Recommended music: Chola Orange – The Ballad of Hamato Yoshi
On this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re heading to 1990. It’s the NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Hamato Yoshi!
Although a figure based on the animated version of Yoshi with a different backstory existed, this release marked the first appearance of the character modeled after the 1990 live-action film. It was exclusively available in the “Shadow Warriors” two-pack with Oroku Saki.
The set features well-sculpted, fully articulated figures, multiple weapons, additional hand and head options, and a cage for the two included rats. Yoshi’s pet rat mimicked his owner’s movements and later became the full-size Splinter.
Also, on this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re looking at the NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Spirit of Splinter!
This version of Master Splinter is based on his look in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 live-action film. He is likely the rarest piece in my TMNT collection, as the figure was a Loot Crate subscription exclusive, and NECA really knocked the ball out of the park with this release. Splinter has some transparent parts, a shimmering robe, a light-up campfire, and even some marshmallows, both in a bag and on a stick, as accessories.
While the character has nothing to do with Christmas, I thought it would be a good time to share him as Splinter appears in “spirit form” to the turtles in the film after he has been kidnapped by the Foot Clan and they have retreated to April’s family farm on the outskirts of the city.
[Since the time of this original post, NECA has repacked this version of Splinter in a 5-pack with the turtles. While he is no longer an “exclusive” figure, he is still a favorite of mine from the line.]
For this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re taking a look at one last NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Foot Soldier!
This version of the Foot Soldier is based on his look in the 1991 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze. While this movie’s foot soldier is nearly identical to the earlier releases, he has a slightly larger torso piece. Technically, you could refer to him by the figure’s nickname of “the fat foot.” However, it’s honestly a minimal difference from the previously released ninjas. Also, he is painted in the same black tone as the figures from the first movie, and not the slightly grayer/brown repaint from the SOTS Foot Soldier 2-pack. Speaking of two-packs, this big guy is only available in a 2-pack with Keno. This is annoying to me, as he’s a great army builder for the line.
Roaring ahead this #TurtleTuesday, we’re taking a look at the NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Rahzar!
While Rahzar, the mutant gray wolf, has appeared in many different TMNT comic series, toy lines, and three different Turtles animated series, he made his debut in the 1991 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze.
In the movie, the limited dialogue from the character was provided by the one and only Frank Welker, who you may also know as the voice of many animated characters, including Megatron, Ray Stantz, Scooby Doo, Slimer, and Soundwave, among others. Though his role in SOTS, voicing both Rahzar and Tokka, came about due to the exclusion of two other cartoon characters – Bebop and Rocksteady.
You see, Bebop and Rocksteady were originally created by Peter Laird and David Wise for the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series and to expand the Playmates toy line. Since they were not a part of Kevin Eastman and Laird’s original comics, Golden Harvest/Mirage did not have the rights to the henchman characters for the live-action films. Rather than go through additional legal licensing, the filmmakers came up with replacement mutants in the form of Tokka and Rahzar.
For the NECA toy line, Rahzar wisely came in a 2-pack with Tokka, as they were the first Secret of the Ooze figures in the line. Rahzar stands over eight inches tall, has over 30 points of articulation (including jaw), and features a detailed sculpt with great paint application.
The duo also comes with a pile of accessories accurate to the second live-action film. These include an extra pair of hands, a fire extinguisher, a mutagen canister, a pipe, a hubcap shield, a wooden beam, and most importantly, a box of donuts! That last accessory allows you to “observe the ancient ritual of the … traditional pre-fight donut.” 😜
On this #WhateverWednesday post from the archives, we’re still celebrating 25 years of X-Men with this Marvel Legends Wolverine!
This X-Men 20th anniversary version of Wolverine shows just one of the few upgrades that Hasbro has done from the old ToyBiz X-Men line. Hugh Jackman has been playing this character for a long time. It is rightfully so because “Deadpool & Wolverine” debuted to the sixth-biggest box office opening of all time around this time last year. It also had the largest ever opening weekend for an R-rated film.
While the ToyBiz figures that came out with the first X-Men film back in 2000 were fun at the time, they did have some issues, but I think Hasbro finally got these actors’ likenesses down pretty well.
This week is the 25th anniversary of X-Men hitting theaters in the US!
Recommended music: X-Men Main Theme [Note, this track goes with the X-Men animated series, as Michael Kamen’s film score wasn’t available to cross-post on Instagram – DM]
On this #SomethingElseSunday, we’re celebrating 25 years of X-Men on the big screen!
Yes, the Blade film, a couple of years earlier, technically took a Marvel comic book character and turned him into a box office success with that R-rated vampire flick. Still, X-Men really led the way for the modern superhero comic book film franchise.
The idea for a live-action X-Men film goes all the way back to Orion Pictures in the early 1980s. However, the film was in development hell for a decade, so the movie rights moved to Fox. Fox had seen success with its animated X-Men television series aimed at kids and sought to find the right director, writers, actors, and vision to make the franchise a success with adult audiences.
With a budget of around $100 million and a gross of around $300 million worldwide, the new century was sure to have a comic book film always present for summertime filmgoers for years to come. There have now been 11 X-Men films released in the past two dozen years, as well as crossovers with the three Deadpool films, and future films celebrating these characters and even the original cast with next year’s Avengers: Doomsday.
I thought rather than focus on a single scene from the original film, I’d add in my existing X-Men movie action figures to the original theatrical poster. Since I don’t actually have figures for all 10 characters featured here, you’ll have to read into the film tagline of “trust a few, fear the rest” as a few actor’s faces were not replaced with toys.😄 Hopefully, Hasbro will continue to put out more figures from this film, as many of the characters have not been covered since the original ToyBiz line and are in need of an update.
Tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of X-Men hitting theaters in the US!
Dale's Toys 