NECA TMNT Usagi Yojimbo
I find it really considerate of NECA to include silica gel packets for their cloth accessories.
The “Rabbit Bodyguard”, Usagi’s adventures take place in the Edo period of Japan, but set in an alternate universe with anthropomorphic animals replacing humans. As a ronin (a masterless samurai), Usagi explores the land in search of his purpose and offers his services as a bodyguard throughout his travels. Thanks to a pan-dimensional portal experiment by Donatello, he is transported to the dimension of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for a short while.
The set comes with a black garter band for Usagi’s waist in order to hold his sword sheathes.
This is actually pretty clever for NECA to use on this figure.
Depending on your tastes, you can position the garter on different levels, since the black color of the garter blends well with his pants. I chose to position it under his belt.
Usagi comes with swords that are intentionally uneven in size. The swords, when used in tandem are called Daisho, meaning “big-little”, giving the samurai (aka swordsman) more versatility in combat. The shorter sword is called the Wakizashi and is used for close quarters combat or to behead an opponent.
Usagi also comes with a ninja Kunai tool and a Katar blade weapon for additional accessories.
A Katar blade. I think this is the first time we get one in this toyline..? They were standard issue back in the vintage Playmates line. Lol… I would mistakenly think they were pizza slices back then as a kid, due to the lack of any painted color on the accessory.
Usagi comes with a straw hat to provide shade for his head while he travels.
To get the hat on, you’ll have to swap out the head and use the alternate one with his ears slicked back.
Usagi also comes with a cloth coat accessory for when he needs to travel incognito.
Again, it’s best to use the alternate head here for better clearances for the hood.
A simple knot is enough to hold down the robe.
As a bonus item, he comes with a Tokage lizard. While this didn’t appear in the TMNT episode (I think?) these lizards are abundant on Usagi’s home dimension and are basically the stray dogs or pets of his world.
Last but not least, NECA included a cardboard backdrop insert for Usagi. I love all the little details they threw into the background.
Overall, I love it! I’ve always loved the concept of the classical wandering ronin taking up the good fight wherever he goes and Usagi best exemplifies that in pop culture. NECA did this one right! This figure comes with a LOT of stuff to compliment it and it’s done beautifully. It’s a shame this was not released locally through any specialty shops in the Philippines (or even anywhere in Asia I think? Hong Kong sellers didn’t carry this one either) otherwise I would’ve picked up two of this figure (one to keep sealed). Ah, well…
Gold
