Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Fifth Turtle VENUS DE MILO!



Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation figure from PlayMates

She's loathed by many die-hard TMNT fans*, but I think this character and figure are amazingly cool.  She was introduced in 1997's live-action Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation from Saban.  I was too busy in 1997 being cool and completely missed this iteration of TMNT.  Although I vaguely remember seeing an image in Wizard Magazine showing all the animated turtles, with a new female turtle in blue and Leonardo now in pink.  But the live-action show had Leonardo wearing a dark blue 'do-rag with Venus wearing a light blue braided mask - so I have no idea where this fragmented memory of mine came from.

* I'm basing this assumption off a few overheard comments and things like this ShortPacked comic.  She may be adored for all I know :)



There were two versions of Venus De Milo made by Playmates.  This is the standard figure while the one not shown is "Blacktop Boardin' Venus" which featured skateboard-type accessories with kneepads, etc.  This plain figure is much more to my liking.



What makes her different from her four estranged brothers?  First of all, the ventral side of her shell dips down to form a cleavage line.  Then the obvious breasts.  Her mask is braided in the back to replicate a long ponytail.  She's less muscular in the arms.  And she has a Yin-Yang symbol on her arm indicating her "Chinese Heritage."  (Read the TMNT Wikia Page if you want to know more.)  If you would ask me to come up with a design for a female turtle, you would undoubtedly get an abomination.  But this is seriosuly perfection.  She maintains the stlye of the original animated series, but looks distinctly feminine.  Kudos to Saban and Playmates.



Venus De Milo has Ball-jointed shoulders and legs, and a swivel-jointed head.  She comes with a few obligatory ninja accessories and her rubbery-yet-firm limbs pose and hold them well.




2 comments:

  1. Very cool! I've been hoping to add this one to my collection for a while now; just waiting to find her for cheap!

    I assume you also have Mona Lisa? http://toyriffic.blogspot.com/2011/03/mona-lisa-smile.html

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  2. indeed i do! I will be reviewing her at some point in the future just for good measure (although your review pretty much covers all the bases!) I got my Venus cheap on ebay years ago (had the skateboarder one too but i sold her). I'm still hunting for that NECA April O'Neil at a decent price.

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