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What is the best Ninja Turtles cartoon?
- Thread starter Uzumaki Goku
- Start date
2003 for me. Great 2D animation, character designs, voice acting, darker tone with humour, and a really good first five seasons. Show doesn't really get enough respect. Still surprises me that it was a 4Kids show.
It is because you are not in animation cicles
It does some weird choices (like the focus on ralph) and some understandable choices (basically every enemy is a mutant) that makes it feel weird to TMNT but damn the animation is chefkiss.gif
'87. A lot of it is nostalgia, of course, but I still genuinely enjoy watching it every now and then. Could never really get into the newer ones.
Fred Wolf TMNT. Its becoming more and more about the voice actors and music scoring. Maybe someone can prove me wrong but cartoons in general are worsening in sound design.
RoTMNT is probably cool but the character designs are kinda iffy and that results in ugly toys. Maybe kids like them; I don't know.
RoTMNT is probably cool but the character designs are kinda iffy and that results in ugly toys. Maybe kids like them; I don't know.
It's not the 80s version, it aged terribly. I love tmnt but you have to have some nostalgia glasses on if you think the 80s one is good.
I just remember trying to re-watch the 87 cartoon on DVD (after having bought all of them on DVD... sigh) and the first 2 episodes being soooo good. Then, in the 3rd episode, the fucking Neutrino's showed up! I was like wtf?!?!?! I could've sworn they weren't until the 3rd season! Let alone the 3rd episode. It kinda ruined the rest of the experience for me.
I mean I grew up with the 2003 one so that would be my pick. From what I've watched from the 2012 series was really solid as well.
I've never seen the '87 one.
I've never seen the '87 one.
Season 1 + 2 of 1987 series on syndication.
The show turned to shit when it went network on CBS on Season 3
The show turned to shit when it went network on CBS on Season 3
It's probably because most people likely think it's not very good. I've watched through about half the first season with my three year old, neither of us cared for it (he likes 1987 and 2012 well enough).
It feels like it's going for a Teen Titans Go sort of thing but only half-commits to the concept and ends up tonally a mess.
This reminds me ... the season thing makes no sense for the 87 series
What kind of show has a season with 47 episodes and another with 5 ?
The original Ninja Turtles was actually only going to be a mini-series of a few episodes, just to promote the toyline. It... kind of took off, so they ordered more than double for the next season. Then Turtle Mania was in full swing, and they went all out with 47 episodes next season and 41 in season 4. They started to scale it back as viewership steadily began to drop.This reminds me ... the season thing makes no sense for the 87 series
What kind of show has a season with 47 episodes and another with 5 ?
OP
OP
This reminds me ... the season thing makes no sense for the 87 series
What kind of show has a season with 47 episodes and another with 5 ?
Not to mention... there was a European Side Season of sorts...
Is that part of Season 7?
I get the feeling that if you loved Jackie Chan, you will love this. Shit looks fun to watch.
2003. Rise of and 2012 are great as well vs 87 which didn't age well and Next Mutation which was only memorable for adding Venus, but 2003 is the closest to the comics without changing things up too much. 2012 is superior in regards to "paying homage" however.
Having bought the digital code for the entire '87 series, I agree.
It's tough to watch
2012 was my favorite. Strong characterization, a decent middle ground between the silliness of the concept and mature themes. Unlike 2003, the 2012 did not shy away from death. I loved Splinter's lesson about the difference between showing mercy to a street punk and showing mercy to someone like Shredder (tip: it's terrible horrible idea).
My main problem with it was the amount of filler episode. There was a whole season taking place in space that put the show's most interest plot point, the decade-long feud between Shredder and Splinter, on hold. But when it came to the episodes about this, it shined.
My main problem with it was the amount of filler episode. There was a whole season taking place in space that put the show's most interest plot point, the decade-long feud between Shredder and Splinter, on hold. But when it came to the episodes about this, it shined.
I thoroughly enjoyed both 1987 and 2003. But I was not a fan of shredderkrang.
Also James Avery as Shredder is the best. TONIGHT I DINE ON TURTLE SOUP
Also James Avery as Shredder is the best. TONIGHT I DINE ON TURTLE SOUP
Shredder's obsession with killing Splinter was so severe that he didn't care about the complete destruction of the entire world.
