Samurai Adventure Michelangelo and Space Adventure Donatello
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Multi-Packs
Rated 4.80 stars by RMaster007
Character variants are inevitable in cartoon figure lines, but how often do such lines incorporate variants not seen in the source material? NECA's TMNT line, which hasn't been variant-heavy thanks to the wide character selection, started giving specific characters all-new outfits. Usagi, a mere two-episode character, got both new space and samurai outfits, and such themes are present with one of their latest two-packs. The samurai role is played here by Michelangelo, and he looks like a total badass. The combat-focused head, with gritted teeth, is an all-new sculpt, and it's got the traditional samurai kabuto helmet on him. This helmet pegs into the back, where a mask knot would usually go, allowing it to fit on his head with ease. You can swap his head out for an afraid expression, and...[See More]

Punk Disguise Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Multi-Packs
Rated 4.65 stars by RMaster007
In licenses with a ton of characters like TMNT, it's important to keep major characters on the shelves, such as the Turtles themselves. With this year's Haulathon, there's plenty of new versions of the brothers, including outfits both in-house and sourced from the cartoon, the latter being the long-awaited "punk" disguises. The Loyal Subjects did some punk Turtles already, but those suffered from weird design choices and mediocre head sculpts (which were the S.H. Figuarts Turtles heads but worse), so here's NECA with something better. Usually these four-packs have unique art, slipcovers and/or fifth-panel flaps, but not this set; it's just a standard window box with the same motif as the rest of the toon line. It does a good job showing everything off, though, and the new artwork done...[See More]

Evil REX-1 (Terminate the Turtles)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Basic Series
Rated 4.70 stars by RMaster007
Last year saw the arrival of REX-1, one of the most wanted characters, in NECA's TMNT cartoon line, and I assume we all knew they'd follow up with the evil clone Shredder made of him. About a year later, here it is, and much easier to find, too! The packaging stands out from the rest of the single-packed toon figures in that it's based specifically off FHE's "Sewer Heroes Series" tapes, the first to have such a style since the GITD Muckman from '22. The art, done by Aaron Hazouri in his usual cartoonier-than-the-original-series style, depicts poor Donatello at the mercy of this evil robocop, while the bio on the back is a corrupted version of good REX's bio. The exterior is great, but the interior is the problem, as there's a ton of those damn plastic ties. Why NECA is so obsessed with...[See More]

Accessory Set
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Accessories
Rated 4.85 stars by RMaster007
Everyone knows action figures are more fun when they have stuff to play with, and NECA certainly knows too, hence why they've put out plenty of accessory sets for their various lines. In the realm of Ninja Turtles, they've done really fun accessory sets for the first two live-action films, and following those is one related to the retro cartoon. It was sold as part of Target's Haul-a-thon event last year, but I had no luck finding it in-store. Good thing NECA sold it through their online store, or I'd be out of luck. Befitting the toon line, we have Dan Elson's illustrations again, based off the old VHS tapes. The art works great, showing off some of the stuff you'll find in the set, and there's a couple photos on the back. Like past accessory sets, this is a windowless box, and...[See More]

Napoleon Bonafrog (Colossus of the Swamp)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Basic Series
Rated 4.70 stars by RMaster007
The 1987 TMNT series has not only provided NECA a wide character selection, but plenty of potential for character variants. We've seen a few already, with Catwoman April, Dark Turtle Donatello, and a few different versions of Bebop and Rocksteady, and there's a couple more in the pipeline now. We're even getting ones that weren't in the show! For now, the latest variant is of Napoleon Bonafrog, based off his hulked-up form from "Napoleon Bonafrog: Colossus of the Swamps." As usual, Dan Elson is doing the packaging art for the single releases, and it looks just as great as always. It resembles the old FHE tapes well, and I'm now wanting those get-ups for B&R as figures. The box is also huge, as to house the size of this figure. The "colossus" version of Napoleon is sculpted by Brodie...[See More]

