Playmates’ new Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Toy Line had a huge showing at this past weekend’s New York Toy Fair. The new cartoon debuts in September 2018, so expect these new figures to hit shelves around then.
Changing up a beloved property tends to bring out the nay-sayers. How dare alterations be made to something that I have grown up with and know inside and out? How will the masses of TMNT fans handle it?
One of the biggest changes to the new series is Raphael is now the leader of the group. WHAT?!?!? Raphael? How can this be? He can’t handle that with HIS attitude. It will definitely be an interesting shock to the team to see Raph’s leadership style. Hopefully, he can manage to use that hot head of his in a positive manner in battle. Take a back seat Leo, Raph is in the driver’s seat.
Beyond this big change, the Turtles will have a new layer added to their journey, as they discover their ninja skills in a Mystic way. Each Turtle comes with a matching weapon that has a “Mystic” looking flare to it. In the world of toy accessories, that means it’s much more powerful. But don’t worry too much kiddies, because the Turtles still love pizza. COWABUNGA!
The new figures give away a lot of details about the upcoming series: weapon changes, personality tweaks, and even new characters. Let’s take a look at the new gang and see what separates them from the TMNT toys we grew up with.
RAPHAEL
Raph is huge now, the largest of the Turtles in stature. Maybe that’s how he was able to take charge over the other brothers. Say goodbye to the sai, as he now comes with two tonfas. The sai is a much more striking weapon, based on appearance alone. They just look so cool. There’s not much cool about a short stick you can spin around. Raphael also has a mask that covers his whole head, borrowing a design element from the recent movie version.
LEONARDO
Look how smug Leo is. You can tell he thinks he’s cool as hell now that he’s taking a break from the lead position. No more katana blades for him to wield, as a single Ōdachi blade will have to make the cut. If it doesn’t work out, he can always take off with his skateboard accessory. Notice the red markings on Leonardo’s face now, as each Turtle is a distinct breed and he’s in the red-eared slider family.
DONATELLO
Here’s a safe one for sure. He’s still a nerd. He’s got goggles on, so you know he’s smart. He comes with some type of hover vehicle as well. Only someone super techy could build something like that. Not much of a change here, as Donny is still rocking the Bo staff. Thank goodness, however this one looks a bit more technological. It lights up. I bet it lights up.
MICHELANGELO
They took away his nunchucks. They just had to do it, didn’t they? Now Michelangelo will be swinging around a kusari-fundo. So it’s like a nunchuck, but one end has a spikey ball on it. We can deal with this. Have faith, he will still be the party guy. He comes with a skateboard and is the only Turtle to come with a sheet of stickers. Does he have tattoos? Now that’s a real party guy.
That’s the core four, but you know they have to have some friends to save and enemies to fight. Let’s see who’s coming along for a fight.
APRIL O’NEIL
Are there any big changes here? I can’t really tell. Oh, that’s what’s changed. She has a little buddy now. Something tells me that’s not just a kitty. April also comes with a bat, so you know she’s ready to take on whatever the streets of New York City have waiting.
SPLINTER
Something tells me Splinter really likes pizza this time around. Not sure how much action you’ll be able to get out of this figure, but he comes with his classic gnarled stick that shows off his sagely wisdom. Hopefully, his little legs have some articulation.
ORIGAMI NINJA
He’s still a Foot Soldier, you can tell by his hood. He’s ready to battle with a sickle, and those ninja stars definitely look like folded origami paper. Basically, this your endless battle character, so you will want to stock up on these of course.
NINJA LEADER
You can tell this guy’s in charge because he has a meaner face, a more elaborate outfit and a much larger weapon. This is your typical upper level henchmen. You’ll fight him last and this is the guy who runs away.
MEAT SWEATS
Yep, they named a character after how you feel when you eat too many BBQ ribs. This meaty cat guy has a cleaver to tenderize the Turtles with, and looks like his arm is made of bacon. He is NOT Bebop & Rocksteady, but he looks like he can hold his own in a fight.
John Cena voices a character named Baon Draxum, yet but Playmates didn’t have a toy of him on display. They must not want to give away all the secrets of the new show, so perhaps he will be a second series figure. The only possible hint we have of this character so far is a black box.
In addition to the figures shown here, you can expect new playsets, vehicles, costumes play, and even big figures related to the upcoming series. These are sure to fly off the shelves like the toys of Turtles past. Be sure to jump on the bandwagon this fall before the fifth wave comes out and you decide you want the first ones when they’re harder to find.
Do you think these changes are for the best? Does it break your heart or will purchase these figures as soon as they come out? Let us know in the comments below.
