Do you like Thundercats? Do you like blind bags? Do you like Alan Rickman impressions? Then I’ve got the video for you!

I’ll kick off with the Classic Collector Figures since there’s less of them. As the name implies, this line focuses on the classic 80’s designs but with today’s modern engineering and the result is the 8” Lion-O and Tygra. The 8 inch scale is one that’s not often utilised  but it differentiates these figures from a lot of others which is a good thing. The figures come with a multitude of accessories, from extra hands, Tygra’s signature bolo-whip and the Sword of Omens in both its long and short forms. The sculpting and paint are very good but the old designs were very basic, but the paint apps are crisp, clean and iconic, making these perfect for fans of the show or 80’s nostalgia.

This action figures based on the 2011 cartoon come in two sizes (so far) 6 and 4 inches respectively. The 6” figures are more collector focused and the 4” figures come in both basic and deluxe, the latter having some form of action feature. All the basic characters are represented and interact with vehicles and playsets utilising an embedded magnet system called “Thunder Lynx” that activates special features. It kind of reminds me of the old STARCOM toys. Lots of articulation provide a greater range of motion than I‘ve seen in other figures of this scale.

Roleplay items are also available, the highlight being the Deluxe Sword of Omens. With an extendable blade, lights and sounds, this is hot tipped to be this years best-seller. A smaller Sword of Omens and Claw Shield will also be available.

The vehicles that utilise the Thunder Lynx feature are the Lizard Cannon with Slithe, ThunderRacers with either Lion-O or Tygra and the daddy of them all, the mighty ThunderTank! With Snarf. Hehehe I love me some Snarf so getting a ThunderTank and a Snarf is great. Snarf also uses Thunder Lynx to activate sound effects and lights while the ThunderTank itself fits most 4” figures. It’s a great design and I can’t wait to see it released.

Bandai is doing a decent job of catering to fans of both new and old with this brand. Their lines are diverse, seemingly well made and offer a lot of value for money. I’ve seen some of their newer Power Rangers products (Namely the 4” figures) and they’re finally matching the articulation and sculpting that some of their competitors have been doing for years. I hope to see more of thisin the future and will be checking out some of the figures once they get released (Hope the paint holds up to the images we’ve seen).

The prices for the figures, playsets, vehicles and roleplay items will run from between £7.99 to £39.99 but I expect that there’ll be a couple places putting them on offer for the Christmas rush. You can feel the magic and hear the roar this coming December!

To say the first three episodes were brilliant would be an understatement. I’ve already stated that I wasn’t a Thundercats fan as a kid but this new series certainly makes me want more. The story establishes that the current cast are not yet the Thundercats, another group of heroes founded their society and it has become a utopia for the cats while all the other animal species are subjugated and repressed by current ruler King Claudus (Played by original Lion-O voice actor, Larry Kenney). It is through the harshness of this world that we meet Lion-O, heir to the throne and believer in the mystical arts of technology. We soon learn through him that all is not right with the kingdom of Thundera and soon the worst comes to pass as…. Well, I’m not actually going to spoil it for you. Suffice to say that the story had me hooked and wanting more.

The voice cast is stellar, from the returning Larry Kenney, to Will Friedle taking the role of Prince Lion-O as well as Kevin Michael Richardson, Corey Burton and Clancy Brown; this is an all-star voice cast. All the voices feel natural for the characters and not to mention the subtle audio bits they do like purrs and growls are superb.

I’ve already touched upon Claudus and Lion-O so I’ll talk about some of the other key characters. Tygra, unlike the architect of old, is the smarmy adopted brother of Lion-O and is the foil for Lion-O, often teasing or showing him up. Cheetara is introduced fairly early as a competent fighter as she helps Lion-O in a street brawl. The Thunderkittens, WilyKit and WilyCat, are portrayed as adorable, pick-pocketing, street urchins with dreams of finding the mystical city of riches, El Dora. One thing that annoyed about the original series was Snarf and thank the maker they changed him too. In a world where most animals talk, it’s nice that Snarf is being played more as a pet than the bumbling wise-cracking dick he used to be. Panthro is introduced in the pilot but we aren’t actually introduced to the character other than he’s one of Claudus’s most trusted generals.

The animation and sound design are beautiful in equal measure, the incidental music that accompanies the stunning painted visuals of Thundera truly make this world come alive. I’d definitely put this on par with the likes of Avatar: The Last Airbender in terms of stunning landscapes. Some of the old music cues from the old show return, such as the weird noise of the Eye of Thundera and a shortened orchestral version of the Thundercats theme for the intro which starts with the third episode.

As a non-fan, I really enjoy this show and is one of the more successful reinventions of old cartoons. If you’re a fan of the old 80’s cartoons, you’re really spoilt for choice right now between this, Transformers: Prime, G.I. Joe Renegades, and My Little Pony. I highly recommend watching this show (or finding it online somehow). To end, I pretty much have to do this.

Thunder! THUNDER! THUNDERCATS, HOOOOO!