I remember very fondly when the Python Patrol faction was released in the Hasbro G.I.Joe toy line. I was just about losing my interest in all things 'Joe (it was 1989 and I, along with the rest of the world, was renewing their obsession with Batman). But those Python Patrol repaints sucked me right back in. It seems silly considering how young I was at the time, but I found the nostalgia for those re-used original sculpts irresistible. The cartoon explanation of the faction was pretty generic (magically-induced camouflage) and the actual deco with yellow (geometric) diamond patterns and splashes of red, wasn't very snake-like at all, but the alliterative name, Python Patrol, and seeing all those old figures again was all my young brain needed to get me fully obsesssed. This Python Patrol Vypra figure is a repaint of the Cobra Blue Ninja. It's amazing to get a female character in the faction, even if we had to wait 34 long years. I hope they repaint one of the Classified Valkyries now too. Let's check out Vypra below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Martial Arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Martial Arts. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
G.I.Joe Classified - PYTHON PATROL VYPRA!
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
G.I.Joe Classified - SNAKE-EYES!
In 2016, IDW Comics introduced a new Cobra recruit named Dawn Moreno in the pages of G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero. Dawn caught the attention of all the baddies and was eventually mentored by Cobra Commander, Baroness, and Storm Shadow. But when she goes in for Dr. Mindbender's brainwashing program (to fully indoctrinate her), she is accidentally given Snake-Eye's memories. Already a skilled fighter, she now has all the basic skills and knowledge of an Arashikage ninja. She continued training with Storm Shadow (and his mother!) but the good memories of Snake-Eyes were too potent and she eventually joins the Joes. (This costume didn't appear for a full year - in issue #244). I regularly noticed this new Snake-Eyes gracing the covers of numerous comics over the years (I just counted 18!) and her design always caught my eye. But I admit it was actually this figure that made me truly become obsessed with the character. Her masked head is perfection. Let's check out Dawn below!
Thursday, April 23, 2026
TMNT The Last Ronin - YI!
One of the exciting things about the new generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that was introduced in The Last Ronin storyline was their secondary mutations. The secondary mutations are a side-effect of Michelangelo's DNA being infused into their Mutagen. April utilized the original mutagen and Michelangelo's DNA to ensure the legacy and spirit of the Hamato clan. Unbeknownst to April, Michelangelo had been irradiated when travelling through the radioactive plains of Mongolia after a nuclear fallout - and this affected his DNA. The mutagen in the systems of the four new Turtles is now continuously mutating as a result of this contamination. Therefore, the turtles begin developing secondary mutations at puberty - exhibited as unique powers/abilities (often debuting in times of great stress). The first to exhibit this change was Odyn who turned to stone mid-battle, but soon after Yi exhibits electrokinesis wherein she can emit sparks and generate an electrical barrier to protect her and her family.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
TMNT The Last Ronin - CASEY MARIE JONES!
In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin comics, Casey Marie Jones is the adult daughter of Casey Jones and April O'Neil. She is a skilled martial artist and leads the resistance against the occupying clans in this futuristic dystopian New York City. She also plans a major role in raising the four young members of the new Ninja Turtles: Uno, Yi, Moja, and Odyn. She received an action figure last year as a younger masked version wearing purple and black and riding a motorcycle. This pack caught my eye in the stores, but I never purchased one and therefore never learned much about the character. But then this Lost Years version was announced that included the second two baby Turtle pack-in figures and I knew I would have to get her. Typically straight-up martial arts characters don't thrill me, but in person I quite like this figure. Her color palette is somehow both muted and vibrant, and I really love the dynamic sculpt of her hair and her tough demeanor. Overall I'm glad to add her to my collection.
Monday, April 20, 2026
TMNT The Last Ronin - MOJA!
For fans of classic 80s and 90s toylines, you would be remiss not to read (or at least be aware of) modern comics based on these properties. I can only assume that the writers are longtime fans, just like me, and the love and respect shows. Boom, Image, and IDW Comics have all advanced these story canons in fun and interesting ways. I especially love the addition of new characters that fit nicely into the existing lore. Some personal favorites have been Dawn Moreno Snake-Eyes (G.I.Joe), Ranger Slayer (MMPR), Solila (Void Rivals/Energon Universe), Jennika (TMNT), a slew of female Transformers (Victorion, Nautica, etc), and of course the new generation of Ninja Turtles in The Last Ronin storyline. When I first saw Uno, Yi, Mojo, and Odyn on some random social media post, I was instantly drawn in. Their varied physical appearances and genders, while instantly looking like they belonged in this universe, appealed to me greatly. I've been hoping for a full Neca lineup ever since. Let's check out Moja below!
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
April O'Neil as THE FIFTH TURTLE!
When I first started collecting action figures seriously (about 25 years ago), I was obsessed with finding female characters from all the iconic properties of my youth. I was especially intent on finding a female Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. This is when I discovered Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa. But I also learned about this infamous 1994 issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Special #11 wherein April O'Neil became the Fifth Turtle for a single 26-page story. April had infiltrated a lab to get some Anti-mutagen for Splinter's birthday (she wrongly assumed he wanted to return to his human form). But she was captured and turned into a turtle by the aliens secretly running the lab. In the end, there was only enough Anti-mutagen to return her to human form (and defeat the mutated alien enemy). It was a simple one-off story, but it notably had the first female turtle (three years before Venus). The comic issue is notoriously hard to come by, regularly fetching hundreds on eBay in good condition.
Monday, September 29, 2025
Super7 Reaction+ O-Ring - JINX!
G.I.Joe was the first action figure line that captured my attention as a youth.. mostly because it included a decent amount of the female characters from the cartoon. Then when I was in my twenties and made a conscious decision to start collecting action figures, my first goal was to assemble all the female G.I.Joes. It wasn't terribly hard to get them all back then, but I quickly realized many of the characters didn't really resemble their animated counterparts. A major one for this was Jinx. She has several very iconic scenes in G.I.Joe the Movie, but her toy just looked different. Mainly, she never wore the generic ninja mask that her toy sported. She was either completely unmasked or blindfolded (this figure really should have come with a blindfold). So seeing this figure so early in the Reaction+ O-Ring line really brought me joy. It's not quite as exciting as a never-before-seen vintage figure (like the just-released Pythona), but she is still super cool to have. Let's check out Jinx below!
Monday, April 21, 2025
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - KARAI SHREDDER!
I don't know very much about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. When I was a kid I was very turned off by cartoon properties that overused stereotypical "hip" language like "radical" and "cowabunga." I was in elementary school but a little beyond my years and I felt that shows like TMNT and The Simpsons were made by adults who were pandering to kids in a cheap way. I may have disapproved, but I was pretty much the only one because shows like this were always wildly popular and impossible to ignore. I knew there was a rich history from the early Mirage Comics, but I never explored that history. The Karai I know from later animated iterations of the TMNT franchise is sometimes the daughter of Shredder and sometimes just raised by him. I was unaware that she actually ever became The Shredder until leaked images of this toy hit the internet last Summer. I love female versions of existing iconic male characters, so this was a figure I was instantly obsessed with. Let's check out Karai below!
Friday, February 7, 2025
Omega Rangers - BLUE AND YELLOW RANGERS!
In the pages of Go Go Power Rangers #32 (Boom! Comics, 2020), we were introduced to the space-faring Omega Rangers faction when Zack, Trini, and Jason became the Black, Yellow, and Red Omega Rangers. Kiya Kyatyl was blue-skinned Khoodjah who eventually became the (third) Blue Omega Ranger. (She also eventually became the Blue Drakkon Ranger on a team with Ranger Slayer). I never read these comics and didn't know anything about the characters when this Pulse-Con 2023 boxset was released. But the character design really appealed to me (as do most of the Boom! Comics characters) so I didn't hesitate to order them. It's a great set, the only disappointment for me was the lack of unmasked heads (like we typically see with the Lightning Collection figures). And honestly, that's only because a quick google showed me that the Blue Omega Ranger was a blue-skinned alien and I'm a sucker for inhuman hues. But alas, I just have to imagine her face. Let's check out Trini (or Puram) and Kiya (or Haza) below!
Monday, December 30, 2024
Dr. Wu - NIGHT NINJA!
A few years ago there was an amazing surge of 3rd Party fembots. Two companies in particular, Dr. Wu (Mechanic) and NewAge simultaneously released nearly identical 3.75" lines of female Transformers. Both companies had an anchor "Arcee" (Amie and Maschinenmensch) and five retooled versions each, making twelve unique figures all at once. I was ecstatic, but overwhelmed. And at more than $50 each, I had to be selective. Luckily half of them were iconic characters, and half were character repaints. And iconic always wins for me so the decision was easy. Each line had a Nightbird homage. She is one of my favorite G1 characters, despite being a single-episode, non-speaking, non-transforming robot. I still remember being glued to the screen after school back in 1985, mesmerized by her stealthy ninja moves and mysterious nature. She was actually the character that got me to start buying 3rd Party figures back in 2012. So when a new one pops up, I just can't resist. Let's check out Night Ninja below!
