Tag: NECA

Recommended music: Bob Rivers – The 12 Pains of Christmas

For this #TurtleTuesday, we’re checking out one more NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael!

This version of Raph is based on his look in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. It’s also called “Baby Turtle” because NECA didn’t have a better name for these guys before they became teenagers. I’m not sure how Splinter acquired the baby-sized sai for Raphael’s training, but it’s probably better not to think about it. 😄

This younger version of the “cool but rude” turtle came in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Cartoon Accessory Set, along with fun items from multiple episodes of the show. The set included all four baby turtles with their tiny weapons, an extra head for Baxter Stockman, a baby pizza monster, the robot Mobile Armored Computerized Combatant (also known as Big Macc), a blowtorch, a painting of a piece of cheese, a pizza box, a personality modifying ray gun, Rocksteady’s helmet, the Star of Hoboken diamond, a tracking device, a turtle backpack, a TV, a VCR, some VHS tapes, and a video game console.

While the baby turtles were probably enough to sell on their own, I’m glad NECA included them and all these other add-ons for their cartoon series in one set. Cowabunga indeed!

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Recommended music: Irma Thomas – Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)

On this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re taking a look at the NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Irma!

From the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon through the 2012 reboot, Irma appeared as a background character in over 50 episodes. As April O’Neil’s colleague and close friend at Channel Six, she added charm and humor to the shows.

Irma was exclusively available in the “The Catwoman from Channel 6” box set, which also included Burne, Cat April, and Vernon. Alongside Channel 6-themed accessories such as cameras and light stands, Irma features an alternate head and interchangeable hands and forearms to transform her into a Were-Rat. While I appreciate NECA’s inclusion of these well-crafted accessories, I prefer to display Irma in her original form, as depicted in numerous episodes of the series.

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#teenagemutantninjaturtles
#TMNT
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Recommended music: Tupac – Keep Ya Head Up

On this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re staying warm, taking a look at another NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Hamato Yoshi!

Hamato Yoshi was exclusively released as part of the San Diego Comic-Con ‘Premonition of a Pre-Mutation’ four-pack, which also included Baxter Stockman, Bebop, and Rocksteady in their human forms. In the animated adaptation, Yoshi’s backstory is less violent than in earlier TMNT comics; he comes into contact with a rat before mutagen exposure, which results in his transformation into Splinter when the turtles become humanoid.

The NECA figure accurately represents the animated design for the character seen in the season one flashback scene, with a detailed paint job and adequate articulation. Accessories include interchangeable hands, a bo-staff, a book, and a fish bowl containing four miniature turtles.

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#teenagemutantninjaturtles
#TMNT
#toyphotography

Recommended music: AFI – I Wanna Get A Mohawk (But Mom Won’t Let Me Get One)

On this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re taking a look at the NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Grunt!

This figure is based on Grunt’s look from the very first episode of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, “Turtle Tracks.” It came in a 2-pack with another punk character and really captures the animated gang member who caused trouble in the city and chased April O’Neil into the sewers at the start of the series.

In the episode, Grunt is ultimately defeated by a shadowed ninja, clearly identified as Raphael, as seen below. NECA also provided an alternate mutant torso and head for the Mohawk punk figure, reflecting the storyline in which the entire gang underwent the same mutation process as Bebop and Rocksteady. However, the remaining gang members rarely appeared in subsequent episodes.

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#teenagemutantninjaturtles
#TMNT
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Recommended music: Jim Croce – Operator

On this #TurtleTuesday, we’re spotlighting the most recent release of NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael!

This “Pizza Club Edition” of Raph is based on his look from the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. NECA designed the figure’s box to look like an old VHS tape produced by Family Home Entertainment (FHE) and promoted by the Burger King Kid’s Club circa 1990, aptly labeled: “Raphael is Cool But Rude.” This updated version of the turtles was part of Target’s Haulathon event in the spring of 2024.

This version of the cartoon figures is also referred to as an “Ultimate” release, as it includes a handful of new accessories, several of which are specific to one episode of the series. Besides a new scowling head sculpt for when a bird wrecks your stuff, Raphael comes with: an extra set of hands, a head that looks like it’s covered with pizza dough [See Pizza Club Michelangelo], Polly the parrot, a new oversized cartoon-style set of sais, a sausage & jelly bean pizza, a TV guide, and a red VHS tape.

