Individual bandana colors superfluous to identify Nick Turtles? [Archive]

Refractive Reflections

04-08-2013, 12:33 AM

One noticeable difference with the 2012 Turtles, compared to the other cartoon Turtles (OT and 2K3), is that the 2012 Turtles seem to all have stereotypical physical appearances that match their personalities.

For example, with Leonardo all of his physical features are basically average, and has dark, deep blue eyes.
For Donatello, he's skinny, tall, and has an egg-shaped head.
For Raphael, he's has a more built physique and has green eyes.
For Michelangelo, his youth is shown in his underdeveloped physique compared to his brothers, has innocent light blue eyes, and freckles.

These 2012 Turtles all have physical and facial features which are easily recognizable, unlike the OT Turtles and 2K3 Turtles where they all had the same height, physique, and facial appearance which made their multicolored bandanas more pertinent to easily identify which Turtle was which.

Since these 2012 Turtles are so noticeably different in appearance, does it make the colored bandanas even...necessary now? Yes, I know the multicolored assigned bandanas have now become a tradition, but these obvious physical differences kind of defeats the original purpose of the multicolored bandanas...right? :ohwell: If they didn't wear bandanas at all, or even returned to the original red, I could still identify them easily.

I'm not complaining, or saying that I want them removed/changed, but are these bandanas now... superfluous? What do you think? (Just something to think about.)

Candy Kappa

04-08-2013, 12:40 AM

I think so, but there are probably some that still wouldn't see the differences between the turtles without the different colored bandanna or weapons.

"I like the blue one."

Bossa Nova

04-08-2013, 03:15 AM

I think younger viewers still identify the turtles quite a bit by their colors, especially in the midst of a fight scene when the turtles are moving and jumping about. Not only that, but their names (even shortened nicknames) can still be a bit difficult for younger children to remember, making it more troublesome to know who is who. True, the turtles all have different weapons, but remembering blue, red, purple and orange is something kids pretty much learn how to do from a young age, and FAR easier than knowing to use katana/sword, sai, bo staff, and nunchucks to identify them.

I know that personally, even as an adult, when I'm watching a film or starting a new series, I STILL have a difficult time remembering the actors and actress' names despite the fact that I'm watching humans who all obviously look different from each other. I remember who is who by their appearance first and what role they play, and when discussing shows with my friends, they'll know right off the bat who the crazy awesome goth scientist is in NCIS even before I mention the name Abby. All in all, I think it's just a shorthand that I think is always going to work really well for kids and new fans of the turtles. Yes, as viewers who know and love the TMNT we can appreciate the unique builds and looks the turtles all now have, but for the average kid who watches turtles once or twice a week, remembering 'I like the orange one' is simply a lot easier.

ToTheNines

04-08-2013, 07:02 AM

They're superfluous in every version. Hell, the Fred Wolf show had the wrong color on them any ways a lot of the time.

TheBlueTurtle1

04-08-2013, 07:19 AM

It just makes it more fun and less boring. Always liked the all red myself, but way like colour more.

Shreddhead

04-08-2013, 08:25 AM

This question is pretty superfluous.

CyberCubed

04-08-2013, 09:58 AM

The Turtles are easily to recognize by kids by their colors, then their names, then their weapons.

04-08-2013, 10:42 AM

I always liked the colors. Despite the Nick Turtles all having unique physical appearances, the colors do make it easier to identify them in things like busy fight scenes.

BabyTurtles

04-08-2013, 10:50 AM

I always liked the colors. Despite the Nick Turtles all having unique physical appearances, the colors do make it easier to identify them in things like busy fight scenes.

yea this XD

plus the colors go with their attitudes~

Tazi

04-08-2013, 11:06 AM

One funny thing about Mikey in the Nick series is that, with the bandana color and the freckles, they basically made him to a ginger. :lol:

Slade

04-08-2013, 11:06 AM

Seeing as if you took the bandanas off, my 3 year old wouldn't know who was who or if they all wore red he would think they are all Raphael, the bandanas should stay.

Refractive Reflections

04-08-2013, 03:50 PM

For the children, it makes more sense for the multicolored bandanas to stay despite the differences in physical appearance for easy identification. While for us teens and adults, it wouldn't be too bothersome in terms of identification.
...Then again, we (teens and adults) are not the targeted audience for the Nick cartoon! :lol:

I guess hypothetically, even if these physical differences were implemented in the OT Turtles, it appears that the assigned iconic multicolored bandanas (or other form of color-coded identification) would have been inevitable in the TMNT franchise.

Slade

04-08-2013, 04:29 PM

...Then again, we (teens and adults) are not the targeted audience for the Nick cartoon! :lol:

Was going to say something along these lines just couldn't get it worded right.

Andrew NDB

04-08-2013, 04:41 PM

They're superfluous in every version.

This. Very much this.

MikeandRaph87

04-08-2013, 08:05 PM

CyberCubed

04-08-2013, 08:48 PM

No reason to change the traditional four colors that have always been. Its just in those black and white comics that never sported the definitive look. I'm surprised those were never adapted to add the colors if not for the brief volume two started it with no explination needed. Peter even does not have a problem with it. I doubt we will ever have to worry about it being all red again. The mask color is just apart of each turtle. Michelangelo is orange not red or any other color.If its changed its simply not Michelangelo. It would be as if something is missing. The same for the other three turtles. Best thing Playmates Toys did!

As Peter Laird said, it would be rather pointless for the Mirage turtles to wear color bandanas when the majority of the series is in BLACK and WHITE. And switching it just for the short-lived Volume 2 would be pointless.

This is a large reason why even the all-red doesn't matter in Mirage, aside from the covers and the few colored issues, its all black and white anyway.

Jephael

04-08-2013, 09:18 PM

I've said it in another thread already, frankly I don't care which color scheme they go with for the bandanas. They can be all red or multi-colored, it doesn't matter to me. Hell they can be soaked in cat urine for all I care, so long as it makes them look noticable.

BabyTurtles

04-08-2013, 09:28 PM

I honestly don't think I'd like their designs as much if they had all red :(

plus as someone said Mikey's freckles and his orange mask makes him look like a ginger and I love gingers XD

chrisdude

04-09-2013, 02:52 AM

The masks are fine. Yeah, their physical appearance is difference, but not by a whole lot. And remember that they don't wear clothes.

And how was it superfluous in OT or 2k3? They looked exactly the same in OT, and 2k3 had slight skin tone differences. You'd rather the animators be obligated to show weapons in every shot?

And the Mirage comics had times where it just plain wasn't possible to tell who was who. You just had to accept that it must not be important in that panel. Tell me if I'm wrong, but I've never seen the turtles described as identical quadruplets. That's just they way they're drawn.

ToTheNines

04-09-2013, 07:02 AM

And how was it superfluous in OT or 2k3? They looked exactly the same in OT, and 2k3 had slight skin tone differences. You'd rather the animators be obligated to show weapons in every shot?

The skin tone differences certainly weren't "slight". Also, they each had different designs for their skull and eye shapes. And let's not forget different voice actors.

ryukenden

04-09-2013, 11:06 AM

The bandanas were simply too iconic. I really do like the physical differences when it comes to height, skin tone and build. The OT came out at a time where there were limitations and all the Turtles had the exact same character model. 2K3 did have some physical differences along with consistent facial expressions.

NinjaMan

04-09-2013, 11:47 AM

My 4yr old remembers the turtles by their names rather easily.

CyberCubed

04-09-2013, 11:49 AM

I think its interesting that when they were in pre-production of the 4kids cartoon, PL didn't decide to change anything about their colored bandanas because he felt they were fine.

I actually wonder how different the 4kids series might have been received if PL made some pretty big changes with the bandana colors that series rather than leaving them the same.

Andrew NDB

04-09-2013, 01:00 PM

No reason to change the traditional four colors that have always been. Its just in those black and white comics that never sported the definitive look.

Those two sentences don't make any sense... for obvious reasons I don't think I need to point out.

Panda_Kahn_fan

04-09-2013, 01:07 PM

Those two sentences don't make any sense... for obvious reasons I don't think I need to point out.

I think he means the colors the public have come to see the turtles as wearing. The turtles have had the multicolored bandannas in all media save one, and that's how most of the public outside the hardcore fanbase- even the target audience- knows them now.

CyberCubed

04-09-2013, 01:08 PM

I think he means the colors the public have come to see the turtles as wearing. The turtles have had the multicolored bandannas in all media save one, and that's how most of the public- even the target audience- knows them now.

But the point is the Mirage comics were mostly in black and white, so the Turtles having colored bandanas in a comic that was black and white would make no difference.

Panda_Kahn_fan

04-09-2013, 01:16 PM

But the point is the Mirage comics were mostly in black and white, so the Turtles having colored bandanas in a comic that was black and white would make no difference.

True, but I was also commenting on thier continued existance in all media, despite being 'superfluous'.

