#if there's a typo in here i'm gonna kms

[constructedparadox]

That new TMNT is so... different! The turtles are individually different species. The tone of the show is like nothing that's been done for them before. Even the underlying plot seems to be an entirely original take. Honestly, besides the main protagonist names (and being based in NYC) they have used nearly none of the original lore from the previous versions of the comic turned pop culture main stay. Here are some thoughts:

I'm not nearly as mad at the animation style as I thought I'd be. It's got the feel of a fan made cartoon short - but not short. It's very fluid, very detailed, colourful (which is a big change from the shadowy theme of 2012 TMNT), and is clearly influenced by anime. 2012 TMNT had is anime moments but the 3d animation could feel very stiff a lot of the time. The action scenes in Rise are gonna be intense, I can tell already.

Humor is a major factor in the stories. There were blatant jokes, implied jokes, visual humor, comedic exchanges and probably more loaded into just the first episode. Considering how "not funny" the original comic is and how dark those stories have been translated over the decades, it's at first shocking and then kind of refreshing. This may explain why all of the original villains were ditched. Perhaps to preserve their well treaded intensity while introducing newer characters with a lighter disposition? It also helps that the jokes are funny.

The story is 95% brand new. Like I said earlier, there is no recall to the original material besides the turtles' names, the mutation, NYC, and April and Splinter ( side note: I like the new April but I do not like the new Splinter). This is a stark contrast from the last series which often featured homages and throwbacks to everything from the comics to the live action movies, sometimes subtle and sometimes obvious. The changes are so major in Rise that I can't see how call backs could be possible, but I could always be wrong about this. Honestly, it seems that the creators wanted to build a completely new world for the characters and avoid harkening to the past in any shape or form. From the way that first episode went I could totally get on board with that.

Then there are the turtles themselves. To go along with the plot shift there has also been a shift in the four brother's character traits and their team dynamic. Most notable are the changes in Leonardo and Raphael. Not only have they made Raph the leader but they have completely erased Leo's ambition and cooled Raph's trademark temper. They both have more relaxed attitudes. It's almost as if they all became more like classic Michelangelo. Raph is still the more intense fighter of the group, however, and it's likely for this reason that he's been put in charge. Interestingly, this doesn't seem to bother anyone in the group, least of all Leo. They seem to truly enjoy one another which is different from their constant sibling bickering that's usually present. There were times in 2012 TMNT that a viewer would think they only tolerated each other for battle purposes. In Rise, they crack on each other, joke with each other, and even openly praise one another. That's nice to finally witness after all these years.

You can tell from the outset that these are probably the youngest version of the team that's ever been featured. They talk about how they don't really train to fight, use their weapons or be ninjas in general, and early in the episode they completely skip an opportunity to be heroic. This may mean that they get a tad more serious later in the show. Even with their fairly jovial demeanors, you can see the potential for personal growth in them and I'd be surprised if the show didn't take advantage of those chances to develop their character. For now, they don't even have their classic weapons, but the new ones are cool and magical as well.

I liked the premier episode and will be watching. I'm glad I checked it out because I was truly in mourning over 2012 TMNT going off the air. It was perfect in it's own ways and probably my favorite version to date. But Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles looks to be a worthy successor in that it won't be anything like the others before it.

@kidkendoll I know I said a lot but I had a lot of thoughts lol