While I’m not sure on timelines anymore, I think it was probably about 4 years ago that I came across a 1/4-scale Turtle; and it was a little over 3 years ago that I was getting ready to buy one when I got laid off, which thus delayed me a good year or so, until in 2019 I finally started my 1/4-scale collection with Raphael from the 1990 TMNT film.
After getting all 4 turtles in that scale, as well as "Movie Shredder," and never quite getting around to any Foot Ninjas; I’m "back in the game" so to speak, despite some other issues I have with NECA at present for non-quarter-scale figures. (Namely, I currently refuse to buy any of their non-quarter-scale figures of anything except TMNT as I’m not gonna buy stuff they have on good distribution unless I can get everything I want TMNT-wise). But that’s a matter for another post.
They’re killin’ it (in a good way!) with the quarter-scale figures! I first learned about and pre-ordered "’Toon Raph" in February 2020…shortly before the obvious worldwide "situation" hit and delayed pretty much everything.
Such that the figure didn’t arrive for me until March 2021…some 13 months after I’d preordered, almost canceled, and ultimately forgot about it until an email notifying me I’d just been charged (yikes!) and it would be on its way.
Here’s the front of the box. Like their other ‘Toon stuff, we get the cartoon color scheme. It also has some nostalgia hearkening back to the classic 12" Giant-Sized Turtles I remember seeing as a kid (but when there was nothing else in scale with the ’80s Giant-Sized figures, and they were as expensive or more than the Party Wagon…it’s no wonder I never went for those then!
I have NOT researched (even via Google) but I suspect this packaging derives some influence from those classic vintage giants.
Here’s the back of the box….showing the figure, the figure with accessories, etc. as well as a paragraph about the character, and a blurb/box showing the alternate head configurations.
Here’s a closer look at that paragraph…
and a rather cool feature for this line–these interchangeable heads! That is, apparently the tops and bottoms of the heads come apart and you can mix ‘n match to combine multiple eyes with multiple mouths to create an assortment of facial expressions! And they should work across figures, so where I think I’d also half-thought this Raph might be a standalone or one-off in the scale…NECA apparently does have plans going forward for the other turtles. And I find this to be something with some REALLY cool potential!
Here’s the top of the box looking down in…
And here’s a shot of the bottom of the box. A bit more than I’d expect, but I dig seeing all 4 turtles….and presumably this’ll also carry across the line…and has me realllllly looking forward to completing this set as it comes out…
Here’s one side of the box…
…and the other. Notice that each shows off a different face configuration for the character!
Here’s Raph outside of the box! Though it took me a few days to "get around to" unpacking the figure…as with the others in this line, this is absolutely a must-open for me…there’s simply no point (again, to me) of even having these if they’re not open and on display.
I originally thought the idea of this pizza-slice-for-the-sai was stupid…but once I saw it for myself…it fits, and I actually kinda dig it! We also get two other pizza slice pieces that I believe will make up an 8-slice pie once one has all 4 turtles. Time will tell on that (and whether there’ll be a pizza-box accessory at all…).
Here’s the figure from the back…
And a slightly closer-up pic of the shell. I don’t know what it is, but I love the shells at this scale!
And finally, here’s ‘Toon Raph temporarily (posed-for-this-photo) on a shelf with the quarter-scale movie turtles and some other turtles of varying sizes.
I actually have some shelf-reconfiguring and possible additions to find a good/permanent home for Raph here…as well as the others eventually. Add to that that I do not trust the figure not to keel over and take a header off the top of a bookcase, so I’m a bit more limited in placement with having to secure the figure with some fishing line for my own peace of mind.
But I suppose that’s something for another post.
I believe Donatello is the next intended release, due sometime this Summer. Also may be a re-release of the movie Foot Ninjas, and I thiiiiiink I’m hooked enough to try the quarter-scale BATMAN ’89.
Time will (ultimately) tell!
Filed under: 2021 Non-Review Posts, 2021 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: 1/4 scale, Cartoon, Giant-Sized Turtles, Neca, NECA TMNT, Ninja Turtles, quarter scale, Quarter Scale Raphael, Quarter Scale TMNT, Raphael, TMNT, toys | Leave a comment »
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