I'd argue that the original five episode mini series aged decently, but once it went to series there was definitely a change in tone, animation quality (season 1 is "secret anime"), and what they were allowed to get away with in action scenes.
2003. The Theme song is SUBLIME.
The likes of Transformers and Thundercats are pretty much god tier from that period and wipe the floor with most cartoons over the last 30 years.
As a kid who WORSHIPPED the Turtles growing up ('turtles' was one of the first words out of my mouth ever) I want to tell anyone in here saying they grew up with the 87 show that shit does not hold up. It's nostalgic, sure but that show is noooot good. 2012 however was amazing. At least the first four seasons were.
Agree with this mostly. TMNT 2012 hit its lowest in the second half of season 3. After the mid season finale, the plot barely went anywhere the rest of season until the very end with little build up. I'm not a huge fan of the space arc but I thought it was better than the second half of season 3.
The series peaked with season 2. Nearly every episode of the second season past the first 4ish are great and the two part finale is my favorite episodes of the series.
I've been a Transformers fan since 1984 and have a collection that numbers over a thousand individual robots, and I can unhesitatingly say that the '80s Transformers cartoon, while it is indeed one of the best cartoons of the time, is barely-watchable nonsense. Thundercats is better, but not by much. The competition was even worse, of course, but that doesn't make Transformers and Thundercats good. The only cartoon of the era that holds up without nostalgia to prop it up is The Real Ghostbusters, mainly thanks to JMS and his writing team that would go on to do even more great shows, including Beast Wars, which is easily the best Transformers show of all time.
The last 30 years have seen some of the best animated episodic content ever made, so I have no idea what you're talking about. I'll take Tiny Toons, Batman:TAS, Justice League, The Tick, the entirety of the Disney Afternoon of the early '90s, the aforementioned Beast Wars, Young Justice, Dexter's Laboratory, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and many, many more over the churned out toy commercials that populated the '80s. I have fond memories of a lot of that '80s stuff but watching it again as an adult reveals how slapdash and silly most of them were.
I watched TMNT 1987 as a kid and really loved it. It was so good and bought lots of toys, shirts, games and... based on that. So I have a nostalgic feeling about it and it'll be always in my heart.
But I think 2003 was a little better. Watched it in 2007 or 2008, when I was about 20 years old, but really enjoyed it from characters to villains and...
Don't know anything about 2012 though.
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Guys, I have a question about TMNT 1987. Posted it months ago in another thread, but it seems no one knew about it or maybe it's something that I made completely in my mind! lol
But I think 2003 was a little better. Watched it in 2007 or 2008, when I was about 20 years old, but really enjoyed it from characters to villains and...
Don't know anything about 2012 though.
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Guys, I have a question about TMNT 1987. Posted it months ago in another thread, but it seems no one knew about it or maybe it's something that I made completely in my mind! lol
There was an episode in TMNT 1987 that had a great fight scene with turtles fought with some robots in a big room. Not famous robots like Mousers, but some bigger robots that (maybe) were only designed for that episode. Those robots weren't like these and I think (maybe I'm wrong) they were like big animals or dinosaurs.
I want the name of that episode! :(
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Late, but although the question was already answered in a following post the reasoning behind 47 episodes for Season 3 and not some other number is simple: in order to qualify for syndication a production needs to hit the magic number of episodes, 65. Syndication of a popular show nets the network big returns, so they're quick to hit that number once they know they'll have a hit.This reminds me ... the season thing makes no sense for the 87 series
What kind of show has a season with 47 episodes and another with 5 ?
Rise of the TMNT is legit awesome.
But between the three choices, the 2012 series is the most balanced.
But between the three choices, the 2012 series is the most balanced.
Might have been this scene from season 1, episode 2 "Enter the Shredder"
That first five episode mini series was much higher quality than the show would be when it went to full series due to the higher stakes and Toei handling animation for the miniseries.
The 2003 series was fantastic. Even though I saw the 80s series first the 2003 series beats it in every single way.
Also the final season of the 80s series was weird as hell. The sky was always red and the turtles could transform into more mutated versions of themselves.
Yeah. That was when ratings were dropping, so they tried to revitalize the series by making it more like the shows that were beating it in it's demographic, X-Men and Power Rangers.
