How tall are the Turtles?

[Billbeaux]

I picked up a copy of the Tales vol. 1 treasury the other day, and in reading through the first couple stories it struck me that the Turtles--at least in these issues--are portrayed as being really short. Unless I'm to assume that April is built like Sigourney Weaver on steroids, the first issue makes it seem like the Turtles aren't much more than three-and-a-half to maybe four feet tall. I always figured their heights to be right around 5'0" even.

Should I assume, then, that this is just artistic license, or are they actually supposed to be that short?

Of course, since they are teenagers, it's always possible that as the stories progressed they continued to grow.

[Andrew NDB]

According to the Palladium material authorized by Mirage...

Raphael is 4'6"

Leonardo is 4'9"

Donatello is 5'

Michelangelo is 4'8"

Of course, this was when they were 15. They might have grown an inch or two as they headed into their 20s.

[Archon_Turtle]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

According to the Palladium material authorized by Mirage...

Raphael is 4'6"

Leonardo is 4'9"

Donatello is 5'

Michelangelo is 4'8"

Of course, this was when they were 15. They might have grown an inch or two as they headed into their 20s.

I think the turtles arcade bios give height too, but chances are they just pulled them out of their butts.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Archon_Turtle

I think the turtles arcade bios give height too, but chances are they just pulled them out of their butts.

Yeah. And...

#1) It'd be the heights from the cartoon universe, not the Mirage comic universe.

#2) Like you say, Konami Japan might not be the best source for the statistical data.

[Candy Kappa]

in general they're a head shorter than average height

[Coola Yagami]

Aren't they supposed to reach April's shoulders, more or less?

[MurderOfCrows]

If they're only to April's shoulders-- do we have an accurate idea of her height?

[Andrew NDB]

I think the original poster was asking about the heights of the Mirage TMNT. Why was this moved to general?

[Sage Ninja]

some how I always pictured the turtles to be about 5'2 in height. About the same height of a teenage girl maybe. I mean they may be turtles but they are humanoid turtles, so I imagine they would be about in the five foot range, but more on the lower scale.

It sort of bothers me to think that they might be shorter than that, somehow I can't see them being genuinly threatening with if they are in the four foot, or three foot range.

I like that the turtles are a modest height rather than the cliche, towering, 6 foot 6 man giant most comic book/cartoon action fighters are. It kind of makes them more relatable that way.

[Cipher]

Those Palladium books have to be off. The Turtles in the series are consistantly drawn the same height as each other. No way Raph is six inches shorter than Don.

I like to put them all at an even 5' range. 5'2" at the most. Splinter, however, is barely pushing 4'.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Cipher

The Turtles in the series are consistantly drawn the same height as each other.

That doesn't really mean much... I'm sure if you were to scrutinize an average issue of Superman or Batman, Superman and Batman's height fluctuates several inches when standing next to the same people.

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

That doesn't really mean much... I'm sure if you were to scrutinize an average issue of Superman or Batman, Superman and Batman's height fluctuates several inches when standing next to the same people.

But Raph is never drawn six inches shorter than Don. Not in the first issue. Not in the most recent issue. Not in any issue in between, by any artist. By every visual clue we've ever been given, including those drawn by Eastman and Laird, the Turtles are of equal height.

[triplexxx]

Originally Posted by Cipher

Those Palladium books have to be off. The Turtles in the series are consistantly drawn the same height as each other. No way Raph is six inches shorter than Don.

I like to put them all at an even 5' range. 5'2" at the most. Splinter, however, is barely pushing 4'.

No point repeating similar opinions so this is pretty much it.

[Dan]

Their height vary by media I know your talking about the Mirage comics but.

The old toon figures list them as
Donatello & Splinter 4'
Michaelangelo 5'
Leonardo & Raphael 5' 1"
April O'Neil 5' 5"

The arcade game bios are the same expect Donatello is 4' 9" and & April is 5' 8"

The SNES Tournamnet Fighters game lists all four Turtles as 5' 8"

The new toon figures lists all four Turtles as 5' 2"
Splinter 4' 10"
April O'Neil 5' 8"

The Fast Forward figures list
Donatello & Leonardo 5' 4"
Michelangelo 5' 3"
Raphael 5' 5"
Splinter 4' 10"

[Buslady]

in the first movie Raph is 5.7, he is the same height as April. (as both according to IMDB are 5.7)

they couldn't stick to the canon heights i guess.

i figured they were 5.0-5.5 in comics

[Rooish]

I like them shorter... maybe because I am short, and maybe because I just think it's cool how they are so tough but so short.

