#i actually adore the 1990 TMNT movies

[t-l000]

I'm so tired of pretending these guys weren't adorable THEY WERE ACTUALLY SO CUTE LIKEE

[randomcerealbrand]

I don't like any TMNT Splinter except rise (I watched all the incarnations). For some reason..... I think you do too? 🤔 What's your opinion ✨ (it's still cool if we disagree 🤗)

I actually do like 2012 TMNT Splinter, but his flaws definitely do outweigh the things I like about him. A lot of the other Splinters, to me, left me with a bad taste in my mouth sometimes. Mutant Mayhem’s Splints was alright, I do like the overprotective father schtick, but he got with that cockroach. Isn't that Stockfly's sibling or something? AKA the turtle's cousin??? Idk it was just.. Odd. As for 2018 Splinter, that man is amazing and I adore him.

1987 Splinter is okay ig idk

2003 Splinter is alright, but not too much stuff I can get behind with him.

1990s Movies Splinter low-key got worse as the movies progressed

Bayverse was okay but he should've fed the turtles something other than steroids because God DAMN BAYVERSE DONNIE WAS FUCKING TALL

2007 Splinter is so infuriating, like, why would you let your son go off in a foreign country's rainforest that has hundreds of poisonous species???? And on top of that you don't see how much that decision you made is hurting your other sons?? In the end, you made your sons either hate eachother or witness fights for no reason. BAD SPLINTER. BAD.

[majachee]

What’s your favorite movie?

Animated movies: Rise of the TMNT, 1980s Transformers: The Movie, and The Prince of Egypt!

Live action: Jojo Rabbit (rated R iirc) Monty Python and the Holy Grail, first 90s TMNT movie, original Rocky franchise (1976-1990, haven't seen Rocky Balboa or the Creed movies yet!), Lord of the Rings, and the original Star Wars trilogy. Rocky is my favorite old timey movie franchise!!

Rambling underneath:

I like a lot of older movies regarding live action because I genuinely adore old special effects and while CGI is impressive it's just... different? A lot of CGI nowadays, while incredibly impressive techology wise, feels kind of... unpolished? Less immersive? Idk, I see how actors interact with old timey special effects and make-up vs computer rendered models (esp regarding backgrounds/scenery) and it feels off. Less authentic. I hope that makes sense.

The live action TF movies actually do themselves a huge favor by making use of the fact these robots transform into cars (actual props actors can interact with) and also filming in real areas. Yes, that includes all of the live action TF movies, they did CGI right imo! Even if the writing and actual designs didn't always hit the mark.

I also just... adore puppets in movies? I really enjoy The Dark Crystal because of the puppetry, and I've been meaning to sit down and watch the JP movies. The craftsmanship and authenticity is just MWAH!!!

Another HUGE REASON is nostalgia! Not mine, not really, but my PARENTS'! When my aunt visited we binged the Rocky movies together and now I'll always associate that experience with Rocky! I like watching older stuff with my parents. :^)

I don't really talk about my other interests cuz I recognize I'm a fan-artist for... like.. kid friendly media and a lot of my other interests are adult-oriented, and while a lot of my followers and mutuals are adults, some are also 15-17 years old lol.

That being said I like early Game of Thrones since a lot of the CGI was really just the dragons, that's a recent one. I enjoy the Vikings TV series, solely because it lets me infodump about history and culture... It's inaccurate in some places, accurate in others, and I like infodumping because I have the history and mythology flavor of autism. I like old sitcoms like The Golden Girls and Reba! Oh, I also like Buffy The Vampire Slayer! Gilmore Girls is also fun to watch.

I don't remember the ratings for all of these minus GoT and Vikings, but like... I'd say PG-13? Roughly? GoT and Vikings are def R-rated, kiddos.

[itcamefromthetoybox]

Gatorland’s Most Wanted

Let me take you back in time, dear readers, to a magical period called “The 1990’s.” In this strange time, we didn’t have Netflix, or YouTube, or anything like that. Instead, if you wanted to watch a show, you went to a place called a “Video Rental Store,” and paid to rent a plastic rectangle called a “VHS.” It would be a movie or a few episodes of a TV show that you would watch and then physically bring back to the store after about 3-4 days or so. As a kid, I loved renting VHS tapes, and some of my favorite tapes to rent were episodes of the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” So imagine my sheer joy, readers, when I walked into a store this week and saw the original toys for reasonable prices. For a moment, I was 9 again. I didn’t have taxes, or bills, or a chronic illness. I had utter bliss. And that’s why we’re looking at “TMNT Classic Leatherhead,” because I want to relive my childhood wonder!

I freaking love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I just wanna get that out there. I freaking adore them. I could write whole essays on why Michelangelo and Raphael constantly alternate as my favorite character. I could present an entire analysis on what makes Bebop and Rocksteady such great villains. I could do a powerpoint on why the rivalry between Shredder and Master Splinter is the stuff of legends. Basically, I’m going into this with some biases, and those biases were born of love.

