With the new Mega Bloks TMNT line hitting stores early this month, I wanted to be sure to write a review for the Micro Series figures while they were still fresh. As a result, my review of the Mutant Shredders was sent to the back burner. But fear not, the Shredder Clones are now getting their turn in the spotlight.
The Shredder Clones or Shredder Elite Guard have been a favorite of mine since their debut in the Mirage TMNT comics clear back in issue #20, Return to New York, Book Two of volume 1. Needless to say I was excited to see that they would be debuting in the new Nick cartoon and was even more excited when Playmates Toys announced that we would be getting figures based on the characters (or at least 2 of the 3).
The Good: Well, we got them so that’s a plus! Here is a look at the figures fresh from the blister pack.
Let’s start with Crab Shredder first. This figure has some nice sculpt work including his claws, chest plate and tail. The claws have a lot of bumps and detail overall, which is pleasing to the eye. I also like the long, skinny legs as they are an accurate depiction of the onscreen CGI character.
Crab Shredder features a swivel head and swivel hinged shoulders. His claws also rotate.
Moving on to the second figure of the Mutant Shredders figure pack: Shrimp Shredder (or Mini Shredder as he was referred to as in the Mirage universe). At last, after all of these years, we finally have a figure of Mini Shredder! That means that we finally have a figure of all three Mutant/Clone Shredders and that makes me a happy human (even if they are in different lines).
This little guy has a swivel head and swivel hinged shoulders, just like Crab Shredder. The sculpt of this figure is cool and the figure itself is a great/accurate size too! In addition, I really dig the helmet sculpt, which is infused with tentacles. His eyes, although hard to tell in the pictures, are painted black so I have to give Playmates credit there. The sculpting of the hand gauntlets are nicely done as well. Most of his armor/gauntlets are painted silver but not all….
The Not So Good: Whoever designed the feet and legs in terms of how they were sculpted for posing purposes, needs slapped. Crab Shredder’s feet are ridiculously designed for a top heavy figure. I literally have to have both of his claws at his sides in order for him to stand.
Shrimp Shredder doesn’t stand very well either and I’m not even exactly sure why? I think because his feet are tiny and not as flat as they should be for his upper body weight. I’m OK with no articulation in the knees, as I pose my Nick figures on the Lair, but for God’s sake compensate by not making the figure have other aspects that impede it’s ability to stand upright!
Additional complaints, Crab Shredder’s mask is chintzy looking with the spiked shoulder pads attached and the sloppy painted eyes. Speaking of paint, did Playmates run out!? Crab Shredder has the sculpted straps from his chest plate but there isn’t a drop of paint to be found on them.
Shrimp Shredder’s gauntlets are purple, like his body, which just flat out looks stupid. Why purple for his body/tentacles anyway? He should be pink! I’m not even sure what happened on his right leg as there is a huge streak of silver paint on his knee cap. If he was painted with precision, that wasted silver paint could have been used on his gauntlets. Shrimp’s belt is unpainted as well.
Honestly, there is a lot wrong with these figures. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad we even got them at all but if I didn’t love these characters, I would have passed on them in a heart beat. Such great characters and so much potential with the new Nick designs but Playmates fell short with these guys. I always hate how Playmates makes only a few figures of a group rather than all of them as well. I could understand if there were five Mutant Shredders but would it honestly hurt to produce the third and make the fans happy?
The top picture is a side-by-side comparison between the 2k3 Crab Shredder and the new Nickelodeon Crab Shredder. The second picture shows the band finally together…kind of!
I guess the biggest thing here, as mentioned, is that we finally have all three of Shredder’s Elite Guard in figure form. To me, that is still exciting even with all of the disappointing details. Maybe I will paint Shrimp to fit with the 2k3 line? I’ve always liked those Shredder Elite designs.
Thank you for reading and be safe out there in the snow if you are traveling in the Northeast!
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