Best voice for tMNT character ever
 

Since TMNT has had many incarinations in the media, I'm going to ask which is the best voice for the following characters:

Leo
Don
Raph
Mikey
Splinter
April
Casey Jones
Shredder
Leatherhead

Feel free to add your own.

Good topic, especially since we have the new movie actors to choose from now. We should also state WHY we choose who we do.

Leo - Mike Sinterniklaas (I hope I spelled that right). This was hard because Cam was so dynamic and I can't here Cam doing anything else without hearing Leo. But Mike S. has taken Leo further that even Cam, he sounds just like Cam, but his performance in season 4 really evolved Leo futher than I've even seen Leo go before. New toon Leo is probably my favorite incarnation of Leo. Mike S. makes him believable both as a teenager and as a warrior.

Don - While I greatly apreciate Sam Regal, Barry Gordon *is* Donatello to me. He's so distictive. Much like Cam, I can't hear Barry in another role without thinking Don, but Barry's voice is just so unique than you could never mistake him for anyone other than Don.

Raph - To me Raph isn't complete without that NY accent. It sums up his attitude and everything about him. Frank's got the accent but his voice is so deep not quite teen enough, Paulson has good delivery but no accent or anger Josh Pais and Nolan North epitomise Raphael for me. Movie Raph has always been my favorite Raph.

Mikey - Wayne Grayson. I think Wayne has taken the best of the Mikey actors before him and really make Mikey his own. He has the fun without the annoying surfer qualities. Props also go to Robbie Rist but after six seasons of hearing Wayne I really can't hear anyone else as Mikey in my head anymore.

Splinter - Kevin Clash. While it was really cool to hear Mako, an actually Japanese actor play Splinter, Clash had more warmth to Splinter somehow. The campfire scene is a maginificent perfomance. I'm just in awe that the same guy that does Elmo also does Splinter.

April - This is akward cause I can't even remember her name, but old toon April will always been the best to me.

Casey Jones - Less choices here. I'd say Elias, but he was playing the live action character and didn't actually do any voiceover work, so whoever does new toon Casey I guess, I really like his performance.

Shredder - James Avery, he's not as scarry as new toon Shredder, but he's just so classic.

Leatherhead - um, the new toon guy

Karai - Ziyi Zhang. It was great hearing her. I love the actress. Again, casting an actual Japanese actor for the character helped. I hope she returns if there is a sequel.

Hey, this is a pretty neat idea. I'm tempted to go the easy route and say that I favor all the actors on the new movie the most, but it wouldn't be totally true even though I think they all did a phenomenal job. Here are my choices, and forgive me, but I don't know the names of very many of the actors so I'm just gonna go by series or movie to describe my faves.

Leo, Don, Raph, Mikey - The new TMNT movie voice actors were my favorite renditions of the turtles. None of the old cartoon voices or the old movie voices cut it for me. The old movie Raphael is pretty close, though, so probably a tie for him. The 2k3 toon voices are okay, but I don't like Mike or Raph as much in the toon. Leo and Don are pretty good IMO, but the new movie wins for all the turtles for me. I really found them to be perfect in every way.

Splinter - It took me a while to get used to the new movie Splinter with Mako. I like him now, but my favorite Splinter is definitely the old movies version of Splinter. It just felt more elderly, natural, and real to me. Neither of the toons felt quite right either.

April - I'm gonna have to go with Time Mistress here. Old toon April was the best, but I can't really explain why.

Casey Jones - Definitely the old movie Casey. New movie Casey is cool too, but the old Casey was absolutely perfect for that role. Perhaps if they put more classic Casey lines in the new movie like "Two minutes for high sticking," the new Casey would have made the cut.

Shredder - I honestly don't really have a favorite here at all. None of the Shredders has sounded perfect to me. 2k3 Shredder is probably closest for me, though, with old movie Shredder in a close second.

Leatherhead - Don't really know. Never paid much attention to be honest, but I'd probably have to go with the 2k3 Leatherhead.

EDIT: Oh, and Karai - No preference really, but probably the movie Karai because it sounded so unique to me.

Not to be nitpicky, but she's Chinese. :)

D'oh! I did know that. I meant to say Asian. I got the actress's nationality confused with the character's.

Hmm...

Don - I would go with a close tie between Mitchell and Sam.
Leo - Mike and James, again, a tie.
Raph - Frank and Nolan
Mike - Wayne and Mikey.

