Toy Fair 2017: Playmates Will Tell More ‘Tales of the TMNT’

2017 is going to be a banner year for Usagi Yojimbo fans!

Playmates’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line is moving ahead full steam in 2017, although Playmates is experimenting with how they package their assortments this year. Roughly each quarter will see the release of a new wave of figures, each revolving around its own theme. The first is the “Super Shredder” theme, available now. In June, TMNT switches gears to “Samurai,” to coincide with the introduction of Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo in the Nickelodeon TV series, then we get “Mutants and Monsters” in the fall, and “Wanted: Bebop and Rocksteady” will close out the year in December.

Each theme has some really exciting stuff to offer. Obviously, the big deal with “Samurai” is the addition of Usagis to the collection. No, that’s not a typo– Playmates will be releasing three different action figures based on the rabbit ronin! Usagi will be available in his iconic robes, as well as full samurai armor, while a third figure will be packed with his war horse. All three versions have instantly rocketed to the top of my must-own list… June cannot get here soon enough.

“Monsters and Mutants” promises to be a lot of fun, offering a mix of funky repaints of previously released characters– some with mutagen splattered on them– along with new iterations of the Monster Turtles from the vintage toy line. And “Wanted: Bebop and Rocksteady” sees the mutant thugs adopt their classic costumes, ready to face off against the Turtles in their undercover trenchcoats.

Along the way, we’ll see more cool TMNT action figures, vehicles, Half Shell Heroes, and more… including the long-awaited Muck Man. Originally canceled in 2016, the trash mutant will finally be available this spring.  Take a look at Playmates’ TMNT display from Toy Fair below: