What started your love for Ninja Turtles?

[Bmaga123]

Interested in finding out what started everyone's love for the Ninja Turtles? For me the 80's Cartoon started my addiction then the first live action film took it to the next level.

[BubblyShell22]

Definitely the 80's cartoon. I grew up with that and that's what started my obsession. I haven't looked back since.

[Mzx10484]

The 80s cartoon moved me into this world...

[Oculus Orbus]

I liked the 80s cartoon, but it wasn't until I found the spanish release of the First books that I got forever hooked. Comics were my main interest as a kid (still are), and seeing how different the TMNT from the comics were to the ones on TV was very cool to my 6-7 years old self.

[rufus]

The 80's cartoon was my first exposure to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. From there it was then the Live action movies and then the comics,which was at the time the currently just started Image Vol 3 and a few back issues of Vol1 after checking out a comic book store for the first time.

[Jester]

Fred Wolf series, then Archie and the Movies.

[TurtleTitan97]

For me, it was the 2003 cartoon.

[Redeemer]

Interested in finding out what started everyone's love for the Ninja Turtles? For me the 80's Cartoon started my addiction then the first live action film took it to the next level.

I think we can safely say that 90% of the TMNT fandom was introduced through the OT

[CyberCubed]

I think for most people it went like this:

Original cartoon, Movies (almost every kid who watched the OT eventually saw the movies either in theaters or on VHS), to Archie (a large chunk of us had Archie issues), to Mirage (when we became teens, we discovered the comics), to 4kids (which aired by the time most of us were in our late teens), till now.

[Shark_Blade]

OT Cartoon.


You forgot to include video games.

[Bmaga123]

OT Cartoon.


You forgot to include video games.

Yeah and Toys :-(, just vote other for that I guess.

[shuriken]

The '87 cartoon which got me obsessed with the toys for a while. I didn't build an Army of Foot baddies in a day:)

[pannoni1]

Clearly the OT. I've told my story about discovering it a few times, but it was something about the colors, animations, music, battle scenes, and jokes that brought me in and since I had pretty much watched Sesame Street/Disney up to that point, it was a big jump into somewhat more mature scenes for my age, and that mix of easy to understand plot with some deep references that I only understood as a teen/adult really made my discovery of the franchise.

[Refractive Reflections]

I think we can safely say that 90% of the TMNT fandom was introduced through the OT

And as the years pass by I'm sure we'll say that 90% of TMNT fandom was not only from the OT, but also from 2K3 or the Nick CGI version.

I think the interesting stories to hear would be from people who were first exposed to TMNT through the Mirage/Image/Archie comics or even the Movies alone, but yet only casually heard or distantly aware (remarkably so considering the mass merchandising/advertising) of the whole Turtlemania period caused by the OT. I think these stories would probably be from a generation older than the kids of the 80s/early 90s, such as adults/teenagers in the 80s. So if I do the math...people reaching 40 and older.

[ToTheNines]

What started it? The video games, Manhattan Project to be specific.

But the older I got the more I discovered. First the movie, then the 2k3 show, then Mirage. Now I love every version of TMNT, and that's what I think its staying power is; the versatility and variety.

[Vegeta]

The 80s cartoon of course. It had such a profound effect on me as a kid and my friends. Still love it more than either of the new cartoons.

[zodiac brave]

OT, Movies, Nintendo games 1 & 2, and the toys! eventually archie too.

[Avatar Yuffie]

OT, Archie, Turtles in Time shaped that old love.

[Candy Kappa]

I like ninja, I like turtles. Then way back as a kid I see these toys. It just clicked

[shreddinghead]

I think it was the secret of the ooze which introduced me to the turtles.