Pretty sure you already know who the Ninja Turtles are, but if not, let’s do a quick overview: while the details as a whole change from series to series, with each show or comic universe being a fresh start for the characters, the basics stay the same: exposure to a strange ooze mutates four baby turtles into humanoid turtles who are then trained by rat who was also mutated (sometimes he is a man who became a rat, and sometimes he is a rat who became a rat-man) in the art of ninjutsu. They find themselves in conflict with aliens, other mutants, and their most significant foes, the ninja clan known as The Foot, and its leader, the masked warrior called The Shredder. Surprisingly, this premise has led to some dark, serious stories, and the original comics were very much not aimed at kids, dealing with themes such as child soldiers, the endless cycle of vengeance and violence and how it warps all it touches, prejudice, and the death of loved ones. The series people tend to think of, though, is the very fun and campy cartoon from the 80’s, which is where Leatherhead, the subject of today’s review, comes from.

Leatherhead is a character whose specific deal varies depending on which series you look at. Sometimes, he’s pretty sympathetic, wanted to lash out at those who hurt him and to take care of his friends. Sometimes, he’s very much someone who has become a villain due to letting his hate for his enemies consume him. And sometimes, he’s an alligator from Florida with a shotgun and a bear trap who talks like he came from the most stereotypical part of Louisiana. We’re looking at that version, because he is delightful.

Offensively Cajun.

I love how this toy looks. Every part of his design is so different from what most action figures do, where the figure is standing upright, arms at the side and face with a stoic expression, or just so riddled with joints that it detracts from the looks of the thing. Leatherhead’s hunched over, posed like he’s ready for the hunt, and clearly grinning sinisterly. His vest and pants are torn and ragged to show that they’re clearly not made for him and that he’s forced his way into them, and his hat’s plopped down on his head in a way that screams “swamp man.” His entire look is a lot of fun. Also, while his belt is unpainted, making some details on it hard to see, it actually has a lot of things hanging from it: ammo, bait, and various critters Leatherhead’s caught and intends to eat. It also has a place to store Leatherhead’s gun when he’s not on the hunt. His design’s very animated and fun to look at. Which Leatherhead’s belt and accessories lack paint, he himself is very colorful and blatantly a a toy. His design and paint job scream “play with me!”

In terms of articulation, Leatherhead’s alright. He has very basic articulation in that his legs, arms, neck, and tail move. That’s nothing too surprising. His mouth can open and close, which is delightful, though, he loses points because his head’s a bit loose. I can feel it wiggle when I turn it, and even though I know it’s fine and the head is in no danger, it does annoy me.

The state mascot of Florida: an alligator with a shotgun.

Leatherhead comes with two accessories: a shotgun and a bear trap. This is delightful. Those accessories go along perfectly with how cartoonishly stereotypical he is, which is fine because he’s a cartoon character from the 80’s-90’s. His accessories are fun little things for kids to play with, so they’re fun, simple things. The shotgun fits nicely in Leatherhead’s hands and can attach to his belt, and the bear trap opens and closes. It’s not spring-loaded, but that’s a good thing because otherwise someone’s losing a finger. Probably me. I make bad choices sometimes. Now, his belt is removable, which I guess makes it count as an accessory, but I didn’t want to risk damaging it, so I refused to take it off for pics. Leatherhead comes wearing it, so I just left it as is.

One bag of meth away from being Florida’s new state flag.

Leatherhead does have one big issue that I want to point out. Due to how he’s sculpted, his balance is a bit off and he falls over easily. That’s pretty much it. He’s from an era where toys were played with and then set aside to be played with more later, so “standing perfectly balanced for display” really wasn’t on the designers’ minds. You can get him to balance, but it’s going to take a little effort.

Strutting his stuff on the catwalk.

Leatherhead and the other “TMNT Classic” toys are available at mass retail, but I’d actually be hard-pressed to give you a price range. I’ve seen the figures at some stores for about $20, but I found Leatherhead and a bunch of other figures at Target for $11 as the standard price. They weren’t on discount or special sale or anything. Their regular price was $11. The toys are aimed at ages 4 and up, and I would absolutely recommend them. They’re fun to play with, delightful characters, and just all around a joy. And the boxes have character bios on the back, so kids can be introduced to the characters. I would absolutely say to go out and get them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go play with Leatherhead and relive the magic of my youth again. This is JS signing off and wishing you Happy Toy Hunting!

[silentwriter28]

So an few days ago I watched for the first time TMNT rise of the turtles, now I heard about it when it first came out and was off putted by the new design. Now I love it especially Donnie.  

 

So as we all know the Franchise for the TMNT has been going on for years. 

 

All the way to the 1990s. 

 

Now giving as this person was apparently their first try with the series, I can understand why it was the way it was. 

When you want to continue an famous series, BUT have your own spin on it. Then you tend to get an little extreme on your own original ideas. 

Now this is just my view, as I have grown up with the series.  

 

First I am going to say what I loved. 

The physical design I loved Donnie’s new smart attitude, his looks and the rest of the turtles looks. It was amazing.  

 

 

I love how the brothers treated Mikey with more respect, that they were a team and they loved each.

I love that 1 of the villains are some of the villains turned good, and I love that the person who created them became like family.

There was a lot of aspects of the show that were actually really good and in had very good character development.

Now as a critic or somebody who is not a big TV person but his always love the franchise. There are certain aspects of the show that I didn't like.

Now one thing that I've always adored was the a team and B team, Donny and Mikey and Leo and wrath. The 2 oldest and the 2 youngest.

We didn't see that much of that in the serious which is something that 2012 the series before did quite a bit, I thought it was very endearing because Donny being protective over his younger brother was always something that I loved.

