Recommended music: Falling in Reverse – Bad Guy
On this #TurtleTuesday, we’ve reached the end of March, and today we’re looking at another NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder!
In the 1987 animated series, Shredder (Oroku Saki) is the main villain who drives the story and sets the tone for the first seven seasons. This version changed him from a deadly comic-book assassin into the classic Saturday morning cartoon villain, mixing real danger with plenty of comic blunders.
James Avery, best known as ‘Uncle Phil’ from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” gave Shredder his memorable voice for 103 episodes. Other actors like Jim Cummings, Townsend Coleman, and William E. “Bill” Martin also voiced the character. Shredder was the most common and recognizable villain in the 1987 series, showing up in more than two-thirds of its 193 episodes.
Although the cartoon gives Shredder a backstory different from the comics or later movies, he is still the main reason the Turtles exist. He betrayed Hamato Yoshi in Japan, forcing Yoshi to live in the New York sewers, where Yoshi later mutated. Without Shredder’s actions, there would be no Splinter and no Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Shredder’s bladed armor and purple cape set the look for the franchise during its most popular years, shaping action figures and other media for decades. The cartoon also introduced his “odd couple” partnership with Krang, which became the main source of comedy. Their ongoing arguments about the Technodrome’s power kept the story interesting for almost ten years.
NECA first released the 1987 cartoon Shredder in the 2017 SDCC-exclusive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Collectors Case 8-pack. After the 5,000 sets sold out, Shredder became available in a Target-exclusive 2-pack with Leonardo in spring 2019. Later that year, he was also sold in a 2-pack with Krang, since the first release was so popular and prices on the secondary market quickly rose.
This Shredder figure looks much more like the cartoon version than any of the old Playmates Toys TMNT figures. He also comes with a comlink to contact Krang, an extra set of hands, his sword, and a vial of ooze. Overall, this figure is a must-have if you want a complete display from the 1987 cartoon.
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