I started thinking about this earlier today. I think Splinter isn't getting a fair shake design-wise. Look at the cartoons, comics, toys, movies. How often does Splinter actually look like a real rat?

So often he ends up looking like some sort of dog/rat hybrid. And I don't think I need to go into the Splinter from COOTS.

Of course, one could argue that the TMNT don't look a whole lot like turtles. Maybe I'm just sensitive because I've had pet rats, and I really admire them. They have good-looking little faces.

So does anyone else think that Splinter deserves better? Or am I just a rat-loving looney?

SPLINTER GETS NOTHING

TMNT get all the credit. What does Splinter do in his spare tim while the turtles save the world?

All he does is meditates. I think TMNT get all the credit due to all the times they have saved the world.

LOL! Reminds me of a scene where Renet said Splinter looked like a dog!

You're kinda right, but he looks enough like a rat to be able to tell that that's what he is. It's hard to keep those features while making a creature humanoid. Let's see YOU try and draw him, I know I couldn't without tons of practice.

I suck at drawing! Stick people are my thing.

I too keep Rats, I have kept them all my life. I think that they a the cutest animals in the world, they make the best pets. I must say that the Mirage Splinter did look more rat like then the others.*Cough* Next Mutantion *Cough*

I do feel bad for the way he's drawn as well. In Archie, i was glad that they had made him taller *I LOVE tall men :grin:*, but he looked like a chipmunk! I try to make my own pics correct, *coughcoughFANARTSECTIONcoughcough*, but it gets difficult. I like him in TMNT I and II, but in the third, he looked kinda sad...

Next Mutation Splinter really did not look like a rat, I agree with that.

I know I nearly died when I saw him in TMNT 3 and the Next Mutation. I liked the Achie comics, I only ever had three. I liked the way the guys were drawn and I also liked Ninjara. Bring her back!

I never read much of the Archies. I have some of the early collected books, and #50, I think. I love the way the guys were drawn. And even though I wasn't familiar with Ninjara, that didn't stop me from making a doll of her.

Poor Splinter, fur is so hard to draw and make animatronics with. He looked decent in the CGI clip though.

He did look good in the cgi clip, and he kicked serious tail in the training scene! :grin:

I like the Archies, cuz they didnt show him as this old and frail four foot dust bunny.

Yes, sensei kicked shell!
"You must learn the power that comes with inner peace."

I love seeing the turtles get all cocky, and then see how Splinter quite easily puts them in their place. Sweet :grin:.

I never read the archie comics, because archie screws everything up. he looked good in the movies and decent in the comics, but down-right STUPID in the cartoon. another thought on splinter: I like this character a lot, really, but don't you think he should, i dunno, die?hes always acting like hes old and about to go, so get it over with already. it'd be a nice plot twist too to see how the tmnt cope with it.

That was always weird. Like you kept expecting him to die, but he never does. If he did then it would leave a big void in the Turtle's lives.

(Personally, I don't really think he's as old and frail as he lets on.)

NO NO NO! No he shouldnt! Every story that has him die, ends in the separation of the turtles. He's too important for the turtles to be without. He is their base, without him, none of this would have happened. he is their father and Master, and they need him.

(he actually fakes the old stuff, so the turtles do what theyre told. He's about the sme age as my dad.)

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Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The mime next door went nuts.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Machias Banshee on 2002-03-10 15:29 ]</font>

For shame Speed! The TMNT wouldn't be ninjas if it weren't for Splinter. He taught them everything they know. No Splinter = no TMNT.

thank you SC! My thoughts exactly.

I always like to get into the 'fathering and teaching ' aspects of Splinter. I get surprised sometimes at how many people like to see that aspect as well... young turtles. the FanFic challenge was won by ria with her ten year old Mikey finding the Oroku compound.
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Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The mime next door went nuts.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Machias Banshee on 2002-03-10 16:05 ]</font>

Splinter is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most important character in the TMNT universe. He made the TMNT what they are. And I agree, they haven't done him justice in the last few TMNT runs. I really liked how he looked in the CGI trailer, but that show may never see the light of day :sad: