Last weekend, toy manufacturers descended upon the Toy Fair with a plethora of new merchandise planned for 2018 and beyond. With a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon on the way, we knew that there would be some interesting revelations during this event. Sure enough, Pixel Dan was on hand to get as many details as possible about the new show. In addition to getting a walkthrough with a representative from Playmates Toys, he also managed to discover some information that had not yet been revealed by Nickelodeon. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most interesting details revealed during Toy Fair 2018.
This Origami Ninja is apparently made out of paper by the Foot Lieutenants. Image Source: Playmates Toys.
Before we get into the information revealed about Rise of the TMNT, it is important to note that the Shredder figure announced by S.H. Figuarts two years ago has sadly been put on hold. Although the figure hasn’t been cancelled, the company is waiting to see what the market will look like in 2018 before continuing on with their plans for this collectible.
2. First Look at New Foot Soldiers
In addition to the turtles themselves, Playmates Toys has also made action figures for two of the foot soldiers in Rise of the TMNT. One of these characters is the Foot Lieutenant, and the other is an Origami Ninja. A Playmates Toys representative explained that the Foot Lieutenant actually creates the Origami Ninja out of paper in the new cartoon.
3. First Look at Meat Sweats
As we mentioned in an earlier article, they are adding a new character named Meat Sweats to Rise of the TMNT. This pig-like character uses a meat tenderizer for a weapon and actually sweats meat. We don’t yet know how that will look, but the action figure does give us an idea of what we can expect.
4. Baron Draxum Will Be Revealed at Kids Choice Awards
Although the action figure for this villain wasn’t available during Toy Fair, a Playmates Toys representative did explain that we could expect to see him revealed during the Kid’s Choice Awards. While discussing this new enemy, the representative said that “we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Shredder.”
5. The First Rise of the TMNT Toy Line is Coming October 1st
While talking turtles, a Playmates Toys representative revealed that we can expect this first line of toys to hit store shelves on October 1st, 2018. Considering that Nickelodeon plans on releasing the cartoon in September, I’m willing to bet that the toys will actually show up a little bit sooner than that.
6. This New Toy Line Will Include Oversized & Ninja Action Figures
As usual, Playmates Toys will be producing a line of TMNT action figures that are double the size of their typical products. In addition to this, they have also created a set of toys which says popular phrases while performing a special action. Although these aren’t exactly original ideas, it’s nice to see that they’re giving the fans something more than just a basic line of toys.
The new Turtle Van is actually called the Turtle Tank! Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.
In addition to all of the action figures they will produce, Playmates Toys is also creating a set of vehicles for the turtles to drive. Two of these vehicles will be motorcycles, but one of them is the new Turtle Van – now known as the “Turtle Tank.” The Turtle Tank will double as a play set that can fold out for more fun.
8. Two New Large Playsets Will Be Sold
Every new iteration of the turtles comes with a new Turtle Lair, prompting Playmates Toys to create a new playset. This time around, they’ve decided to make two sets which can be combined to create one massive play area for your TMNT toys. One of these playsets is The Hidden City, an area we will discuss in greater detail below.
9. The Hidden City is a New and Mystical Place
According to the Playmates Toys representative at Toy Fair 2018, The Hidden City is a new element and a “mystical place” in Rise of the TMNT. Considering that we’ve seen the turtles using weapons that glow, it’s a good bet that this might actually be the place where they find their new weaponry – but that’s just my assumption and not a confirmed fact.
The Turtle Lair playset is just one of two play areas which can be combined to create one massive set. Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.
While discussing the new playsets, a representative of Playmates Toys revealed that the Turtle Lair in the cartoon actually has a cylindrical shape. Although the lair does appear to be in a sewer, it would appear that this sewer lair is definitely circular. Ultimately, we’ll just have to wait and see what it actually looks like.
11. The TMNT May Get Their Traditional Weapons Eventually
According to a Playmates Toys representative, we may see the turtles “graduate” to their traditional equipment at a later date. This may have just been an off-handed comment about what he wanted to see in the new show, but it may also have been an important revelation. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until the show airs to find out exactly what’s going on.
12. Andy Suriano Thought Copying the 2k12 Series Would Be Disrespectful
When asked about some of the choices they have made with Rise of the TMNT, Co-Executive Producer Andy Suriano explained that he felt it would be disrespectful to borrow a lot of material from the 2k12 series. Although I’m sure we can all understand his concerns, it would appear that a lot of shellheads don’t like to see change.
13. Ant Ward Sought Advice From Fred Wolf
While being interviewed by Pixel Dan, Co-Executive Producer Ant Ward explained that he actually sought the advice of previous animators who had worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons. Of all the people he contacted, only Fred Wolf responded. Fans will be familiar with Fred Wolf Films as the company behind the original animated series.
14. Andy Suriano Doesn’t Want Fans to Panic
This Co-Executive Producer of Rise of the TMNT had a fairly positive message for fans: “Be patient, it’s all gonna make sense, and it’s gonna be okay…it’s still respectful to the franchise.” Although I’m sure that some of you won’t be persuaded by this message, it’s definitely nice to know that Suriano at least understands the concerns of some fans and he wants to reassure them that this new cartoon won’t ruin anything about their heroes in a half shell.
If you want to see more from Toy Fair 2018, check out Pixel Dan’s Youtube channel for dozens of videos from the convention floor.