Karakuri Ball 9 – Karakuri Manto (the "Karakuri Mantle") is arguably the most unusual entry in the entire Karakuri Ball lineup: not a sword, not a hammer, not a cannon – simply a cloak. In Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger the Manto is deployed by Hurricane Red and drapes itself as a mantle around Senpuujin (the Storm Megazord). Its trick: it is meant to turn the robot invisible or serve as a defensive shield. The gimmick never really impressed, though – even in its debut battle the effect was underwhelming, and the Manto was never seen again afterward. A genuine "one-hit wonder" among the Karakuri accessories.

As with every Karakuri Ball, the whole concept lives in the form factor: a compact sphere that pops open to release the actual accessory – here, the cloak that is hung over Senpuujin. Bandai Japan sold the Karakuri Balls individually, letting collectors assemble the full arsenal piece by piece. In the U.S. release, Power Rangers Ninja Storm, this item is called Power Sphere 9 – Ninja Scarf; the American Power Spheres differ from the Japanese Karakuri Balls in a few ways, most notably a visible hole in the ball.

For collectors, number 9 is the holy grail of the set. While most Karakuri Balls / Power Spheres can be tracked down with some patience, the Karakuri Manto is considered by far the hardest one to obtain – rare, coveted and priced accordingly. It is still missing from this collection, marking the last major gap on the Hurricaneger shelf. But who knows – maybe one day it'll finally turn up. Ranger never give up. 💪