From the Toysit archive
Ninja Action Donatello
Discover Ninja Action Donatello’s purple mask, breakaway wall and packaged cartwheel action, with an original workshop-surprise comic activity.
The play at a glance
Donatello brings a dramatic turn to the workshop
The purple mask and brown staff identify Donatello before the action begins. Behind the figure, a brown wall accessory supplies a small piece of scenery; around him, the yellow card shows a cartwheel in a sequence of poses. Imagine that dramatic turn as one moment in a larger workshop adventure, with a puzzle to solve and a friend waiting on the other side of the door.
One action, many possible scenes
The card illustrates Donatello moving through an upside-down pose into an upright one. His purple mask, chest shell and staff remain the visual anchors while the pose changes. The packaging’s action illustration describes the intended feature; the story around it belongs to the player.
Try imagining a workbench beside the wall: a drawing of an unfinished machine, a note from a friend and a door that has become stuck. Donatello’s familiar role as the group’s inventor gives the scene a question to answer. What has jammed, and what clever detail will he notice?
The matching card is labeled ages 4 and up and carries a small-parts warning. For physical use, follow the instructions supplied with the matching figure. The paper comic below offers a complete way to tell the scene.
Try a workshop surprise comic
Draw three frames for this original Toysit activity, leaving space for speech bubbles and sound words.
- A puzzling door. Draw Donatello looking at the jammed workshop entrance. Put a clue nearby: a crooked hinge, a loose drawing pinned across the gap or an imaginary gadget blocking the way.
- A clever fix. Give him a sketch of his solution. Add an exaggerated cartoon movement or a turning arrow to make the middle frame lively. Choose a sound word such as “click,” “whirr” or “ta-da.”
- A friendly surprise. Open the drawn door to reveal a visitor. Let the visitor explain why they came, then give Donatello a reply that finishes the joke or welcomes the guest.
Tell the comic once with the speech bubbles covered. Then reveal the words and see how they change the scene. A second storyteller can redraw just the final visitor, giving the same problem and solution a new ending.
The historical record
Original Toysit coverage
The complete earlier product account and commentary are preserved below as historical coverage.
Flipping and kicking Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael teenage mutant figures with break-away wall
If you ever need something, anything, fixed, Donatello is the only Turtle you'll ever need to call. He has the ability to know how things work - probably because he's been taking things apart and putting them back together since he was young. Sure, Donatello likes to act calm and collected, but he can't help himself when it comes to cool technology - he totally flips. When he's not inventing awesome new vehicles like the Battle Shell or turbo-charged Sewer Slider, Donatello loves to use his lightning-fast Bo staff. Leonardo's sense of responsibility has made him the unofficial leader of the team, but don't tell that to the other Turtles. While Leo enjoys a good rumble as much as the next Turtle, he's drawn more to the spiritual side of martial arts. This dedicated pursuit has created a special bond between Leonardo and his sensei, Splinter. Quick with a joke and even quicker with the nunchaku, Michelangelo's Ninjitsu style is no laughing matter. Always the jokester of the group, he loves to be the center of attention and his great sense of humor has made him the team's peacemaker. Sometimes his overactive imagination helps when the pressure's on and the gang needs some quick thinking. Splinter decided that the nunchaku is the best choice for Mikey-T's flashy style and excitable personality. Raphael has mastered the sai, but has a temper. Raphael is the most fearless on the team. He'll leap in no matter what the odds.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a beloved fixture in children's entertainment for decades, capturing young hearts with their quirky personalities, fearless adventures, and, of course, their love for pizza. At the core of their appeal is the relatable brotherly dynamic—each turtle has a distinct personality, whether it's the disciplined Leonardo, the tech-savvy Donatello, the fun-loving Michelangelo, or the fierce Raphael. This diversity allows every child to identify with at least one turtle, making the experience personal and engaging. The turtles also represent a unique blend of cool and virtuous traits—they're skilled martial artists fighting for justice, but they're also playful and never take themselves too seriously. Their subterranean lifestyle and anthropomorphic features create a world of imagination where anything is possible, including befriending a rat sensei or battling an interdimensional villain. Add to that their iconic weapon choices and catchphrases, and it's easy to see why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles continue to be heroes in a half-shell for a new generation.
Sources and editorial notes
Front and back Playmates packaging photographs for stock 53152, with 2004 copyright, were compared with the retained Toysit image. They identify Donatello’s cartwheel and included breakaway wall. The card shows a preparation gesture, but a complete separate operating sheet was not recovered; no detailed setup procedure or reliable landing claim is supplied here. Other Turtles’ actions are edition-specific. No physical testing was performed.
- Original Toysit image — Existing same-site image reviewed and retained unchanged.
- Playmates 53152 packaging photographs — Actual front/back card and figure photographs inspected on the retailer page. Printed stock number, 2004 copyright, cartwheel feature, wall and age label support this profile; seller condition and availability claims are not adopted.
- Original Toysit coverage — Complete historical account retained, including its original claims and wording.
Images and descriptions are retained as historical material. How Toysit covers toys.
Created for Toysit by Tabbloza — the artwork in our header.