Also really downgraded the OP
yeah i remember having the show on every saturday morning out of habit, background noise while i ate breakfast or whatever. then one day i stopped to pay attention was all wtf am i watching
That animation is quality no doubt.
Too bad it's tied to an art style and tone that I find utterly unappealing. I assume the kiddies like it.
The Next Mutation was were it was at. =P
But seriously, the 1987 series will always have a special place in my heart--but the 2003 show was by and far the best interpretation of the franchise's roots (up until it became very obvious it had devolved into 4kids's Cash cow).
Some minor nitpicks I did have with 2003 was I hated Michaelangelo's voice, the plot twist that Shredder was an utrom, while an interesting take, was something I wish they didn't do (and something I dread every time Shredder debuts in a new medium), oh and I hated how the Turtles Forever special consistently shat on the 1987 cartoon.
The 2012 show was alright, but sometimes it felt like it blurred the lines between paying homage, and just flat-out ripping off 2003. The constant delays in between episode releases did not help one bit.
Fuckin' loving the new show.
But seriously, the 1987 series will always have a special place in my heart--but the 2003 show was by and far the best interpretation of the franchise's roots (up until it became very obvious it had devolved into 4kids's Cash cow).
Some minor nitpicks I did have with 2003 was I hated Michaelangelo's voice, the plot twist that Shredder was an utrom, while an interesting take, was something I wish they didn't do (and something I dread every time Shredder debuts in a new medium), oh and I hated how the Turtles Forever special consistently shat on the 1987 cartoon.
The 2012 show was alright, but sometimes it felt like it blurred the lines between paying homage, and just flat-out ripping off 2003. The constant delays in between episode releases did not help one bit.
Fuckin' loving the new show.
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Yea Rise's humor and writing style is a major turn off. Which is a shame because the amount of animation it has is insane for an American cartoon and I wish they had it for a better TMNT series.
It's pretty telling my fondest memories from the 87 incarnation was actually from the games than the show itself.
That's it, thank you so much! :D
Really loved this scene and watched it hundreds of times in those days!
The first season of Nickelodeon's 2012 TMNT series is objectively the greatest and most consistently well-written iteration of the franchise. Ever.
Legit, it could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Young Justice in terms of wit, charm, humour, philosophy, fight choreography, character development and storytelling.
After that, they dropped off Joshua Sternin & J. R. Ventimilia, and the show just meanders in quality and never really reaches those heights again (with few exceptions; Slash and Destroy, Wrath of Tiger Claw, The Invasion, Mystic Quest, Owari etc)
I loved the 2003 series as a kid, but watching it now is just cringe-inducing.
The 1987 series is decent though.
Legit, it could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Young Justice in terms of wit, charm, humour, philosophy, fight choreography, character development and storytelling.
After that, they dropped off Joshua Sternin & J. R. Ventimilia, and the show just meanders in quality and never really reaches those heights again (with few exceptions; Slash and Destroy, Wrath of Tiger Claw, The Invasion, Mystic Quest, Owari etc)
I loved the 2003 series as a kid, but watching it now is just cringe-inducing.
The 1987 series is decent though.
BUMP.
Why wasn't the 2018 show included in this poll? Just because it's on going?
I'd love to see a ranking of all 4 shows, especially just comparing their first seasons (and maybe include Season 2 for '87)
Anyway, I've begun working my way through the 87 show from the beginning. It's been many, many years.
i don't think I've seen any of the other series, maybe outside the random clip and what not. oh, maybe I saw like the first two episodes of 2003 once, way back then.
As I'm currently in Season 2 of 1987 atm maybe I'll sample all first seasons of the other 3 shows when I finish this run of eps.
Why wasn't the 2018 show included in this poll? Just because it's on going?
I'd love to see a ranking of all 4 shows, especially just comparing their first seasons (and maybe include Season 2 for '87)
Anyway, I've begun working my way through the 87 show from the beginning. It's been many, many years.
i don't think I've seen any of the other series, maybe outside the random clip and what not. oh, maybe I saw like the first two episodes of 2003 once, way back then.
As I'm currently in Season 2 of 1987 atm maybe I'll sample all first seasons of the other 3 shows when I finish this run of eps.