And I thought that they had good chemistry.

When you take a series then is pretty much as old as the end of time, I can understand wanting to change things up.

But when you're changing a dynamic, the looks, the plot line to the degree that this show did.

I'm sorry you should expect a lot of criticism.

For some other people claiming boomers are to blame people have to understand that we've been there since to begin.

And it doesn't mean that some of the boomers didn't like the show.

But if you change things up so much to the degree that you really can't even recognize the series anymore. That's when you change things too much. If you change the physical aspect, the dynamic of the group and the plot line it's no longer the franchise people love so much.

I mean it's a version of it but it you can't even recognize the show especially for some of us who followed it since the beginning.

Changing some stuff is great but when you're changing it to where you're changing everything that the show is about.

That's why people didn't like it.

If you changed up some more aspects you could have made in original show.

Things can be changed but changing it so much I didn't even recognize the show as part of the franchise.

I'm sad it's cancel because I would have loved to seen more maybe development but at this point it's just especially making the characters dumb.

You literally couldn't tell they were ninjas it was always goofing off there was serious aspects but then it was quickly resolved.

If you're gonna make a show after 2012 which had 7 out of 10 ratings and had all of this amazing stuff that happen and then make this show will is not very surprising that it got canceled.

I'm looking forward to the movie I'm hoping they change things up a little. I would have loved to see more big brothers being over protective of Mikey because that was the trademark.

And that's what happens big brothers being protective of their little brother.

But it's like when you have characters that act like South Park people can't blame people for being put off.

I thought it had great potential I just think things were changed so much that I didn't even recognize the series anymore.

But I will make a shout out to the writers who I love the physical aspect and I love Donnie's badboy attitude there was a lot of things in the show I liked.

[willowaudreykeyes]

35!!

Ramble about any fic related thing that you want!

Anon, your a sweetheart, you know that?

I’ve been slowly writing for Rise Of The TMNT because I’ve been a Ninja Turtles fan since I saw the first live action movie when I was a toddler (yeah i mean the 1990′s one) and this cartoon version is just... perfect.

The four actually act like brothers again! And they’re different kinds of turtles! Raph is a Snapping Turtle, Leo is a Red-Eared Slider, Mikey is a Box Turtle and Donnie is a Softshell Turtle. And they’re still brothers because they were mutated with Splinters DNA (i cant say how because spoilers)

It starts out with Raphael being the leader since he’s the oldest brother (canonically 15) and he still has his anger issues, but that’s also not his only character trait. He’s the big brother, the protector, the over-bearing but loving brother who gets mad when someone messes with those he cares about. He baby talks animals and goes a little easy on his brothers sometimes while still having issues with his anger! It’s not his only personality trait anymore!

And with Leo not having the role of a leader shoved in his face every ten seconds, he is super chill and has fun with his life and makes puns! He’s the punny one! No one understands how happy this makes me. He can still step up to the plate and be serious when need be, but mostly he’s the ‘Face Man’ as he calls himself, of the group. He’s charming, silly and yet still has the ‘am i enough?’ issues as his other versions have.

Now Donnie? Donatello. Donald. Othello Von Ryan (yes that is an alias of his and I adore it). He is sarcastic, has issues with his emotions, always trying to impress the others, while also trying to get them to read a gosh darn book once in their lives that isn’t a comic book- Anyway, he’s not just ‘shy nerd’ anymore but someone who is a nerd BUT ALSO has other traits! Like his need for approval without actively voicing it, his love of dancing, getting too excited and forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, remembering something by making it into a song- I adore him. And he has similar things as I do with emotions, which is probably also Alexithymia and just *screams into the void with happiness*

Mikey isn’t the only silly one anymore, so what does that make him? The heart. He’s still the youngest and he’s also the cook, the optimistic brother, the naive one, the one who gets scared the easiest. But he isn’t always a happy bundle of joy 24/7 anymore! He gets mad, he gets upset, and he shows it! He stands up for his brothers when need be! He jokes about replacing Donnie once or twice- 

These boys are finally real brothers and I adore it so flipping much. Splinter is probably the largest change. He is a father first, teacher fifth. Instead of raising them to practically be mini-soldiers from the day he has them, he treats them like children. He calls them by their colours most of the time because names be hard. He misses the good ol’ days but also wouldn't trade his sons for anything. This guy is finally a father and it is so nice. Best rat dad.

Even April O’Neil and Casey Jones are different! April is African American, who doesn’t always need saving and is more like a big sister to the Turtles as she's known them since they were kids. Casey is first off, a girl AND she’s Asian. No racial stereotyping either! April is just a happy girl from New York who cares about the Turtles. Casey is... well that’s spoilers. 

Shredder is different and unique, the enemies are unique, the style and places are unique. Gosh, they even have two of the villains become boyfriends! Yes, two male cartoon characters are canonically dating. And they dote on each other. While also fighting the Turtles. And others. I love them.

The community is amazing, the headcanons are amazing, just... I love it. I heard that more episodes and even a movie could be coming out!?!? So I am just in love!?!? 

Then I added Willow to the mix! Genderfluid, Asexual, Italian-American 15yr old with lots of trauma and no family. I threw her at the Turtles, where she’ll find a family, a best friend and eventually a boyfriend (it’s a REALLY long burn too). She’s also got magic. And touch starvation and insomnia and is afraid of certain bugs-

There’s so much to this freaking series and I cannot wait to add my lil canon-compliant AU to it. I haven’t posted anything about it because I like stocking up my multi-chapters before posting but gosh- I really hope this fixation stays around for a long time. I am in LOVE with this series!

