Has anyone ever made fun of you for liking TMNT?

[tmntpower1988]

Have you ever had anyone tell you that you're too old to like TMNT? I've been told to "Wise up" and that I should be watching live action stuff instead My uncle has a habit of this, he lets me watch some episodes of the 2003 show when I be at his house but he usually tells me to turn it off after the second episode. He tells me that he feels like screaming if I make him watch any more episodes. Any episode he has seen with Usagi he did show more interest in though because he said he has some of his comics which are a lot more adult than the 2003 animated series.

He praises the DCAU shows and the 90's X-Men animated series which is weird because he said that I shouldn't be watching cartoons yet he has those on DVD and would watch them some times. He even has Stargate Infinity which is an awful show imo. When I rold him of a possibility of a live action Last Ronin movie he said that he would like to see that and he does acknowledge that the some of the TMNT comics being more aimed at adults. I'm just glad that my dad is a TMNT fan (his favourite is the 1987 show) and my brothers love it too (one of the brothers says that the 2003 series is his favourite and the other brother likes the 1987 one the most).

[CyberCubed]

Your uncle sounds like a jerk, no idea why he should be screaming about something you watch.

When I was a kid TMNT was very popular so not really, although by 1993 TMNT was pretty much on their way out and nobody talked about it much. By the time we got into the 2000's TMNT wasn't really well known anymore till the nostalgia started to kick in for aged 20 year olds.

In general though most people don't watch cartoons or care about comics. Other than general interest in Batman or Spider-man most people will look at you oddly if you're heavily interested in cartoons/comics as adults. Although the stigma has lessened in recent years as geek culture became mainstream.

[Andrew NDB]

I wouldn't say make fun of, but there's a certain amount of subtle snickering I occasionally see when, say, friends IRL or on social media tell me about some new TMNT-related news they heard that they think I'd be interested in but 9 times out of 10 ends up being something I'll loathe. As if to suggest, subconsciously, "Oh yeah... Andrew... you like that TMNT thing for like small children, ugh. Here, check out this thing about it I saw. You'll probably be super into this," and that "TMNT" to them isn't even worth thinking about any deeper than surface level to consider, say, that it isn't remotely all the same and there's many different tones and audiences its geared towards.

[Cowabung-Gal]

Well, someone at my work told me that my TMNT collection was “borderline obsession” after I showed him a picture of it. My entire collection, which the exception of a couple of signed pictures and a mini Leo statue, is stored in a walk-in closet that’s not even that big.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

Well, someone at my work told me that my TMNT collection was “borderline obsession” after I showed him a picture of it. My entire collection, which the exception of a couple of signed pictures and a mini Leo statue, is stored in a walk-in closet that’s not even that big.

Depends how you look at it, I guess. I mean you could go into Norman Bates' bedroom and, well, it's only ONE corpse laying there. So that's not too much, right?

[CyberCubed]

Back in the day Star Wars and Star Trek fans, especially the big ones with huge collections, were the two big fandoms that were always openly mocked for some reason. Like they were considered "losers" or "nerds" even if they had full-time jobs and families. Then it became superheroes to a lesser extent after that.

However nowadays it seems like anime fans are the main source of criticism. Especially the ones who like anime girls and have tons of fanart saved on their computer or pin-ups of "sexy anime girls" from whatever shows they're watching. I don't think the stigma toward anime fans will ever die down like it did with Star Trek and Star Wars fans though

[IndigoErth]

That's terrible to hear it come from family. And what a hypocrite! What exactly does he get out of having something against them? And 2003 of all things?


The ONLY person I ever heard it from was my mother. I know I've mentioned it before, but yeah... a young/mid teen girl still being into them in the 90s I guess was too immature, back when there wasn't an internet and no older fans to assure it's okay to love them still. (Teen fans today are very lucky that older fans exist, even while some of them take it for granted and act like ageist asshats toward older fans.)

