Name Origin of Tokka & Rahzar

[DarkAtuin]

Hi dudes and dudettes,

was it ever anywhere stated what the origin or intent behind the names of Tokka and Rahzar was?

Most TMNT names were clearly based of something: historical inspiration (Leonardo, Genghis, Casey Jones), music genres (Bebop and Rocksteady), more or less bad puns (Ray Fillet, Leatherhead, Wingnut) or plain right (made-up) real world names (April O'Neil, Danny Pennington, Hamato Yoshi).

I couldn't find any clue of a language that contains the words 'Tokka' or 'Rahzar' in any way, which I find slightly strange, given the above mentioned circumstances.

The 2012 show had Mikey nicknaming he newly mutated Bradford/Dogpound as 'Rahzar' based on his sharp claws, implying that Rahzar is a corrupted form of 'razor', but given the 20 year difference between the two releases makes me doubt they asked the original creators. Also it still sounded kinda forced to keep up Mikey's 'Nickname-Giver' continuity.

The only clue I have to Tokka's origin is that it would be a very heavily corrupted form of 'tortuga' (spanish turtle/tortoise), but that would still be a bit farfetched. I also remember that Tokka was inspired by a discarded Playmates figure concept of a mutant snapping turtle called 'Terrorpin the Terrible' but that doesn't lead to much either.

The fact that their official name spelling for their brief cameo in the Fred Wolf cartoon was messed up as 'Toka' and 'Razar' adds more confusion to this matter.

[ToTheNines]

We had a spirited discussion about this years ago that ended up getting locked lol. Didn’t really get anywhere other than people pointing out that Eastman likely named them both, and one scholar here was convinced that Tokka was a portmanteau of Godzilla/Gamera, with another being reasonably certain that Tokka sounded like it was from a “tribal river language”.

[Powder]

Eastman designed & named them both, he probably just made up whatever he thought was a cool monster name. I doubt there's much more to it than that.

[MikeandRaph87]

Was it ever addressed why a second evil turtle was created so soon after Slash? Also, I can understand a wolf being vicious, but a snapping turtle? Not knocking Tokka, but I am curious.

[Sumac]

Always thought Rahzar is "broken" razor.

[Galactus]

I'd be willing to bet they were just names that sounded cool.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Sumac

Always thought Rahzar is "broken" razor.

That's what I sort of got from it too - like a nod to his sharp teeth and claws.

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by IMJ

That's what I sort of got from it too - like a nod to his sharp teeth and claws.

Always wondered about this too. Thanks for sharing!

[d_osborn]

Have any better images of Eastman's concept art for T/R ever surfaced?

[Rabbit Kraken Zeo]

One thing that comes to mind is; the most hysterical detail part of Tokka & Rahzar and their appearance in secret of the ooze was Mikey's initial reaction when they meet for the first time "didn't we see these guys on wrestlemania?" pretty funny to be honest.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87

Was it ever addressed why a second evil turtle was created so soon after Slash? Also, I can understand a wolf being vicious, but a snapping turtle? Not knocking Tokka, but I am curious.

I guess it depends on who created Slash. Tokka was, I guess, Eastman and Laird's evil turtle.

I don't understand the logic behind them fighting tooth and nail to keep Bebop and Rocksteady out but make these two literal babies. I'm thinking maybe they really wanted to not have mutated humans, but then you have Super Shredder.

I always assumed super shredder happened if you had contact with mutant but weren't around any other animal or I guess in the movie/mirage versions the ooze just makes things bigger or evolves them and that's what happens when a human gets exposed to it. To be honest we rarely see the ooze in the comics, it literally is just the Turtles, Splinter and Leatherhead. I guess Bloodsucker counts.

[MikeandRaph87]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

I guess it depends on who created Slash. Tokka was, I guess, Eastman and Laird's evil turtle.

I don't understand the logic behind them fighting tooth and nail to keep Bebop and Rocksteady out but make these two literal babies. I'm thinking maybe they really wanted to not have mutated humans, but then you have Super Shredder.

I always assumed super shredder happened if you had contact with mutant but weren't around any other animal or I guess in the movie/mirage versions the ooze just makes things bigger or evolves them and that's what happens when a human gets exposed to it. To be honest we rarely see the ooze in the comics, it literally is just the Turtles, Splinter and Leatherhead. I guess Bloodsucker counts.

I was in preschool when my favorite Ninja Turtles film came out. 4 further films it still is. My biggest gripe when I was 4 is still my biggest gripe, Super Shredder dropped the pier on himself and assumed a suicide/ murder would happen or he would walk away and the Turtles would be dead? There was no actual fight! It's like the hype of The Pantheon's father The Dragon, culminating in #100, was there a fight? No, not really.

Okay rant over.

The ifantile intellect is probably the way to make them vulnerable to be defeated. Bebop and Rocksteady are brawn without brains and this is pretty much the same only the excuse is the level of cognitive development of Razhar and Tokka.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87

I was in preschool when my favorite Ninja Turtles film came out.

Well... that certainly explains how "Secret of the Ooze" can be your favorite Ninja Turtles film.

[MikeandRaph87]

You are hilarious, ya bronie.

More so than the names themselves, I have wondered what made a snapping turtle is "the most vicious animal that Tatsu could find"? They could not break into a zoo? There is likely something more vicious even in the wild around the five boroughs.