Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I ditched my collection of G.I. Joe figures last year and was hoping to pick up a single statue or collectible to replace them with. This one seemed to fit the bill. I like ninjas in general and Snake Eyes in particular, and the design was pretty eye-catching. Sadly, as cool as the piece looks in the promo photos, the actual product leaves a lot to be desired.
The Snake Eyes portion of the diorama is easily the strongest part. The sculpt is detailed and the paint is well done, despite it being an entirely black costume. If you can find the exclusive version, it includes an alternate commando head that looks even cooler than the normal Snake Eyes head. The Red Ninjas, on the other hand, fall pretty short of that mark. It seems to be a common flaw with all of Sideshow's dioramas that the "main" character is impressively detailed while the "supporting" characters are comparatively shoddy and simplistic. The Red Ninjas aren't as well sculpted painted as Snake Eyes, and they stick out pretty badly if you glance at them close enough.
The design of the diorama is pretty cool, if not that unique compared to the rest of Sideshow's dioramas. Most of them feature some variation on the "dueling enemies" motif. This piece falls short again, though, because the various pieces don't fit together very snugly. Snake Eyes' foot peg is somewhat precariously balanced on the lower ninja, and if you move the diorama much at all you'll see all the characters shake and rattle. The diorama is just a little too loose and fragile for my liking.
Finally, don't plan on using the base piece when displaying this diorama. What a lot of the official pics don't make apparent is that the wooden platform the three characters are perched upon is meant to sit atop another, much larger base that features a Zen garden and some shrubbery. Theoretically this is a cool idea, but again the execution falls short. This base requires a shelf of (at the very least) two feet in depth. I can't imagine many collectors actually have a desk or bookshelf with that much available space. The only alternatives are to use the diorama as a table centerpiece or display it sideways (which ruins the overall design). The diorama can be displayed easily enough without this base portion, but it's still disappointing that Sideshow couldn't have come up with a more practical setup.
Fans of Snake Eyes may be willing to overlook all these flaws. It's not as if the character fared that well in the 12-inch figure format either. At the very least, I'd suggest hunting around on eBay to see if you can do better than what Amazon's merchants are charging. Given its flaws, this diorama simply isn't worth $300 or even $200.
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Snake Eyes Vs. Red Ninjas DioramaSideshow Collectibles is proud to launch the G.I. Joe Diorama series with Snake Eyes VS Red Ninjas. This detailed sculpture captures the ongoing battle between the silent Joe and the Red Ninja clan. Each piece is individually painted and hand finished, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The lower sand base is removable to allow a more compact customizable display. The stunning Snake Eyes VS Red Ninjas Diorama is an outstanding addition to any display, a perfect centerpiece to any G.I. Joe collection. 12" Hx 15.5" Wx 18" D 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. He trained in ninjitsu under the tutelage of the Hard Master, leader of the Arashikage Clan, who transformed Snake Eyes from a dutiful soldier into a fierce and cunning warrior. The Arashikage Clan had a powerful reputation in Japan and throughout the globe, but after the death of the Hard Master, the clan dissolved in confusion. Many factions arose in opposition, some growing suspicious of the mysterious outsider known as Snake Eyes. The Red Ninja Clan blamed the Hard Master's death on Snake Eyes, and they became frequent and formidable opponents for the G.I. Joe team. None of them were prepared for the superior training and natural skill of Snake Eyes. His every victory compels the Red Ninjas to try even harder to defeat him in hand-to-hand and melee combat, but they have yet to succeed, each encounter escalating into a fierce clash of swords and fists. Snake Eyes meets each challenge with the same honor and valor that have made him such a valuable asset to the G.I. Joe team.
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