Things You May Not Know about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

It’s so awesome to have have spent childhood in the 80s and 90s, especially if we’re talking about the great cartoon shows we’ve watched and followed back then. And mind you, most of them still exist today - some are even re-made into movies, video games, and other media – giving today’s children the chance to enjoy what their parents enjoyed (when they were kids) or even better!

One of the most favourite cartoon shows back then was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or TMNT! What started out as a black and white comic book by Mirage Studios has turned out be an enduring franchise that would entertain millions of children across generations all over the world. There were other shows and comics that featured anthropomorphic animal characters – and they were also action-oriented – but none has come out as long-lasting as the TMNT. Although humanised animals, their stories can be comparable to those of Marvel and DC Comics – ageless entertainment franchises with characters that can be rebooted in every era.

Do you love the Ninja Turtles? Great… because you’re in luck! We’re featuring some interesting facts about the TMNT franchise you might not know about (yet). So read on and say, COWABUNGA!

A Parody to Marvel Comic’s Daredevil

When the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became popular because of the TV show, many thought it got its inspiration from Marvel’s X-Men (you know, mutants and all). But actually, TMNT was meant to be a parody of Daredevil, another Marvel character. Let’s check their similarities!

1. Daredevil a.k.a. Matt Murdock got his super sensory powers when he accidentally hit a canister full of radioactive chemicals. It was said that the same chemicals were the ones that mutated the Baby Turtles when it dripped into the sewers where they lived.

2. Daredevil was trained by a martial arts expert named Stick. The Turtles’ mentor is also a martial arts master – Splinter.

3. Daredevil’s main nemesis is the Hand, a group of mystical ninja warriors that terrorise New York City. The Turtles, on the other hand, have the Foot Clan, ninjas serving as minions to Shredder and (also) terrorising New York City.

Hero not Ninja and No Nunchuks, Please!

In the United Kingdom, the word ninja was seen to be too violent for children. So the show was re-named to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles or TMHT.

Also, the government had very stringent policies about the use of nunchucks, and even its depiction in media was regulated. That’s why in season 4 of the cartoon series, Michaelangelo started to use grappling hooks as his main weaponry, and by season 5, he stopped using nunchucks totally.

It’s funny to note that the Turtles’ other weapons like the katanas of Leonardo, the bo staff of Donatello, and the twin sai of Raphael were deemed to be OK.

The Fifth Turtle

Aside from Leo, Mikey, Donie, and Raph there is another turtle in the team. There are 3 versions of this character:

1. Venus de Milo is the other turtle exposed to the same mutagen that transformed the main 4, except that Splinter never got to notice there was another one when he found them in the sewers. So instead, Venus was found by Chung, a man who coincidentally was also a martial arts expert. Chung trained her in the art of Shinobi.

2. The other presumed fifth turtle goes by the name of Kirby, named after the famous comic artist Jack Kirby. He was supposed to appear in the 4th instalment of the TMNT movie.

3. Another version is Jennika who appears in the current IDW Comics timeline.

The Inspiration for Shredder

Shredder has made a name for being one of the most terrifying and ruthless villains in pop culture – a total contrast to the quirkiness of the Ninja Turtles. However, the origin of his character has a funny yet interesting take.

TMNT’s co-creator, Kevin Eastman, conceptualised the character when he put his hand inside a cheese grater and imagined a man’s face inside. He further thought what a cruel looking villain it would be if that person was covered with sharp bladed metal. Eastman initially wanted to name this villain as the Grater!

Another co-creator, Peter Laird, thought otherwise. Thanks, Peter, for naming him Shredder (instead of Grater)!

Crossing Over

One of the many reasons why TMNT can adapt to the changing tastes of kids and audiences over the years is because the creators and publishers allowed it to crossover with other franchises. Some of the most favourite crossovers are with the following:

• Batman

• G.I. Joe

• Transformers

• Archie Comics

• Josie and the Pussycats

• Ghost Busters

• Power Rangers

TMNT Live Concert

So yes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have captured the hearts of kids (and grownups) everywhere through various types of media – comics, television, movies, video games, and of course toys and merchandise! Why not have a look at our TMNT toys here on our website?

However, did you know that the Ninja Turtles have stepped in the music scene as well? Yes, our 4 favourite pizza-eating turtle brothers have radically made a name as musicians too – not in the comics, TV, or movies – but in real life!

“Coming Out of Their Shells Tour” was a series of concerts that started on 17 August 1990, with the Turtles as the band members – Michaelangelo on guitars and lead vocals, Donatello on keyboards, Raphael on drums, and Leonardo on bass. It even featured a story line wherein Shredder and Baxter Stockman attempted to steal all the music in the world, but of course, our heroes were there to defeat them.

Do you know of some more interesting facts about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which you think are worth sharing to Mr Toys and our community? Please send us a comment!