[Orisue]

I like ninja, I like turtles. Then way back as a kid I see these toys. It just clicked

Same lol I also had a pet turtle and a pet tortoise at one point but it ran away:tcry:. Ninja turtles just clicked for me! I also have one brother and I felt I could relate to the loyalty of the turtles as siblings.:P

[Zulithe]

I was very young in the late 80s so was not familiar with the comics or anything at that time, but I do remember ninjas overall being a big part of the 80s. There were many ninja films and whatnot in that era, so it was a great environment for TMNT to flourish. As a kid I watched a lot of these on VHS or on cable.

So in the very late 80s when TMNT hit it was the perfect fit for my preteen mind. I am pretty sure I saw the toys first -- not the cartoon. But I'm not fully clear on this fact. I did get heavily into comics (tmnt and otherwise) but not until a few years later. And of course I loved the 1990 movie and TMNT II but this came almost 2 full years later -- which to a kid is a huge. By the time TMNT 1990 came into theaters I already was a seasoned TMNT fan :p

What I do remember is walking into the toy isle (which I did very very often) and one day, boom, they were there. I remember seeing the packaging, these figures unlike anything I had seen before. I loved to draw and was drawing CONSTANTLY so another thing that really entranced me was the great art on the action figure cards, each card had its own unique art showing the character (much unlike today's cards which look the same for EVERY figure)

Like a lot of boys I just loved turtles to begin with so the combination was like magic. I must have discovered the show almost immediatley after because I don't recall there being much of a gap. From there it was TMNT obsession for the next 5 or so years. I continued to play with the figures almost daily until 12 or 13yo at which time they were boxed up. But even then I'd pull them out sometimes. It was a big part of my life.

Does anyone know the exact dates of when the show premiered and when the figures showed up in stores?

[Luzmagica]

80´s toons! is my main option! ...also it was very important the first Movie...:tgrin::tgrin::tgrin::tgrin:

[bjaxx87]

Well, I was born 1987 and of course I was introduced by the OT when it aired in the 90s. I had some merchandise, watched the toon and was often inspired by the trope "four heroes and their master against evil" when I played with my toys :D.

But I wouldn't say that the OT "started my love"... I watched Next Mutation some years later (and liked it due to my love for Power Rangers), watched the movies somewhere in between and then finally lost interest when I grew up.

I noticed the 2K3 series in 2005 (when it aired in Germany) but didn't feel like I should give it a try.

In 2009 after about 10 turtleless years my girlfriend and me spent our holidays in Spain. We got used to watching Spanish television while we where having breakfast (without understanding a word) and stumbled upon the 2K3 series. That's what finally sparked my love for TMNT! The series looked so exciting and "grown up". It must've been season 2 because I remember the Triceraton colosseum. We also loved the Spanish version of the TMNT-intro which is in my MP3 collection now :twink:.

It took me another year to find out that 2K3 was based on a comic series and that Mirage is the real root of TMNT.

That caused me to gather information and to collect the comics. Eventually I found Spengs' continuity project and started to read the Mirage series - in chronological order! :tgrin:

Today I have quite a knowledge about TMNT history, Peter Laird, Kevin Eastman, the Mirage staffers, myths like the Forever War, Kirby the Fifth turtle and so on... I also watched 2K3 in German (and later seasons in English) and rewatched the OT.

I read the IDW series but stopped after issue 6... Guess I'll get back to it someday but for now I'm fine with Mirage and Image.

Oh, and I enjoy the Nicktoon. It's fun with all it's references. But it won't surpass Lairds 2K3 run for me.

To make a long story short: What started my love for TMNT? The Spanish version of TMNT 2K3!

[Luzmagica]

.....In 2009 after about 10 turtleless years my girlfriend and me spent our holidays in Spain. We got used to watching Spanish television while we where having breakfast (without understanding a word) and stumbled upon the 2K3 series. That's what finally sparked my love for TMNT! The series looked so exciting and "grown up".We also loved the Spanish version of the TMNT-intro which is in my MP3 collection now :twink:.

To make a long story short: What started my love for TMNT? The Spanish version of TMNT 2K3!

