Proto-Star Wars? Vader's helmet is inspired by a kabuto, after all.

I like how the banner-bearer on the far-left looks like he's thinking, 'What are we doing here, with these two...':)

Never understood the sideburns (sideboards) on these figs. Also limits reusability of the heads.

Were ninjas notoriously bad at shaving or what?!

Given to me recently by a friend. Missing a few parts but no matter. Only problem is, now I have to create a habitat for them.

I had his at one point, bought along with a 6045 Ninja Surprise. Sold it to make that set basically free. I figured that I already had these figures from the other Ninja sets.
Nowadays I like this set for its own merits. There's something neat about seeing all figures from the theme's first year (except a samurai exclusive to the Flying Ninja Fortress) with the greatest hits of Ninja accessories. The two banners help a lot with making this feel like a proper army builder.

@stefwaffles said:
"Never understood the sideburns (sideboards) on these figs. Also limits reusability of the heads.

Were ninjas notoriously bad at shaving or what?!"

Exactly the opposite. The stereotypical samurai hairstyle involved shaving the top of their head into a "male pattern baldness" look, probably with the use of a tanto. This would be like using a straight razor to shave a tonsure.

Love these types of packs. Always happy to add more to my ninjas scene. I don't love how the swords didn't clip into the headwraps very well though. I think the modern sliders are a much better solution.

@dimc said:
"Love these types of packs. Always happy to add more to my ninjas scene. I don't love how the swords didn't clip into the headwraps very well though. I think the modern sliders are a much better solution."

Oh, the original Ninja head wrap was terrible for that. I remember when 8683-12 came out, I resolved to very carefully put the katana for my complete set in the clip _one_time_ (blade edge first, so as to not press it sideways), and then never remove it again. And for any others I ended up with, I never used the clip at all.

@PurpleDave said:
" @dimc said:
"Love these types of packs. Always happy to add more to my ninjas scene. I don't love how the swords didn't clip into the headwraps very well though. I think the modern sliders are a much better solution."

Oh, the original Ninja head wrap was terrible for that. I remember when 8683-12 came out, I resolved to very carefully put the katana for my complete set in the clip _one_time_ (blade edge first, so as to not press it sideways), and then never remove it again. And for any others I ended up with, I never used the clip at all."

I usually just clip it by the handle and yeah, it looks a tad silly, but eh. Mostly, they walk around with their swords at the ready. It's a dangerous world out there!

@graymattr said:
"My boys had this set. Remember when you could buy a set with 5 minifigures for $6? "

Yes. But then I also remember further back still, being happy I had 5p I could spend in a sweet shop.

The grass looks like treetops. They’re giants walking around in a tiny world.

@TheOtherMike said:
" @graymattr said:
"My boys had this set. Remember when you could buy a set with 5 minifigures for $6? "

Nostalgia is remembering yesterday's prices while forgetting yesterday's wages."

The set page says it's $12 in today's dollars, so not the worst. Less than half the price of a CMF.

The black flintlock pistol is rare. Only came in this and two other sets from 1998. Not too high of a price though, considering the age and rarity. Is there something specific it (and the black long gun) are based on?

@TheOtherMike said:
" @graymattr said:
"My boys had this set. Remember when you could buy a set with 5 minifigures for $6? "

Nostalgia is remembering yesterday's prices while forgetting yesterday's wages."

In my profession, you'd be much, much better off with yesterday's prices and wages. From 2000 to now, average tuition has more than doubled, workload has doubled and adjusted for inflation, we make less.

@LuccaTalksYT said:
"The grass looks like treetops. They’re giants walking around in a tiny world."

It’s Japan. Bamboo can grow a full inch in one day.

@dimc said:
"The black flintlock pistol is rare. Only came in this and two other sets from 1998. Not too high of a price though, considering the age and rarity. Is there something specific it (and the black long gun) are based on?"

My guess would be flintlocks. No, seriously. After watching the new Shogun miniseries (the original never really addressed it), I read up on the story it was based on, and the real events that drew from. Japan started adopting firearms a lot earlier than you might think, even during what we consider the peak of samurai culture.

@PurpleDave said:
" @LuccaTalksYT said:
"The grass looks like treetops. They’re giants walking around in a tiny world."

It’s Japan. Bamboo can grow a full inch in one day.

@dimc said:
"The black flintlock pistol is rare. Only came in this and two other sets from 1998. Not too high of a price though, considering the age and rarity. Is there something specific it (and the black long gun) are based on?"

My guess would be flintlocks. No, seriously. After watching the new Shogun miniseries (the original never really addressed it), I read up on the story it was based on, and the real events that drew from. Japan started adopting firearms a lot earlier than you might think, even during what we consider the peak of samurai culture."

I was more wondering if there was a different wood or design that explains why they're black. All of the flintlocks I've ever handled were varying shades of tan or brown, though of course the barrels would be dark.

Huwbot definitely wanted to take me on a nostalgia ride today! Classic Ninja and Rock Raiders, all in one day? Yes, please!!!! :D

I've recalled it on here before, but my introduction to themed Lego was the first issue of the Lego Adventures magazine in 1999 (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=63591), which had characters from this theme - specifically three of the black ninjas - plastered all over the cover, and occupying most of the first comic. I knew less than nothing about ninjas at the time, I had no cultural context at all: but these masked Lego guys with swords and hang-gliders, who were infiltrating the Shogun's fortress to steal his prized jewel, were so 'other' to anything I'd experienced at the time that I just found them insanely cool.