Slade

04-09-2013, 01:22 PM

My 4yr old remembers the turtles by their names rather easily.

So if you put them all in blue just say and took away weapons he or she would still know?

NinjaMan

04-09-2013, 01:23 PM

So if you put them all in blue just say and took away weapons he or he would still know?

Yup she's very smart she could tell who they are by voices or personality an by their various features

Slade

04-09-2013, 01:38 PM

Yup she's very smart she could tell who they are by voices or personality an by their various features

With Nick turtles yeah. Cus they have those features. What about say OT? Just a picture of them though?

Not trying to come off as rude, just curious.

Shreddhead

04-09-2013, 01:53 PM

So if you put them all in blue just say and took away weapons he or she would still know?

Why are we taking the weapons away now?

With Nick turtles yeah. Cus they have those features. What about say OT? Just a picture of them though?

What if we put them all in a dark room, took away their weapons, and made them all do Rodney Dangerfield impressions... I bet your 4 year old couldn't tell the difference then.

We are getting way off of the point here.

The ONLY time I have ever had any difficulty telling them apart is in the Mirage comics when there is little to no dialog and the weapons cannot be seen. Even as a kid I could distinguish the OT episodes when someone from the normal cast wasn't available and someone else had to fill in for a character.

NinjaMan

04-09-2013, 02:07 PM

With Nick turtles yeah. Cus they have those features. What about say OT? Just a picture of them though?

Not trying to come off as rude, just curious.

Oh I misread I thought we were only talking of the nick turtles

Slade

04-09-2013, 02:26 PM

Oh I misread I thought we were only talking of the nick turtles

We are. I was just curious.

NinjaMan

04-09-2013, 02:30 PM

We are. I was just curious.

Yea if they are nick no color or weapons she knows who they are. I got her a coloring book and they had no colors or weapons and she named them all. But OT heck I couldn't tell you who is who with no color masks lol

Andrew NDB

04-09-2013, 04:56 PM

Luigiperps

04-09-2013, 05:00 PM

If you get frustrated because you can't tell them apart without letters or different colored skins or rainbow bandannas or stickers that say "Hello! My Name is ______" then frankly you deserve the frustration.

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b612/luigiperps/23353b8f11c435dd1eeb66f8f19f7ddf_zps80013ae9.jpg
Who's who?

BabyTurtles

04-09-2013, 05:07 PM

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b612/luigiperps/23353b8f11c435dd1eeb66f8f19f7ddf_zps80013ae9.jpg
Who's who?

err.......................Leo is the one on the top left...I think.......or is that a bo staff...XD

Mikey's the one smiling for sure.....

ToTheNines

04-09-2013, 05:16 PM

Great example using a coloring book...

Take a black and white screen shot from the show and it'll be easy. And again: voice actors.

Gyt Kaliba

04-09-2013, 05:31 PM

If you get frustrated because you can't tell them apart without letters or different colored skins or rainbow bandannas or stickers that say "Hello! My Name is ______" then frankly you deserve the frustration.

Could you be any more of a jerk when stating your opinion? No, seriously - I don't believe you're living up to your potential.

I would actually agree that, in this new toon at least, the different bandana colors are a little bit superfluous due to how differently each character is designed in this version...but this is pretty much the first version to make them look that different from one another (I'm speaking of cartoon/movie/game adaptations here, I can't vouch for if the comics did or did not). Beyond that though, I still fail to see why what color a thin piece of fabric over their faces is continues to be such a big deal that it can cause remarks like that one to be construed as acceptable...

CyberCubed

04-09-2013, 05:40 PM

I would actually agree that, in this new toon at least, the different bandana colors are a little bit superfluous due to how differently each character is designed in this version...but this is pretty much the first version to make them look that different from one another (I'm speaking of cartoon/movie/game adaptations here, I can't vouch for if the comics did or did not). Beyond that though, I still fail to see why what color a thin piece of fabric over their faces is continues to be such a big deal that it can cause remarks like that one to be construed as acceptable...

Mainly because in Mirage where the Turtles are ninja's they don't have any reason to be color coded. That and...it was a black and white comic series, making colors even more pointless.

NinjaMan

04-09-2013, 06:04 PM

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b612/luigiperps/23353b8f11c435dd1eeb66f8f19f7ddf_zps80013ae9.jpg
Who's who?

Leo top left mikey on the right don under Leo and raph under mikey is my guess

CyberCubed

04-09-2013, 06:20 PM

Given Leo's sword handle is in the picture, its pretty easy to guess who he was.

BabyTurtles

04-09-2013, 07:48 PM

Given Leo's sword handle is in the picture, its pretty easy to guess who he was.

are you sure thats not a bo staff?? :D

MikeandRaph87

04-09-2013, 08:38 PM

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b612/luigiperps/23353b8f11c435dd1eeb66f8f19f7ddf_zps80013ae9.jpg
Who's who?

This fan of 23 years can't tell which shows how vital the mask are and the fact they are apart of the identity of the specific turtles. It can go multiple ways. I can't tell if the weapon is a sword or a bo so it could be either Leo or Don. The top left could be Mike goofing or Raph being a bully. The one who at the bottom left could be either Mike being pranked by Raph or Raph being instigated by Mike. Then which ever one that is not the one on the top left between Leo and Don is the one at the bottom right. Its strange how I would have NEVER have thought people liked all red and or black and white because of this huge identification problem.

Jephael

04-09-2013, 08:42 PM

If you get frustrated because you can't tell them apart without letters or different colored skins or rainbow bandannas or stickers that say "Hello! My Name is ______" then frankly you deserve the frustration.
Could you be any more of a jerk when stating your opinion? No, seriously - I don't believe you're living up to your potential.

Frankly I dunno who to feel more sorry for anymore, Andrew who gets butthurt over every little deviation from the source material, or other fans who get butthurt over his derogatory comments. In the end we're all just acting like a bunch of immature school kids who don't know how to get along on the playground.

Lethal Lullaby

04-09-2013, 08:47 PM

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b612/luigiperps/23353b8f11c435dd1eeb66f8f19f7ddf_zps80013ae9.jpg
Who's who?

Okay. This is just a guess but I'll say the one in the top left is Leo, Mikey is below him, Raph is next to Leo with his hand on Mikey and Don is below Raph? I feel that's right, but idk.

Slade

04-09-2013, 08:51 PM

Okay. This is just a guess but I'll say the one in the top left is Leo, Mikey is below him, Raph is next to Leo with his hand on Mikey and Don is below Raph? I feel that's right, but idk.

I like how this is startin to be a game:lol:

I agree here.

Vivi

04-09-2013, 08:53 PM

This. Very much this.

Exactly, it's not like the turtles going to mistake their own as belonging to another clan - how many other mutant turtles are there? I like the colours, they've grown into them.

BabyTurtles

04-09-2013, 08:55 PM

Okay. This is just a guess but I'll say the one in the top left is Leo, Mikey is below him, Raph is next to Leo with his hand on Mikey and Don is below Raph? I feel that's right, but idk.

I didn't think Raph!....it could be XD

is there a colored version so we can know!!? XD cause I kinda wanna know now....

Luigiperps

04-09-2013, 08:57 PM

Frankly I dunno who to feel more sorry for anymore, Andrew who gets butthurt over every little deviation from the source material, or other fans who get butthurt over his derogatory comments. In the end we're all just acting like a bunch of immature school kids who don't know how to get along on the playground.
http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b612/luigiperps/b455f06885bcd55d400fb02919a08679_zps4ab888e2.jpg
I don't like being grouped in with "bunch of immature school kids who don't know how to get along on the playground" So I'm just gonna go!
(By the way, which turtle is THAT!:tlol:)

Jephael

04-09-2013, 08:57 PM

is there a colored version so we can know!!? XD cause I kinda wanna know now....

I don't think so. That picture was clearly designed for a coloring book, and they clearly gave all four Turtles similar expressions for the sole purpose of allowing kids to choose which one was which... with the exception of Leonardo of course.

Vivi

04-09-2013, 08:58 PM

Refer to Fast Foward, the character designs were very nice - they were a little different but not exaggerated.

BabyTurtles

04-09-2013, 09:16 PM

I don't think so. That picture was clearly designed for a coloring book, and they clearly gave all four Turtles similar expressions for the sole purpose of allowing kids to choose which one was which... with the exception of Leonardo of course.

guess your right...all I could find is this version :(

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2552/3680243861_d5b6905271.jpg

Panda_Kahn_fan

04-09-2013, 09:54 PM

I'm going to come out and say this, even though I'm going to bring a flame war down on my head...

...but I'm a history major, with an Asian studies minor. I took two history courses on pre-Meji restoration Japan... and I will say there is zero evidence that any historical ninja clan all wore the same color.

