Well-Written Kid Characters

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

People often complain over annoying kid characters (Zach, Buffy Shellhammer, Kevin Tyler).

So, who are, well-written kid characters? And what define them? Teenager or younger child.

[CyberCubed]

You mean just in this show or any cartoon? In Batman I don't mind the younger Robin's, most of them are only like 10-13 in some of the shows.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

You mean just in this show or any cartoon? In Batman I don't mind the younger Robin's, most of them are only like 10-13 in some of the shows.

Mostly, any TMNT cartoon.

[CyberCubed]

Mostly, any TMNT cartoon.

The Turtles as tots in some of the episodes.

[Refractive Reflections]

Speaking of Zach and Buffy how old were they???

Even though Buffy behaved like a kid, I think she was a teenager and I could believe that since some spoiled teenagers can behave like that despite her voice being so kid-like. (How old is she supposed to be anyways?)

But as for Zach, the way how he spoke and behaved, I always assumed he was in elementary school and that his brother Walt was in middle school (7-8th grade) or maybe early high school (9-10th grade). What really surprised me is that according to Wikipedia ("The Fifth Turtle", 26th episode summary), they list Zach as being 14-years OLD! :o Really?!? LOL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles_%281987_TV_series%29_ %28Season_3%29

I don't think I ever came across Zach's age as being 14 years old. How old IS Zach anyways? Really 14 years old? LOL :lol:

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Speaking of Zach and Buffy how old were they???

Even though Buffy behaved like a kid, I think she was a teenager and I could believe that since some spoiled teenagers can behave like that despite her voice being so kid-like. (How old is she supposed to be anyways?)

But as for Zach, the way how he spoke and behaved, I always assumed he was in elementary school and that his brother Walt was in middle school (7-8th grade) or maybe early high school (9-10th grade). What really surprised me is that according to Wikipedia ("The Fifth Turtle", 26th episode summary), they list Zach as being 14-years OLD! :o Really?!? LOL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles_%281987_TV_series%29_ %28Season_3%29

I don't think I ever came across Zach's age as being 14 years old. How old IS Zach anyways? Really 14 years old? LOL :lol:

Forgot to say I mostly mention Earth humans, not the turtles as kids, or extraterestrial (but childhood must last long for those from that planet orbiting Antares in "Invasion of the Turtle Snatchers", if he's still a child).

Zach says he's almost 14 in "The Fifth Turtle". Buffy Shellhammer's 15 years old, but her grandfather left her in charge of the Shellhammer Chemicals, stripping her on her childhood to become a CEO.

[Coola Yagami]

I always figured Buffy had to be 15-16 since they made Michealangelo check her out. I always thought they drew her way too young to be a possible love interest because Mikey just looked too old for her. The thing that made me confused throughout the whole episode was 'wtf happened to Kala?'. I guess they figured Mikey would be the only one to fall for a brat like that?

[pannoni1]

The Neutrinos certainly qualify as teenagers from another Dimension and have expanded with IDW with new members, thanks to funny '50s/'60s slang initially and now as the distinct good guys of Dimension X making them valuable assets to the Turtles when facing Krang/Rock Soldiers.

As for young kids, some of the baby Turtles can be cute since it builds some backstory. But most of the kids of TMNT only have small supporting roles and have standard thoughts of most real-life kids, from the science fair boy in Too Hot To Handle to the carnival kids in It Came Beneath the Sewers.

[Xav]

Angel, Cody Jones and Keno.

[Refractive Reflections]

Zach says he's almost 14 in "The Fifth Turtle". Buffy Shellhammer's 15 years old, but her grandfather left her in charge of the Shellhammer Chemicals, stripping her on her childhood to become a CEO.

Hmmm...I'll definitely have to rewatch "The Fifth Turtle" again, but Zach talks way too childish to be a 13-14 year old though. But it's just me...LOL

So I'm guessing his older brother Walt, is 16 or 17 then...?

I always figured Buffy had to be 15-16 since they made Michealangelo check her out. I always thought they drew her way too young to be a possible love interest because Mikey just looked too old for her. The thing that made me confused throughout the whole episode was 'wtf happened to Kala?'. I guess they figured Mikey would be the only one to fall for a brat like that?

I see your point Coola Yagami, I have no idea why they made the "teenage" humans (Zach, Buffy, Kevin) look so childish in both, appearance and behavior. I guess maybe to make them more relatable to the audience of children, I guess....

Speaking of Kala, I wondered the same thing too when Michelangelo falls for Buffy. Even stranger is in the episode "Attack of the Neutrinos" (Season 7), Michelangelo and Kala act as if they don't have a past together. Weird... but I guess the writers just may have forgotten about it since their infatuated relationship was 4 seasons ago.

On a side note, LOL, I always wondered how the animators and writers would have incorporated the Neutrinos in a Red Sky episode, out of curiosity. :lol:

[CyberCubed]

Buffy was 15, they state that in the episode.

[Ulisa]

I think well written Kid Characters are actually pretty hard to come across. Especially if they're just side characters because then you don't have as much time to develop them. Of the TMNT franchise, I think Angel is probably the best of the group but even she has her flaws.

Oddly enough, I actually like Zach, he was actually one of my favorite side characters. However, I will agree with pretty everyone else that I REALLY have a hard time swallowing that he's almost 14. He acts much closer to 10-11 to me. It's been a while since I've seen "The Fifth Turtle" but I do remember having a head-canon that he told the Turtles he was older than he actually was in an attempt to impress them. Eh, it's weak head canon but I ran with it.

I think what makes kid characters hard is that writers tend to use the "stereotype" of a kid: geek, tough girl, fan-boy, etc. I really like characters that aren't necessarily one stereotype but have unique traits that make them stand out but not necessarily make them annoying. I think it's a tough balance to hit. And while I like Zach, I do recognize he falls into the 'annoying' catergory for most people.

[Shark_Blade]

Lisa Simpson.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

How about that homeless Hiroshima girl in the Archie comics, who befriended April? (except for there aren't many street-children in Japan, reminds more of Brazil).

[BubblyShell22]

I really liked Angel from the 4Kids cartoon. She had an interesting backstory, and I really wish we would have learned more about her or seen her more in the show. I often wondered why she lived with her grandma.

[Coola Yagami]

How about that homeless Hiroshima girl in the Archie comics, who befriended April? (except for there aren't many street-children in Japan, reminds more of Brazil).

Oyuki? Yeah. she was a good side character and wasn't annoying or bothersome at all. I like how she became April's friend. Kinda weird how she went from being a random intended sacrifice from a crazy villain plot to a recurring character and new friend to to the gang.

[Konchadunga]

I did not think Buffy was bad, actually. She was a jerk throughout most of the episode, but once it was revealed that she was both spoiled and burdened by her inheritance, it made more sense, and she did have a sense of justice. Cody wasn't all that badly written either, but the big insult with him is how the plot focused on him, when there were more interesting directions to go.

I quite like Angel, in that she was an interesting kid and also didn't hog much of the story. Finally, I really like 2012 April, in that she acts relatively believable in the show; she's simultaneously angry, scared, and resourceful, without being over-competent.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Foster Fenwick is 11 years old in "Too Hot to Handle"