Awesome!!!!!! :tcool::tcool: :twink: :tgrin: :lol: :tparty: :D

[Icebot]

My first real experience with ninja turtles was playing the NES TMNT 2 Arcade game. I was a huge fan on Nintendo at the time and it was really easy for me to love any video game, including the TMNT Arcade game. I loved that game enough to inspire me to watch the 80's cartoon. I loved that cartoon more and more every day and I couldn't stop watching it. Eventually, I decided that Ninja Turtles is my favorite show.

[Weirdo-Warrior]

It was the 80's cartoon. They started to broadcast it in Italy around 1989, I already had some action figures (Splinter, Shredder and April, none of the Turtles) but I didn't like them very much since I had no reference apart from the bio on the card. The cartoon made me love these characters and started my TMNT mania. Only the year after I discovered Mirage comics and understood that there was much more behind the toon.

[DonatelloNinja82]

Ahhh...it was the 1987 show for sure...It came out when I was 5 and I havent looked back since. I had everything! Toys, shirts, sweaters, socks, shoes, lunchboxes, plushies, backpacks, foods, books, etc. I recorded eps on VHS and had my own massive collection. I made a costume, a board game, wrote my own stories, songs, made a tag game, played make believe....TMNT was my first, and longest lasting obsession, and I love being able to share them with my own children :)

[TheCanadiandrome]

Going with the norm, the FW OT and the figures

[Guitar_Raph]

Anybody who knows me like a book knows the answer.
kPUm3MCX3GY
wtAtJLcOP3I

When they play as a band fom COOTS to their brief comeback on Next Mutation!

[Dogpound]

I was hooked period...The cartoon the toys the live action movies...I mean TMNT was so huge when I was a kid and I love that now it can possibly have another run with my son....I wasn't too impressed in any of the other reboots of TMNT but I actually like watching the new cartoon and the toys obviously are a good thing.

[Pterobat]

Ain't nothing but the OT that started it.

[Drose18]

For me, it was the 2003 cartoon.

This fo me

[Turtle-X]

i remember watching the first few episodes as a kid and it blew my mind. i already loved science fiction and superheroes and TMNT was such a great mix of both. then the toys. man i had so many TMNT figures.

[gunstarheroblue]

the 80's OT.(Season One Fav)

Memories of funneling in 20 bucks in laundry quarters for the 4 player arcade game,
watching most young Comic artists of today hail these 4 as a strong reason theyve taken up drawing, most everyone has made an attempt at drawing these guys in some form, no matter the skill.

the new toy Classics line , and the new NICK show has rejuvenated my interest in them tenfold.

I still hail the OT theme song as the catchiest ever of all cartoons, ill admit im toe tapping and head bopping anytime i hear it play. lol

[AnarkyLantern]

My first exposure to it was a novelization of the first movie I got as a airplane freebie. From there, I started watching the toon and collecting the toys and archie series

[Yorae]

Fred Wolf cartoon for me. We got free VHS's of the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles with a Pizza Hut offer at the time. It was love at first sight!

[TMNachoT]

OT and movies. Then I stopped for a while untill i found the Mirage comics.

[meta ray mek]

The 2k12 series.

I'd watched the OT on Saturday mornings as a kid, but to me, it was 'just another cartoon' to watch (like 'Real Ghostbusters' and such), as I was more into other shows, like X-Men and later Power Rangers; so I never really got into it that much. I do recall that Splinter was my favorite character -or at least, the one I paid more attention to, but I had a thing for rodents as a kid, hehe.

Saw the 2007 movie with my younger brother (he was into the 2k3 series for a time), as he asked me to take him (I recall it was a grey, rainy March weekday afternoon and we were part of an audience of maybe 10-15). It was interesting and I had enough basic knowledge of the series to know who was who (sort of... Casey Jones and Karai threw me for a loop), but I didn't really think too much about it.

Fast forward a few years later at this point. I'd initially watched the pilot for the 2k12 series and was unimpressed at first. When one of my other favorite shows was put on a forced hiatus, I gave TMNT a second shot a month or so later. I was hooked so bad after watching that episode, I marathoned the entire series up until that point over the weekend. Just hit all the right spots that the past stuff didn't for me, and I can't quite explain why, hehe.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Ahhh...it was the 1987 show for sure...It came out when I was 5 and I havent looked back since. I had everything! Toys, shirts, sweaters, socks, shoes, lunchboxes, plushies, backpacks, foods, books, etc. I recorded eps on VHS and had my own massive collection. I made a costume, a board game, wrote my own stories, songs, made a tag game, played make believe....TMNT was my first, and longest lasting obsession, and I love being able to share them with my own children :)

I know you've said before you don't know where your stories are now, but do you recall how did you write them? Like some kind of comics.

[Zulithe]

The 2k12 series.

I'd watched the OT on Saturday mornings as a kid, but to me, it was 'just another cartoon' to watch (like 'Real Ghostbusters' and such), as I was more into other shows, like X-Men and later Power Rangers; so I never really got into it that much. I do recall that Splinter was my favorite character -or at least, the one I paid more attention to, but I had a thing for rodents as a kid, hehe.

Saw the 2007 movie with my younger brother (he was into the 2k3 series for a time), as he asked me to take him (I recall it was a grey, rainy March weekday afternoon and we were part of an audience of maybe 10-15). It was interesting and I had enough basic knowledge of the series to know who was who (sort of... Casey Jones and Karai threw me for a loop), but I didn't really think too much about it.

Fast forward a few years later at this point. I'd initially watched the pilot for the 2k12 series and was unimpressed at first. When one of my other favorite shows was put on a forced hiatus, I gave TMNT a second shot a month or so later. I was hooked so bad after watching that episode, I marathoned the entire series up until that point over the weekend. Just hit all the right spots that the past stuff didn't for me, and I can't quite explain why, hehe.
Cool story. Interesting how the previous shows could not win you over but this one did. You say you can't quite explain why... I understand. I feel the 2012 show is remarkably well-made and it may end up being my favorite of all time (though it's really too early to say!), it's just interesting to me to see people who have been exposed to several versions of TMNT in the past but didn't care for it much until now. There's definitely something Nick is doing very, very right.

[meta ray mek]

Cool story. Interesting how the previous shows could not win you over but this one did. You say you can't quite explain why... I understand. I feel the 2012 show is remarkably well-made and it may end up being my favorite of all time (though it's really too early to say!), it's just interesting to me to see people who have been exposed to several versions of TMNT in the past but didn't care for it much until now. There's definitely something Nick is doing very, very right.

Yeah, it is interesting it took a couple of tries (and close to 20 years) before I finally got an invested interest in TMNT. I'm not sure if it's because of my tastes changing as I've gotten older or what.

I do have some vague ideas of why the Nick 2k12 series connected with me the most (characterizations, the emphasis on family, some genuinely funny scenes, and some great 'edge of seat' moments), but it's hard to pin point which one hooked me exactly, especially since 'Never Say Xever' -the first episode I watched in full- was sort of a 'filler' episode and it focused more on Leo (who's not really high on my list of favorites, but I don't dislike him either; if that makes sense). idek.

[DonatelloNinja82]

I know you've said before you don't know where your stories are now, but do you recall how did you write them? Like some kind of comics.

No, I wrote them like books, with paragraphs and dialogue....like a normal fan fiction.

[NameGoesHere1066]

I got into it mostly because of my older brother who was a die hard turtles fan. He is the only one in the "real" world that I talk to about my turtle love. We even begged our mom to get us some baby turtles for pets but she said they were filthy and she said we couldn't afford them.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

No, I wrote them like books, with paragraphs and dialogue....like a normal fan fiction.

Did someone read tnem? How old were you? If you find them some day, I hope you can scan them (or hopefully write them on the Internet instead) and publish them.

Do you recall any plots?