I got shamed into giving them up, but then, because she was kind of a bitch, to be perfectly blunt, she occasionally indulged in still shaming/teasing me over it for nearly f***ing 20 years.

Only thing that ever made her stop was my taking my love for them back. This same woman has seen 2014, 2016, and MM in theaters. Mikey (as of OotS) is her favorite. I am grateful it's not a big deal anymore, but I still resent her treatment over them for nearly two decades and, while rare to come up, resent that she now has flipped the script and acts like I was silly for feeling that "shame" all those years, when she was the one that did it. Always gotta be negative and hurtful somehow.

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

Well, someone at my work told me that my TMNT collection was “borderline obsession” after I showed him a picture of it. My entire collection, which the exception of a couple of signed pictures and a mini Leo statue, is stored in a walk-in closet that’s not even that big.

Yeah, I've gotten comments (same lady above of course!) as if I have a lot of stuff. Like you know what... I can show you (her) photos from people online proudly showing off huge collections. What I've got is extremely modest.


edit: Of course that isn't exclusive to them or anything. It's still no longer any big deal that I love these guys, thank goodness, but it goes back to some generic rejection of my ever liking something to any particular degree beyond light interest. If you have any passion about something at all, well you're just "obsessing" now and that's automatically a bad thing. So while I love them, I still can't really bother talking about or sharing that love for them at all. (But she'll annoy me by hypocritically yakking on at length about some reality show I could not care less about. I really should throw her "obsessing" label back at her over it, but I'm not the person she is, I don't wish to dampen someone's feelings over something that makes them happy...)

[tmntpower1988]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Your uncle sounds like a jerk, no idea why he should be screaming about something you watch.

When I was a kid TMNT was very popular so not really, although by 1993 TMNT was pretty much on their way out and nobody talked about it much. By the time we got into the 2000's TMNT wasn't really well known anymore till the nostalgia started to kick in for aged 20 year olds.

In general though most people don't watch cartoons or care about comics. Other than general interest in Batman or Spider-man most people will look at you oddly if you're heavily interested in cartoons/comics as adults. Although the stigma has lessened in recent years as geek culture became mainstream.

He can be My cousin was big into the 1987 show which I wasn't aware of until my uncle told me about it. He has a bunch of episodes recorded on VHS. I always knew he was a Dragon Ball Z fan though, I remember him having the first Budokia game and he used to draw pictures of the characters (I'm not sure what I did with the pictures he drew for me, can't find them). I think I was the only one in my class who was really into the TMNT, I don't really remember any of the other kids talking about it in my class tbh Don't remember anybody talking about it in high school either. All people talked about in school was football, boy bands, all that **** that doesn't interest me.

I used to wear a Slpknot top but I stopped wearing it because I was called a freak for liking that sort of music, same with Marilyn Manson So then I just started listening to the music that every one was doing to fit in with the crowd at the time. I don't hang out with people other than family now just so I just listen to what I want to listen to, watch what I want to watch.

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Back in the day Star Wars and Star Trek fans, especially the big ones with huge collections, were the two big fandoms that were always openly mocked for some reason. Like they were considered "losers" or "nerds" even if they had full-time jobs and families. Then it became superheroes to a lesser extent after that.

I know some one who is a really big Star Wars fan, he said he got hassle from people when he was younger for liking Star Wars too. Thinking he was weird and saying that he should be into stuff like football instead I tried forcing myself to like football in high school to fit in. I would just pretend to enjoy it just to keep others happy. Now if any football fan asks me if I watched the match or whatever I just say I have no interest in the sport then I sort of get an awkward sort of silence reaction

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

That's terrible to hear it come from family. And what a hypocrite! What exactly does he get out of having something against them? And 2003 of all things?


