Tomisaburo Arashikage

Tomisaburo Arashikage (嵐影 富三郎, Arashikage Tomisaburō), also known as Storm Shadow (ストームシャドウ, Sutōmu Shadō), is both a fictional character and antagonist of the G.I. Joe series created by Donald Levine and Gray Haddock. He a ninja who serves for Cobra Commander, the long-time arch-rival of Snake-Eyes, and the cousin to Jinx.

He hungers to be the greatest ninja in the world, and the only person standing in his way is Snake-Eyes. As a young man in the Arashikage ninja school, Storm Shadow demanded that his uncle teach him the final step in the Seven Steps to the Sun, a ninja technique of immense power. But his uncle refused to do so, questioning his nephew's worthiness. Now, Storm Shadow has instigated a showdown to prove that he is a greater ninja than Snake Eyes - and by proving that, he will also prove that he was the most favored student in his uncle's eyes.

"I am the greatest ninja in the world, and I will make sure Snake-Eyes knows this with his last breath."
 * —Storm Shadow is eager for a family reunion.

Appearance & Biography

 * Voice Actor: Eric Bauza (English), Not Known (Japanese), Not Known (Albanian), Not Known (Arabic), Not Known (Basque), Not Known (Brazilian), Not Known (Cantonese), Not Known (Catalan), Not Known (Chinese), Not Known (Dutch), Not Known (Finnish), Not Known (French), Not Known (Galician), Not Known (German), Not Known (Greek), Not Known (Hebrew), Not Known (Hong Kong), Not Known (Hungarian), Not Known (Indonesian), Not Known (Isralian), Not Known (Italian), Not Known (Korean), Not Known (Mandarin), Not Known (Norwegian), Not Known (Polish), Not Known (Portuguese), Not Known (Romanian), Not Known (Russian), Not Known (Serbian), Not Known (Spanish), Not Known (Swedish), Not Known (Tagalog), Not Known (Thai), Not Known (Valencian), Not Known (Brazilian Portuguese), Not Known (European Spanish), Not Known (European Portuguese), Not Known (Latin American Spanish), Not Known (Latin Spanish)

Appearance

 * Hair Color: N/A (Formerly Brown)
 * Skin Color: Pale White
 * Eye Color: Not Known
 * Age: Not Known
 * Birthday: Not Known
 * Height: Not Known
 * Weight: Not Known

Friends/Allies

 * Cobra
 * Cobra Commander
 * Serpentor
 * Destro
 * Baroness
 * Wild Weasel
 * Dr. Mindbender
 * Major Bludd
 * Slice
 * Overkill
 * Scrap-Iron
 * Dreadnoks
 * Zartan
 * Buzzer
 * Torch
 * Machete
 * Tomax and Xamot
 * Firefly
 * Dr. Venom
 * Nemesis
 * Cobra Troopers
 * Bio Vipers
 * Mecha-Vipers
 * Shadow Vipers
 * Techno-Vipers
 * Human/Bio-Viper Hybrids
 * Sewer Vipers
 * B.A.T
 * Ninja B.A.T.
 * Aero-B.A.T.
 * Cobra Mantis
 * Overlord Vector
 * Overlord Virus
 * Overlord Vortex
 * Zeus

Family

 * Hard Master (uncle; deceased)
 * Jinx (cousin)

Neutral

 * Arashikage Clan
 * Falcon (defected)

Rivals

 * Snake-Eyes
 * Kamakura

Enemies

 * G.I. Joe
 * Duke
 * Agent Faces
 * Wild Bill
 * Flint
 * Barrel Roll
 * Ace
 * Scarlett
 * Frostbite
 * Lady Jaye
 * Gung-Ho
 * Roadblock
 * Doc
 * Stalker
 * Beach Head
 * Dusty
 * Tunnel Rat
 * Long Range
 * Lift-Ticket
 * Heavy Duty
 * Ripcord
 * Breaker
 * Bazooka
 * Dial Tone
 * Cover Girl
 * Torpedo
 * Wet Suit
 * Hi-Tech
 * H.O.U.N.D.
 * Spirit
 * Freedom
 * Lt. Stone
 * Shipwreck
 * Polly
 * Link Talbot
 * Scott Abernathy
 * Spud

Weapons

 * Sword
 * Pistol

Early Life
Tomisaburo Arashikage grew up under the ninja training of his uncle, the Hard Master, apparently training and learning ever since he could first walk. The most significant technique ever learned by any student was called the Seven Steps to the Sun, the martial art Hard Master created and founded the reputation of his ninja school upon. Eventually, the boy who would later be known as Snake-Eyes came to learn from the school founded by Tomisaburo's uncle. Tomisaburo and Takeshi rivaled each other in swordsmanship skills, but became best friends and sword brothers. Takeshi had come to learn at an older age than Tomisaburo, and therefore needed private training apart from the other students to keep up with him. Both Takeshi and Tomisaburo, being the more skilled students, were taught some of the Seven Steps, Tomisaburo being taught up to the sixth and Takeshi up to the fifth. Unknown to Tomisaburo, however, Takeshi proved himself worthy and was taught the Seventh Step secretly at some point.

While training with the other Arashikage one day, Tomisaburo broke off to speak with the Hard Master, addressing him as "uncle" rather than "sensei," despite the other students still being present. After briefly discussing Takeshi's private training, Tomisaburo demanded to know why his uncle would not finishing teaching him the Seven Steps to the Sun. The Hard Master told him that passing on the knowledge to utterly destroy with merely seven blows was passing on "a responsibility like no other." Tomisaburo said that the Hard Master needed to pass on all Seven Steps, as he would not live forever and the "soul" of his school needed to survive. Hard Master pointed out that death was not the only thing he had to teach, and said that Takeshi was more ready, as violence was a burden to him, but to Tomisaburo, it was "less than air." Dismissing Tomisaburo's anger, he ultimately said he would not teach him the Seventh Step and casually walked away.

A sniper was positioned on a cliff above the training grounds, hiding with a rifle. Tomisaburo removed his neck cloth and threw it in the air, signaling the sniper to fire. Takeshi realized what was happening, and ran to save his sensei. The sniper first shot at him, putting a bullet in his jaw. Then, as Hard Master turned around, a bullet went straight through his head, killing him. Tomisaburo said to Takeshi that "it had to be done" and that they could now truly become ninja and make the school into what it should meant to be. Furious at Tommy's betrayal, Takeshi drew his sword and challenged his best friend. Tomisaburo said that vendetta would be called for if Takeshi struck another Arashikage, to no avail. The fight was short, and Takeshi fled the compound after knocking Tomisaburo to the ground and making his mouth bleed. Tomisaburo just smiled, knowing he would get the chance to fight him again.