Is this it? Have I finally hit the point where my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toy collecting is out of control? It just might be, for today we have Donatello’s Portable Portal Generator, the latest piece from NECA’s line of toys based on the vintage cartoon series. And it’s not that this is a bad release or anything, it’s just the sort of thing that I don’t think I would have ever asked for when this line was in its infancy, but here we are.
NECA’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure lines have been hugely successful, especially the one based on the cartoon. TMNT is hot right now and it’s fixing to get even hotter with a new movie on the way. NECA has released basically all of the major characters from the show and now we’re onto the obscure like Bugman and Jersey Red. More are expected to follow, but as the roster of characters fills out even further the company has started to turn its attention towards releases that enhance the display of the collection. We first saw NECA re-release its street diorama, but with a new paint job to accentuate the cartoon world these characters inhabit. The company also last year solicited a Turtle Van which is due out later this year and we also got a peek at a multi-part sewer lair diorama. That was expected to go on-sale last fall, but did not. We’re likely in for an update at San Diego Comic Con on that item, if not sooner.
An item that would seemingly exist to complement that diorama release is Donatello’s portable portal generator. If you recall from the show, Donatello was able to reverse engineer the portal Krang possessed and make it smaller leading to various confrontations with extra-dimensional beings. It was probably a pretty easy thing to rely on for story pitches since a number of stories could begin with the premise “Donatello’s portal generator goes haywire and this weird mutant enters their world.” NECA first unveiled this item in promotional shots for other figures and it wasn’t long before collectors were asking how they could get one of their own. Some may have expected it to be a pack-in with a lair set, or maybe even something to include in the recently released accessory set, but for NECA it apparently made more sense to go the stand-alone route. Since it is a bit of an odd item, NECA sold it as a preorder on their website last winter and it’s now arriving in the hands of collectors, so just what is this thing and is it something every TMNT collection needs?
The portal (it’s just easier to call it that than by it’s official, very long, name) is really just a lump of sculpted plastic with room for a lenticular insert. It’s roughly 7.5″ tall and nearly a foot long. The maximum depth on the unit is only 2.5″ though so it’s not the space hog it could be. It comes in its own special packaging with artwork from Daniel Elson and Merle Mustard which is evocative of the old VHS releases. The actual piece is well-sculpted and painted all over. It looks just as I remember it from the show. It just doesn’t do anything. There’s a handle on the far side of it that is articulated, but the wheel near the opening for the portal image is non-functioning. It’s just basically a plastic frame with a spot for an insert.
And those inserts number 3. They are lenticular so there’s two images per insert and I assume they’re taken directly from the show. There’s some samurai pigs, sentient vending machines, some odd looking aliens, a tropical setting with Technodrome, Japanese house, and a foreign planet. They all have a third layer on-top that’s the wavy lines the portal would generate before an image of another dimension would appear. I’m surprised we don’t have the option for a screen that’s just those waves. I’m also surprised that there’s only three. It seems like there was a lot of room to create some fun cameos here, but NECA opted not to.
That’s it though. One plastic frame and three pieces of lenticular cardstock. The price for this set was $45 plus NECA’s $15 flat-rate shipping. And since this is a NECA store exclusive, you might as well consider the price of the item $60. Ouch. For what it is, it’s nice. It looks the part and will enhance Donatello’s sewer lab should it ever see release. It’s just pretty pricey and there’s no added incentive to get it. I’m surprised NECA didn’t toss-in any trinkets or just something fun into the set or even another Mouser. There’s really no creativity here like an insert with a hand coming through or something more interactive. This is really a case of what you see is what you get and if it’s too much for you then so be it. It’s also admittedly an odd thing to have without the sewer lair as it feels like it has no home. I will do something with it until then, but I don’t know what just yet.
Since this was solicited quite awhile ago, there’s no option to buy-in any longer. I don’t know if NECA made extra to sell on their website or at conventions, but if you want your very own portable portal generator you’re going to have to head to the secondary market. I have no idea what this will be like there, but I bet some people bought two with the hope of flipping one. There may be an initial surge in price, but I could see this being a losing investment for those hoping to do such a thing as it’s extremely niche. At the same time, it wouldn’t shock me if this is the oddball thing that does end up being pricey a year from now. I definitely don’t expect multiple production runs unless NECA wants to pair it with Donatello’s eventual laboratory so don’t wait too long if you think this is something you need.
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