[imma-lil-teapot]

Each TMNT Incarnation and Where They Stand With Me :)

(Nervous chuckle) ... Yeah no, I suck at titles. Moving on! 

Y’all can go ahead and skip this part if you’re not interested in senseless rambling and just wanna get to the TMNT fun~ ;) 

Soooooo, I’ve recently updated my Tumblr page to a blog dedicated to all my fandoms (musing, headcanons, writing, gifs, pics, the works, basically anything and everything in relation to them) since I wasn’t really ever doing anything with it other than using it to share pics mostly. But ever since I stumbled back into the TMNT fandom, I’ve been searching Tumblr for fan content and OMGOSH, did I hit the jackpot! Headcanons, fanfics, Turtle x reader stories, so much juicy stuff! Am hooked! Dunno why I never tried searching for similar stuff in the past for my other fandoms! I guess I just... didn’t realize there was so much content here. :O But anyway, I always wanted a place to share ideas and thoughts regarding my fandoms outside of sites like Deviantart and Fanfiction.net, and heck, it’s been here under my nose all this time... Y’all gonna have to forgive me; I’m an old fart. ;P (Insert image of Slowpoke for reference) So without further ado... 

LET’S GET THIS PIZZA PARTY STARTED! 

Imma start this blog off really simple and, as the title states, just give you all a small-ish idea of where each TMNT universe stands (or ranks?) with me, personally... Note the ‘personally’ part so please don’t feel offended if I don’t share the same opinion as you on a particular verse. ^^; I have my own tastes and will respect the next person’s when it comes to them. ;) Also, please beware the typos (which there most definitely will be)...

IN RELEASE DATE ORDER: (Hopefully they’re right)

MIRAGE COMICS~

Imma just say it: I haven’t read any of them yet. :/ There probably are sites out there that would allow you to view them online for free, but in truth, I’ve been a little slack about trying to find any... That may however change someday as I always tell myself I should really seek out the source material so it’s only a matter of time. What I do know, however, is that they’re of course a lot darker than most incarnations (which I don’t have a problem with personally) and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious as to exactly how much darker. X’D The closest I’ve come to ‘knowing’ these Turts comes from watching the Turtles Forever movie and they weren’t in it for a long time so it’s very difficult to say what they actually mean to me, so we’ll just put these guys down in the ‘not sure’ column for now. ;)

1987 CARTOON~

HAHA~ I think any fan of the franchise as a whole knows this little gem! The series that really hit it off and spawned over a 190 eps! Quite an impressive feat for a Saturday morning cartoon! It made its way to TVs the year before I was born, but it would take another few before it would reach our tubes (we’re always a few years behind the rest of the world :/ ) so I was around four when I was first introduced to it and needless to say, I loved it back then! Michelangelo was initially my fav due to him being my older brothers’ fav and the one they mainly spoke of, but it didn’t take long before my favering gravitated towards Leonardo (even at such a young age) and has been that way ever since. ;) But where exactly does the series stand with me as an adult nowadays with so many other verses we’ve been exposed to? I do hold a lot of nostalgia (as many older do) for it, and I mean, come on, that theme song is ageless, and I even started watching a lot of vids involving the original VAs and the shenanigans they get up to and seriously, it’s so heartwarming and fun to see them! But I have to be honest...

It’s not my fav verse, honestly. I will always adore them, of course, because of the nostalgia and the goofiness... But it’s the latter that’s mostly the reason for it being placed a bit lower on the favoritism ladder. While its a fun watch if you want something lighthearted, I still prefer the idea of the darker undertones that comes with being associated with ninjas. It’s just a preference. Plus, the Turtles designs are big one for me, and I’m sorry to say, but I keep seeing these fellas as more frog-like than turtle, despite the shells. X’D So yeah, no big reasoning for it, and even if someone were to ask me if I like these guys, I’ll still say yes, just that they’re not my ultimate fav is all. ;)

Also, we won’t talk about the Japanese Anime Ninja Turtles: Superman Legend or something to that extent... We’ll just let that one be gently swept under the carpet. ;) Only ever saw the trailer for it and that’s all I’ll ever need to see in my lifetime.

1990 MOVIES TRILOGY~

Now funny enough, I really don’t remember ever seeing these movies as a kid, though it’s possible I did and just maybe blocked the memory, but I highly doubt it... So yeah, I saw these movies as an adult already. The first is praised by most fans, and honestly, I can see why: it’s pretty good! :D The acting is very decent and the humour’s brilliant! The two sequels... not so much but still okay. ;) Where they sit with me... Not too far on the ladder again I’m afraid. :/ While I do really enjoy and appreciate the acting and that humour (”I made a funny.” X’D) it mostly comes down to the Turtles designs again... I really can’t see past them being actors in costumes rather than characters. :’( Granted, good actors. ;) And heck, Jim Henson did a phenomenal job! They’re just not really the movies for me is all, even if I do go back and watch ‘em every now and then. X’D I do however melt every time at the scene in the first movie where Raph wakes up in the bath and Leo’s there and apologizing and all... Makes me all gooey inside! X’D The feels are real! Speaking of Leo, though, he sounds even younger than Mikey. Small nitpick, that, but... why? X’D

But yeah, let’s just say, they’re good movies, just, not my favs.