Then I got my first Lego catalogue and saw this set on the theme's page. All the characters from the Adventures comic (well, almost all: the comic, like certain sets in the range, featured two black ninjas and two grey ninjas; although all the ninjas of a single colour were identical), all in one place? And in a set that was even remotely affordable, no less? ...well, I never got it, but I dreamt of it for years, and even more so after I got the Rock Raiders equivalent pack 4930 for my birthday that October. All these cool guys...!

It wasn't to be, in the end; and for my entire childhood the only Ninja set I had was the little 6013, although I was definitely very happy with him even so! Nowadays I don't feel any particular draw to this set, since I got three of the other minifigures for the used 6088 I got from a lot a few years back, making the grey ninja here the only minifig in the pack I don't own, and if I felt so inclined it would be way easier to Bricklink him loose than to track down the whole set.

Even so, though. If I crossed the path of this set anytime and it wasn't expensive, I might juuuuust pick it up even still. I think my inner child would demand me not to miss the opportunity...!

@dimc said:
"I was more wondering if there was a different wood or design that explains why they're black. All of the flintlocks I've ever handled were varying shades of tan or brown, though of course the barrels would be dark. "

Black walnut is the only wood I’m familiar with, but I’m pretty sure that’s not native to Japan. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t have lacquered the grip, though. I mean, they did it to their armor all the time.

@dimc said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @graymattr said:
"My boys had this set. Remember when you could buy a set with 5 minifigures for $6? "

Nostalgia is remembering yesterday's prices while forgetting yesterday's wages."

The set page says it's $12 in today's dollars, so not the worst. Less than half the price of a CMF. "

And CMFs are a lot more detailed than figures like these. I get a little tired of people using the price of CMFs as the baseline of what figures should be. Are you really saying that https://brickset.com/minifigs/sh1030/ghost-spider-spider-gwen-(gwen-stacy)-black-legs-white-basic-smooth-hood-magenta-hands is worth as much as https://brickset.com/minifigs/colspi04/gwen-stacy-spider-gwen-spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)?

@PurpleDave said:
" @LuccaTalksYT said:
"The grass looks like treetops. They’re giants walking around in a tiny world."

It’s Japan. Bamboo can grow a full inch in one day.

@dimc said:
"The black flintlock pistol is rare. Only came in this and two other sets from 1998. Not too high of a price though, considering the age and rarity. Is there something specific it (and the black long gun) are based on?"

My guess would be flintlocks. No, seriously. After watching the new Shogun miniseries (the original never really addressed it), I read up on the story it was based on, and the real events that drew from. Japan started adopting firearms a lot earlier than you might think, even during what we consider the peak of samurai culture."

I learned that lesson from Namco's interactive historical documentary, "Soul Edge". Did you know there's a secret vault in Italy that's being guarded by a ghost and his loyal gimp?

@TheOtherMike said:
" @dimc said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @graymattr said:
"My boys had this set. Remember when you could buy a set with 5 minifigures for $6? "

Nostalgia is remembering yesterday's prices while forgetting yesterday's wages."

The set page says it's $12 in today's dollars, so not the worst. Less than half the price of a CMF. "

And CMFs are a lot more detailed than figures like these. I get a little tired of people using the price of CMFs as the baseline of what figures should be. Are you really saying that https://brickset.com/minifigs/sh1030/ghost-spider-spider-gwen-(gwen-stacy)-black-legs-white-basic-smooth-hood-magenta-hands is worth as much as https://brickset.com/minifigs/colspi04/gwen-stacy-spider-gwen-spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)?"

Nope, but CMFs and I guess BAM are about the only places you can get a single minifig with accessory, so that's the comparison. Modern SW battle packs have a build, which these never did (so far as I know).

And the quality of prints and such was lower in those days. Would you pay half a CMF price for a fig like this today? That's about what you have to consider.

@PurpleDave said:
" @LuccaTalksYT said:
"The grass looks like treetops. They’re giants walking around in a tiny world."

It’s Japan. Bamboo can grow a full inch in one day.

@dimc said:
"The black flintlock pistol is rare. Only came in this and two other sets from 1998. Not too high of a price though, considering the age and rarity. Is there something specific it (and the black long gun) are based on?"

My guess would be flintlocks. No, seriously. After watching the new Shogun miniseries (the original never really addressed it), I read up on the story it was based on, and the real events that drew from. Japan started adopting firearms a lot earlier than you might think, even during what we consider the peak of samurai culture."

True japan developed an own firearms industry and destroyed it again
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearms_of_Japan

Black maybe to set it apart from pirates

@stefwaffles well, it’s the samurai who are visibly rocking the sideburns.

@Djhorn those hoods certainly stood the test of time; they were last used back in 2020.

@PurpleDave said:
" @LuccaTalksYT said:
"The grass looks like treetops. They’re giants walking around in a tiny world."

It’s Japan. Bamboo can grow a full inch in one day.

@dimc said:
"The black flintlock pistol is rare. Only came in this and two other sets from 1998. Not too high of a price though, considering the age and rarity. Is there something specific it (and the black long gun) are based on?"

My guess would be flintlocks. No, seriously. After watching the new Shogun miniseries (the original never really addressed it), I read up on the story it was based on, and the real events that drew from. Japan started adopting firearms a lot earlier than you might think, even during what we consider the peak of samurai culture."
Then why does it stay on the ground? Besides, bamboo grows a full inch in a day, but people, last I checked, don’t.