The new movie and 2K3 series voice actors were perfect.

And, for April? I'll go with Veronica.

Leo: James Arnold Taylor. He portrayed Leo as strong and dynamic, but not stiff and borring. He gave Leo a personality. Michael would be my second favorite Leo.

Raph: Nolan North no question. It's like he took Josh Pais' and Frank Frankson's interpertations and blended them into the perfect Raphael.

Don: Mitchell Withfield. I just loved that geeky yet sarcastic tone he gave Don. His performance truly stands out among the other Don actors. Kinda remniscent of Barry Gordon's Don, but still unique.

Mikey: Mikey Kelley was taylor made for Michelangelo. He played Mikey as full of energy, but still pretty easy going. He sounded like a regular teenager.

Splinter: Tough choice. Kevin Clash definatley gave Splinter age, but Mako brought a new dynamic to the character. All in all, I think Darren Dustin's portrayal was a good mixture.

April: Probably a tie between Veronica Taylor and Rene Jacobs. I can't choose.

Casey Jones: Elias Koteas, nuff said.

Shredder: Nothing beats the menacing tone of Scottie Ray. His version gave Shredder his balls back.

Leatherhead: Well, since there were only two versions, and only one was faithful to the character, Greg Carey.

great topic,

Leo- Tough choice between 2k3 or TMNT 4, but I'll give it to James A Taylor. Probably one of the most well-rounded Leos of all the actors.

Raph- I love North, but his and Frank portrayal were influenced by Josh Pais.
PAis accent may be a bit thick, but I feel his depseration/frustratio better than the other too. Josh wins

Mike- Mike KElly for sounding young, yet the least surfer/stoned of the mike actor.

Don- I really liked mitcvhell , but Sam Regals imo the best Don. I grew up woth Barry Gordon, and Feldman , but don is more introspective and thoughtful and it isnt necessarily mean high-pitched.

Splinter - Kevin Clash brough the most warmth and sounded somewhat Japanese /old. 2nd though is PEte Renady, who conveys wise master well.
Mako is a great actor and I see him as a different take on splinter that isnt the definitive one, but it didnt bother me. Not tosound hater, but Darrens voice doesnt do it for me for some reason. Kevin ftw

Shredder-I guess Im a minority, but david Mccharen(voice actor for Shred in live action movies 1/2). He screams evil, bad ass ninja lord. scottie Ray is good, but doesnt seem too distinctive to me. I love James Avery with a caveat.
If his char/voice performance had remained as in the first season(Best parts:when he tries to coax the turtles to joining the foot in enter the shredder,)He would be a close second to McCharen. But the whiny goofball shred is too lame for me, so he goes to 3rd place.

april - Judith Hoag. Renae JAcobs was too girly , gellar is too young, 2k3 actress is jut ok. With that , its one of the few categories with a clear win.

Casey - Elias Koteas

Leatherhead- Greg Carey

Leo: James Arnold Taylor is best. But Cam Clarke had a nice voice. :)
Don: Mitchell, hands down
Mike: Um ... Townsend's voice was great for the character, but the old toon Mike was not really Mike. I guess Wayne or something.
Raph: NOLAN
Splinter: Whoever played him in the old toon. WAY the most dignified.
Shredder: The voice in the first movie
April: Is it bad that I think SMG was pretty good?

this is tough

for Leonardo I think it is a toss up between James Arnold Taylor and Mike Sinterniklaas. they are both flippen awsome and make Leonardo very hard core. Cam Clarke is in a catergory all his own.

For Donatello Barry Gordon, Sam Regal, amnd Mitchelle just bring so much to Donatello you can't compare. Although I like the mildly sarcastic flare he gave to Movie Don

Karai: Ziyi Zhang, no contest
Baxter Stockman: The 2K3, also no contest(for obvious reasons)

I thought I was going to be too clicheed but for Donny I liked Corey. Feldman was able to add that sarcastic tone to Donny that made him just a bit more edgier than his other counterparts (meaning other versions of Don)

Now bare with me, as I'm doing this from memory and don't know all the voice actors names as well as you do.

