cause even the most evil enemies to tremble with fear. In his early military career, Snake-Eyes proved himself time and again in combat, most notably during the rescue of his allies, wherein he sustained injuries to his face and vocal cords, costing him his voice. Donning a mask and face shield only added to the mystery of this silent soldier, known by many of his peers as “Classified.” Later in life he would find himself fighting side by side with the very soldiers that he saved, as a member of America’s elite fighting force, G.I. Joe. Snake-Eyes has been trained by the very best of the best. The most elite of military specialists have molded him into the soldier he is today, making him proficient in almost all manner of small arms weaponry. Adding to his repertoire, he has fashioned his body into a living weapon under the watchful eye of some of the world’s greatest martial artists, including the ninjitsu masters of the Arashikage Clan.
Gear
Male body with 30+ points of articulation
SPIE Rig harness & Pistol Belt
Utility Pouches
MK-18 Smoke Grenade Sub-load Pouches
Special Ops LAV (Light Assault Vest)
Small Utility Pouch
Two Pairs of Tactical Boots w/ Alternate Pose (Flexed or Neutral)
Special Ops Wrist Bands with Watch & Compass
Knee Pads
Three Sets of Interchangeable Gloved Hands
9mm Sub-Machine Gun w/Single Point Sling & Carabiner
-Sound Suppressor
-30-Round Magazines
Mk-23 Pistol w/Holster
-Sound Suppressor
-AN/PEQ-b Laser Sight
-12-Round Magazines
Mk-18 Smoke Grenade
M-48 Stun Grenade
M-67 Fragmentation Grenade
Tanto Fighting Knife w/Scabbard
Arashikage Clan Falchion Sword
Ninjato Sword w/Bandolier & Scabbard
Packaging 9/10
The packaging has good pictures showing off the figure, and the fold out display is very nice. It’s hard to see the details of the figure in the side pictures, but the poses are still nice. The window for the accessories is nice and clear, and everything can be seen. Over the body though there is two layers of plastic which makes it hard to see the figure when it’s MOC. For the picture in the gallery I actually removed one of the plastic layers so the figure could be seen. The insides double as nice backgrounds to display him in though, so overall the packaging is very well designed.
Appearance 9.5/10
Snake-Eyes has a highly realistic look with an amazing amount of detail. All the straps, pouches, and buckles help create a complex commando look, but it’s the fact that they all actually work that create the realistic appearance that makes this figure shine. For example, the straps going horizontally across the abdomen take the shape of the ammo clips against his body. Similarly the pouch on his left leg takes the shape of his smoke grenades. All these things create an efficient look that goes well with the high detail of his various weapons. The body has a solid and stealthy look while the eyes are drawn to the grooves and machinations of the sub-machine gun, or the edge of the sword.
Overall Snake-Eyes has good proportions. Some of the buckles stand out a little bit because of the plastic, but for the most part everything blends in well together because of the wide variety of textures. The only thing I would change is the visor might look better if done in dark grey, or with some highlights. In the pictures the light reflects off of it and makes it look better, but in person it has a very flat look which looks slightly out of place next to all the cloth texture. However all the different materials and textures of the figure help create a very fluid appearance, but it also means some of the details can be drowned out when the figure is on display. The black can wash out some of the details from a distance, so this figure relies a lot on its silhouette and how natural its pose looks. Fortunately the articulation and style fit perfectly with these needs, and so Snake-Eyes gets very high marks on appearance.
Articulation 10/10
Snake-Eyes can do just about everything a human can. The shoulders and elbows get full rotation, so his hand can touch his shoulder, and similar poses. The hips bend only about 90 degrees, but part of that is all the pouches. The torso has a ball joint so he can bend forward and to the sides. Surprisingly, there are two joints in the neck, one at the base and one at the head, so he can do very natural poses with his head. The hands and feet, of course, are solid pieces that are interchangeable.
Accessories 10/10
Snake-Eyes has a ton of accessories. Every single weapon can be held on his body in a pouch or clip, and none of the accessories lack details. For example, in the ammo clips a bullet is visible in the top of the clip. Weapon types are stamped onto the grenades. The interchangeable hands and feet are just as detailed as any other part as well. The only problems I’ve had are some of the grenades are too big for his hands to hold. But the fact that the silencers can be removed and the ammo clips changed more than makes up for that.
Poseability 9.5/10
The excellent articulation and appearance makes for great action poses. Balancing is fairly easy on the flat feet, but the flexed feet can pose a problem. I couldn’t manage a pose on both flexed feet, but he was fine with one. For enemies to fight, some cheap generic soldiers from Big Lots worked great, but the Sideshow Cobra Commander will be best in the absence of Storm Shadow. There was just one little problem I kept having, and that was the clip or buckle on the sub-machine gun kept coming undone when I posed him. Once set in place in a good pose though Snake-Eyes stays in it and looks great on display.
Final Judgment: 48/50
Snake-Eyes is an excellent action figure in every category. He captures the look and feel of the character effectively in a realistic format. In short, I don’t expect to ever have a Snake-Eyes better than this. He’s expensive, but you get your money’s worth in detail and poseability. Snake-Eyes is going to be a favorite for a lot of Joe fans.