Not too long ago, Playmate released the 25th Anniversary Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I was excited when I saw the retro packaging. Memories of my childhood looking at all the turtles in their packaging at local retail came back to me. However when I saw the price tag on the 25th Anniversary TMNT, it brought me back to reality. LOL
Anyway I remember how I held my first TMNT toy on my hand and made my way to the checkout counter. I paid for it from my savings and my budget had allowed me to get only one out of the four. I chose Donatello that day.
Although for the cartoon and toys it was 25 years but for me and my Donatello, it was 21 years.
My Donatello was not without flaws. The moment I took him out of the packaging, his head just popped out of his neck socket. I was devastated. My hard-earned saving! I know cursing at the Toy maker for the QC doesn't help, so I tried my best to restore it.
As his head was made of rubber, I tried using hot water to soften the rubber to fit the head back to his neck but with no success. Finally, I decided to cut a gap and fit the head in instead. It was a quick fix and a permanent one.
His head still popped out every now and then but I accepted that and played with it extra care.
The plastic material became somewhat sticky through the years. I gave him a soap bath occasionally to wash the stickiness off him. Today only 2 bo remained with him.
The 1988 trademark still visible on the back of his shell.
After all this years, Donatello is still look awesome to me.
I love this pose but I recall it was Michaelangelo who said that in the 1989 first TMNT Movie.
Anyway I'm pretty sure many of you had your TMNT toys and still remember how they taken the world by storm. I bet many of you have all four of them right?
If you are looking for TMNT Toys and stuff, you can get it here.
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I never had the original four. In fact the only TMNT I ever bought during the initial run was Slash. I don't know what happened to my original, but when the 25th anniversary Slash comes out I will get him for sure!
20 April, 2009 07:42In the meantime I just keep looking at garage sales and swap meets, someday I'll find the original four turtles in decent shape!
Dude, I had one of that as well
20 April, 2009 08:26I have:
20 April, 2009 09:18- Michaelangelo
- Transforming Donatello
- Troll Raphael
and for some reason I don't have Leonardo, but I always par them with Usagi Yojimbo instead o_O
@Bubbashelby
20 April, 2009 09:18Good luck and do keep me posted! :)
@Borneo
I'm sure it is still in good condition since you kept your toys quite well.
@kazaTora
20 April, 2009 09:21That quite a handful you have there. It quite hard to find Leonardo in store last time while Raphael and Michaelangelo seems to be a always around.
I prefer the classic TMNT.. I dont know why..hehehee
20 April, 2009 09:22@C.Alv.B
20 April, 2009 09:24It is not surprising. That is why some collectors are still looking for the classic TMNT and playmate re-produce it again. :)
Still having your vintage Donatello action figure. That's so cool! Awesome! TMNT was such a big thing in the past.
20 April, 2009 09:39I think I have the four turtles from the hard head line, not squishy. They are doing pretty good for age. Don's bow has broke free of his holster.
20 April, 2009 10:54Civil War Turtle you ask? He fell off the shelf and had to have his legs amputated.
Sorry to hear that Dan. I didn't know there are two different type of head. So which one came 1st? the hard head or the squishy ones?
20 April, 2009 11:04The squishy, or roto heads, came first, yours looks to be the squishy. I have one of each of the four turtles from the first run, Don is by far my favorite.
20 April, 2009 12:01i LIKE the latest TMNT cartoon. Modernized.
20 April, 2009 12:56@chunky B
20 April, 2009 13:24Thanks for the info! Yes Don was my fav too in the early cartoon as "Donatello like machine. (That's the fact)". XD
@Willie
Modernized in what way?
Cool, that is one very special childhood toy for you, and you kept it with you all this years! :D
20 April, 2009 13:47Yes Juliana I kept it all these years. This Don TMNT toy is special to me. :)
20 April, 2009 13:49Initially wanted to buy the Playmate 25th anniversary TMNT, but after saw the paint work and pricing on the products, had decided to skip that..Anyway, I only have the movie version released by Mcdonald..
20 April, 2009 14:24Indeed, the price was the stopping factor for me. The quality is not any better too. Have you share your McDonald TMNT before on your blog?
20 April, 2009 14:36I also have the movie version McD ninja turtles. Leo took me forever to find while Mike refused to budge even though his week-long turn at most McD outlets was over :P
20 April, 2009 15:14I wanted to buy the movie TMNT at that time too but their price tags deterred me so I settled for the McD ones :)
I...never had any TMNT toys. I feel inadequate now T_T
20 April, 2009 15:32@Juliana
20 April, 2009 15:45Actually the price tag for the Movie TMNT isn't that ex.
@Snark
Don't feel that way. Nobody is comparing anything here. :)
Hi LEon,
20 April, 2009 21:03I thought the movie TMNT toys were close to SGD 20.00 each, wasn't it? Their packaging was bigger too. Do you remember how much they were?
Anyway, Michelangelo has a funny facial expression, see photo :P
http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/eparty_2046_209378920
I still like the anniversary turtles better, despite their limited articulation. Even the online toy reviewers agree :)
i never had one of them i found them quit scary wen i was young. now i wish i didn't and has one that old.
21 April, 2009 02:08nynke
Old school goodness! Thanks for the pics, leon.
21 April, 2009 08:27Oh- I added your updated Venom banner to my link list.
yeah, i remember that!! everyone was so crazy about Ninja Turtle back then, always a topic in the class the next morning, haha :p
21 April, 2009 13:35Leon, I didn't post any photos of TMNT (Mcdonald version) before. Thought that is nothing special to review and comment..Haha!!
21 April, 2009 15:13@Juliana
21 April, 2009 16:07Yes the movie TMNT was about $20 SGD each and Michaelangelo do look funny but that how he was in the movie. Always on the fun and wild side.
I got the whole set of movie TMNT as a gift from my wife a year back. :)
@dutch rabbit
Unlike the old cartoons version shown on TV, they did not gave the turtles any eyeball (which in the comic they draw the eyeball as well) and with all the muscles, can be intimidating and doesn't look friendly to some young kids.
@Dash MacBastard
You are welcome Dash. Thanks for updating the banner as link from your blog. For special week, I will put up a special banner (like next week) but you can don't update it during those time as that will only be there for a week. So sorry for the trouble. :)
@SK
Indeed. As they said, at that time, they taken the world by storm. :D
@desmond
Every toy is special if it mean something to you. I'm waiting. :D
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