Leo - The 2k3 version. Like Shredder in 2k3, he's able to show a lot of angles of Leo.
Raph - While Nolan had the attitude and edge, I think I'm going to have to go with Pais.
Mike - Rist. He was able to do Mike without too much surfer talk and still make him loveable. The 2k3 version is a close 2nd.
Splinter - Kevin Clash. While Kevin does do Elmo, who I think has gotten too much air time on SS lol, I think he was able to do a very fatherly and wise Splinter. Mako is good and makes him more believeable in the fact that Splinter came from Japan.
April - Paige Turco was cuter than Hoag, but Hoag had that fiestiness Turco didn't.
Shredder - I like the 2k3 version, it's a perfect mix of business man Saki and the evil Shredder.
Casey - Elias all the way. He even had the look.
Karai - While I agree that Ziyi did a great job as Karai, her accent just threw me and I think, tiny bit, even annoyed me too a point. I'm going with the 2k3 version.

The all time best voice ever was Pat Fraley as Krang!
James Avery as Shredder. Yo Uncle Phil!
Kevin Clash was an awesome Master Splinter...
for Mikey, I'd have to say my best friend Sam XD (She's going to get me one of these days.)

I don't really have favorites for the others. I had some I didn't like, but I don't really know names, so I won't mention them ^_^;

My choices:
Leo: Mike Sinterniklaas
Don: sam Regal
Raph: Tough one...I like both toon Raphs because of diffrent character needs. Rob worked in the OT and Frank works in the NT.
Mikey:Townsend Coleman
Splinter: Kevin Clash
April: er...um...I dunna...either cartoon April.
Casey Jones: Elias Kotaes
Shredder: James Avery
Leatherhead: NT, sorry Mr. Cummings, but I like the original character better.

Dudes, was Krang voiced by a woman? Was Krang supposed to be male or female, or neither?

Leo: Mike Santaclause..err Sinterniumwhatever...I can't spell his name!! I DO like the new movie leo...i forget his name. :ohwell:

Don: anybody but Cory.

Raph: Nolan North AND Josh Pais. Josh's Raph was like the foundation of the real representation of the turtle, then everybody after him took that and ran with it. I like 2k3 Raph alot, but oh man..Nolan beats that easy. I was glad he didn't have this gruff gravelly voice of a smoker; it ruins the voice. I'd like to hear John do Raph without the gravelly sound, just have the accent and it's fine.
Mikey: I think I like Wayne's Mikey, but the new movie is good too.

Splinter: MAKO! I LOVED HIS VOICE! I do like Darrens' Splinter, his fits well for the toon.

April: Judith Hoag, i wish she could have voiced her in the movie
Casey Jones: Elias Koteas, he so WAS Casey in TMNT1. He'd have been better than Flameboy.

Shredder: dont care
Leatherhead: dont care

Pat Fraley is a man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvkHm87se2U

Ha, okay, good to know. When I used to watch the old cartoon, I thought Krang was female. I was a dumb little kid.

Or it could be that Krang was Shredder's nagging wife >.> *hides*
I love Krang, really. :evilgrin:

Just to stay on topic, I HAVE decided, my favorite Mikey voice, was the first movie version. ^_^ so cute.

For Raphael Rob Paulsen all the way. He did such a superb job on old toon Rapahel and really gave him a slick personality, even though OT Raphael is worlds diffrent his orginal concept, he was represented well. Rob Paulsen is in a league all his own.

As for edgy tough Mirage-ish Raphael I'd say it is a toss up between Josh Pais and Nolan North. Although I think I lean more toward Nolan North if for nop other reason than for that emotion filled confession he gave to Splinter after his fight with Leoanrdo.

As for Michaelangelo...guh, it is a toss up between Townsend Coleman and Wayne Grayson. Both gave so much personality to Michaelangelo, and both are such good actors. Over-all as far as "sound of voice" goes I think Townsend Coleman. Despite the cliche surfer sccent Townsend Colemane gavevMichae;angelo a good voice that ewas distinct from other two-D suffer voices...he actually gave Michaelangelo a very nice mellow/calm voice that was actually versitle with emotion. Wayne Grayson, despite the tendacy to be a bit on the shrill side in the "sound of voice" department, I think gives Michaelangelo more depth. He seems to play michaelangelo on several levels that hint at other facets to Mikey's character. He performance mmakes Mikey a well rounded character, so you actually think Mikey acting diffrently is still true to his character...like his performance with Mikey's voice in Same as it Never Was ...So tye between Townsend and Wayne, since they both do superb jobs.