This year has really been good for ThunderCats ULTIMATES! collectors. So many releases one after the other meant that our displays blossomed. And if you’re one of the lucky few who also got your hands on the ThunderTank from Super7, then you’d know that you now have a setup that blows minds. Adding this new release to that (or any display for that matter), is really just the invisible cherry on the cake.
The Big Bad Toy Store exclusive surprised us in August 2022 when it appeared, albeit invisible, on the Super7 and BBTS social media channels. Ironically, Wave 6’s preorder had just gone up 2 weeks prior. It was a great time to get your hands on a lot of new stuff. Even if these were all just variants. An invisible Tygra had been one of the sought-after variants since the line debuted (again) back in 2019.
The figure is the second exclusive that has been offered by Big Bad Toy Store. Late January 2023, notices went out that he will begin shipping soon, which was a pleasant surprise to many, but amidst all of the big purchases, wallets here and there weren’t too happy. Nonetheless, that moment the figure arrives in hand you forget about those complaints very quickly and you bask in the light of this beautifully foiled package. Like the first exclusive from BBTS, it too has foil all over, and it’s Tygra-themed in terms of colors and his ability to disappear. I personally hope that Super7 continues this trend with their exclusive, since the SDCC Lion-O (Hook Mountain Ice) had the same type of packaging. It stands out on your shelf if you keep these MIB.
Like the general releases, the brown mailer box is the same. But the inside surely is not. New things to look out for is the lids that are inside the blister tray. As with Wave 6, several accessories now have the nicety of having their “tray” be covered with a removable lid. This keeps these items nice and snug, and here only the hands have that feature. It’s still great to see this introduced here. I hope it continues in all future releases.
Tygra is basically a duplicate of his first version in terms of the accessories. You have the retracted bolo whip, a solid version of the bolo whip, and one with a “string”, which is very elastic and I bet a lot of people will be using this here to tie it around his body. I was excited for that one but I still prefer the solid one. It’s a fantastic piece for your display. It adds a lot of height and you can have a posed Tygra mid-action. I bet I will be in the minority here and completely understand why collectors will rather have the elastic one wrapped around him. That’s what’s fun with these figures. So many display options, right? The whips aren’t clear plastic, but a white-ish color while still being clear. Sorta sand-blasted, without the sand-blasting!
Tygra comes packaged with the growling alt head this time round, and the stoic face is in the side tray. Interesting. It changes things up. No complaints here. There is white paint highlighting his eyes and select features all over his body – including the Cats’ symbol. It is beautifully done and enhances the figure. If you own the original Tygra from Wave 2, you’ll be familiar with both heads. It swaps out easy too, something I was worried about. There are lots of stories in the collecting community about brittle plastic used in other lines. I don’t see this being the case here. Hands plug in easily, and the articulation is smooth like a normal fully painted figure.
The biggest difference, besides the invisibility, is the corrected elbow pad. It’s part of the sculpt, so it isn’t as easy as replacing it with a rubber band. Although that has worked for many customizers, seeing it here is superb. Perhaps we’ll see a different variant of Tygra in the future and have it be correct there too. The only real variant I suppose could be an LJN version of Tygra. Those two vintage heads deserve to be made in ULTIMATES! form.
Hands are a-plenty. Gripping hands are available as both vertical and horizontal moving hands. A pair of posing, expressive hands, will add style to your Tygra. I adore the different hands Super7 includes with their figures. And they feel nice and strong, but with sufficient bendability.
The figure itself has a new plastic smell, which is very evident when you open it up. I loves me the smell of new toys. And while previous releases hasn’t had this strong a scent, it’s a clean smell that says “new toy”.
While the plastic is clear almost everywhere, his pants and upper body also have that “sand-blasting” color. A concern was that you’d see the actual insides of the figure very clearly, but this helps hide that. It’s still visible in direct light, but this is very cleverly done. Even the pinless joints aren’t even that visible. The magic of toy making!
If you’ve been on the fence, now is the time to jump on the band wagon and get him from Big Bad Toy Store today before they sell out. If history repeats itself, you’re going to pay double the price on the aftermarket and on BBTS itself should it sell out and reappear later on. It is highly unlikely that there will be a second release of this figure. Don’t wait too long!
Do I like this figure? You bet! It’s different enough to warrant a release, and the execution here is spot on. I’d go as far as to say that he is better than the original Tygra when it comes to that. Perhaps the fun aspect of it adds to this conclusion. Or the inclusion of the elbow pad. Whatever it is, it’s a well put together action figure worth the price.
Top tip for those worried that this figure will disappear on your display: put him against a stark contrasting background. He literally pops in front of the likes of purple Snake Mountain. Now can we get a Castle Plun-Darr so that he can sneak in again as per the cartoon?
