TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - POP N° 1973 - Raphael (Ooze Canister)

This Funko POP! Animation No. 1973 figurine depicts Raphael, one of the four heroes of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in a special ‘Ooze Canister’ design. The character is depicted suspended inside a container filled with green mutagen, an element inextricably linked to the origin and many of the Ninja Turtles’ adventures. 

The design stands out from a traditional POP! figure thanks to its setting being directly integrated into the figure itself. Raphael is positioned at the centre of a translucent cylindrical tank containing a green substance, framed by a base and an upper section reminiscent of an industrial tank. The character retains his instantly recognisable appearance with his green skin and famous red mask.

The ‘Ooze Canister’ concept directly references the ‘ooze’, or mutagen, which plays a central role in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mythology. In the 2012 Nickelodeon animated series, Splinter and his four turtles come into contact with a mysterious green substance: the mutagen transforms Splinter into a humanoid rat, whilst the four turtles become the mutant heroes Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.

Standing approximately 14 cm tall and featuring an integrated setting, this version offers a more elaborate presentation than a standard POP! figure. It is designed to be displayed alongside the other team members available in the Ooze Canister series, allowing the four brothers to be gathered together under a single visual concept.

Technical specifications

• Manufacturer: Funko
• Range / Collection: POP! Animation
• Number: No. 1973
• Licence: Nickelodeon
• Sub-licence: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Character: Raphael
• Nickname: Raph
• Variant: Ooze Canister
• Type: Collectable POP! figurine with built-in display
• Height: approx. 14 cm
• Design: Raphael suspended in a green mutagen container
• Main colours: green, red, grey and clear
• Funko reference: 93154
• EAN: 0889698931540

Character background and lore

Raphael, usually known as Raph, is one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brothers, alongside Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo. He is characterised by his passionate, impulsive and particularly combative nature. Nickelodeon portrays him as a hero ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice and take whatever risks are necessary to protect his brothers.

His signature colour is red and his traditional weapons are a pair of sai. Raphael is one of the group’s most formidable fighters and generally favours direct confrontation. Behind his explosive temperament, however, he remains deeply devoted to his family and is particularly protective of his brothers.

His first name pays homage to the Italian painter Raphael, continuing the tradition of naming the four Ninja Turtles after great Renaissance artists. Raphael is thus linked to Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo both through his family history and this shared artistic reference.

The mutagen container chosen for this POP! figure is a direct reference to the heroes’ very origins. In the 2012 Nickelodeon adaptation, exposure to a mysterious green substance transforms the four turtles into humanoid mutants. Splinter then raises them in the sewers of New York and trains them in the ninja arts so that they can defend themselves and combat threats from the surface.

This ‘Ooze Canister’ version thus links Raphael to one of the founding elements of the TMNT universe: the mutagen that transforms four ordinary turtles into ninja heroes and which continues to play a major role in their adventures.