I can't see them as four feet, though.

People have to let go of those Palladium statistics, they may have been approved by Peter and Laird but I doubt those guys cared about the Turtles' heights and/or ability scores compared to each other ... I mean they barely cared to differentiate their personalities for a while. No way Don is half a foot taller than Raph (although it's kind of cute that Raph was shortest).

I wonder how they'll be in the new movie? Somehow in the old movie they got short guys to dress in the suits.

[Sage Ninja]

I would rather the turtles be of an equal height and body structure. I really didn't like how they changed their heights in FF/BTTS and the 2007 movie. Only because they tend to sterotype. Raph, the "tough guy" is suddenly tallest out of all his brothers, and Mikey "the baby" is suddenly a shrimp. They even made Raph more bulky in the CGI movie compared his other brothers and Don and Mikey where the most puny and awkward of the bunch.

[MurderOfCrows]

Originally Posted by Sage Ninja

I would rather the turtles be of an equal height and body structure. I really didn't like how they changed their heights in FF/BTTS and the 2007 movie. Only because they tend to sterotype. Raph, the "tough guy" is suddenly tallest out of all his brothers, and Mikey "the baby" is suddenly a shrimp. They even made Raph more bulky in the CGI movie compared his other brothers and Don and Mikey where the most puny and awkward of the bunch.

On the other hand, some of that makes sense logical sense, where sheer muscle or bulk is concerned.

Ignoring the height factor for now, consider: Raph has consistently been shown as dedicated to exercise and fitness over other forms of diversion (like Mike and his creativity and Don and his tech) so it makes sense that he would have the most 'meat' on him.

Though as they all train regularly -- Raph just body-builds more consistently -- Donnie and Mike are smaller due to a lack of extreme dedication and a certain number of other diversions (Donnie's keep him stationary a lot of the time, in a chair/at a desk) where Leo and Raph are going to be bulkier due to the amount of training they put in 'on the side'.

Leo should almost be as 'large' but for him his training is less about strength and more about skill/efficiency, so he's far more streamlined; he'd have more tight, corded muscle, less 'outright size/mass. He wants to be fast, strong, swift, so he has to sacrifice what gets Raph's his massive shoulders to get it.

Don's a something of a pacifist and would prefer to talk out any dispute and lives in his own head; his dedication to training is enough to keep fighting fit, but he's not going to put himself out like Raph or Leo do. Mike likes to do, depending on canon, skateboard, ride fast bikes, etc. This is more active then done, so he'll be more 'fit', more toned, but only a little more. Raph and Leo's dedication to warrior perfection is going to get them more muscle mass.

And face it, just like people, they'll have different builds. Brothers they may be, but certainly, variations occur. Mike makes sense being the smallest, he's always been regarded as the most agile and quick, and with less to carry around (unlike Raph or Leo) he'll do better.

I think the 2007 movie really showed how unique they could be; Raph's a bulky guy, he likes using his weight to throw aruond. Leo's lithe, streamlined. Mike's all limbs and craziness. Don's -- kinda let himself go, and has been behind a desk when he's not training. I can see the same reflections in the films.... except Raph's gone Gamera, so the whole 'build' thing no longer applies. Poor Raph.

[Andrew NDB]

If it was up to me, personally, just going by what I see and what seems logical I would peg them around 5' - 5'2" at the beginning of Vol. 1, and then by City at War around 5'4", 5'5".

[Blade Raider]

Originally Posted by Dan

The new toon figures lists all four Turtles as 5' 2"
Splinter 4' 10"
April O'Neil 5' 8"

Ninjaturtles.com uses these for their bio pages (unless they've change that recently). They also use 2k3 images in said pages, so it's safe to assume their meant to be 2k3 bios more than others. These heights are reflected in the 2k3 series as well.

The Fast Forward figures list
Donatello & Leonardo 5' 4"
Michelangelo 5' 3"
Raphael 5' 5"
Splinter 4' 10"

Fun fact, 4Kids changed their heights in the show to reflect those heights listed (or Playmates changed to match 4Kids. Whichever). It's not very noticable until Raph and Mike are standing on equal ground, but Raph becomes taller and more buff in Fast Forward than the other Turtles and Mikey shorter and skinnier. This carries over to BTTS as well. I believe this originally came from the CGI film.