Less Obvious Themes in TMNT?

[Spike Spiegel]

Think about it--a story about a human woman befriending a group of misfit, mutant animals. Friendship, family, and fighting spirit leads the way to great adventures and much more interesting lives for all of them.

In your own lives, have any of you felt like TMNT helped forge part of your psychological makeup, that is, your values, etc.? Because one sees April befriending the Turtles, does that make them more tolerant of others who are "different" later in life? Did you feel like you could achieve more in your own lives, watching these fictional characters face the impossible odds of ninja attacks and alien invasions, only to come out victorious in the end?

With these examples in mind, how has TMNT affected the way you see your life and the people around you, whether consciously or unconsiously?