A Quick Look at my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Collection
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If there’s one franchise that really shaped my love for pop culture, it’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Before I heavily got into anime and video games, TMNT was my ultimate obsession. Leo, Raph, Mikey and Donnie felt like childhood friends I admired because I found them cool. In retrospect, I think the Turtles I idolized back then were definitely more goofy now that I’ve given the original cartoon series a rewatch. But to me, they were my heroes and I dove into everything TMNT from story books, video games, comics, movies and most of all, the toys! With this in mind, you can understand why The Last Ronin took me by surprise when I first found out about it. As a longtime fan, you tend to believe your childhood heroes are invincible, but this miniseries from IDW Publishing gave our beloved heroes in a half shell a much darker fate. Don’t worry, no spoilers here. Let’s just focus on my collection.
First of all, I picked up a hardbound copy of the graphic novel from Fully Booked One Ayala. I just had to have it but the funny thing is, I still haven’t read it. I bought it last year and it’s still sealed. I vowed that I’d only start reading it once I have all the NECA figs of the four brothers in their Last Ronin glory. Strange as it seems but to each his own, right? Anyway, it seems like I can start opening its pages now.
Earlier this year, I finally got my hands on the last turtle and now, the brothers are reunited once again. By the way, special thanks to Dragon’s Chest for the hookup. They offer a fantastic selection of action figures and collectibles to satisfy every fan. Exceptional service too!
Alongside the Turtles, I also added other members of the Hamato Clan namely Master Splinter and Casey Jones. As a bonus, Karai from the Foot Clan is included as well.
Last but definitely not the least, here’s the centerpiece of my collection: the armored version of the Last Ronin himself.
What I love about The Last Ronin is the character design and NECA really did a great job with bringing these figs to life. Honestly, I think this might be the best toy line in their entire TMNT catalog. Each figure is meticulously crafted and looks absolutely badass.
I’m really torn between unboxing them or keeping them MISB (mint in sealed box) since they already look awesome that way. However, as an out of the box collector and an amateur toy photography enthusiast, I am doomed to see these figs lose their value as I liberate them from their tie wire imprisonment. It is what it is, mate. All the same, stay tuned for that, folks!
