Anyone think Don is black?

[ToTheNines]

Alright, this is a stupid thread, but a freind of mine recently mentioned that Donatello was meant to be the "black" turtle. This seemed really off to me, so let me know what you think

[HalfcourtGame]

What was the reasoning? I know that stereotypes are not cool, but we've all heard them and I have never heard of a "science buff" black stereotype. Besides I am pretty sure all the turtles are green, though sometimes different shades. :tlol:

[DrSpengler]

I just don't see how he could be the "black" turtle. He doesn't exude any sort of ethnic stereotype that would indicate he was intended to be black.

I mean, if he was going around calling everyone "dawg" and listening to rap non-stop and doing other things people associate with "black" (stereotypically, mind you) then it could be conceivable. I might even be able to see it if he had a black voice actor. For instance, Panthro is consistently thought of as "the Black Thundercat" solely because his voice actor was black.

But then, by that logic, Old Toon Shredder would be "black" and so would 2k3 Leatherhead.

No, I don't think the TMNT are any ethnicity other than "Mutant Turtle".

[Spawn Guy]

Alright, this is a stupid thread, but a freind of mine recently mentioned that Donatello was meant to be the "black" turtle. This seemed really off to me, so let me know what you think

Your freind has no idea how right you are.

[iris]

Alright, this is a stupid thread, but a freind of mine recently mentioned that Donatello was meant to be the "black" turtle. This seemed really off to me, so let me know what you think

I propose that Donatello objects to the fundamental theory of racial distinctions, as epidemiological studies prove that genetic variation within self-defined human ethnographic populations is greater than genetic variation between said populations.

So you can tell your pal that. lol

[Sewer Bull]

Black?

But Donatello is green!

Raphael wore black in the Archie series, tho'.

[Spawn Guy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV8T8ETq1t8

[ToTheNines]

I remember him saying something like black characters in cartoons are always the smart one, I didn't agree.

[Sewer Bull]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV8T8ETq1t8

So, you think that Raph was like the Venom of the TMNT universe?

[DrSpengler]

I remember him saying something like black characters in cartoons are always the smart one, I didn't agree.

For every cartoon that contained a balck character as the "smart guy", I can think of just many that contained a black character as someone else.

You're friend really has no clue what he's talking about.

[Spawn Guy]

So, you think that Raph was like the Venom of the TMNT universe?

Well the Nightwatcher costume does look like a bondage play thing.

"The suit...feels good.."

[Anarky]

Heh, I can settle this dispute once and forever...

Last time I checked, Donatello was green. You know, green skin, so he's green? And I'm pretty sure that he was intended to be green all along, since I've never seen him being pink-brown striped or yellow with a flower pattern. I've only seen him green.

Whoa, amazing...

[Spawn Guy]

So wait, is that like Hulk green or J'onn J'ozz green?

[VaughnMichael]

Heh, I can settle this dispute once and forever...

Last time I checked, Donatello was green. You know, green skin, so he's green? And I'm pretty sure that he was intended to be green all along, since I've never seen him being pink-brown striped or yellow with a flower pattern. I've only seen him green.

Whoa, amazing...
Donatello is green?
http://lowpost.net/blog/images/interview/donatello.jpg
http://www.tmnttoys.com/giants2.jpg
But yeah some times he is allot of times hes *gasp* BROWN
I think his friend was just bein' a snarky jerk if you ask me though.:roll:

[Spitfire]

Oh my god! Don is so dark! He's like the darkest character. Everything I like has to be DARKKKK! TMNT is so DARK.

[CJStyles]

umm hes a turtle...how cant he be black

[VaughnMichael]

umm hes a turtle...how cant he be black
Some one can make a moronic judgement by skin tone look at what I posted.
Also if anyone watches tv as of late and saw the show I love New York where that lady tries to find herself a man the one big guy kept getting made fun of saying he looked like a ninja turtle and they kept callin' him Donatello.:lol:

[Spawn Guy]

You saying a turtle dosen't have the right to be black?

[VaughnMichael]

You saying a turtle dosen't have the right to be black?
Yeah everything I said totally alludes to that.:roll:

[Mecha Cow]

King of threads.

[VaughnMichael]

King of threads.
http://www.roflcat.com/images/cats/270913943_d775923b1a.jpg
HAZZA HAZZA!:lol:

[Spawn Guy]

Yeah everything I said totally alludes to that.:roll:
That wasn't aimed at you.
umm hes a turtle...how cant he be black
Meet the target.

[VaughnMichael]

That wasn't aimed at you.

Meet the target.
mmmmm meat...and quoting some one else in the first place would have avoided that smart guy cause the shot you fired hit me in the face.
now I'm a zombie:dead: Some body get Marvil comics on the phone!!:lol:

[Spawn Guy]

But at the time I had no idea you'd posted. Begining a responce and finishing it after dinner before going off to check out something else isn't the time when I'm most aware.

It's because I'm white isn't it?

[VaughnMichael]

But at the time I had no idea you'd posted. Begining a responce and finishing it after dinner before going off to check out something else isn't the time when I'm most aware.

It's because I'm white isn't it?
I thought you where red? RED like meat mmmmm brains!
ZOMBIE EDIT: mmmm sig is brain must have brains mmmmmmm *drolls*http://www.tiglath.org/yahoo/smiles/big38.gif

[wyze2099]

I remember him saying something like black characters in cartoons are always the smart one, I didn't agree.

That still doesn't have anything to do with Donatello as a mutant turtle. Apparently, the friend's logic is that the same logic works in reverse: that the smart character in a cartoon must be black. Which is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in quite some time.

[Ava Collier]

Obviously, he's pink.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j237/Spidertroll/tmnt/donbrain2.gifhttp://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j237/Spidertroll/tmnt/donbrain.gif

[Ninjinister]

Has any of the Turtles EVER been voiced by someone of black heritage? I know most have been Caucasian, and Leonardo was voiced by an actor of Japanese descent in the movies....

[ToTheNines]

Frank Frankson/ John Campbell could possibly be black, but I doubt it.

[Anarky]

Oh my god! Don is so dark! He's like the darkest character. Everything I like has to be DARKKKK! TMNT is so DARK.


CRAWWWWLIIINNN' IIIIIN MYYYYY SKIIIIN...

Gotta love some good oldfashionned darkness, angst and emo-music!

[bullet]

when i think of stereotypes for someone like don, i think of either a geeky asian dude, or a geeky white dude...somehow black just isn't it. it's not a typical stereotype. but let's be honest here and go what we can see plain as day, he's a geeky green dude...tchyea?

[Katie]

hmmm...


Maybe Raph's Native American

And Leo's an Inuit

And Mike's got an Asian parent and a Native American parent.

And Don's got an Inuit parent and a Native American parent.

yeah...that's it, see. The bandanas are Splinter's way of telling the ancestry of each of them....yeah...



:roll:

[Jester]

I did think that Donnie's VA from the second movie sounded a little black, but if any turtle is black it's...Benvenuto!

[Revan]

I did think that Donnie's VA from the second movie sounded a little black, but if any turtle is black it's...Benvenuto!

hahahaha spoiler. nice

[bullet]

hmmm...


Maybe Raph's Native American

And Leo's an Inuit

And Mike's got an Asian parent and a Native American parent.

And Don's got an Inuit parent and a Native American parent.

yeah...that's it, see. The bandanas are Splinter's way of telling the ancestry of each of them....yeah...

lmfao...in that case, JESTER IS WRONG.

[tinlunlau]

if the turtles were human, their ethnicities would be the following.

Raphael = italian
Leonardo = asian (he seems more japanese than anything)
Michelangelo = caucasian (californian)
Donatello = black?

[Ra]

Raph? Italian? Na. He'd be AUSTRALIAN!! Only without the accent :P As for the skin color thing...

Dewd.

They are turtles.

They must be pink.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/Ra-Cho/PINK.jpg

End of discussion.

[bullet]

dude...what is with leo's sai and donnie's nun-

hey...wait a minute..

[Spawn Guy]

"Hey, you're black, right?"

""Here we go."

"I hate that stereotype that all black people yell at movie screens. You know? Like, you go see some horror flick, and you be yelling, like, "Don't go in there, girl, he behind the doh'!" You know? It's like...it's offensive."

"You wish were allowed to yell at the screen, don't you?"

"Why does she go in there!? I mean, he's behind the doh'!"

[Rooish]

Woah ... I guess this thread is a joke? But as far as the poll goes, I don't know why an automatic option would be that he's white, if he's not black or "green." If the Turtles had a race, I would presume it was ... Japanese-American?

[Revan]

Woah ... I guess this thread is a joke? But as far as the poll goes, I don't know why an automatic option would be that he's white, if he's not black or "green." If the Turtles had a race, I would presume it was ... Japanese-American?

That makes sense. But dig this, Sliders are native to the US so they would technically be native-americans. hehe

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

"Hey, you're black, right?"

""Here we go."

"I hate that stereotype that all black people yell at movie screens. You know? Like, you go see some horror flick, and you be yelling, like, "Don't go in there, girl, he behind the doh'!" You know? It's like...it's offensive."

"You wish were allowed to yell at the screen, don't you?"

"Why does she go in there!? I mean, he's behind the doh'!"

:lol:
I love you Spawny. It's official. :nod:

[Revan]

I totally yell at the screen during horror flicks. People tend to give me dirty looks and the occasional adult will tell me to shut up.

[bullet]

that's nothing. there's this friend i have that would beat me everytime we watch horror films together. i mean serious smackdown, she would hold both her legs with one arm and start pounding on my shoulder with the other while she screams in terror. you've no idea how annoying that is.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

*gives bullet a shield*

Good luck.

[bullet]

knowing her, she'd snag the shield from my hand and start beating me with that instead.

[Jester]

that's nothing. there's this friend i have that would beat me everytime we watch horror films together. i mean serious smackdown, she would hold both her legs with one arm and start pounding on my shoulder with the other while she screams in terror. you've no idea how annoying that is.
I had a female friend who would do that....during a comedy! She'd swat me and I'd look over and she'd be laughing hysterically.

[XERO]

I did think that Donnie's VA from the second movie sounded a little black, but if any turtle is black it's...Benvenuto!

Loller to the skates. :lol: :lol: ;)

[TheAnimatedSeries]

Yes, Donatello is a black man. Get over it.

[Sewer Bull]

Woah ... I guess this thread is a joke? But as far as the poll goes, I don't know why an automatic option would be that he's white, if he's not black or "green." If the Turtles had a race, I would presume it was ... Japanese-American?

I don't know... They might have been brought up in the Japanese culture, but it wouldn't automatically make their origins Asiatic.

Yes, Donatello is a black man. Get over it.

Get used to it, Max!

[TheAnimatedSeries]

I'm just kidding. Everyone has their own concept of which race Donny's personality reflects, and whether or not he is a gay Puerto Rican.

[ToTheNines]

Woah ... I guess this thread is a joke? But as far as the poll goes, I don't know why an automatic option would be that he's white, if he's not black or "green." If the Turtles had a race, I would presume it was ... Japanese-American?

Nah dude, a freind of mine actually brought this up.

[HalfcourtGame]

"Hey, you're black, right?"

""Here we go."

"I hate that stereotype that all black people yell at movie screens. You know? Like, you go see some horror flick, and you be yelling, like, "Don't go in there, girl, he behind the doh'!" You know? It's like...it's offensive."

"You wish were allowed to yell at the screen, don't you?"

"Why does she go in there!? I mean, he's behind the doh'!"

I always pegged JD as more of a Leonardo type myself with Dr. Cox being his Splinter. Turk does work for Donny though hmmmmm...:tconfuse:

[Raph's Girl]

That makes sense. But dig this, Sliders are native to the US so they would technically be native-americans. hehe

Don's not black...he's brown. Mike's blueish, Leo's grass green, and Raph's forrest green.

And I'd like to point out that Sliders are found all over the world..mostly due to introduction. Yes they are initially from the U.S, but they have been introduced in the wild in other countries.

When I lived in Germany there was this pond I'd go to each week to feed the wild sliders that lived in it (they loved bratwurst :lol: )

Still tho.. the TMNT were raised learning Japanese culture...they are Japanese-Native American. In Native American, Chinese, and Japanese cultures turtles are sacred so it seems fitting. Native Americans believe the world was formed on the back of a turtle. Japanese believe the islands were formed on the back of a turtle. Funny how 2 cultures so far apart have somewhat similar myths about turtles. The Chinese and Native Americans have specific dances about turtles too (the dance of the turtle scares away winter).

[bullet]

i dunno about the island thing, but i know chinese and japanese share a similar legend of a black turtle governing over earth, a blue dragon over water, a red phoenix over fire and a white tiger over wind. i'm sure there are similar legends in indian culture of celestial turtles, i almost remember reading some of them in a course i took. interesting stuff, legends are.

[Aignatius]

Interesting. Wanted to add, in Feng Shui, the red phoenix represents the south (fire); white tiger the west (air); green dragon the east (water); and black tortoise the north (earth).

[bullet]

yeah, good point, forgot to add that they represent directions too.

[Buslady]

Don's not black...he's brown. Mike's blueish, Leo's grass green, and Raph's forrest green.

And I'd like to point out that Sliders are found all over the world..mostly due to introduction. Yes they are initially from the U.S, but they have been introduced in the wild in other countries.

When I lived in Germany there was this pond I'd go to each week to feed the wild sliders that lived in it (they loved bratwurst :lol: )

Still tho.. the TMNT were raised learning Japanese culture...they are Japanese-Native American. In Native American, Chinese, and Japanese cultures turtles are sacred so it seems fitting. Native Americans believe the world was formed on the back of a turtle. Japanese believe the islands were formed on the back of a turtle. Funny how 2 cultures so far apart have somewhat similar myths about turtles. The Chinese and Native Americans have specific dances about turtles too (the dance of the turtle scares away winter).

i can argue that turtles being "sacred" to the asian cultures..Yeah right.....they're so sacred they're becoming extinct over there.

[bullet]

sacred to the culture doesn't mean it's sacred to its people. a lot of people couldn't care less about their culture.

a lot of asian culture (and pretty much anywhere else) have been diluted greatly since industrialization and our information age. i mean, people usually speak of it in terms of legends, myths and profit (video games, feng shui, books, festive products etc.) this isn't too true of indian culture, though, because i know a lot of them actually honor nature above pretty much all else.

[Andrew NDB]

I thought that April was white?

[CyberCubed]

Only in certain incarnations.

[neatoman]

"Is a mutant turtle, named after an Italian and raised by a Japanese rat, meant to be black in any meaningful sense?"

I'm gonna say no.

[IndigoErth]

Well this is an oldie...

No, he's green, glad to clear that up.

[Galactus]

This is because of the original action figure, isn't it? Or that the Platinum Dunes version looks like Andre Meadows?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Although CyberCubed bumped this thread, I'm legitimately shocked that he is not the one who made it.

[Leo656]

Although CyberCubed bumped this thread, I'm legitimately shocked that he is not the one who made it.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII KNOW! :lol::lol::lol:

[CyberCubed]

Although CyberCubed bumped this thread, I'm legitimately shocked that he is not the one who made it.

2007 was a wild time.

[sdp]

2007 was just before geek culture became cool and things went to hell, **** the MCU and big bang theory.

[ssjup81]

Although CyberCubed bumped this thread, I'm legitimately shocked that he is not the one who made it.You're not the only one. I saw the thread title and was like, "Really Cubed?" lol I stand corrected. lol

[CyberCubed]

The original toyline making his skin darker probably contributed to this:

https://static2.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/00.-TMNT.jpg

Always found it weird they did this when in the original cartoon they're all the same shade of green.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

The original toyline making his skin darker probably contributed to this:

https://static2.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/00.-TMNT.jpg

Always found it weird they did this when in the original cartoon they're all the same shade of green.

If they're all the same shade of green, it's easier for parents to not understand (or pretend to not understand) that they are FOUR different Turtles and yes, all FOUR action figures are desperately needed.

It worked for my parents back in the day, LOL

[PizzaPower1985]

Does Donnie give off any certain cues that would suggest he's anything but a turtle?

Further, what exactly does it mean to be black? Can any non-black person really say? I certainly dont know.

I DO THINK IF the TMNT suddenly got turned human, DON would be the whitest SOB you ever met. He's a geek! He'd most certainly have coke-bottle glasses with tape in the middle, wear high-water pants and probably be dressed like FRED ROGERS. Don is the science nerd. He'd probably have a high-pitched voice and have like a peanut allergy or something. IF he didnt know martial arts, Jocks would beat him up for his lunch money. Girls would laugh at him and call him names.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Quit cribbing Michael Bay's character notes. :tgrumble:

FFS, I hate all the nerd stereotypes everyone wants to apply to Donatello...

[PizzaPower1985]

Quit cribbing Michael Bay's character notes. :tgrumble:

FFS, I hate all the nerd stereotypes everyone wants to apply to Donatello...

Well, someone literally asked the question "Is Donnie Black?" Stereotyping kinda comes with the entire question.

Kinda surprised nobody has debated the color of Mikey's surfboard!

Leo and Raph can get stereotyped too... as the teacher's pet lover of authority and.. as the angsty teenager... so...

[Powder]

I DO THINK IF the TMNT suddenly got turned human, DON would be the whitest SOB you ever met. He's a geek! He'd most certainly have coke-bottle glasses with tape in the middle, wear high-water pants and probably be dressed like FRED ROGERS. Don is the science nerd. He'd probably have a high-pitched voice and have like a peanut allergy or something. IF he didnt know martial arts, Jocks would beat him up for his lunch money. Girls would laugh at him and call him names.

:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

[PizzaPower1985]

:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

of course my response depends on the incarnation... I dont think Mirage Don would be a stereotypical nerd, nor IDW... only those versions where the tech side outweighs his ninja side... like all of the more silly, childish versions (Bay turtles etc.) If Don has to be seen with a bunch of gadgets on his belt or scopic binocular headgear then yeah, he'd be a total geek... the more serious versions, probably not!

[DVSleeSmooth]

Hes literally a turtle so no? Like if they were human what race they would be then honestly whatever

[Prowler]

"Is a mutant turtle, named after an Italian and raised by a Japanese rat, meant to be black in any meaningful sense?"

I'm gonna say no.

This.

Although CyberCubed bumped this thread, I'm legitimately shocked that he is not the one who made it.

Agreed lmao.

Anyway this thread is from like 2007 and TTN was a lot younger at the time. He probably doesn't even remember making this thread. And he might have just been joking, who knows. Let's not shame people for threads they made over a decade ago when they were most likely still teenagers, Cybercubed..

[Coola Yagami]

This.



Agreed lmao.

Anyway this thread is from like 2007 and TTN was a lot younger at the time. He probably doesn't even remember making this thread. And he might have just been joking, who knows. Let's not shame people for threads they love made over a decade ago when they were most likely still teenagers, Cybercubed..

But.... but... isn't that how Twitter currently works?

[Prowler]

But.... but... isn't that how Twitter currently works?

You mean the cancelling thing? Yes. It's pathetic and pesky.

[CyberCubed]

https://www.transformerland.com/image/reference_images/51986.jpg

Playmates seemed to think Don was black.

[Coola Yagami]

Honestly though, if we go by Fred Wolf logic, they would be Japanese due to Splinter.

I would think if the Turtles turned human they might actually look just human. You know, like an actual race that exists but something different or mixed? Kinda like, not quite Asian, Hispanic, etc.

[Prowler]

Honestly though, if we go by Fred Wolf logic, they would be Japanese due to Splinter.

I would think if the Turtles turned human they might actually look just human. You know, like an actual race that exists but something different or mixed? Kinda like, not quite Asian, Hispanic, etc.

My mother thought the Turtles were Japanese. She is not overtly familiar with the lore besides seeing the 1990 movie at the cinema with my brother when he was 7.

I guess she just assumed they were Japanese in behaviour and attitude because, well, they're ninjas who are raised by the pet rat of a Japanese man. Pretty logic conclusion to make, to be fair.

So anyway, the Turtles were raised by a Japanese rat/Japanese man. But they also grew up in the States watching local TV and media. So they're basically Turtle versions of an American of Japanese ancestry, technically.

This seems more logical to me than trying to imagine what they'd look like as human beings. They're not even the same species as Splinter, who clearly isn't their biological father. Which means they could pretty much look like anything, if they were human, for argument sake. It's your culture and personality that defined you, not your genes or appearance.

Clearly the Turtles are influenced by what's popular with the local youth. Skateboarding, pizza eating, surfing, video games, comic books, rap, punk, metal and rock music, etc. are all things you can find scenes of all over the world.

[CyberCubed]

Don is now voiced by a black teen in the new movie, so this was pretty accurate.

[TurtleManiac]

As a kid playing with the ‘88 toys, I actually did think of Donatello as the “black guy” of the group, because his skin tone was much darker than the other 3. And I thought it looked cool, made him unique. I think I was introduced to the toys before the cartoon.

[IndigoErth]

I guess technically he is on the inside now!

Basically... the new purple M&M. :trazz: That the Mars company said is "designed to represent acceptance and inclusivity." Uh... like this movie, or so it sounds.

They better do an M&Ms tie-in now that purple is finally back in the bag. :tcool:

[CyberCubed]

You saying a turtle dosen't have the right to be black?

I don't think the Turtles identify as white or black.

[neatoman]

Imagine this with Don:
vlspb_Prq2M

[CyberCubed]

I'm pretty sure the kid who voices Don in Mutant Mayhem is black. But so is Michaelangelo and that's why he sounds like a black teen in Mutant Mayhem.

[Iroh]

Based race bait thread lol

[tmntpower1988]

I'm pretty sure the kid who voices Don in Mutant Mayhem is black. But so is Michaelangelo and that's why he sounds like a black teen in Mutant Mayhem.

I can't stand Mutant Mayhem Don's voice, drives me nuts anytime I hear it. I don't mind the other voices though.

[neatoman]

L104LViQeIw
https://aiptcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/tmnt-2003-donatello-sewer-slider.png

[ZariusTwo]

So when does Andre the Black Nerd voice him?

[clockstomper]

So when does Andre the Black Nerd voice him?

In the How it Should Have Ended for the Platinum Dunes TMNT

[ZariusTwo]

In the How it Should Have Ended for the Platinum Dunes TMNT

I am late to the party!:lol:

[CyberCubed]

Mutant Mayhem Donatello is definitely black:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTIwMTVkNTYtNWM4Yy00YmI1LThmNWUtY2MyMTgwODk0OD Y4XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg

He looks like every skinny black nerd in high school.