One of my most anticipated figures of the year has wound up being my final photo shoot of 2016. The NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 Movie – Donatello 1/4 Scale Figure is now available both online and in stores. Based on the first live action TMNT movie, NECA is setting out to give fans the ultimate versions of these fan favorite designs and characters. Originally created by Jim Henson Studios for the film, the suits were a marvel of modern puppetry and design when the film was released. The in-suit actors were able to pull off stunning amounts of martial arts movements, all while puppeteers handled the complex masks, that brought the Turtles to life. NECA painstakingly recreated the suits in 1/4 scale, giving these 16.5″ tall Turtles an enormous amount of realism. To top off the package, NECA included Donnie’s bo staff, an assortment of interchangeable hands, a TCRI ooze canister and a slice of pizza. Toyark sponsor entertainment Earth sent the figure over for us to check out. We have over 50 photos and a full review. You can check them out after the jump.
Related Entertainment Earth Links: 1/4 Scale TMNT Donatello, 1/4 Scale Raphael, All NECA TMNT
NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 Movie – Donatello 1/4 Scale Figure
Pros
- Exceptional figure sculpt
- Great accessories
- Strong articulation
- Bo staff can be stores on back
- Near flawless paint work
- Fun throwback style packaging
- Best version of the 1990 movie Donatello
Cons
- None
Overall
Donatello is packaged in a huge window box. The design is a mixture of classic VHS designs and the original movie poster. The front features the iconic shot of the Turtles emerging from the sewer, as seen in the original theatrical poster, with the window being placed immediately above it. The sides and back of the box are classic VHS box style. NECA even made a play on the classic F.H.E logo that adorned so many VHS releases of the iconic kids cartoons of the 80’s and 90’s. It’s a great bit of detail that fans who grew up with the film and the original cartoons will love. Inside the box, Donnie is held in with a bunch of twist ties. The accessories sit inside a plastic tray, taped to the side o the box insert. The figure includes a bunch of interchangeable hands, his bo, a TCRI ooze canister and a slice of pizza.
At 1/4 scale. Donatello stands just a little smaller than most other figures in this scale. The turtles were meant to be a little shorter, so this figure stands at 16.5″ tall. Over 30 points of articulation are included. NECA did a really fine job of hiding the articulation in a way that does not hinder the range of motion, and makes the figure look as cinematic as possible. The knee and elbow joints are hidden underneath padded guards, the wrists have their own wrap overlays and the waist movement is hidden inside the shell. Even though these joints are hidden, the figure in no way suffers because of it. The double jointed elbows are exactly what this figure needed, and allows for some great poses with the staff or just to have him contemplating his next move. The torso has multiple spots of movement, including a ball jointed (I’m guessing) upper torso. Shoulders and hips have a full range of motion as well. Donatello also has some of the tightest joints I’ve seen on a NECA 1/4 scale figure (the shoulders may be a bit too tight for some). This allows the figure, which is surprisingly heavy, to hold steady in dynamic poses, without the fear of falling over. The hands swap out very easily and the thickness of the fingers allow for tight grips on the bo, the pizza and the ooze canister.
The figure is extremely impressive in-hand. We had seen numerous photos of the figure from toy shows and from NECA’s own studio, and no photos will be the same as seeing the figure in person. The intricate detailing on the skin and shell is some of the most impressive work NECA has done. The tiny bumps of texture throughout the face, legs and arms give Donnie a level of details not seen in any 1990 movie TMNT figure. The head sculpt is a great representation of the mask worn in the film, with a perfect Donatello expression. NECA decided to use a cloth tie for the back of the bandana and that turned out to be a great move. While the color isn’t a 100% match for the plastic used, it’s really close. The only other soft goods present are the ties on the back of the belt so you can attach the bo staff to his shell. The paint work compliments the sculpt perfectly. Instead of thick paint overlays, the figure looks almost airbrushed. There are very soft transitions between the multiple greens and yellows used here, helping to define the muscles and add realism to the textures.
If you are a fan of the original live action Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles film, then Donatello is a must buy. It’s one of, if not the best figure NECA put out this year. It’s the definitive version of the 1990 Donatello without question. Just make some room in your display, there are three more turtles coming in 2017. Check out some highlight photos below, with the full gallery after that.
