TMNT Minimates - it's official!

[DSTZach]

THe keychains are removable pieces that go around the neck. They do not leave holes.

[SlushyFrog]

Waaaaaait, when did all these different retailers start getting different "Mutagen" variants? I thought there was just going to be the one Michelangelo for this wave.

Kmart and Sears are getting an exclusive character?? Those stores don't even exist where I live!

Collecting this line is going to be a bigger headache than I thought -- maybe I should just skip getting the Mutagen variants altogether.

[MINI_MYTE]

Key chain mates have been offered before, for those of you who have never seen one:

http://www.minimatedatabase.com/figure.php?i=862&n=Action+Figure+Xpress+Blue+Keychain

[Ninja Mate]

Translucent Green, with a red mask. The bagged Mutagen figures are green, TRU will have Mutagen Leonardo. Mutagen Donatello we'll have to find a home for.

We only did the orange and blue translucents as promos. Maybe we'll do a red Raph and a purple Don next year, but we'll see.

Specialty will not have keychain attachments. TRU and Sears/Kmart will.

Kmart/Sears will have one different character than TRU and Specialty.

You hate us (completionists).

I kid! But dang, thats a lot of variations.

[buttheadsmate]

Will the packaging remain the same for all the outlets ? Thanks.

[Modefan]

This goes back to the same argument from months ago - now other retailers are going to get a 1 per and unlike specialty I can't order a case to get a full set

with all that being said I'm canceling my preordered cases- not into the running around buying mounds of packs in hopes of getting 1 one per from other retailers

[DSTZach]

Sears/KMart packaging will be slightly different, due to a slightly different line-up and the word "keychain". Otherwise the bag is identical.

TRU will have different packaging altogether.

[TENIME_art]

Kmart/Sears will have one different character than TRU and Specialty.

G*dd@mnit, seriously?

So much for one case getting me a complete set.

[Donny B]

So much for one case getting me a complete set.

That was my big takeaway from this news. I love the hunt, but the blind bag aspect of this license kinda drove me to just hit up a preorder of the case with the (now foolish) reassurance that spending a little extra to get duplicates would secure a full set with little hassle. Now it looks like I'll either be spending a ton of $ I don't have on blind bags from different retailers, or I'll be spending a ton of $ I don't have on the secondary market to avoid getting duplicates. The hunt just got a little less enjoyable...

[Valo487]

I get why they're doing it, and from a business sense it's actually a smart move, but I don't relish the thought of ending up with so many doubles just for these rare versions. Oh well, at least I'll be able to build up my Foot army pretty considerably.

[Nervous Rex]

my plan is to just give out any of my extras i don't want to my nephews, I know they will love them. I'm hoping its something me and my son will have fun with, but if not, I'll just stop getting them.

[Mysterious Stranger]

*sigh* I too was hoping I'd be all set with just a specialty case but doesn't look like that's going to happen. I hope we'd be able to order full cases (with complete sets) from K-Mart/Sears & TRU but I know that won't happen. So I'll be paying ebay prices for the exclusive characters and chase figures. Disappointing news. Understandable from a business perspective but still pretty disappointing.

[Donny B]

I'll echo the "I understand the business angle but dread what it means for me individually" sentiment. I sincerely hope that DST finds success with this license because it has been on my dream list since I started collecting Minimates (specifically the original cartoon and comics versions that I grew up with), and if this release does well, it increases the odds of us getting the 80's/90's versions later on.

However, I also kinda fear what it might mean to the future of Minimates if the 'blind bag/multiple retailer exclusive' marketing dynamic proves profitable. It might just push me clear off of the completionist bench and limit me to only picking up the ones that can be easy to find for a reasonable price...

[MisterMiracle]

I'll take any duplicates off of people's hands. Between friends that have little kids and the 100ish different kids I see every day from subbing in school, I'm pretty sure I can do some giveaways and create some new Minimates fans.

[SlushyFrog]

This goes back to the same argument from months ago - now other retailers are going to get a 1 per and unlike specialty I can't order a case to get a full set

with all that being said I'm canceling my preordered cases- not into the running around buying mounds of packs in hopes of getting 1 one per from other retailers

This was exactly my thought. I had almost convinced myself to buy a full case to ensure that I'll get Mutagen Mike, because I thought he was going to be the only rare. My assumption was there'd be a new mutagen turtle per wave so I'd just buy a case per wave. Now that every outlet has their own blind-boxed!! exclusive, I'm just going to save my monies and not even attempt getting the variants, which means there's no longer a reason to buy a case.

My math/stats is pretty rusty, but by my calculations I'd have to buy at least 12 packs just to have a 50% chance of one of those packs containing a 1/18 figure. Disclaimer: This is assuming all samples are independent, which I don't think holds true if you buy all your individual figures from the same box.

I'm likely going the pure eBay route for this series. Whether I end up getting the mutagen variants will depend on the secondary market prices.

[MisterPL]

Since I'm not a completist, I'm gonna wait for this blind bag fad to blow over and wait patiently for these to be offered the way God intended; as standard 2-packs with stands and more accessories.

[force2099]

So what exactly is the breakdown of this series and what store gets what? Also, when do they hit stores? Anyone?

[Trekker 42]

Well looks like I'll have hunting to do. But hey, it's nice. Sears and TRU are within 5 minutes of my work, so I'll be able to pop over and search right after or right before.

[Mnemosis]

Nothing will ever make me shop at Sears again. The last time I was there for the vacuum cleaner bags that ONLY they carried, I searched high and low for a cashier, finally found someone as they got snagged by someone else, waited in line for their dubiously long transaction to be concluded, then had to furnish an email to be allowed to complete my transaction. I refused, informed the cashier it would have been easier for me to walk out the door with my merchandise than it was to pay for it (and it would have been), and bought a new vacuum at Wal-Mart

[MisterPL]

Your vacuum cleaner sucks.

I have a Dyson. It sucks even harder than my previous vacuum.

[Mnemosis]

I miss my Dyson. Saying goodbye to it was the worst part of my divorce

[buttheadsmate]

I miss my Dyson. Saying goodbye to it was the worst part of my divorce

Do you miss the bag ?

Just joking BTW.

[TENIME_art]

I am fine with different outlets getting different "Mutagen" variants. I wasn't going to be too concerned with being a completist with those.

But I wanted at least one of the regular figures, which is why I was going to get the case.

But if different stores have different regular figures (like Kraang or April), not only is that going to be near impossible for me to try and get them easily, but they'll be ungodly expensive on the secondary market.

[Trekker 42]

Just to lighten the mood.

Come to think of it, the artists ARE all public domain historical figures. 'Ey DST, wanna make a cool convention set with the four renaissance artists wearing TMNT headbands?

Edited September 27, 2014 by Trekker 42

[Shogi]

Really wish Sears/Kmart was replaced with Target (or most any other store) Kmart in my town is closing up shop and we might still have a Sears store