Posted in: Collectibles, Playmates | Tagged: cobra kai, playmates, tmnt

Are the TMNT x Cobra Kai Playmates 2-Pack Worth It? Let's Found Out

Published Mon, 08 Nov 2021 16:52:10 -0600

Two dojos collide as Playmates combines the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) with the hit series Cobra Kai. Four special 2-packs are being released for the series, and Playmates was kind enough to send us some samples. Each pack features a member of the TMNT going against someone from Cobra Kai, with the main focus going on the franchise leads. These packs will consist of Leonardo vs. Miguel Diaz, Raphael vs. John Kreese, Donatello vs. Johnny Lawrence, and Michelangelo vs. the Karate Kid himself, Daniel LaRusso. All of the Turtles are simple repaints of Playmates Ninja Elite Series, but the Cobra Kai figures are new additions and will be what fans will want a closer look at, so let's dive in.

Right off the bat, I was already impressed with the mash-up of this set, as it brings back the love of karate from the 80s. I already appreciated the amazing articulation for the TMNT Ninja Elite Series and it was nice to see them get enemies to take on. However, it is complicated when it comes to the Cobra Kai figures as they have a lot of pros and cons. Starting us off first is all the positives of the figure with a nice rubber sculpted outfit, followed by a pretty great head sculpt with some nice likeness for Playmates to capture. John Kreese was very well done with some nice details; including with the Cobra Kai logo and his tattoo. It was interesting to have him fight TMNT Raphael.

While the appearance was spot on, the articulation did ruin him as the TMNT Ninja Elite series is packed with 34 points, including moveable fingers, toes, and everything in-between. The Cobra Kai figures could only do so much with their single jointed arms and legs, making them hard to pose against any of the turtles. I could not even get the crane kick on any of the figures, which is sad as that is the iconic pose for The Karate Kid. The TMNT figures, on the other hand, were impressive, as they usually are, but the added dojo robe gives them a more sumo wrestler vibe rather than an actual karate master.

There are plenty of cons to go with these figures, but when all is said and done I had a blast playing with these. I was more interested in Playmates taking on Cobra Kai, and while they are not perfection, they were great rivals to show TMNT members go against. I love when universes collide, and this karate master mash-up is excellent and will be fun for any Turtle or Karate Kid fan to add to their collection. While the 2-pack setups are kind of odd, adding all four sets to your collection will correct that, and pre-orders are up for them here with them already hitting Target stores now.

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