In the old TMNT cartoon, Michelangelo was sometime heard to remark that something was “mondo bizarro.” Well, now that MONDO has gotten in on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, is their initial offering more “mondo” or more “bizarro?” Let’s find out as we take a look at Leonardo.
You don’t have TMNT fatigue by now, do you? Can such a thing exist? In the past two weeks we have had new Bandai, Playmates, and NECA Turtles crash our shelves, and while that might seem like a bevy of reptiles, I say it’s about time! I am really loving that TMNT is finally getting the collector focus it deserves, and with all of these companies tossing their hats in the ring, we collectors are the ones who are really winning throughout all of this. If you read my Bandai and NECA features, you know I am well impressed by their new offerings, but now that MONDO is in the game, do they hold set with the awesome? Well …
I can say that they are certainly presenting us with something different with the start of their new line that is being touted under the “high-end collectible” category. Whereas Bandai is focusing on the 1:12 scale, and NECA’s movie Turtles are 1:4 scale, MODNO has gone down the 1:6 path, so if you are collecting all of these lines like I am, at least we will have a lot of varying sizes and shapes on the TMNT shelf. I am not much of a 1:6 collector, but I am very much a TMNT collector, so when these figures were announced last year, The Fwoosh hopped on with the collector’s “subscription” to ensure we would not miss out.
Well, after a substantial delay (Leonardo was supposed to originally arrive early this year), we have our first figure, and Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael have been touted as following soon after this release. That is good news as it will put the whole release pattern back on track a bit more, but I know collectors have been chomping at the bit to see how these figures would stack up. Fair or not, it seems as though expectations grow when a release date continues to be pushed, so the logistics have created more “heat” around this, but MONDO did provide some updates that the delays were necessary to ensure every part of the these figures would be top notch. So what do we have here? Honestly, even after the delays, it is a mixed bag.
That is a loaded statement, but I went in really wanting to love this figure, and while there are definitely parts of this figure that are awesome, the final product definitely has some issues, especially considering the hefty price tag. I know MONDO has a bit of “boutique” status with their typical products (and philosophy in general), so even before I knew the final price of these figures, I was expecting it to be higher than the market would typically dictate, but I generally don’t have an issue paying an asking price if I feel the quality is there. Why am I saying this? Well, for full-disclosure, really, because the issues I find with the figure are not unheard of in terms of action figure production, but this is being marketed as a high-end collectible, and the $150+ price tag sets that expectation. So, fair or not, I expected this figure to be as close to flawless as possible, but unfortunately, it is not.
I will get to those reasons in a moment, but first I want to talk about what I love about this figure because there is definitely a lot to love. I have some of MONDO’s movie posters and vinyls, and they are always consistent in their presentation, and it is always cool and classy. This all starts with the packaging, and aside from some dings due to shipping, the box for this figure is pretty stunning. I love the light blue used for the base color (will each Turtle have their unique color?), and the conceptual art on the inside flap is neat, and the art piece on the back is worthy of being retained, even if you plan on tossing out the rest. The box is big because this figure is 1:6 scale, but Leo also has a lot of accessories, so they are accommodated, and nothing feels overcrowded.
But moving to the real meat and potatoes, Leonardo LOOKS stunning, and I am not overstating that fact because this is a beautiful figure. The design of these figures is an amalgamation of styles that have created a perfect storm, and this combination has made for what might just be my favorite look for the Turtles yet. I love the “Mirage” style, but since my first dose of TMNT was the original cartoon and toy line, getting that comic style, along with the option of the uniquely colored masks (the red is included along with the blue) and the toy skin colors, is fantastic. Like I said, I think this combination looks very slick, but the brothers still have their unique qualities retained. Plus, nothing like hitting you from all sides in terms of giving you qualities that you love, so bravo on the design.
The sculpt is a thing of beauty as well, and it pulls the concept design through pretty flawlessly. Phil Ramirez handled the work here, and, as usual, he has done an amazing job. Long-tenured in the toy industry, Phil as brought you diverse offerings in the past in his work for ToyBiz, Diamond Select, and others. Now, he did some of my favorite Marvel Legends from yesteryear, but Leonardo is really a 3D achievement. He has captured that Mirage look perfectly, and I would have to question anyone who says this figure doesn’t look great. Now, I did not do a page-to-figure analysis from my old TMNT comics, but in my mind’s eye this figure captures that look and feel exactly, so I call it a success (I especially love the nicks in the front of the shell, they add so much cool detail). That accounts for all parts, too – the overall look, but also the expression, the build, and the comic line details that are sprinkled throughout. Say what you will about TMNT, but all of the iterations are very unique from one to another, and this figure captures the Eastman and Laird designs beautifully.