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
G.I.Joe Classified - JINX!
Jinx was one of the first female action figures I ever owned (I think I got her and Zarana around the same time). I had taped the G.I.Joe the Movie episodes as they aired on afterschool television and was obsessed. Pythona was above and beyond my favorite character. But Jinx was a close second. When she snapped that training staff in half, spun them like dual propellers, and took down Beach Head, my adolescent jaw hit the floor with wonder. I was many years into my martial arts career at the time, and interest was waning hard, but Jinx rejuvenated that spark for a few more years. Interestingly, 25 years later, the hasbrotoyshop exclusive Kim Arashikage (and specifically my inability to acquire her) killed my interest in G.I.Joe for a decade until Classified started. So Jinx marks both highs and lows of my collecting hobby. I actually think this Classified figure is the nicest representation I've seen. I love her unmasked head - it's so reminiscent of the cartoon design (but with a realistic flare). Let's check her out below!
Friday, August 30, 2024
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - JENNIKA!
There have been several attempts to introduce a female turtle to the TMNT universe over the years, but they never seem to last. Jennika is one of the most recent females in a half-shell and she has impressively been going strong for five years in the IDW comics (with two solo series and now two action figures). I even saw her graphic novel in Target last month, and their book department is (sadly) getting smaller and more selective each year. Jennika was introduced as a human foot clan assassin who was (four years later) injured and given a blood transfusion from Leonardo, triggering her mutation. I've always liked her design and the use of yellow as her signature color. In my mind, there has been a race to see which toy company would merchandize her first: Playmates, Loyal Subjects, or NECA. But my money was always on Loyal Subjects. Their work on the IDW versions of the other Turtles has been great, and Jennika is no exception. Let's check out her standard action figure and her SDCC redeco below!
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Marvel Legends - LADY BULLSEYE!
In 2008, a new adversary was introduced in the pages of Daredevil. Lady Bullseye was inspired by the Lady Snowblood manga from 1972 (which also inspired Kill Bill), but firmly rooted in Daredevil lore since the character modeled herself after Bullseye. When Maki Matsumoto was a young girl in Japan, she was imprisoned by the Yakuza and faced a grim and dire future. On an unrelated mission, Bullseye entered the Yakuza stronghold and slaughtered her captors. That vision lit a spark in her. Flash forward to adulthood, and Maki is the assassin Lady Bullseye working with The Hand and living a civilian life as a lawyer working in close proximity to Matt Murdock. The first time I heard of this character is when a Marvel Legends prototype of her was displayed at conventions in 2009. But I didn't really embrace her until a picked up a TPB (Daredevil: Lady Bullseye) about 10 years later collecting her first story arc. She's an interesting character that I'm glad finally got a figure. Let's check out Lady Bullseye below!
Sunday, July 9, 2023
League of Legends - AKALI!
Yet another surprise figure from Spin Master's League of Legends Champion Collection line. Last September, a reader clued me in to the first female figure in the League of Legends 6" line, Ashe. She had shown up in a multi-figure Amazon listing at full price with three discounted shelfwarmers that we had been seeing at Target for years. And she was the hidden fourth figure that you couldn't see unless you opened the listing and selected the fourth "style option." The figure was impressive and I hoped for even more product. Then a few months ago in May I discovered the awesome Senna figure and was thrilled that this line wasn't dead as I had feared. Then to my utter surprise less than two months later a listing for this Akali figure popped up. Akali is a rogue assassin who had left the Kinkou Order and her title of Fist of the Shadow to protect her people on her own terms. I like that her design is very reminiscent of the early fighting games like Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct. Let's check out Akali below!
Monday, June 26, 2023
TMNT Cartoon - LOTUS BLOSSOM!
In Season 3, Episode 28 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1989, Krang once again prompts some villainous in-fighting by introducing the kunoichi Lotus Blossom to challenge and overthrow Shredder for leadership of the Foot Clan. She is successful, but in a very typical plot point for female characters in this show, her romantic interest in one of the turtles prompts her conversion to the good side. In this case, Leonardo is the lucky ninja who shows her the light. Lotus appeared in only two episodes of the original series roughly a year apart, but in both episodes she was a focal character and even had her name featured in the episodes titles (Beware the Lotus and Farewell, Lotus Blossom). Despite being a repeat character, I think this action figure caught everyone by surprise. NECA has been showing no restraint with the deep-dive characters in their cartoon TMNT line, and I am here for it. I can't even imagine who the next female figure will be, but I'm excited for the reveal. Let's check out Lotus below!
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
G.I.Joe Classified - BLUE NINJA!
The G.I.Joe Classified line has taken an interesting turn recently by offering original characters (or at least original versions of characters). With a seemingly endless supply of fodder from the original cartoon and toyline, I'm surprised Hasbro is already going off-script. The first inkling of this new direction was when the female H.I.S.S. Gunner was announced as a stretch goal in the 2022 G.I.Joe Haslab campaign. (Female infantry were historically rare). I was ecstatic but assumed it would be a one-time thing. But since then we've seen a 2-Pack of female Cobra Troopers and this Cobra Blue Ninjas set. What I especially love about this Ninja set is the subtle homage to Vypra, the Jinx repaint that had several releases between 1998 and 2015. This Blue Ninja seems to specifically reference the 2015 Collector's Club figure (that's sadly absent from my collection). She's the first female Classified figure that isn't an A-Lister, but now I'm excited for the potential of other obscure additions. Let's check her out below!
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Transformers - ARCEE as CHUN-LI!
Funny story about my acquisition of this set. I was mildly intrigued at a Chun-Li version of Arcee when I first saw the solicitations way back in 2017. But when they were released years later (2019 I believe), I passed. Then as soon as she was unavailable, I suddenly wanted her, but the inflated prices on eBay were just not doable. Then in 2021 they announced a reissue (FYI, the box specifically says 2021 so I used that date on this post). When I finally saw the box in person on Black Friday 2022, I experienced sticker shock at the $75.99 price. I was at the self checkout already and a temporary (holiday) employee asked what was wrong - I was literally shocked and probably looked it. I said "oh, nothing, I just thought this was more like $49.99 but it's ringing up $75." Then the kid said "no problem, let me change that price for you." I protested, but they insisted. I used to shoplift as a kid so I'm very sensitive about any perceived theft on my part. But it was out of my hands and now I have my own discounted Chun-cee.
Monday, February 27, 2023
Power Rangers - NINJA YELLOW RANGER!
Aisha Campbell was the second Yellow Ranger in the American Mighty Morphin Power Rangers franchise. halfway through season two, three of the original Rangers left the show (rumor has it they unsuccessfully demanded more money). In the show, the three characters left for a peace conference in Switzerland, and three replacements were introduced. The original Yellow Ranger, Trini Kwan, was in 88 episodes, but Aisha Campbell (played by Karan Ashley) appeared in a not-too-shabby 65. She started as the typical sabertooth-themed Yellow Ranger, but her story arc eventually had her become a Ninja Ranger (along with all the others) in Season 3 and in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie. Technically in the movie they were Ninjetti, which had slightly different costumes, but luckily these Lightning Collection figures contain all the costume variations in a single purchase. I truly appreciate the variety and economy of that decision. Let's check out Aisha Campbell and Ninja Ranger Yellow below!
Monday, June 27, 2022
Snake-Eyes Movie - AKIKO!
I need to watch G.I.Joe Origins: Snake-Eyes again because I think I missed something about the character Akiko's role. There was a certain amount of mystery posed around her origins and throughout the movie, you would gain initial tiny insights into her past. I thought for sure she would be the long lost sister of either Snake-Eyes or Storm Shadow, but neither of those guesses panned out (at least I don't think they did... hence the necessary re-watch). Instead, Akiko was presented as one of the key members of the Arashikage clan, being the head of security, and a main point of contact between Snake-Eyes and the clan. She did not trust him, despite his blood ties to the Arashikage, and was constantly tailing him and keeping a wary eye. She was intriguing, but my high expectations may have sabotaged my perceptions. This is a very nice figure with a decent likeness of actor Haruka Abe. While martial arts figures aren't my go-to genre, she's a cool addition to my Classified shelf. Let's her check out below!
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Shang-Chi - XIALING!
It's really difficult to write about a figure from a movie that isn't released yet. But more and more, Hasbro seems to be making movie figures way too far in advance of the theatrical releases and I'm left guessing what these characters are about. And when it comes to supporting characters in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, I'm completely clueless. All I know is the blurb on the packaging that says Xialing is Shang-Chi's estranged sister, who I assume she has some mad martial arts skills. I've been aware of Shang-Chi since my early days of reading comics, but my only real exposure to the character was pretty recently in the pages of Agents of Atlas. And on a side-note, the MCU presence of Jimmy Woo, Ms. Marvel, and now the Master of Kung-Fu makes me think the Agents of Atlas are coming (I really hope I'm right). I even wonder if Xialing might turn out to be Aero (Lei Ling) - the costume is reminiscent. But it's all just speculation until September. Let's check out Xialing below!
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