A World Without the TMNT

[Jester]

So Peter's got us thinking... just what would the world be like is he and Kevin Eastman hadn't created our beloved Turtles?

Let's discuss the alternate universe that would be CyberCubed's nightmare.

Well for one, there wouldn't be all those lame brained parody cash-ins like Street Sharks, Extreme Dinosaurs, Biker Mice, Kung-Fu Hamsters, Chameleon Commandos.

[joe-eyeball]

the word "COWABUNGA" would be underutilized and greatly unappreciated.

[Powder]

Hey, guy, I think Extreme Dinosaurs is awesome. :)

[Jester]

Hey, guy, I think Extreme Dinosaurs is awesome. :)
And I'm sure Biker Mice fans will call for my head, too.

My Facebook would be lacking several friends. :(

[CyberCubed]

Thinks of the episode "Shredderville" when Donatello says:

"Well this is the world....WITHOUT the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!"

*scary music plays*


As for me, if TMNT wasn't part of my childhood, I assume I would have been more of a Batman fan then. I really liked Batman due to the 1989 movie and B:TAS....but TMNT was always #1 for me....

I guess I would have been a hardcore Batman fan instead of being a more casual fan of it if TMNT never happened.

[TonySiegel]

Presently speaking, I'd be buying Marvel and DC Comics :lol:

[joe-eyeball]

I think my childhood would have sucked a little bit.

I would also add that my current adulthood would suck a little bit.

[Jester]

TMNT was a big part of my childhood, too. But I'm sure some other 80's franchise would have taken it's place...maybe. Not sure I'd have gotten into comic books. The Archie TMNT series was my first comic book series.

[Foot Soldier Clang]

If TMNT wasn't around when I was a kid, then between the ages of 7 - 12 I'd be a hardcore fan of whatever else was big on television. I'd also weigh a few pounds less from not eating Mutagen Pies every freaking day :tlol:. No wait, I'm still a New Yorker, so I can't go without my near daily slice of pizza.

[Jester]

I wonder if pizza would be as big without the Turtles. I love it, but I partially blame the Green Team.

[Obbie]

Yup, i'll have to agree with Joe... my childhood would have kinda sucked...... ugh! i don't even wanna think about what if... especially something that's so near and dear to me! lol

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

More kids would use drugs, no Michelangelo in the Cartoon All Stars to the Rescue (those who liked Michelangelo)...

[Slap-Happy]

I really wouldn't be into most things I am now.

If I remember correctly, TMNT was my gateway drug into the comics world. Without them, I probably wouldn't care all that much about comics in general.

My love of comics led to me becoming a movie buff and a toy collector, which all lead me to some of my favorite things.

[koenne]

Lol , if the Turtles did't exist it would be something else , Teenage Mutant Ninja 'elephants' for all I know , Also things like Street Sharks and Biker Mice etc..started simple hoping that the crowd would like it bigtime like tmnt . Back in the day Kevin or Peter did't know if the tmnt would go big like they did , its a shot in the dark. In the end everything is made for cash in..
Cowabunga !

[ZariusTwo]

Biker Mice.

Biker Mice has a cult following and even had a revival series/toyline a couple of years ago.

If TMNT werent around, you all know this place would be called "Hope Island" and you'd all be Planeteers

[Icebot]

Usagi wouldn't be as famous.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Less people of the younger generations would like and understand the slapstick humor that the 1987 TMNT Cartoon uses.

[Candy Kappa]

The biker mice kinda took over after the turtles, together with power rangers.

but I remember more mice then rangers in stores here in Norway (south where I live)

My childhood would probably just be a little extra filled with X-Men, Batman, Spider-Man, GI-Joe, Transformers, Lego and Action Man

[Falconhood]

well, there wouldn't be Bucky O'Hare, Samurai Pizza Cats, Toxic Avengers, and so many other TMNT inspired shows. I bet no american company would take a chance on Power Rangers either, even though Sentai existed BEFORE TMNT.

[ToTheNines]

Crazy to think...

I'm a bit younger than most of you guys (born in 91), so I only caught the tail end of the TMNT craze as a little guy. I got back into TMNT hardcore during the "dead period" when we had moved and all my toys/videogames were in storage while we were living at my grandmothers small house. All I had to play with was old stuff we had sent to her house years prior: my NES and VHS tapes. TMNT III: The Manhattan Project wasn't the only thing I played with my sister and cousins (Also loved Mario 3, Kirby's Adventure, Hogan's Alley, Donkey Kong Jr. etc.), but it was the most played, and led to us getting into everything else TMNT.

