Sunday, February 1, 2015

Review of Kaiyodo Revoltech Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael figure

This was part of my October 2014 haul (posted on my toy blog HERE)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been around for ages. Well, since 1984 when Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird self-published a single-issue comic intended to parody four of the most popular comics of the early 1980s: Marvel Comics' Daredevil and New Mutants, Dave Sim's Cerebus, and Frank Miller's Ronin. Accompanied by the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987 TV series, and the subsequent action figure line, the TMNT were catapulted into pop culture history.

Nickelodeon acquired the global rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. and announced a new CGI-animated TMNT television series. This would be the third animated series for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The series premiered in 2012 and has proven to be a hit, as it was already renewed for a third season before season one ended. A fourth season has also been confirmed.


This is the Kaiyodo Revoltech Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael action figure based on the current hit animated series by Nickelodeon. Kaiyodo showed off their preview / prototype pictures sometime in June last year and I was hooked. I haven't seen more articulated turtles than these with so many movable joints (ankle rockers, a ball-jointed head and neck, ball-hinge wrists and even ball-jointed fingers). I was finally able to take them out and play (by play I mean pose haha) recently so I'll be posting pictures of all four of them on my toy blog this month :)

Scroll down to see the rest of the pictures.
Click on them for bigger and better views.


Packaging is window boxed with a view of all the contents


Box contents include: diorama base with a connector for additional poses (see pictures at the bottom of this entry), TMNT Raphael's weapons of choice which are a pair of Sai and an alternate head sculpt of a raging Raphael!


Here's the Kaiyodo Revoltech Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael 5-inch tall (13cm) action figure with his Sai, a traditional weapon used in the Okinawan martial arts. The basic form of the weapon is that of a pointed, prong shaped metal baton, with two curved prongs (yoku) projecting from the handle (tsuka). The sai is typically used in pairs, with one in each hand.


Raphael (Raph) is the team's bad boy. Raphael wears a dark red mask and wields a pair of sai. He is physically strong, has an aggressive nature, and seldom hesitates to throw the first punch. He is often depicted with a New York accent. His personality can be fierce and sarcastic, and oftentimes delivers deadpan humor. He is intensely loyal to his brothers and sensei. He is named after the Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, Raphael.


I always felt Raphael was inspired by the X-Men character Wolverine (for his raging hormones) and also Elektra, the ninja assassin famous for her prowess with the Sai


By moving the knot of the mask at the back of his head, you can move his eyes to look left, right or centre.


I like the classic look of the turtles (see my earlier toy blog post HERE of the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic Collection Figures by Playmates) but I also like to see how others tweak the look for a new and fresh perspective. I think these revamped and reboot Ninja Turtles look GREAT, especially with what Kaiyodo has done in terms of interpreting the designs into 3D forms!


Here's the Kaiyodo Revoltech Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael 5-inch tall (13cm) action figure executing a flying kick, thanks to the connector and diorama base. All the bases have a manhole as a central theme because that's how the turtles return to their lair after each battle. They live in the sewers under the city. Aren't you glad we only get sights and sounds on TV but not smells.


Note the eyes looking to the left side where he's kicking


Cowabunga!


The picture below shows just how the connector puts the turtles in flight mode


This is how Kaiyodo Revoltech Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael 5-inch tall (13cm) action figure stores his pair of Sai when not in use


Check out the alternate head provided with this Revoltech Nickelodeon TMNT Raphael 5-inch tall (13cm) action figure set. It's a very angry (raging) turtle who has just blown his top! Being the rather impulsive and aggressive turtle among the quartet, this look just suits Raphael perfectly. 


ARRRRHHH! Hulk Smash!!! oops, wrong character although they do look similar, both being green and angry. I think Raphael's anger is also linked with Wolverine's berserker rage! After all, these turtles were created to parody the popular comics at that time. Who would've thought that they would become so famous themselves!


NEXT: Another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle takes the spotlight. Who would it be?

Related posts:
December 7, 2013 – Check out the Playmates 6-inch tall Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic Collection Figures, released 2012 and posted HERE
March 30, 2013 – Cowabunga! Preview Playmates Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their Secret Sewer Lair (pictures HERE)

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