Donatello
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Giant-Sized
Rated 4.70 stars by RMaster007
Quarter-scale is rather unusual for action figures, considering that sixth-scale is a more common size for large figures. However, NECA's being producing figures in such as scale for years, with the more recent ones coming from the TMNT license. I already got the first 1/4 toon figure, Raphael, and now it's on to the second one: Donatello. Since the turtles all looked the same in the show, NECA was easily able to reuse the mold for Raphael for Donatello. The default portrait gives Donnie the reused mad eyes, but the closed mouth is a new piece, and the extra head is a surprised expression with open eyes and mouth. Like before, the eyes and mouths are separate from one another, and can be swapped. There's also a third mouth with a closed smile, but you will need to heat up the plastic to...[See More]

Grunt and Jersey Red
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Multi-Packs
Rated 4.70 stars by RMaster007
Guess this means I can finally say the gang's all here. Grunt was among Bebop and Rocksteady's gang that was only present for the first season of the original cartoon, and his name is Grunt; they didn't have to change it to avoid coming into conflict with Disney like they did with Dopey and Dumbo. Grunt looks almost like someone out of Mad Max or something similar, with nothing but a harness covering his torso, a gray belt, metal wristcuffs and (presumably) kneepads, and a big mohawk. He's also pretty muscular, but not to the degree B&R would become after being mutated. Anyways, the sculpt for Grunt's figure was provided by Eric Barnett, and stands around 6 3/4" tall. He looks accurate to the show, and almost everything with painted "outlines" are sculpted as well, so he's not a flat...[See More]

Bugman and Electrozapper
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Multi-Packs
Rated 4.75 stars by RMaster007
How do you know when a line runs deep? When it starts incorporating characters you don't recall ever hearing of. NECA's TMNT toon line has been doing that for a while now, putting out characters that only appeared once or twice in the show, alongside accessories nobody remembers. One of the latest releases is an example of such, with two very minor characters from the show, but one of which is at least remembered. The "remembered" character in this case is Brick Bradley, a.k.a. Bugman, who I've been wanting in the line for some time now. Unsurprisingly, they went with his half-insect form for the figure. Sculpted by Tim Miller, Bugman has a really freaky head sculpt, with big red eyes, antennae, and mandibles in place of a regular human mouth. The hair style is very funky-looking, due to...[See More]

April O 'Neil (Mutant Interest Storm)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Basic Series
Rated 4.65 stars by RMaster007
It's been a few years since we got a regular cartoon April from NECA. She was one of the first releases from the line, but at the time, the figures were hard to get ahold of, especially in MD. Now, NECA has listened to fans and brought her back, better than ever and easier to get! The original April came in a two-pack with a battle-damaged Foot Soldier, but the new version is a single release, coming in one of the FHE-inspired boxes. The artwork isn't anything too special, with April on the Turtles' TV on the front and her interviewing Aunt Aggie on the back, but it fits the character, and looks nice overall. As usual, there's a lot of plastic ties to cut out, so get your scissors ready. The main issue everyone had with the original April was that her head was way out of proportion with...[See More]

Tall Thug and Short Gangster
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Classic Cartoon (Neca) - Multi-Packs
Rated 4.50 stars by RMaster007
It's been a great toy weekend for me. Yesterday was the Maryland Toy Expo, and I managed to pick up quite a haul there, along with a few things outside of the event. One of those things was another NECA Turtles two-pack. I know some new items are hitting Target right now, but I didn't find any of them, though I did find something I've been trying to get my hands on. Like the Scrag I covered some time ago, the "Tall Thug" only appeared in the first season of the 80's TMNT cartoon. His name's actually Dopey, but I guess they had to change it to avoid stepping on Disney's toes. Eric Barnett provided Dopey's sculpt, and he looks very spot-on to the show. He wears a big hat covering up his beady little eyes, along with a gray jacket and tall boots. His head has exaggerated features, such as a...[See More]