The ONLY person I ever heard it from was my mother. I know I've mentioned it before, but yeah... a young/mid teen girl still being into them in the 90s I guess was too immature, back when there wasn't an internet and no older fans to assure it's okay to love them still. (Teen fans today are very lucky that older fans exist, even while some of them take it for granted and act like ageist asshats toward older fans.)

I got shamed into giving them up, but then, because she was kind of a bitch, to be perfectly blunt, she occasionally indulged in still shaming/teasing me over it for nearly f***ing 20 years.

Only thing that ever made her stop was my taking my love for them back. This same woman has seen 2014, 2016, and MM in theaters. Mikey (as of OotS) is her favorite. I am grateful it's not a big deal anymore, but I still resent her treatment over them for nearly two decades and, while rare to come up, resent that she now has flipped the script and acts like I was silly for feeling that "shame" all those years, when she was the one that did it. Always gotta be negative and hurtful somehow.



Yeah, I've gotten comments (same lady above of course!) as if I have a lot of stuff. Like you know what... I can show you (her) photos from people online proudly showing off huge collections. What I've got is extremely modest.


edit: Of course that isn't exclusive to them or anything. It's still no longer any big deal that I love these guys, thank goodness, but it goes back to some generic rejection of my ever liking something to any particular degree beyond light interest. If you have any passion about something at all, well you're just "obsessing" now and that's automatically a bad thing. So while I love them, I still can't really bother talking about or sharing that love for them at all. (But she'll annoy me by hypocritically yakking on at length about some reality show I could not care less about. I really should throw her "obsessing" label back at her over it, but I'm not the person she is, I don't wish to dampen someone's feelings over something that makes them happy...)

I'm not even going to bother watching any of the Fast Forward or Back To The Sewer episodes with him, if that's the way he's going to be with the first 5 seasons. I said I'd bring the 1987 TMNT DVD's to his house to wind him up For a guy who hates the 1987 so much he sure complains a lot about Hun being the Shredder's henchman instead of Bebop and Rocksteady My mother has made a comment at times but thankfully it's rare. Get the eye rolling treatment or the "Aren't you a little old for cartoons?" comment when I watch cartoons when she does decide to give me **** about it. I put her off wanting to go see the new Ghosbusters movie in the cinema just because she got sick of me watching the Real Ghostbusters series (I know the show seriously goes down hill when they started messing around with the characters, changing voice actors and when it focused a lot more on Slimer). Ended up being turned into a Tom and Jerry-like show. It sort of makes Fast Foward and Back To The Sewer seem not as bad I don't give her **** about her cooking shows, talk shows, buying houses shows or whatever

[IndigoErth]

Make them both watch Next Mutation. After all, it's not a cartoon. Lol

[BornAgain]

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

Well, someone at my work told me that my TMNT collection was “borderline obsession” after I showed him a picture of it. My entire collection, which the exception of a couple of signed pictures and a mini Leo statue, is stored in a walk-in closet that’s not even that big.

It will look like a lot if you’re not into it. Sounds like it’d be on the smaller side compared to many hardcore fans. My TMNT stuff doesn’t fill up a storage box. It’s basically around 60 comics, the first movie on blu ray and a batch of Neca figures.

Was looking at a FW VHS tape for the nostalgia. Collecting is interesting. I became pretty strict with it though. Nearly everything is available digitally now so I only own my very favorite items.

[tmntpower1988]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Make them both watch Next Mutation. After all, it's not a cartoon. Lol

My mother seen me watching the Next Mutation before but I can't remember what she said about it. I had thought about showing it to my uncle to torture him in badness Even I don't feel like watching Next Mutation any time soon, I loved it when I was kid when it used to be on the Fox Kids channel Remember watching it on the TV in the summer time before heading off to the beach with the family.

[Icebot]

Not really but when I was in 6th grade, my mother told me I should stop showing my friends that I'm into ninja turtles / other kid stuff since I was growing up and the other kids might have grown out of that. She meant well and didn't want the others to make fun of me. I could never stop liking ninja turtles and when I was in high school, I would try to hide my love for it.

[Zachatello00]

I was in elementary school when the TMNT were white hot back in the late 80s/early 90s. I never really let go of them, but when my classmates (who were all TMNT fans as kids) got to the point when they were "too cool" for them, yeah, they made fun of me for not letting go. Whatever, their loss.

To this day, if for any reason I'm going to be at my old high school (still live in my home town), I always wear a TMNT t-shirt just in case I run into some of my old friends.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Zachatello00

I always wear a TMNT t-shirt just in case I run into some of my old friends.

You know what, if that Last Ronin movie happens, it better as heck have shirts. Go ahead, just try to judge it now! lol





Unrelated... just sitting here looking back and forth between tmntpower1988 and Icebot's avatars for the animation effect.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I began to feel ashamed for liking the Turtles, and there wasn't much of the Internet around back then.

[tmntpower1988]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

You know what, if that Last Ronin movie happens, it better as heck have shirts. Go ahead, just try to judge it now! lol





Unrelated... just sitting here looking back and forth between tmntpower1988 and Icebot's avatars for the animation effect.

When I read you comment I started doing the same thing

[Mad Dog McMutt]

Originally Posted by sdp

I cringe when I see an adult wearing a superhero or some cartoon/anime shirt.
It's not only me, most of society does as well.

That's pretty sad to be honest. Good thing that I don't give a crap what society thinks. I have been a punk rocker for over 20 years. I like what I like and I'm not going to stop liking something just because society doesn't think it's age appropriate.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Back in the day Star Wars and Star Trek fans, especially the big ones with huge collections, were the two big fandoms that were always openly mocked for some reason.

Though definitely fans of new Star Trek stuff and new Star Wars stuff are actually deserving of mockery. They were just ahead of their time.

[ResidentEvil7]

Originally Posted by Mad Dog McMutt

That's pretty sad to be honest. Good thing that I don't give a crap what society thinks. I have been a punk rocker for over 20 years. I like what I like and I'm not going to stop liking something just because society doesn't think it's age appropriate.

I highly agree with you Mad Dog McMutt, because in life, you live for yourself and enjoy everything you live for and desire. As a lifelong MGTOW, I don't care what society thinks either. I live my life MY way; not by what other people's opinions. I may of cared what people thought about me when I was kid, but I'm 41; I've outgrown dealing with negative public opinions.

Back to topic. Back when I was a kid, the other kids would think I was a f-a-g because of my likes of the Turtles, because they thought the Turtles were a gay group. Of course I was picked on, terrorized, tormented, beaten up and treated badly since early school years, regardless to what it was. I didn't know until 12 years ago that I was made fun of because of the symptoms of my autism, which is sad, because it was bad a lot of the time. I was so afraid to go to school most of the time.

[Mad Dog McMutt]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil7

I highly agree with you Mad Dog McMutt, because in life, you live for yourself and enjoy everything you live for and desire. As a lifelong MGTOW, I don't care what society thinks either. I live my life MY way; not by what other people's opinions. I may of cared what people thought about me when I was kid, but I'm 41; I've outgrown dealing with negative public opinions.

Back to topic. Back when I was a kid, the other kids would think I was a f-a-g because of my likes of the Turtles, because they thought the Turtles were a gay group. Of course I was picked on, terrorized, tormented, beaten up and treated badly since early school years, regardless to what it was. I didn't know until 12 years ago that I was made fun of because of the symptoms of my autism, which is sad, because it was bad a lot of the time. I was so afraid to go to school most of the time.

I am sorry to hear that. It sounds like you had it rough. I think it takes courage to like what you like. I am going to continue wearing my Dragonball Z, Ninja turtles, and band shirts. I wear shirts of things that I like. Most people in society are really mean and boring people. If they think that I am uncool I just don't care. I am a tough guy so nobody says crap to my face. Hopefully you are now living a much more peaceful life.