Mutant Mayhem is going to invade cinemas later this summer, and as usual, Playmates Toys is bringing out the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures to help celebrate.
What an age we live in for all things TMNT. We have been getting spoiled with a lot of good toys over the past few years, and I know many TMNT fans now have bustling collection spaces packed many different iterations of the Turtle team. That said, it has been several years since they have graced cinema-plex screens, and that is about to change with the August 2nd release of the newest offering: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
If you have not watched the teaser or the full trailer yet, do yourself a favor and do so right now. I love just about everything about the new premise and style this showing off, and it looks to be a lot of fun. I haven’t been this excited about a TMNT since, well – the ORIGINAL one, and the fact that I get to enjoy it with my three daughters (they are psyched as well), makes it even better. I know the proof will be in the full film, but what they have shown thus far has really worked for me.
I am always thinking about TMNT, but it feels great to see the larger population getting excited about TMNT again, too – so I hope the movie is a great success. I mean, this has RAY FILLET, you guys! My favorite TMNT character not named Donatello is finally getting his big screen break, so that alone would get my backside in a seat.
So, of course – THERE WILL BE TOYS! Playmates is bringing out a large and diverse range of new action figures (in multiple scales), vehicles, play sets, role play toys, and more to support the film, and just by going with what we have see so far, it is gearing up to be expansive. We have a chance to share some pictures and thoughts of the initial TMNT figures with you today, and we will have another look at some vehicles in the very near future. What you are seeing today is set to release on June 25th, but it seems like some stores have gotten the goods early.
There should never be any doubt that the Turtles would be the first offerings from the line, and Leo, Raph, Mike, and Donnie are offered here in the their latest looks, but with some great throwbacks to the original vintage line. As I said, I really love the style of the movie, and giving each of the boys their own shape and form, while still being respectful of the classic designs makes for a winning combination. I have to say that while these are new, they make for some of the most charming TMNT figures yet – and I mean that without condition.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will always lend themselves to fun toy designs, but these standout in a great way, even in the sea of what has come before. Each figure comes with signature weapons and other accessories (including a riff on the classic weapons rack sprues, and baby turtles). Donatello probably wins in that department because he also has his glasses (removable) and headphones, as well as his fanny pack and cell phone built into his belt.
I love that that movie retains the idea of each of the four having a unique green color, and that is carried over here. I would say Mike and Raph are very close to their classic colors, while Donnie and Leo are now each a lighter green. I am impressed with the articulation scheme as well and these feature about 20 point each, so posing is a lot more dynamic than we have seen in past releases. My only nitpick is that the ankles are simple cuts instead of pegged ball joints or hinges, so that limits some of the foot movement.
More than anything though, is that these are some of the most charming figures I have gotten in a minute. Their faces have tons of personality and when you have them interacting with the vehicles (again, more on that soon), a lot of life comes out. I think the movie is going too big on characterization for these four, and making them unique and appealing in their own way, and you can already see that here. Raph is still the angry tough guy, but he also has fun as we have already seen, and his figure reads that way very clearly.
I think even some of the most jaded collectors will enjoy these new figures. If the look and feel of the movie isn’t for you, you might even still like these simply because they are a lot of fun. Having good figures of the main characters is the foundation of any good toy line, and these set a strong ground work for villains and vehicles to build on, so I can’t wait to see more. Enjoy these pics, and as I said, we will back soon with a look at the Pizza Fire Van, Ninja Kick Cycle, and Battle Cycle soon.
In the meantime, remember you can pre-order all of these figures HERE.
LEONARDO
DONATELLO
RAPHAEL
MICHELANGELO
*Thank you to Playmates for sending along these samples for a First Look
Source: Fwoosh
