Kamakura from wave 4 of the G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra line has been reviewed. The only figure of Snake Eyes‘ apprentice in the Rise of Cobra line so far, this Kamakura’s design is a departure from previous Kamakura designs. Even the video game costume has more similarities than this figure.
Yet do the differences from previous designs make this a bad figure? Is yet another ninja worth adding to your movie collection? How well does Kamakura truly stack up? Read on, you might be surprised! Hit the discuss button to read the review!
Shin Densetsu says
With any given movie line by Hasbro, it's a given that we should expect figures of offscreen characters. More oft than not, some of these tend to be more exciting than figures of onscreen characters/designs, take for example, City Strike Snake Eyes. With that said, it's not too surprising that Hasbro opted to introduce a popular character from recent years into the G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra line....none other than Snake Eyes' apprentice, Kamakura!
Yet is being Snake Eyes' apprentice enough for fans to pick this figure up? Read on...
Shin Densetsu says
Kamakura is a mix of parts from recently released figures. He shares the same reactive armor torso as Shipwreck. The head is from 25th Anniversary Storm Shadow. Belt and shoulder strap are from Quick Kick. Backpack, claws, uzi, katanas, and kama blades with rope are from the wave 4 comic pack Storm Shadow. The knife is from the 25th anniversary Cobra Trooper. The lower arms and legs are from the retooled Storm Shadow from the 2009 Cobra 5 pack and Hall of Heroes wave.
The range of motion is good overall. I just wish that the forearms had more range of motion at the elbow joint. It's nowhere near as bad as "Duke Arm", but could be just a little bit better. This is the same criticism I had for the HOH/5 pack Storm Shadow mold.
These parts make for a unique look. This figure does the best job of looking like a ninja, compared to the other ninja figures in the line. I wasn't planning on buying this figure initially but seeing the neat combination of parts in person won me over. It really goes above and beyond being a mere repaint. The addition of Quick Kick's belt and shoulder strap was something I didn't really think much of until later on. I actually think it's a neat addition, it's cool to see some shurikens on a ninja figure.
Shin Densetsu says
Kamakura does not disappoint when it comes to weapons and accessories. In addition to the figure stand we get:
- Giant crossbow missle launcher
- Backpack
- Uzi which stores in backpack
- Kamas with rope
- Katanas
- Knife
- Claws
Like most of you, I didn't find any use for the missle launcher. I'd rather have more ninja weapons, or a display rack for the weapons, like in the wave 6 comic pack. All that petroleum that went into making the launcher and plastic could have been put to better use.The uzi and other bladed weapons are quite great. Fitting for Snake Eye's apprentice, and fun to pose the figure with. It was a great idea to add in wave 4 comic pack Storm Shadow's weapons. I love the idea that the swords could store on the sides and that the uzi could be stored within. The only things to watch out for are the parts where the backpack opens. Stress marks were present on the hinge before I even removed the figure from it's package.
The hinge hasn't cracked or sheared off, and it doesn't look like it well, but it is something to look out for nonetheless. The claws look great, and I wish these claws were used for the Rise of Cobra Storm Shadows instead of the smaller claws that came with them. The kamas are fun to pose with, I can see a lot of you using them after watching Ninja Assassin.
So overall, we get a great selection of weapons for Kamakura. I'd just rather have other weapons in place of that giant crossbow missle launcher. It doesn't even look practical with the figure holding it.
*EDIT* I forgot to mention that the claws only fit well on the right hand, not on the left! Oh, and yes, some of the sword and kama poses were attempts to recreate the pose on Ninja Force Storm Shadow's card art.
Shin Densetsu says
So in this post we'll take a look at the previous versions of Kamakura. Shown here are Kamakura V1 and Kamakura V3, which show:
- The 1st ever figure of Kamakura from Spytroops
- The 1st O-ring Kamakura in Valor VS Venom, as the 1st VVV Kamakura lacked an O-ring and had action attack
You'll notice that the Rise of Cobra Kamakura figure lacks one primary element that previous versions have, the color green! In fact the Kamakura in the Rise of Cobra game actually has green. The character design from the game takes more after the 2nd version of Kamakura, the aforementioned action attack version from Valor VS Venom.While I think the game design for Kamakura looks awesome and hope to see a figure of it eventually(I wonder why we don't already have one?), the current movie figure is great. Does it look like the Kamakura we know at 1st sight? To be honest, no. The only thing it shares with previous versions of Kamakura is the blue mask, seen on Kamakura V3 and Kamakura's comic appearances(starting in G.I. Joe #1 from DDP). In fact, at first it looks more like Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat.
Yet the not completely armored look suits an apprentice figure well. Since Kamakura isn't completely decked out in military gear, he does look more like an apprentice than a fully frontline member of the Joe team. It is a look that grew on me after a while, and upon seeing the figure in person, it was a must have.
While it may be a departure from previous Kamakura designs, it's much less of a departure from traditional, associated designs than movie Storm Shadow, for example. Speaking of a departure from previous Kamakura designs, it's also less of a departure than the Sigma 6 designs. Yet, like the Sigma 6 Kamakura figures, despite looking different than the original Kamakura designs, the Rise of Cobra Kamakura is manages to be great.
Shin Densetsu says
Kamakura was a figure that didn't strike me as a figure I would buy, once the initial images were revealed back in Spring. For one thing it didn't look like the Kamakura designs I was used to. Then again, the Sigma 6 versions didn't either but I enjoyed those figures.
Yet like the aforementioned Sigma 6 Kamakuras, I ended up liking the Rise of Cobra version of Kamakura too. It's a figure with a great amount of weaponry, great range of motion, and a combination of parts that contribute to a unique look. It's got good range of motion, just like a ninja should have. Would a game accurate version be better? Possibly, but even then, that wouldn't stop me from picking this figure up; it's definitely worth purchasing.
For some reason this figure was scarce in a lot of areas but has been seen more frequently recently. It's quite possibly the best figure in wave 4, and I highly recommend it!
vermillion21 says
Great review. Where the frak is this guy at retail??? He is super scarce ...
TU482 says
This figure surprised me as well. I wasn't into him it first, but it ended up being one of my favorites of that wave. Thanks for the review.
A.C.T. says
First of all, nice review. I gave him a 7. I like the way he looks, although nothing reminds me of Kamakura on the figure itself besides being a ninja. They should of went with a green and could of kept the same design. Speaking of green, I am so nice right now, but I'm having a difficult time trying to type. Man I'm gone. Anyway, I would of liked him alot more and probably gave him an 8. I really don't mind the costume change as much on this figure, being that there weren't many different costumes to choose from that were iconic to that character. I just wished he was green. He's still great ass figure.
07GT500 COBRA says
He looks good, but I have yet to see one at retail in order to give it a score myself.
samantha says
Thanks for the wonderful review.
Keep reading: ROC Wave 4 Kamakura Review - Page 2
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