I'm not a big fan of the Ninja Force, over the years I've kept very few of these action-gimmick loaded figures.
Slice and Dice are the two that I've kept, as well as Zartan, but he's in the Dreadnok category for me. Even as a "ninja."
I had a Night Creeper that almost right away after buying it back in the day off the pegs, pretty much became a dust catcher in the turret of my (at that time) only HISS. I think these "version 2" Night Creepers made an appearance in the Marvel comic just prior to me seeing this on the shelf. The power of advertising pretty much tipped my purchase decision into getting this figure. (it's not horrible, though, just not my figure preference.)
I also had the Shadow Ninjas, Bushido and Nunchuk, that I bought on clearance.
Aside from sword-swinging ninja figure set-ups on a shelf, though, these guys didn't really get much more attention. And in a way, I kind of just wanted the regular previous incarnation of the figures.
I did try more recently in the last couple/ few years to incorporate every possibly useful figure in the classic line into my collection, though. I did pick up a Nunchuk on trade, but even as good as the figure looks, he still didn't get much use. Nor did I see much happening with it, so it went out on my last figure draw-down.
My Ninja figures that I've had over the years didn't stop at the classic years, though. Over the 2000's, mostly from '02-'06, I acquired many of the "new sculpt" era ninjas that were out there. Even new Slice, but with Slash, instead of Dice.
I also tried using more "new sculpt" figures in my set-ups, while my classic figures were on a sort of retirement at that time.
And while this Slice is not a "new sculpt," this was a figure that I often used in the last few years.
Lately, though, I've been strongly favoring my classic GIJoe figures a lot more than any of the 2000-repaints or other articulation styles.
Slice and Dice have been coming out fairly strong to me, as my Storm Shadow is "good." Cobra Commander almost seemed to want some ninja, and what better duo that Slice and Dice.
Each character is fairly personable, and each has a decent pair of weapons. While the ninja-gimmick-action-attack does bother me some, it hasn't bugged me on these two as bad over the years.
Plus, can you have Slice without Dice?
I bought these at the now-defunct Prange Way that was at the Mariner Mall, but not at the same time. I think I bought Dice first.
Dice has a nice dark purple and black, and a battle mask that is kind of unique (to me, anyway). And he has some muscles, and a very interesting skin tone. The huge knee pad/ boot detail is kind of interesting, too.
I'm fairly sure I bought Slice separately, but the inter-file-card mentioning, and the rhyme of their names made me want to go and get Slice. Slice is a little more straight-forward ninja looking to me. A red suit, a little lower calf leg detail, but still mostly straight forward ninja. With some rather small and interesting star pattern! The only thing that makes him stand apart otherwise from a traditional '84-style Storm Shadow-like ninja is his fencing mask. And as a Cobra swordsman, this mask really fits the character in my view.
The little strips of felt on the back and side are a nice touch, too. Ninja-attack-gimmicks aside, the felt is a nice touch of "we care about design" that made onto this figure. And it isn't just "stuck on" haphazardly, it's very intentional and well integrated.
Overall, Slice and Dice to me are a little bit like Tomax and xamoT. While not "twins" like our Crimson Guard friends, Slice and Dice compliment and contrast. One is a (possibly) renegade Red Ninja from Storm Shadow's old clan, a fairly well-disciplined traditional ninja. Where Dice is a Night Creeper that is simply too evil for the Night Creepers! (Cobra makes for a better place for Dice.)