The great sculpting work extends to the many accessories as well, and he has a laundry list of inclusions. I appreciate all of them (the climbing hands are pretty single-use), but I am a “signature” weapons guy with the Turtles. Options are fantastic, though, and there is some good though around what is included as well as how they were executed. In the package you get:
- Classic Comic Red Mask Head
- Cartoon Blue Mask Head
- Dual Katana and Scabbards
- 1 set of C-Grip Hands
- 1 set of Climbing Claw Hands
- Unique “Pointing Finger of Leadership” Hand
- 2 Four-Point Shuriken
- 2 Eight-Point Shuriken
- Grappling Hook and Cord
- Utrom Blaster
- Belt with Scabbard Straps
- Pre-Mutation Splinter
- Pre-Mutation Baby Leonardo
Plus, with this MONDO-exclusive release, you get the broken Shredder gauntlet (after he was SAVAGED by the Turtles), so that is a LOT. The sheer number helps offset some of the price tag, but things like the Utrom Blaster, Climbing Hands, and Grappling Hook probably won’t find their way out of the accessory bin very often. Again though, I am glad that everyone will have variety.
Paint is another strength here, and overall, I have very few nitpicks. I think he has all of the necessary applications and they are applied in the unique fashion that supports the iconic comic look. The lines vary from heavy to thin, and the shading on the front and back of the shell, as well as the head looks great. I have a few bits of slop here and there, and I know that is pretty much unavoidable, but I want as close to perfect as possible for the price, so I tend to get hung up a bit more. Overall though, it is nice, and the good paint extends to the accessories, too.
So far, so good, right? Yep. However, now we come to it, because I do have some beefs with this guy, and they are housed mostly in the articulation and overall production engineering. The latter certainly affects the former because while the actual points are good in terms of what they are (and the number), they are well conceived, but production was very inconsistent in the actual realization of the articulation and the materials in general. I am glad to see things like double knees and ankle rockers, but even with all of these points, the figure doesn’t really “move” well. I am definitely impressed that he can balance on one foot. For some reason that is always a test for me, but some joints are too stiff, and some are way too loose. It is inconsistent within this figure, but I have also talked with some friends who have gotten their Leo figures, and they have all had issues, but not necessarily the same as mine.
What do I mean, exactly? So, the wrists on this figure are REALLY tight, so much so that they squeak when they rotate, but that also makes the hands really hard to swap. The neck is the same way, it is really hard to swap the heads, but then the blue bandana head is really loose once in place, and the comic red is almost impossible to move once I am actually able to get it on there. Additionally, the left elbow of this figure is really, really loose, as is the right hip. I don’t have to tell you that really affects posability, and that arm is so damned frustrating. Plus, due to the hinge and swivel aspect of the elbows, I don’t think I will be able to get him in a two-handed sword-grip pose.
The shoulders are also really stiff on this figure, so that limits some of the posing and the knees, while I appreciate the thought, don’t work well together. That is more of an aesthetic thing because the double joints can achieve the intended range of movement, but the top of the joint, and the bottom of the joint don’t work well together. This makes it so they want to pose unnaturally, and they can get really finicky when trying to get them to align. I know that is getting a bit in the weeds, but it is noticeable, so I want to mention it. Finally, the materials overall are not well thought out in places. I already mentioned my troubles with swapping the heads and hands, but the most egregious materials fumble is the stiff plastic used in the sword grip hands – it is way too stiff and it makes getting a good grip on the swords unnecessarily difficult. These material and engineering choices are not apparent in the pictures, but I want to make sure I am clear when I say that they are real issues that hinder the overall result of this figure and some of the functional aspects I was expecting to be good need improvement.
I have talked a lot about this figure, but I wanted to be thorough in describing my experience. The look and intent of this figure is really great, and as shelf material, you will probably get what you want out of it. For me though, this is an action figure, not a statue, so the production issues are very real. While I know these things are widespread when making toys, more experience in this game on MONDO’s side will likely help with loose joints and material choices, but this is where I have to invoke the price issue. If Leo were a $75 or MAYBE even a $100 figure, I would be able to be more lax on some of these points. However, this figure COSTS a premium, so I have to set my quality expectations accordingly. I get it, this is a limited run, so comparing this against the better quality and cheaper NECA movie Donatello isn’t completely fair, but I find that figure to be much more satisfying overall. I do not begrudge getting this figure, and since I am in for a penny, I am in for a pound because I have the whole team coming. I am excited to see them all together, but I also have some buyer’s remorse because at the end of the day, I am struggling with the cost. Your preference on that will vary, obviously, but right now, even though I like the figure overall, I am struggling to reconcile the bottom line. However, if you want to give this figure a go, BBTS should have him very soon.
Hopefully production issues will continue to improve, but I want to hear from you if you have gotten this figure. Let me know if your figure holds up better than mine in the comments. I am always willing to see progress through with subsequent figures, but when you charge a premium, you have to be ready for the expectation that sets. I only hope my favorite Turtle will be better when Donatello arrives next.
