What do you think of 2k3 April?

[Prowler]

April in this series was a lab assistant to Baxter Stockman and a scientist. She also ran an Antique Shop. She also got together with Casey Jones and obviously was friends with the Turtles, probably closest to Donatello of the bunch due to both being very into tech and science.

I think April was fine for what she was in this show, but she sorta became less interesting as time went on. Also, I think it was a bit silly when she began learning combat moves. I mean, it's nice that she learnt some moves, but it's not like she was ever gonna be as skilled as the Turtles or Splinter. Nobody watches TMNT to see April kicking ass, come on

She wasn't as much of a damsel in distress as she was in the FW series, which is positive, but on the other hand, I think she lacked a bit of presence. The FW series and the first 3 movies Aprils are a lot more memorable characters, imo. I must say, I tend to forget about April when I think of the 2k3 series. Am I the only one?

I guess April in this series didn't seem as much like an older sister or mother figure to the Turtles as previous Aprils had been. In this series she was basically just their friend, really.

Thoughts?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I think she's definetly underrated.

I love her personality, looks and the best part of all is Veronica Taylor's performance, she put alot into it. Her relationship with Casey is also my favourite version of the April/Casey pairing and I was so happy when they got married in the final episode.

Didn't like her redesign for Back to the Sewers though, even if it looks more like the April most people know.

[DWC]

It follows her Mirage character to an extent with the occupation and her personality is sort of similar at times.

She kicks arse in the 2k12 series as well by the way you should certainly get around to watching it.

But I liked this April. She was very kind and visibly showed distress and concern for others - such as when she told Hun he'd have to go through her to get to an injured Leo in The Shredder Strikes Back, or when she rescues Casey from the ocean and gives him mouth-to-mouth in Worlds Collide. Also, when she is looking for Uncle Augie.

She's a really good person in this show.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by FredWolfLeonardo

I think she's definetly underrated.

I love her personality, looks and the best part of all is Veronica Taylor's performance, she put alot into it. Her relationship with Casey is also my favourite version of the April/Casey pairing.

Didn't like her redesign for Back to the Sewers though, even if it looks more like the April most people know.

Tbh her bright red hair and lipstick were kinda distracting. Made her look a bit like a clown lol

Veronica did a good job with her, I agree.

[DWC]

Originally Posted by FredWolfLeonardo

I think she's definetly underrated.

I love her personality, looks and the best part of all is Veronica Taylor's performance, she put alot into it. Her relationship with Casey is also my favourite version of the April/Casey pairing and I was so happy when they got married in the final episode.

Didn't like her redesign for Back to the Sewers though, even if it looks more like the April most people know.

She looks more slutty in Back to the Sewers, she has more of a girl-next-door look in the first five seasons.

[Prowler]

I like how she seemed to be Baxter's only employee is a very large factory lol

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Tbh her bright red hair and lipstick were kinda distracting. Made her look a bit like a clown lol

Veronica did a good job with her, I agree.

As Marcman2020 said in his tmnt 1987 vs 2003 comparison videos, she looks like Ariel's Lesbian cousin

I don't want to sound like CyberCubed, but Veronica Taylor's April voice really reminds me of May from seasons 5-8 of Pokemon. Considering how great VT did that role, I'm glad to see her range as 2k3 April was similar and had alot of charm/Bubbly personality.

[DWC]

Originally Posted by Prowler

I like how she seemed to be Baxter's only employee is a very large factory lol

[Powder]

Probably the best animated April overall, if only for the fact that the writers knew her place. She wasn't out kicking ass, she didn't get too much of the limelight, she was their big sister/link to the outside world who did what she could on a tech/networking level. That's how April should be. & it's owed to the source material, of course. Her design's not my favorite, as she ghastly pale, has magenta hair, a ridiculous belly shirt & an overall very dated early 2000's look, but she does great justice to the character otherwise.

I also love Veronica Taylor's voice work, so that works in her favor. Fun fact: I was the first person to ever have her sign an autograph for the character of April O'neil. Pretty crazy considering I met her after the 4kids show had ended (NYCC 2010), which means in all those years of signings she never got even one! I know she's most loved for Ash Ketchum, but still. A cool honor for me, though.

[IndigoErth]

Agree about her becoming less interesting over time, though all in all she's probably one of the ones I like best, alongside classic reporter April. I wouldn't mind seeing a new version inspired by her, or combining something like her with the reporter scheme.

