Review: Thundercats 3 3/4 Basic Tygra

I have a general rule when it comes to new things: I'll try anything once.

this policy also applies to new action figure lines. I will pick up one figure, preferably the one figure I am most likely to enjoy or the figure that is most likely to be done best, and then gauge based on that figure if the line is worth picking up or not.

Today we have one such occasion with the 3 3/4 scale Tygra figure from the new cartoon. I know there are a bunch of people that dont like Tygra's costume in the new show, but I dig it, and the costume is well represented in this small figure. He has really nice sculpted detail, even in areas that I thought they would cheap out and either simply paint, or leave out the detail all together.

Tygra's head has a surprising lack of detail by comparison, however. Only the black stripes and his facial features are actually sculpted, leaving the head lacking a bit due to how smooth the features are (considering its supposed to be fur). The actual face sculpt itself leaves something to be desired as well. He just doesnt look like the Tygra in the new show. That could also be chalked up to the small scale.

The paint is surprisingly clean, including the Thundercats symbol on his chest (which still isnt there in the cartoon, so we can only assume that means it will be added later).

Articulation:

*limited ball joint head (head sculpt restricts the joint to just swivel)

*disk/post shoulders

*hinged elbows

*cut wrists

*disk/post hips

*thigh cut (very high on the leg)

*hinged knees

*boot top cut

*hinged ankles

The lack of a bicep cut is the only thing really missing here, and it is sorely missed.


I had a basic idea of how the articulation would play out, based on a 3 3/4 scale Green Ranger figure Bandai put out a year or so ago, and Tygra here has much better articulation. If he had that bicep cut, I would say he had the perfect articulation. This might also just be me being spoiled by how articulated other 3 3/4 figures are these days.

Tygra comes with 3 accessories: his trademark whip cast in a blue rubber like material, a gun and a holster/belt, both cast in a decent greyish silver plastic.

Of note, the gun doesnt really look like the one he uses in the show. I think it is the size of the gun that makes it looks so bad to me. Also, the holster/belt is large and obtuse. There is a hole in Tygra's side that the belt pegs into, but there is really no way to make it look good on the figure.

I would also like to take a moment to talk about the "Thunderlynx" feature incorporated into each figure. This is basically a magnet in the figure's back that allows the figures to interact with vehicles and stuff. In the process, this adds a large boxy section to the back of each figure. Since Tygra is wearing armor, it really doesnt take away from his look at all, but i imagine it seriously messes up the aesthetics of the other figures.

All in all, while I'm not particularly sorry I picked this figure up, it didnt come anywhere close to convincing me to buy any of the others. Here's hoping they release Tygra in the 6in scale line soon.