Japanese clans did not choose particular colors to reperesent thier families, that's a trait of Celtic cultures (such as scottish clans, with thier clan tartans). Japanese nobles, Samurai and others of importance used clan symbols (called mon, similar to European hearldry) to represent membership in a clan, and the mon could be made in any color, and diffrent colors meant zero in familial identification. Worn colors were chosen based on the current season, birthdate on the Chinese zodiac, or symbolic meaning the individual was trying to convey. A group of ninja on the battlefield or on a mission, or even just back in the village would identify each other by the mon on thier garments or on thier person, not by the colors they were wearing. As my professor remarked the other day, ninjas in the sengouku period all wearing the same color would be incredibly stupid, as it would make them easy targets for thier eneimes, both on and off the battlefield.

I fear that many have taken in importance of color to clans from other cultures, and transposed it in thier minds over to a culture where color in garments is for symbolisim, rather than clan membership. :trolleye:

BTW, I'm only talking about Japanese history and culture here. If you want unifrom color bandanas for another reason, that's a diffrent kettle of fish altogether.

Gyt Kaliba

04-09-2013, 10:01 PM

Frankly I dunno who to feel more sorry for anymore, Andrew who gets butthurt over every little deviation from the source material, or other fans who get butthurt over his derogatory comments. In the end we're all just acting like a bunch of immature school kids who don't know how to get along on the playground.

Fair point. I usually try to ignore his comments, cuz I know what to expect, but it does seriously get old after a while when it seems like that's all I ever see is a complaint about the color of their bandanas, which to me just seems like one of the lesser things to worry about in any incarnation. Ah well, we're all entitled to our opinions though.

Shark_Blade

04-10-2013, 06:30 AM

That white and black pic of 2k3 turtles... Reminds me how frustrating to read the ultimate collection, not knowing who's who unless stated.

I honestly don't think I'd like their designs as much if they had all red :(

plus as someone said Mikey's freckles and his orange mask makes him look like a ginger and I love gingers XD

Agree with this. The all red bandanas make them look less interesting.
Sure it's their origin but I never find the appeal with that kind of color coding.

tlg80

04-11-2013, 01:28 AM

The picture threw me off. Sadly I got Leonardo and Donatello mixed up as a kid. :toops: I like the different colored bandanas. Now I can tell them apart, but I'm sure it helps the younger generation of turtle fans. Sorry, my post is a little jumbled. I confuse myself sometimes.

OrokuYoshiFilms

04-15-2013, 12:24 AM

I would like to see the Nick turtles go "all red" in one episode maybe to throw off the baddies or something, I dunno...

BabyTurtles

04-15-2013, 12:31 AM

I would like to see the Nick turtles go "all red" in one episode maybe to throw off the baddies or something, I dunno...

I wanna see them switch bandanas......for no reason XD I just wanna see what they'd look like.

BubblyShell22

04-15-2013, 08:35 AM

I like the colored masks and feel that it's an easy way for kids to not only tell them apart but a great way for kids to learn about their colors.

snake

04-20-2013, 10:35 AM

Playmates wouldn't sell any toys, you could buy one and have them all!

snake

04-21-2013, 12:42 PM

I wanna see them switch bandanas......for no reason XD I just wanna see what they'd look like.

Switch weapons while there at it :-)

BabyTurtles

04-21-2013, 04:06 PM

Switch weapons while there at it :-)

as I said before, That'd be awesome!! XD

which turtle would have which weapon??

RaphAndDonnie

04-21-2013, 05:02 PM

as I said before, That'd be awesome!! XD

which turtle would have which weapon??

Maybe Raph with the Bo Staff, Mikey with the katanas, Donnie with the sais and Leo with the nunchucks? Lol. I just want to see the turtles running around without their bandanas for a while-put those individual body builds to good use!

BabyTurtles

04-23-2013, 03:08 PM

Maybe Raph with the Bo Staff, Mikey with the katanas, Donnie with the sais and Leo with the nunchucks? Lol. I just want to see the turtles running around without their bandanas for a while-put those individual body builds to good use!

ding ding!! give this person a prize!! cause you nailed it!!

http://25.media.tumblr.com/4c6d3845375701b622007e79ac10ecf1/tumblr_mlq13vQswL1qbnb43o3_500.jpg

from the comic I think.

04-23-2013, 03:11 PM

ding ding!! give this person a prize!! cause you nailed it!!

http://25.media.tumblr.com/4c6d3845375701b622007e79ac10ecf1/tumblr_mlq13vQswL1qbnb43o3_500.jpg

from the comic I think.

Yup! That's from the new TMNT comic! :tgrin:

...RaphandDonnie, have you been exposed to any mind-reading mutant chemicals lately? :twink: