Did the Ninja Turtles get anyone else interested in Japan?
 

The Ninja Turtles were probably one of the pioneers when it comes to Ninjas in the Western pop culture. Speaking for myself, the Ninja Turtles were what got me interested in Japan and its culture. It was my first exposure to martial arts and ninjas. Many years later I got into anime/manga and eventually started researching Japanese-related topics(history, culture, politics).

I kinda believe that the Ninja Turtles, alongside video games, was the start of Japanophilia in the West. At least in the pop culture. I mean, had there ever been a popular cartoon with such themes before the FW Ninja Turtles series? And despite the fact that there were already several martial art flicks, the FW series was aimed at kids and it was massively popular all over the world. It certainly made ninjas "cool" with the younger audience.

Again, I speak for myself, but I doubt I would have ever gotten into anime/manga or interested in Japanese culture and history if I had never become a Ninja Turtles fan in the first place. Anyone else here went through the same process?

Definitely, especially when you realize TMNT pre-dates the whole anime craze that hit U.S. in the late 90's and early 2000's.

TMNT was the first show I ever watched with constant references to Japan, the main characters with Japanese names (Hamato Yoshi and Oroku Saki), and introduced me to the word, "ninja."

It's actually odd how influenced TMNT is of Japanese culture when you realize this is before anime ever became popular in the U.S.

Without a doubt! If not for them I wouldn't be an avid watcher of Samurai, Ninja, & Kung Fu films (or any other sort of martial arts oriented cinema). I've been relatively interested in Japanese culture and history for a while thanks to the turtles & Usagi Yojimbo especially.

Oh and weapons too. Other than a sword, I never knew what a sai, nunchuck or bo staff was until TMNT.

Yes indeed.

Interesting question. Yes, I suppose they did. In a combination with a few other factors, but they might just be the dominant motivating factor.

No.

Around that time in the early nineties, I got involved with the anime genre. I've watched Gundam 0079, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion and so on... that got me interested with Japan.

I see the Turtles more of an American thing than Japanese.

Not just the USA but most of Europe aswell. As far as I know, back in the late 80s/early 90s manga and anime were mostly popular in France and Italy. And both these countries are still the biggest anime and manga markets in Europe, I believe. But anime and manga only got popular as a whole very late in most European countries.

And yeah, the weapons. Nunhucks(I never know how to spell this lol) are still a favorite weapon of mine after all these years.

Yes, definitely. Although there have since been other factors, TMNT definitely spurred them all.

When I was looking to start martial arts a year and a half ago (again, influenced by many factors, but TMNT being an undeniable part of it) I was expecting to get involved in something Japanese. Turned out that the school I chose teaches a Korean style of karate. I could instantly follow along with the Judo guys counting in Japanese on the other mat, but boy did it take me a long time to get 1-10 figured out in Korean.

Oh yes - I remember I got a penpal in South Korea (for me Japan/China/Korea was pretty much the same thing, when I was 7 :lol: ) and she send me all kinds of cool mangapictures and traditional figurines and stuff like that.

I also grew very fond of martial arts in general

I was already into anime before TMNT 2003 came out XD.....

but I'm sure it has! :)

Kind of, it got me interested in martial arts which were japanese but videogames and anime also got me interested in japan at pretty much the same time so I can't say it was only the TMNT, in fact it was probably videogames my main reason.

No, I never was drawn to anything Japanese by the Turtles since outside of Splinter`s origin and a couple of stories, they're about as Japanese as apple pie.

No, I think Bruce Lee & the Kung-Fu craze of the 70s did more to get people interested in Japan and the East - it was a cultural phenomenon, much like the turtles were. By the end of the 70s/early 80s ninjas were everywhere - movies, TV shows, comics (which, of course, directly influenced Kevin & Peter when they were creating the Turtles).

That's not to say that the TMNT didn't get a new generation interested, but to give them sole credit is taking it a bit far.

No, but it did make me want to visit New York a few times. I didn't start getting into the Japan craze until I was in my early teens and I wasn't watching turtles as much then. Now my whole "Japan is teh best!' phase is pretty much over, and while I can appreciate the Japanese aspects that are certainly a part of the turtle's lives (as I do still like to learn about different cultures and places), ultimately I'm thrilled that when it comes right down to it, the turtles are American. A lot of pop culture nowadays IS still largely linked to Japan so it pleases me that one of my favorite franchises is (mostly) set in America. Country pride if you will I guess.

Yeah, it was really Bruce Lee and the old 70's Karate movies that started it. That's the only reason Eastman/Laird got interested in ninja's in the first place and made TMNT.

Yes in part that and they strengthen my love for pizza lol.

Your giving the turtles way too much credit.

Speed Racer of the 1960's? Tranformers, which does pre date the Turtles cartoon, how about G-Force, Gatchman or battle of the planets. All the cartoons here pre dates the Turtles, and all were pretty big hits in America.

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TMNT and Street Fighter got me into martial arts. Because of my love for ninjas and my plans to go into the Army's SF within the next couple of years, I chose Bujinkan Ninjutsu as my martial art of choice, and I plan on going to Japan within the next three years or so.

Me! I love Japan due to them!

Not particularly. Maybe it got me into the martial arts craze, and ninjas and all that, but not Japan particularly. I mean when you really think about it, other than Splinter's Miyagi impression, a few flashbacks, and Usagi, there wasn't really that much Japanese stuff on the show... and it made their food look gross.

I'm not sure if Japanese food wasn't as popular back then as it was now, but it's weird how they made Splinter's sushi seem so weird and foreign. "Not even on a pizza dude."

I'd say partly, and it even gave me a recent influence in terms of discovering sushi. But other martial arts films, Nintendo, Sony, and education in school (I had a field trip to the Japanese embassy in second grade) also spawned some interest. Sushi seemed weird back when TMNT was on the air, but now its much more mainstream its almost as common as pizza that I enjoy it several days a week! I like how it has a strong national pride in that its home country has enough of a distinct feel compared to western countries (especially English-speaking ones) with their blends of cultures. I even tried to learn basic Japanese on a computer program in fourth grade. But its only one country and unless if I'm visiting, won't be going too in-depth.