Also, Coming Out Of Their Shells tour... Yeah, I’m gonna just... pretend that doesn’t exist for a minute. 

THE NEXT MUTATION~

Nope.

Saw one ep as a kid and am not interested in seeing anymore.

Although, VA Matt Hill voices Raph. That’s one good thing.

2003/2k3~

Well it wasn’t already apparent by my avatar... Ladies and gents, I present to you... My fav TMNT verse to date! Oh my goodness, where do I even begin with this delicious series?! :D Firstly, animation: so appealing, comic book-y style! Their designs: without sounding pervy, veeeeeeeery appealing (hehehehehe), no seriously, they sometimes have a bitta bulk to them but it honestly works, and dem muscles, and the cool eyes! The VAs: spot on! Perfect! Wouldn’t have ‘em any other way! Make me melt, Mr. Michael Sinterniklaas~ (cough) Their personalities: Omgosh, just yes! So perfect! They’re easily differentiated and yet still work together so well. Leo’s mature and level-headed (well, most of the time ;P ) yet still gets tested a lot and even has a fun side that’s shown on occasion. Raph’s grouchy and violent but is shown on more than one occasion that’s he’s total softie and really does care. Don’s just a sweetheart and freakishly smart and even has slips ups from time to time. Mikey... omgosh, best Mikey ever! So much fun! So hilarious! And just a bundle of energy, but not at all an idiot like he’s sometimes portrayed in other verses. He’s witty, mischievous and just so adorable! Heck, even Master Splinter, April, Casey, the lot of them are just awesome in this series! And wow, they really do lean more towards the source material (or so I’m told) when it comes to the plots! It’s darker than the other previous verses yet still remaining kid-friendly (although I question it at times XD) and omgosh, it’s just everything I want in a TMNT universe! Granted, it’s not perfect perfect, but it nailed it for me. ;) It really showed so lovely character developments, alsortsa different genres, the humour will leave you in stitches, the Turts are all just so lovable, I can’t get enough of them! This series was really my high point and I’ve yet to find one that tops it~

Btw, this even includes Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer (BTTS). The former being my least fav of the series simply due to the setting and again, it’s just preference. I even liked BTTS, even though I’m not overly fond of a cyberspace setting, but I found myself really liking the art style and the general plot. :D 

2007/2k7~

As with the last, if you’ve picked up on the page’s header/banner, you’d have probably guessed that the 2007 movie is also a good candidate for one my favs... And you’d be correct. ;) I’m actually very fond of this movie, and it’s largely due to the Turtles designs. I love how they were done! They just look so cool! <3 Subtle differences tell the viewer who’s who even if they didn’t have a mask or weapons. The VAs were also pretty good~ Now, the story isn’t the greatest, I’ll admit. Personally I thought it was okay, but know many fans think otherwise. But I did like the confrontation between Leo and Raph! It got real there, peeps! :O Now here’s also where it falls a little on its face for me: I didn’t really like how they handled Leo’s personality (if you haven’t already picked up on it, yes, I’m a Leo fangirl and I’m picky when it comes to how they handle his personality) but it’s a nitpick again, yet, I still feel compelled to state my opinion: the whole “I’m better than you.” comment really took me back and made me think they pushed it. I honestly like to believe he’d never actually say something like that... at least, 2003!Leo wouldn’t. X’D But that’s just my problem: I’m comparing a different verse’s Leo to this one and whether I like it or not, he said it. :/ Oh well, it still made for some fun action scenes and I’ll still always like the movie.

Bit of a goof on my side: I honestly thought that this movie was made to tie in with the 2003!verse due to the timeline in which it was produced, but turns out, it’s actually closer to the 1990′s timeline although still considered it’s own verse.

2012/2k12~

Oooh boy, lemme prepare for the backlash real quick... I’m uhhhh... not a fan of these boys. :/ I don’t mind them, but I’m honestly never gonna watch the series again. It’s hard to top your fav when you’ve kinda already hit your high point, ya know. Now before you light your torches and sharpen your pitchforks, hear me out: I will never bash the series, or make fun of anyone who likes it! Or anything to that extent! It’s just wasn’t for me, plain and simple, and it’s got nothing to do with it being ‘new’ or I’m just an old fart stuck in my ways. Heck, If you’re still reading, you would’ve found out that even nostalgia couldn’t beat the series that grasped me in my teens! So no, it has nothing to do with age. But if you do need a reason: I wasn’t overly fond of how they handle the characters. For one, they look and act a bit too young, Mikey is just... wow, something else. Donnie’s... sheesh, pretty snappy and antagonising. Raph’s well... okay, he’s meant to be angry half the time, and they did give him some more layers with Spike and Mona Lisa and whatnot, but he still kinda never learns his lesson if I can say that? He’ll learn that he shouldn’t cause issues with others, yet next episode he’s back at it again. :/ Leo’s... wow, just not like other Leos. X’D Best way I can describe him is... young? Very childlike. And even when he was progressing to becoming this better leader, I honestly couldn’t even see the change. My mind was just stuck on this “He’s a babeh.” notion. Also, I’m not even gonna start on this April and Casey. Just. No. Most of the characters were annoying and I just kept seeing recycled plot after plot. What I did like was the romance that blossomed between Raph and Mona (albeit far too rushed) and even Donnie liking April was adorable (but seriously Donnie, you can do so much better), and there were some really heartfelt moments, like Splinter telling Leo to leo his brothers with his heart and not his head, and the scenes when they were Tots will always make me squeal... But yeah... without leaving any spoilers.... about Splinter... just... thanks, Nickelodeon. Y’all know what I mean. Not once... But twice.... Really? So yeah, look, I realized some of those reasons might even be petty, but again, it’s just not the series for me, but anyone who’s a fan... You keep being a fan! ;) I’m glad you can enjoy something I can’t. ;)