While not a “must have” for collectors who already own previous cartoon figures of the character, this release offers numerous additions that enhance its overall value. The paint has a nice matte finish, and I feel like the colors really match the cartoon series.

Although I prefer the older, slimmer version of Raphael’s sai, I also appreciate the new accessories and head options in this release. Ultimately, for both collectors and more casual fans of the animated series, these updates make for a decent figure if you can find it for close to retail.

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#TMNT
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Recommended music: Sleep Token – Granite

On this #TurtleTuesday post from the archives, we’re taking a look at the NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Granitor!

Based on his look from the 1987 TMNT cartoon, Granitor was included in a 2-pack with fellow Stone Warrior General Traag. This chunky Rock Soldier looks very accurate to the animation model first seen in the fourth episode, one of my favorites, “Hot Rodding Teenagers from Dimension X.”

While the figure would certainly have benefited from a bit more articulation to match certain poses from the show, it’s still a great likeness. Also, Granitor frowns upon Rock Soldier recruits who cross over from other toy lines and hold their guns in their belly buttons. 😄

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#teenagemutantninjaturtles
#TMNT
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Recommended music: Christopher Cross – All Right

On this #TurtleTuesday, we’ve got yet another NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael!

This version of Raph is based on his “punk disguise” look from the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. Instead of the jacket design seen in the more popular season one episode “Enter the Shredder”, which featured the turtles in a punk appearance, NECA made this “punk disguise” design more closely match up with the season three episode “Usagi Yojimbo.”

Raphael and the other turtles were available in a 4-pack exclusive to Target stores for their Haulathon event. The turtles do have painted eyes behind their color-coded shades, but the sunglasses are not meant to be removable. Shortly after the 4-pack release, Leonardo and Raphael were repainted for a 2-pack with a few new accessories like a lamp and teddy bear, and repaints on other existing accessories from the line. In this set, Leonardo comes in a tan jacket and Raphael gets a white jacket to better match up with their “punk” appearances as seen in season one.

I haven’t yet double-dipped for those alternate versions, as I think one set of the turtles in leather jackets and sneakers is probably enough for me. 😄

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#TMNT
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Recommended music: Dschinghis Khan – Genghis Khan

Hey gang, we’re back with another #TurtleTuesday post from the archives. Today, we’re taking a look at another NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Genghis Frog!

While Genghis was one of the two frogs to be released in the vintage Playmates TMNT toy line, his look here is completely different. This figure is specifically based on the “punk frog” design from the episode “Invasion of the Punk Frogs,” which took place during the second season of the classic TMNT cartoon.

Do you remember that one? It’s the episode when Shredder went to a Florida swamp dressed like an extra from ‘Miami Vice’ and named some frogs after historic villains, after they mutated and trained them for fighting and a life of crime. 😄

I thought I would throw fellow swamp personality Leatherhead in here as well, even though he doesn’t show up until the frog’s next animated episode. 😉

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#teenagemutantninjaturtles
#TMNT
#toyphotography

Recommended music: MAGIC! – Rude

We’re back for another #TurtleTuesday, and today, we’re taking a look at another NECA Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael!

This version of the “cool, but rude” turtle is inspired by his look in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. Raphael’s paint job has a neat cel-shading look to it for NECA’s first attempt at releasing the character with cartoon coloring. Technically, the figure was first available in a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive set in 2017, but Raph was then repacked for retail in 2019 as a Target Exclusive 2-pack with a Foot Soldier.

He comes with his traditional sai weapons, an extra pair of “pointing” hands, and a slice of pizza with a hole for a sai. The full box of pizza and turtle communicators from the SDCC set were not carried forward to this release, but were included with many future figures in the line.

While I wish NECA had included an alternate head with some kind of smiling expression, it wasn’t meant to be. Five years later, the ‘Pizza Club’ edition of Raphael gave us a different look, but I still wouldn’t say the character is ever smiling in toy form. 😁

#ActionFigurePhotography
#teenagemutantninjaturtles
#TMNT
#toyphotography