So I guess I might be a Nintendo fan boy if it weren't for TMNT. No idea what I'd really be into as far as TV/movies goes though.

[Doc_ock_4mugen]

-James Avery would be just Uncle Phil to me...
-I would not have cared about Cam Clarke until the 2002 He-Man reboot. (Cause every time I heard his voice my reaction was: Holy crap! it's Leonardo! or Holy crap! it's Rocksteady!)
-I would have eaten a LOT LESS Pizza.
-Playmates would not have gotten a lot of my childhood money.
-I would have become a fan of the New Adventures of He-Man...
-I would have ignored Konami as a gaming company (to the point of missing out on Metal Gear Solid)
-My dislike for Ubisoft would be a lot less.
-We would NOT have had the 90s Masterpiece: Ninja Rap!
-Power Rangers in Space would have been less cool to me...
-My Joke summary of Xenogears would never exist...

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

well, there wouldn't be Bucky O'Hare, Samurai Pizza Cats, Toxic Avengers, and so many other TMNT inspired shows. I bet no american company would take a chance on Power Rangers either, even though Sentai existed BEFORE TMNT.

Bucky O'Hare is older than TMNT, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucky_O%27Hare

Also, TMNT (OK, together with video gaming) turned the late 1980's and early 1990's into the biggest era of Japanophilia in the Western World since the late 18th and early 19th century.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Bucky O'Hare is older than TMNT, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucky_O%27Hare

Also, TMNT (OK, together with video gaming) turned the late 1980's and early 1990's into the biggest era of Japanophilia in the Western World since the late 18th and early 19th century.

Japanophilia did exist even before the TMNT; in fact it probably caused Eastman and Laird to come up with the TMNT in the first place. There were cartoons like "Speed Racer" when I was very young.

I suspect that turtles-the regular ones-wouldn't be as popular today without the Turtles.

[mysterycolor]

a world with no tmnt? i shudder at the thought... one thing i know for sure... mysterycolor vintage toys would still be selling a wide variety of items... however i would've missed out on meeting many amazing people... and then there is always the frightening thought that kids like Joey wouldnt know what to do when offered some pot... you know, MARIJUANA...

[Falconhood]

Bucky O'Hare is older than TMNT, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucky_O%27Hare

Also, TMNT (OK, together with video gaming) turned the late 1980's and early 1990's into the biggest era of Japanophilia in the Western World since the late 18th and early 19th century.
oh wow. All i recall is having a Comic Review magazine reading about TMNT in homeroom back in the fall of 1985.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Japanophilia did exist even before the TMNT; in fact it probably caused Eastman and Laird to come up with the TMNT in the first place. There were cartoons like "Speed Racer" when I was very young.

I suspect that turtles-the regular ones-wouldn't be as popular today without the Turtles.

I know and Japanophilia in the Western World comes and go, but I still think TMNT increased it during the upcoming years. A lof of kids became fascinated of Japan because of TMNT.

[KROW]

I wouldn't have met my wife.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I wouldn't have met my wife.

How is it possible?

[KROW]

How is it possible?

Because of this (http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/member.php?u=171).

[Redeemer]

Because of this (http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/member.php?u=171).

Wow interesting???? Pretty cool

[Zany Orange Dude]

*Shutters* This is the thread nightmares are made of.

Well for one thing I wouldn't be on here because this site wouldn't exist. And if this site didn't exist, neither would this thread!

[TerranigmaFreak]

We all wouldn't be here on this forum chatting.

[pannoni1]

More reptiles would be extinct, and it wouldn't be as cool to watch the news. We also won't be as interested in Renaissance Art and some crazy musical genres. I assume GI Joe and The Real Ghostbusters would have lingered in popularity longer; Garfield would have bigger, and The Simpsons, as big as it was and still is, would have been an even bigger part of my childhood.

But quite frankly, it was easy to imagine a world without the TMNT during the dark period.

[TurtleTitan97]

I would never be interested in Ninjas.

[BubblyShell22]

Wow. Interesting question. I'd say that if TMNT didn't exist, I wouldn't be chatting with all of you, and most of the other sites I visit wouldn't exist either. Also, it was because of TMNT that I got interested in fan fiction and began posting my own stories, so that wouldn't happen either. I'd probably still write, but not about the Turtles.

[Falconhood]

We all wouldn't be here on this forum chatting.

nope, we'd be on the Adolescent Genetically-Malformed Samurai Tortoise forum.

[MrPliggins]

This is a very interesting question for me as the Turtles inspired my career choice. They are what got me drawing in the first place, and without that, I wouldn't be the designer/animator I am today. I have a feeling my life would be completely different, perhaps for the better? Although I can't complain right now. I sure wouldn't have tons of sketch books full of Turtles drawings from my preteen years, that's for sure.

[BubblyShell22]

If the Turtle never existed, I probably would have had a nervous breakdown in college due to stress and probably wouldn't even be typing this. It was the 2K3 series that helped me through that time in my life and really helped me to see that failure isn't necessarily a bad thing as it helps you to learn. The Ancient One taught me that, and I've carried it with me ever since.

[Noah13]

I would not like to exist in this hypothetical world

[Foot Soldier Clang]

If we're all getting sentimental, then if this forum didn't exist because of the TMNT fandom, then my life would probably be a complete wreck right now. Lots of scary important changes are happening, plus a few drastic and possibly some no win scenarios. If it weren't for this fandom, and the upcoming new show, I wouldn't have anything to really distract me from more serious problems.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Oh, ninjas were known in the West prior to the TMNT. I first heard about them from watching the TV serial "Shogun", then reading the book of the same title by James Clavell.

[FearlessLeader]

This thought honestly depresses me.

I have no idea who I would be as a person without the guys. I learned my sense of morality from the Turtles. Pretty much every other interest I have I can trace back to my interest in the Turtles.

I choose to became a cop because of life lessons from Leonardo and being ingrained with the desire to help others.

I'm not certain how I would have made it through my parents divorce as a child without the guys.

Actually thinking about it, it's kind of insane to me just how much this fandom has influenced my life.

[Panda Khan]

I would probably be a Transformers/GI Joe fan without TMNT in my childhood.

[Powder]

I am definitely on the same page as you, Fearless. The TMNT got me through most if not all of my low points in life.
I'd rather not entertain the thought of not having their influence in my life.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I choose to became a cop because of life lessons from Leonardo and being ingrained with the desire to help others.



Are you talking about the "Take Me to Your Leader" episode?

[Ninja Tiptup]

Woah... never really thought about that before.

Well for me... I guess I would have stuck to Disney Afternoon cartoons. I might not have found a more actiony show that interested me until FOX Kids aired Batman, X-Men or Spider-Man or maybe when Disney aired Gargoyles. Honestly I didn't fully appreciate any of those besides Spider-Man: TAS until I was older. Maybe the first big toy franchise I would have gone bonkers over would have been Power Rangers as I was still pretty young when that started. I wasn't into Transformers, G.I. Joe or ThunderCats but that may have changed with no TMNT around to latch onto.

Pizza probably wouldn't be among my favorite foods and I might never had a fondness for reptiles and amphibians.

I wouldn't have gotten in trouble for repeating "damn" from TMNT 1 back in kindergarden.

I may never have notice the voice work of Cam Clarke, Barry Gordon, Pat Fraley, Peter Reneday or Townsend Coleman. Though Townsend and Cam might have still been in The Tick had that been produced in the 90s as it was. I wouldn't have had that added interest that Barry Gordon was Jake on SWAT Kats or Cam Clarke was He-Man in the 2002 remake.

I would have stopped watching network Saturday morning cartoons way earlier had there been no TMNT 2003 on the 4Kids block. Something else would have been the first show I collected on DVD as well. Potentially I would not have spent nearly as much money as I have on DVDs over the years.

I'd probably be a lot less paranoid of chemicals having not been freaked out by various mutagen creations in the TMNT mythos. As I didn't really read comics until around Jr. High and still don't read many.

I potentially would have a lot less toys in general or maybe just more Power Rangers stuff but as much as I've enjoyed many franchises over the years, TMNT is easily the one taking up the most space in any residence I have live at.

I'm not sure what my cousin and I would have bonded over for so many years.

My tastes in cartoons might be dramatically different if Ninja Turtles never existed. I might not even like cartoons as much as I do now if it were not for TMNT.

As for the industry...

CBS might never have had a long running action cartoon.

Various imitators (not necessarily in a bad way) probably never would have existed but not just the obvious ones. Gargoyles, SWAT Kats, King Arthur and the Knights of Justice and even another big franchise like Power Rangers might never have happened (meaning Saban might have left it to Japan) without Ninja Turtles to inspire television producers all around the world. It's hard to gauge just how much difference the lack of TMNT would make. How many non-Marvel non-DC comics would get cartoons? Probably not many.

Vanilla Ice would only have 1 memorable song.

Archie might never have tried adapting franchises they didn't start. (at least I'm not aware of a series they ran which wasn't their's before TMNT.

Playmates may have never had a big boys action figure.

Konami might not have made a bunch of brawler games based on popular franchises in the 90s.

The Battletoids franchise might not exist and if it did... it'd be considered more original.

G.I. Joe's 90s series probably would have done better. :lol:

USA Cartoon Express probably would have been cancelled sooner.

Weekday cartoon syndication may have died out sooner in most markets.

F.H.E. wouldn't have had a major boys action series for VHS.

There's really no telling what would have been the big merchandise seller in the early 90s before Power Rangers.

[FearlessLeader]

Are you talking about the "Take Me to Your Leader" episode?

Not really a certain episode or anything just who Leonardo is as a character and what he represents :tsmile:

[Donnie]

Actually thinking about it, it's kind of insane to me just how much this fandom has influenced my life.

Yep. Ditto.

[ZariusTwo]

.Various imitators (not necessarily in a bad way) probably never would have existed but not just the obvious ones. Gargoyles, SWAT Kats, King Arthur and the Knights of Justice and even another big franchise like Power Rangers might never have happened (meaning Saban might have left it to Japan) without Ninja Turtles to inspire television producers all around the world. It's hard to gauge just how much difference the lack of TMNT would make. How many non-Marvel non-DC comics would get cartoons? Probably not many.

You're giving TMNT way too much credit here. I hope you realize this.

And what does Arthur and the Knights of Justice, a niche show with not even HALF the fanbase of any other shows you mentioned, do to be considered an "imitator"? If anything, it's a hybrid of Prince Valiant and Dungeons and Dragons

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

-Power Rangers in Space would have been less cool to me...


Power Rangers would probably not exist, even if it's a different show.

[Zachatello00]

I have no idea who I would be as a person without the guys.

Actually thinking about it, it's kind of insane to me just how much this fandom has influenced my life.

Yeah, same here. The turtles helped mold me into who I am today. I actually had a date once with a hot girl that I didn't call back because she couldn't understand why I liked TMNT. no thanks sweetie.

Like Tiptup, I would have stayed loyal to Disney Afternoon shows. Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, Gargoyles, those were also some of my favorite.

I'm a big fan of classic animation and cartoons, so I would have gone a completely different route in my choice of toons.

I suppose my office would be decorated with Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, and Ducktales stuff...

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I actually had a date once with a hot girl that I didn't call back because she couldn't understand why I liked TMNT. no thanks sweetie.

You could tell her about the Mirage Comics. Maybe she only knew the 1987 cartoon and thought it was mostly children who liked TMNT?

[Zachatello00]

No way. She drew a line in the sand I would never cross.
:tlol:

[Jephael]

Good for you, Zach! I would never go out with a girl who dissed me for liking the Ninja Turtles, no matter how pretty.

As far as the "what if" question is concerned, I'd rather not think about it because like many of you have already said the TMNT really shaped me into the person I am today! I've had some major low points in my life as well, but the Ninja Turtles always helped me think posative!

[rav4ge]

I really wouldn't be into most things I am now.

If I remember correctly, TMNT was my gateway drug into the comics world. Without them, I probably wouldn't care all that much about comics in general.

My love of comics led to me becoming a movie buff and a toy collector, which all lead me to some of my favorite things.Same here. I wonder what kind of franchise would have filled the void if TMNT hadn't been around for my early years of grade school and beyond. I'd probably end up being into Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh hardcore, since that's what was big in the playground at the time. Past that, I have no idea. There are so many factors to consider.

[Bauer536]

Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without the turtles.:tsad: I’d probably focus more on Batman or Superman. However, even though they are super awesome, they can get boring because they are so darn popular. Same thing with Marvel superheroes like the X-Men. I like them, but there may come to a point where I just say, “I don’t care about the new incarnations. I’m sticking with the old instead of the new.” With TMNT, that doesn’t happen. I’m always looking forward to see what happens in the new adaptations, whether they’re great or terrible. I’m still hoping TMNT becomes as big as DC and Marvel superheroes because that would be great, then Peter will realize that it was worth creating them in the long run.:tcool: Seriously: I think Peter is very depressed with how things ended with his franchise.

Just to end things: Peter shouldn’t regret for what he created. All that matters is he has a family and that there are fans out there who love the turtles as much as they might love the Justice League or Avengers. Somebody should tell him that, then he can be happy and just enjoy that the franchise is evolving with success.:twink: