I’ve been searching for TMNT figures years before this was announced and the only one I found interesting was Kaiyodo’s “Revoltech” version of the characters. They are 5 inch fully articulated figures with designs similar to the original cartoon.

Other scale figure manufacturers like ThreeZero also released their own line of TMNT figures based on the live action version of the characters. The craftsmanship and accuracy of the figures were spot-on, but I’m not a fan of the characters’ “realistic” looks.

That’s why when I learned that figure maker Good Smile Company is collaborating with artist James Jean, my inner kid rejoiced. To those who are not familiar with James Jean, he is a famous US-based visual artist. I already knew him through his works before, so I was hyped to see his visual style applied to a figure.

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I was fortunate that I managed to secure all four characters during the preorder period. The reason for this is GSC included a “code” in each of the character’s packaging. Combining all four will give you a code that you can redeem at GSC’s site in exchange for the original 8×8 James Jean artwork they used as an inspiration when creating the figures.

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Ok, Let’s talk about the figure itself.

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Leonardo stands with a combined height of 10.5 inches (base included). As I’ve mentioned earlier, the figure was based on an artwork created by visual artist James Jean.

This rendition of the turtles looks way more mature (and badass).

If you’re a fan of the original TMNT cartoon like myself, then forget what you know. This rendition of the turtles looks way more mature (and badass). They look as if they’re ready to “kill” ^^; This is a breath of fresh air especially since these characters were originally created mainly for kids entertainment.

Looking at the figure, you will immediately see James Jean’s visual style particularly when it comes to the details and shading. How the figure was rendered actually looks like it was hand drawn. Another great job by the talented folks at GSC.

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The figure is separated into four parts. The actual figure, Leonardo’s dual katana sword sheaths, his two katana swords, and the figure’s base.

You can attach the dual sword sheath via a small peg that you can then insert into his back shell. Same with the base, two pegs below his feet can be inserted into the base. It’s a bit tight (at least for me), and I wasn’t able to fully push both his feet into the base because I’m worried I might break them.

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The two swords are as simple as inserting it to both of his hands. No disassembly of the hands/fingers required (Raphael and Michaelangelo needs a bit of disassembly for their respective weapons). Also, a quick warning, Leonardo’s swords are a bit fragile so be careful not to bump them accidentally. Already hit them once since they are displayed near me and I thought I broke it T-T

Leonardo’s swords are a bit fragile so be careful not to bump them accidentally.

The actual assembly of the whole figure isn’t that hard. They are pretty straightforward compared to other figures in my collection.

Bottom line, this is a must-have figure if you’re an avid TMNT fan. GSC is currently doing a re-run of these figures, so now is your chance in case you skipped or didn’t make it to the preorder deadline last time. Totally worth it especially when all characters are displayed together as a diorama.

I will be reviewing the other characters in the coming days so keep checking ^^ Enjoy the rest of the photos!

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PS: Feels good to finally publish a new figure review after my very long hiatus. The last figure review that I did was way back 2016 ^^. I also apologize for the dust that can be seen on some of my shots. I forgot to clean the figure before taking pictures ^^;

Gear used: FUJIFILM XT-2, FUJIFILM XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro Lens, A Mini Studio, Yongnuo YN300 Air Led Lights.