Mondo has announced a new set of collectibles, and for anyone who grew up with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, these figures will be a nostalgic blast from the past. As part of the Soft Vinyl line, TMNT fans can pick up Leonardo and Donatello figures with vibrant colors, signature accessories, and enough articulation to strike a memorable pose.
These figures are inspired by both the classic TMNT toys that rolled out alongside the original animated series–and have been re-released numerous times over the decades–and Japanese sofubi toys. That gives the collectible figure an interesting blend of design influences, blending the classic shape and style of the TMNT figures with the sensibilities of Sofubi toys and a few modern influences from the Mondo team.
Gallery
“It’s been a while since we had the chance to play in the TMNT sandbox, and this time around we’re focusing on melding the soft vinyl world with the TMNT world,” Mondo’s senior creative director for collectibles and design Hector Arce said. “Sofubi styling lends itself to such an interesting feel and aesthetic, and while the articulation and such are more straightforward, it’s all about the quirkiness, the craziness, and the fun that the sculpt conveys. I think that fits in perfectly with the original line of TMNT figures from the ’80s, those toys were not afraid to have fun and get silly while still looking cool.”
Leonardo and Donatello are eight inches tall each, and they both wield their signature weapons. Leonardo has two katana swords, while Donatello has his bo staff. Both of the weapons can be holstered on their respective Ninja Turtles, and other neat details on these figures include some terrific paint applications, absolutely shredded physiques, and detailed ninja clothing. These will be available for purchase starting May 21, and they’re priced at $90 each.
Arce added that it had been extremely challenging for Mondo to put its own spin on TMNT with this line, but the idea was to create both a love-letter to the original toys while evolving them for adult collectors. “When we set out to make these, we kept one thing in mind: What if those original toys had grown up with us? How big would they be so that they have that perfect fit in our now-adult beefy hands, where it invokes that feeling of holding the original figures for the first time as kids?” Arce said.
One interesting twist on the original toys? Surprisingly bigger fingers and toes. “They can’t go around eating those gnarly-sized NYC pizza slices with little hands, and big feet are definitely needed to defeat Shredder–large nails come with the territory,” Arce added.
Mondo also has several other figures in its Soft Vinyl line, including the recent release of its Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire collectibles. You can pick up both of the main Titans from the film, and each one looks impressive. While Godzilla looks fantastic with his hot pink scales, Kong looks even better with his axe and the new B.E.A.S.T Glove which gave him an edge in the battle against the Skar King.