[shredder orokusaki]

Originally Posted by DWC

She looks more slutty in Back to the Sewers, she has more of a girl-next-door look in the first five seasons.

He also had many foot techinicians that i had sent to him. If i knew that trouble she will cause to me i would had told Baxter to fire her. I was meeting all people that wanted to work with Baxter before allowing them to work with him in order to see if they are people who i can trust. I thought that she is just a 20 years old stupid girl who cant do any harm to me. If i knew she will spy on Baxter and bring the turtles then .....

[neatoman]

I don't know. Running a business, dealing with the boyfriend's mom, movingaround, seeking emplyment, getting a hobby, spending time with her sister, an old bond with her uncle, getting married etc. They may not seem like much but it does make her feel like a real person. A character doing seemingly mundane things most of the time might not seem important, but it goes a long way to make her relatable.

The Fred Wolf cartoon mostly just seems interested in April as an excuse to frame whatever McGuffin the episode was about, while the Nickelodeon April was... I don't know what the hell they were on about. They seemed bizarrely more interested the stupid super powers they made up for her, rather than anything else. It's weird too, she has a dad, an aunt and a school but it's the show went out of it's way to avoid those things, we don't even get to see her aunt. It's like they didn't want her to have any ties to normalcy.

That's really the point I'm trying to make, what 4Kids April has above the other cartoon Aprils is that she feels more like a real person. Not some component of a tired episode formula, or some sci-fi cliché in a sea of sci-fi clichés.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Something for future writers to take inspiration from, no matter if she's a scientist or reporter.

[ABrown]

Originally Posted by shredder orokusaki

He also had many foot techinicians that i had sent to him. If i knew that trouble she will cause to me i would had told Baxter to fire her. I was meeting all people that wanted to work with Baxter before allowing them to work with him in order to see if they are people who i can trust. I thought that she is just a 20 years old stupid girl who cant do any harm to me. If i knew she will spy on Baxter and bring the turtles then .....

Ok, now you're not even pretending to be Shredder from the right show.

[PApagreg]

Originally Posted by neatoman

I don't know. Running a business, dealing with the boyfriend's mom, movingaround, seeking emplyment, getting a hobby, spending time with her sister, an old bond with her uncle, getting married etc. They may not seem like much but it does make her feel like a real person. A character doing seemingly mundane things most of the time might not seem important, but it goes a long way to make her relatable.

The Fred Wolf cartoon mostly just seems interested in April as an excuse to frame whatever McGuffin the episode was about, while the Nickelodeon April was... I don't know what the hell they were on about. They seemed bizarrely more interested the stupid super powers they made up for her, rather than anything else. It's weird too, she has a dad, an aunt and a school but it's the show went out of it's way to avoid those things, we don't even get to see her aunt. It's like they didn't want her to have any ties to normalcy.

That's really the point I'm trying to make, what 4Kids April has above the other cartoon Aprils is that she feels more like a real person. Not some component of a tired episode formula, or some sci-fi cliché in a sea of sci-fi clichés.

This is why 2k3 April is my favorite incarnation(well compared to the other two its not saying much) she feels like her own character first and actually shows what happens to a "normal" person who regularly teams up with vigilantes and mutants. The one thing I dislike about her character is that she sort of mastered ninjutsu too fast.

[DWC]

Originally Posted by shredder orokusaki

He also had many foot techinicians that i had sent to him. If i knew that trouble she will cause to me i would had told Baxter to fire her. I was meeting all people that wanted to work with Baxter before allowing them to work with him in order to see if they are people who i can trust. I thought that she is just a 20 years old stupid girl who cant do any harm to me. If i knew she will spy on Baxter and bring the turtles then .....

[Prowler]

You gotta admit he is entertaining.

[DWC]

Originally Posted by Prowler

You gotta admit he is entertaining.

Yeah he's a funny guy.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Nickelodeon's April is the most poorly written ever.

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

Nickelodeon's April is the most poorly written ever.

I wouldn't say that, it's more like she's the most oddly constructed April.

As weird as it is to take a character like April and make her all about some psychic powers she never had before, it's not necessarily bad when judged in a vacuum. It is however presented in a somewhat childish way and doesn't pan out satisfyingly, I'll give you that.