A new series of roughly 1/4 scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures kicked off recently with the release of the Giant Size Raphael Figure from NECA Toys. The figure is based on the classic 1987 TMNT Cartoon Series, and features an all-new sculpt that stands at 15″ tall. Raphael includes a number of interchangeable parts, his weapons, pizza, and more. This Summer, the second figure in the series, Donatello, will be released along with a second run of Raphael. Leonardo and Michelangelo are likely not far behind.
Our friends at NECA have sent over the figure for review. After the jump, you can check out my photo gallery and impressions of the new Giant Size Raphael Figure.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Giant Size Raphael 1/4 Scale Figure by NECA Toys
Pros
- Excellent sculpt
- Swappable eyes and mouths is a great addition
- Nice selection of accessories
- Good articulation
Cons
- Head sculpts can be a little hard to snap in
Overall
The Raphael figure comes packed in a large window box. The figure and accessories are held onto a plastic tray with plastic ties. The packaging is simple, but colorful. Raphael includes two pair of eyes, two lower jaws, three set of hands, two sais, a turtle communicator, tro slices of pizza, and a slice of pizza that can sit on his sai.
Raphael stands at 15″ tall, with about 30 points of articulation. The sculpt is done well, and looks pretty much spot on to the old TMNT cartoon opening animation. The head sculpts are especially nice, with a great cartoon look, and perfect expressions. The best part is that each head sculpt can be taken apart to create separate eye and mouth pieces, check out image #013 for how that works. Those pieces will be interchangeable between each figure, giving you the ability to create a large variety of expressions for the four Turtles once they are released. The heads are a bit tough to snap onto the neck joint, so I would recommend having a hair dryer nearby for the first few times you swap each of the pieces out. After the fourth or fifth time I swapped eyes and mouths, I didn’t need to use the heat any longer.
Articulation is a step up over the 7″ scale cartoon figures. The larger sculpt allows for better implementation of the double jointed knees and elbows, giving those spots greater range of motion. There is an articulated waist under the shell, with full ankle rockers for the feet. I do with the toes had their own articulation for more natural walking poses, but I can understand opting for a cleaner sculpt there. The joints are very tight, which is helpful since the figure has a good weight to it. Paint work is done well, with a cel shading style look. The figure has almost no paint wash over it. Some of the sculpted areas have added ink lines to give it a more animated look. Colors are rich and saturated, and the paint lines are really crisp and clean.
NECA didn’t go overboard with the accessories and other swap out parts. there are a few hands for either holding the included items, pointing, or a thumbs up. The sais can fit in the belt, and the hand grips the handles nicely. The Turtle Communicator slides open, and the antennae fold out. The two slices of pizza can snap together, and a full pizza can be made when you collect all four Turtles. The final piece is a third piece of pizza that slides over the blade of either of the sais.
If you have the space for larger figures, then the Giant Size Raph is a great addition to the collection. It’s a great looking figure, has some nice swap out parts, and solid articulation. Check out a selection of images below, and the full gallery after that.