Character toy, plastic figure of 'Raphael', one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, made by Playmates, China, 2002.

Packaged plastic toy from the popular comic and television show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Packaging comprises flat cardboard back printed with a turtle face in the top portion, indicating which turtle is in the packaging, in this case his eye mask is red, and so the Turtle character is Raphael. The reverse of the packaging shows further characters in the series and provides information about this characters features and special abilities and skills. The actual figure is contained in rigid plastic on the front. He is a green humanoid turtle with a brown shell and muscular form. He also wears wrist and arm bands. He is wearing a red eye mask and comes with weapons, two Ninja throwing stars, a Ninja belt, twin sais (form of knives) and a pulley line rider to "fly over evil foot soldiers". The packaging remains intact.

Historical significance: The turtles were a phenomenon of the late 1980s and 1990s, both on the screen and in the production and popularity of the merchandise.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been hugely popular originating in comic book form in the early 1980s, becoming a television series in the late 1980s followed by a later 1990s cartoon series and films and even a rap song, the most recent of which was an animated film in 2007.

There have been a large array of Ninja Turtles merchandise, with these types of figurines being originally produced in 1987 for the first TV series and then re-marketed and updated for a new wave of fans in early the 2000s.

Distributed by Vivid imaginations (?)

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a hugely popular phenomena, originating from a comic book in the early 1980s and becoming a television cartoon series and films in the late 1980s-1990s and more recently an animated film released in 2007.

There have been a large array of Ninja Turtles merchandise, with these types of figurines being originally produced in 1987 for the first TV series and then re-marketed and updated for a new wave of fans in early the 2000s.

B.83-2004