2014/2k14/2016/2k16 AKA BAYVERSE~

HAHA~ Every fan’s favorite... If only. X’D Jokes aside, despite many fans claiming the Bay movies ruined the franchise, these two films gathered a small following... And I’m apart of it. :) Funny enough, I honestly didn’t know what to think of them when the movie first came out. I think I was just taken aback by the sheer amount of detail and all that went into their designs. I didn’t not like them, but again, their designs were a lot to take in. :O Even now after seeing the movies quite a few times over, I find myself constantly discovering something I didn’t notice on them before, be it a strap or a scar etc. And it honestly took some getting use to their sizes, I mean, sheesh! :O Not to mention the different background story, and Megan Fox’s wooden, expressionless acting, but despite all that... I found myself actually growing attached to these hulks of Turtles. They still have a lot of that heart in them and plus they’re just so much fun, I mean, can we say ‘Elevator scene’? X’D Now again, not perfect by anys mean, but still fun and pretty decent incarnations to add to the franchise. Again, Leo’s been given this ‘Better than you’ a bit which irked me to be frank. Not always but it’s there sometimes, but otherwise alright. Raph’s a decent Raph. Even had some tender moments. Donnie’s adorable! X’D This slightly potty mouthed geek that you just gotta love. And Mikey... although given that bitta ‘idiot’ feel, is also just as lovable and you want to hug him every time he’s onscreen! 

In short, I like ‘em. :) They’re actually closer to the top of the ladder than some others.

RISE OF THE TMNT/ROTTMNT/2018/2K18~

Yeeeeeeeeuuuuuuh... no. Sorry. Not for me. :/ Again, gonna remind y’all, nothing to do with age. Nothing to do with change. I will say that the fluid animation is nice, and the fact that they chose 2D animation. :) Buuuuuut, wow, they were certainly a lot to take in. Almost as much as Bay’s Turtles. After watching a few eps, I will conclude that they really just aren’t what I’m looking for. I found that the constant joking, while sometimes funny, got a little bit much, plus such short eps. Raph being leader was a switch and one that took awhile to get use to and honestly, I’m just not for it, I don’t even know where to begin with Donnie, Mikey’s okay, Leo... (deep breath) I don’t know what they were thinking... Let’s not even go to Master Splinter. But anyways, I get that change was what they were going for and that it was more so based on the 1987 toon with the silliness so that’s fine. I’m glad it’s got so many fans. :) And honestly, I wanna end off just by saying...

That no matter what your thoughts on what I’ve said, I hope you can respect my opinions and choices cause at the end of the day, they’re just my own, and I will always respect yours! :D If you adore the verses I’m not too crazy about, that’s great! :D I want you all to love the heck out of them! And honestly, this is what’s so great about this franchise: there are so many verses to choose from! So many options and tastes to suit any and all! You don’t have to follow the masses! You go enjoy whichever incarnation(s) you want to! ;) 

And there we have it, my first fandom bloggy thingy~ Hope there’ll be many more where that came from! :D

This is Drag0n-Mistr3ss signing off~

[anpansblog]

Honest opinion on the different versions of TMNT that I watched/read

(It's night, I'm really talkative at night, I can’t shut up at night. Just my opinion, no offence. I also love fan content for all versions.)

TMNT cartoons:

- 1987 - Watched it as a kid, rewatched some episodes recently. Not a big fan. I might watch an episode, laugh at some jokes and then forget about it completely. Loved their designs in the Red Sky Seasons. I think Mikey used to be my favourite when I was a kid. But now I kind of like Leo more.

- 2003 - I used to be a big fan as a kid. Now I'm rewatching (and also watching episodes I never saw) and it's kind of in the middle for me. Turtles are cool and I love their designs a lot. I also got used to their voices, but the music is still so ungodly horrible, I can barely pull through an episode sometimes. Also episodes that great are great, but bad episodes not only bad but also so boring I found myself dozing off at times. And there's plenty of bad episodes, unfortunatly. As for favourite turtles, Donnie and Mikey were my faves when I was a kid. Now I like them all. If I really must to chose one I’ll go with Leo though.

- 2012 - I used to hate it when it came out, but now when I'm actually watched it as an adult, I feel pretty embarassed for the younger me. Turtles looks adorable. Music is greats, voice acting is on point. Show had both comedic and dramatic moments and for me it's a big plus. For some reason this version clicked with me the most. Even though I'm not a fan of CGI animation... Also this is the fist cartoon where I cared about Splinter. As for favourite turtle, they all stole my heart in this one. But if I'll try pretty hard I'd say Raph and Mikey... 

