NECA Leonardo Review: Quarter-Scale 1990 TMNT Figure

The Review

Originally published June 30, 2017. This article preserves One Sixth Society’s original reporting and images; product availability, pricing, and opinions reflect the original publication period.

NECA’s TMNT line will not be complete without all four turtles, and the third has just been released! The blue-masked leader of the four brothers has finally hit shelves! There are a lot of positives paired alongside some very familiar negatives. With that all said, let’s get started with this ¼ Scale 1990 TMNT NECA Leonardo Review!

NECA movie Raphael, Leonardo and Donatello figures standing together with sai, paired swords and a bo staff.

The first thing to notice about the figure is of course the packaging. As with Donatello and Raphael, Leo comes with the typical NECA quarter-scale packaging. This involves a rectangular box, some photos of the figure, as well as licensing graphics. A rectangular window adorns the front of the box. Not exciting by any means, but it gets the job done!

NECA Raphael and Leonardo posed outdoors beside a block wall, raising their sai and swords.

Leonardo Has Slightly Different Arms

Just like the two previous turtles, Leonardo stands 16.5 inches tall according to NECA and he has 30 points of articulation. The joints are very tight. Although the reviewed figure felt durable, move them carefully rather than forcing them. Unlike Catwoman, the turtles all stand well in a variety of poses. Leonardo stands just as tall as the other turtles, and that is because they share much of the same body construction. One visible difference is the raised veins on Leonardo’s arms. This will be discussed in greater detail in our NECA Leonardo Review on YouTube.

Front close-up of NECA Leonardo's head sculpt, showing the blue mask, textured green skin and calm closed-mouth expression.

The head sculpt is of the same quality as his two released brothers. Leo’s blue mask is vibrant against his green skin. One thing to note is that his face is not very expressive, displaying a stoic gaze more in tune with his character. The paint quality is up to snuff, and his eyes especially are bright, shiny, and lifelike. At the back of his blue mask, a strip of blue fabric hangs down, adding a welcome material detail.

Angled portrait of NECA Leonardo showing the blue mask tails beside his neck and a sword handle behind his shoulder.

The body closely matches Raphael and Donatello, with some differences in skin markings. The chest is the same, as well as the body shape and size. The back of the shell has some different detailing, and there are some small painted differences as well. As mentioned in the Raphael review, it would have been nice for there to be a brand new body, but there is no real reason for there to be. The sculpt they have is fantastic and it gets the job done very well.

NECA Donatello balances on one leg on a block while Raphael and Leonardo raise their weapons on the grass beside him.

The Accessories

Last but not least, the accessories. Leo of course comes with his signature swords, and they are quite large. He also comes with a slice of pizza, as well as a canister of ooze. Unlike Donatello, this can of ooze does not have a break in it. There should have been something to include that has not already been done with the other figures, but that is a small complaint for an overall fantastic figure.

NECA Leonardo standing with one sword raised above his head and the second held horizontally across his waist.

Leonardo looks excellent alongside his brothers and is a strong choice for collectors building the full TMNT lineup. We hope you enjoyed our NECA Leonardo Review, and I hope you watch the video review as well!

Watch the accompanying NECA Leonardo Video Review: 1/4 Scale 1990 TMNT.

Swords Drawn or Stored

Leonardo’s two katana can change the width of the pose considerably. Keeping them in the back scabbards lets the portrait and blue mask lead; drawing them makes the arm position much more important. Check the actual arrangement with both swords present before deciding how close another Turtle can stand beside him.