- 2018 - Watched it in the same time as 2012. Not a fan. Much like 1987. To be honest, I watch it mostly out of curiosity, but I really remember 3 or 4 episodes. I just can't get invested. I like turtles here though, even if I don't like their designs. Also animation is great and this is awesome. Favourite turtle? Leo right now. Because he's a stinky meme boy? I don’t even know anymore...

TMNT movies:

- 1990-1993 -  I had to rewatch them recently.  What can I say about those movies? III>I>II, unpopular opinion, I know. I also hate "Go ninja, go ninja go" rap with passion. Turtles were pretty cool, I liked Mikey and Raph the most.

- Power Rangers/TMNT crossower - I hated it as a kid. Next Mutation never aired in Russia. I was pretty confused and thought the whole thing looked pretty bad and silly.

- 2007 - I love this movie despite all its flaws. It had plenty of great moments. Raph was my favourite.

- 2014, 2016 - I really enjoyed these movies. They were... entertaining. Even though I didn't like the designs I got used to them pretty fast. Once more I think that 2014>2016, wich is unpopular opinion. Raph and Don were my favourites.

TMNT comics:

- 1984 - I love them despite a strange non canon issues (that ruin continiuty), constantly changing art style and some really wacky shit going on. I also must say that I love B&W comics in general. Raph is my favourite once again. Angry, moody, independent, loyal, a bit immature and really emotional. Quintessential Raph.

- 2011 - I really love IDW version. Turtles are awesome. Idea with the reincarnation is pretty neat. Even though I don't really like some artstyles in those comics. When I started reading them I just kept reading and reading ‘till it was 6 a.m. and I was on a issue 50. I couldn't stop, I was into the story that much. I also started collecting some volumes after that. Even though once again I like all turtles in this one, I like Leo the most while Raph takes the second place.

[midnightroseprincess]

Your fandom is... TMNT! :D

Woot woot! A peep has sent me what was probs my first and most enduring fandom. Answers down below.

Be warned that though I’ve read so many of the comics and seen a lot of all the different incarnations, a lot of these answers are gonna be answered with examples from the 2003 series, the 1990 movies, the classic comics, and the IDW comics, since those are the ones I grew up with (and thus more attached to) and in the comics’ cases, more familiar with/knowledgable of.

Also please forgive any typos.

Give me a fandom and I’ll tell you…

Favorite Male Character

Leonardo Hamato has been and always will be my favorite. Even when I was little, I could sympathize with Leo because we both had fears of failing and were burdened by the pressure to be perfect. Seeing Leo overcome these things inspired me to stick it out and overcome them to an extent, too. 

He’s also just such a good character. An encouraging older brother who would do anything (within reason and his principles) to protect and guide his family. A level-headed and strategic leader who is one of the best ninja of his generation. A humble, honorable warrior who gives opportunities to former enemies to redeem themselves and get out of abusive situations. A dork who can drop his serious brooding to goof off with his brothers and friends. His benign, deadpan sense of humor. His so-proud-of-you-even-if-you-worried-me-into-frustration pride in his little brothers. His trust in April and Usagi to the point that he allows himself to be vulnerable around them. On that note, his moments of weakness that are so realistic. He’s such a multi-layered, engaging character and I adore him. 

Also his character development helped me grow as a person… more details on that below, under Saddest Moment. 

I’ll add that my favorite version of him is the 2k3 version. 

Favorite Female Character

April O’Neil, no contest. April is a freaking delight. A professional technological programmer and hacker with knowledge of antiquities to boot. No matter what incarnation of her you pick, she’s such a likeable, reassuring presence in the TMNT universe. She grounds the turtles in a reality they were previously alienated from (aka the human world). She’s their family, and has fought tooth and nail for them (15/10 would do it again). 

I adore her relationship with the Hamato Clan. She’s this mature presence that can sit with Splinter and just say “Kids” together with him at the turtles’ antics. She’s this bird of a feather with Donatello, who has an equal in intelligence to talk to and work with. She’s this amazing older sister to Michelangelo, who answers all his questions on the human world and doesn’t expect him to keep optimistic all the time. She’s this amazing confidant to Leonardo, who can’t pull the big-brother-card on her and is so thankful that he can’t because it means he can talk to her about anything. She’s this strange mix of sister and mother to Raphael because she doesn’t shy away from his struggles with his inner demons and helps him through them. Her romance with Casey, though different in every incarnation, manages to be heartwarming and hilarious.

My favorite version of her is also from the 2k3 series, since it let her keep her technology skills. IDW April is super precious though. 

Least Favorite Character

Hm… Hard to say. The villains and secondary characters come and go, and even the most annoying villains can have a really good, terrifying episode or comic issue dedicated to them. 

All that comes to my mind are the Ninja Tribunal (who were freaking jerks) or Cousin Sid from the 2k3 series and Walker from the third live-action movie. When I think of the comic characters, all the villains and secondary characters had pretty amazing arcs at one point, so I’m cool with them. 

Favorite Ship

Capril (April O’Neil/Casey Jones) in any incarnation, pretty much. As for the others… I’d say I lowkey ship Raphael/Mona Lisa. Leonardo and Usagi go back and forth between a brotp and an otp for me. 

The love interests from the comics, I’m neutral on, because the classic TMNT writers weren’t actually all that interested in exploring the turtles’ sexuality and romance. The only one I can think of is Radical (Leo’s love interest) and her characterization was… slightly problematic. In the IDW series, they have a character named Alopex and I do like the ship tease between her and Raphael, but I’m waiting to see where it goes. 

Leorai (Leonardo/Karai) is the classic, star-crossed ship, considering one is the dutiful son of Splinter and the other is the daughter of The Shredder. I did ship them when I was growing up with the 2k3 series, but then, well, Karai tried to kill Leonardo’s entire family while he was out of the country and very nearly succeeded and destroyed their home. Talk about a ship sinker. She eventually sort of redeemed herself at the end of 2k3 but like had a romance going with Chaplin, a scientist of hers. So… I don’t know where I stand on it right now. On one hand, their dynamic is still incredibly interesting and on the other, a situation where they’d work in a healthy way would have to be an AU or the like. So I’m neutral on it a majority of the time.   

Favorite Friendship

Gosh, any of the turtles’ friendships with April, as detailed above. Otherwise, any of the kindred-spirit friendships the turtles make are all equal in my eyes. Mikey with Leatherhead, Donatello with Professor Honeycutt, Leonardo with Usagi, or Raphael with Casey. All are amazing. 

Favorite Quote

“In this life, we only have each other. If one of us goes down, we all go down. So focus.” – Leonardo. It sums up their family extremely well. 

Worst Character Death (if any)

Oh man.

SAINW. Same As It Never Was. From the 2k3 series. Just… SAINW. Everyone except April died or is presumed dead in that alternate universe by the end of that episode. On a minor note, Nano. Both times. Poor robot baby.

From the classic comics, Splinter’s death is up there, along with the death of Klunk, Mikey’s pet cat.

From the IDW series, the turtles’ death in their previous (human) lives – getting executed via beheading by The Shredder in front of Splinter (Yoshi Hamato). 

This made me so happy you have no idea Moment

The moment in the 2k3 series in Return to New York Part 1, where Donnie can’t hack into the Foot Clan’s HQ because Baxter Stockman designed the security and April just: “Too bad you don’t know anybody who used to work for Stockman,“ with that raised eyebrow of hers. Donnie just smiles back and allows her the chair to sit at the computer, she cracks her knuckles, and then hacks it in under 5 minutes. Not many of the Aprils get to keep her classic comic-self’s computer skills and that moment was SO. GOOD. The turtles even mention in following ‘previously-on’ segments that they’d have never been able to get through the building without April’s skills.

Any time Mikey shows he’s not JUST the goof but is actually the MOST interpersonally AWARE and INSIGHTFUL of all of them. An example from the 2k3 series in which he sticks up for Leo: “I think all of you should just lay off the poor guy. I mean, it can’t be fun, being the responsible one. And we’re the ones who really benefit. Raph’s free not to think ‘cause Leo does all the thinking for him. Don’s free to dream, and I’m free to take it easy, all because Leo’s busy being responsible enough for all of us.” 

The moment in the 1990 live action movie where Mikey and April team up to take down a Foot Clan ninja and it’s cemented that she’s family to the turtles. “You’re a natural, Sis!” “Thanks.” Also the turtles reactions post-battle to the Big Damn Kiss between April and Casey in the same movie. “All right April!” (Raph) / “All right Casey!” (Mikey) / “9.95!” (Donnie) / “Yeah, that’s the way to go!” (Leo). The turtles ship them so hard, you guys. 

Saddest Moment

Gosh… from the 2k3 series… the moment during his solo training where Leonardo just breaks down from the aftermath of the Exodus episodes. “I’m sorry. I’m… I - I did the best I could. I DID THE BEST I COULD! There wasn’t any more I could have done!!” and the Ancient One asks, “Then why do you blame yourself so?” And it… clicks for Leo. And at that same moment, it clicked for me too. And I started to work to get healthier coping methods for my own anxiety. Sometimes you have to realize how low you are to start building yourself up. I learned that as Leo did. It’s weird how the timing ended up working but… it did. 

In the classic comics when Raphael is turned into a normal turtle and just… everyone’s reactions to it. Especially when they go off to battle and hopefully find a way to return Raph to normal and he can’t go with them. 

In the IDW comics when the turtles realize that not only was Casey (who they’ve recently taken in out of an abusive home) nearly killed by a gunshot at the ambush at the docks, but that in the commotion of escaping, Leo was captured by their worst enemies. 

Favorite Location

Tough one. I love their second lair in the 2k3 series that has the cool cone shaped interior with cool tech makin it up that leads to the garage upstairs. They have purified water along with a working plumbing system, a sweet television set-up, enough room for everyone to live and hone their skills… it’s one of the sweeter set-ups for a layer they’ve ever had in any incarnation, which is why it was such a shame to see it destroyed. The following Reservoir Station Lair was okay but not as cool. 

That said, I still really love the underground, abandoned, and antique subway station from the second live-action movies. I adore the idea of Splinter taking the ticket station as his room and the turtles picking from the carriages. I imagine that that center carriage car is like a guest-room/sitting-room for their human peeps but the other cars are like walking into a different world based on which turtle’s room it is. The stain glass windows and antique tech lying around, the cool stairway…. the place, once free of cobwebs, is an awesome lair. 

This got REALLY long, whoops. Kind of to be expected though given how many versions of the TMNT there are. Thankies for sending it though.