The Donatello Thread

[Jo Dawn]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

Hm, how do you guys feel about that, anyway?

I'm unsure how I feel about this. As long as he doesn't make Don a Movie 1 version (out of character childish), he should be ok. He's a great voice actor, so I trust him.

*Still feels that this thread and the other three should be stickied*

I agree, but only if the official Leo/Mike/Raph/Don threads were full of facts, and not opinions. (No offense to anyone, just stating that if a thread is stickied about a character, it should be full of canon fact, so any new people could find out what's real about said character).

[FearlessLeader]

Originally Posted by Jo Dawn

I agree, but only if the official Leo/Mike/Raph/Don threads were full of facts, and not opinions. (No offense to anyone, just stating that if a thread is stickied about a character, it should be full of canon fact, so any new people could find out what's real about said character).

What facts would you say should be included Jo Dawn??

I would certainly be willing to go back to the first post and edit it to include a bunch of canon information and then the rest of the thread could be opinions??

I just think it's nice to have a common place to bring up topics about each of the guys without starting a bunch of new threads

And by first post I meant in the Leonardo thread since I started it. I someone how forgot I was currently in the Donnie thread *laughs*

[Jo Dawn]

Like I said, no offense to anyone, and I'm always up for a good debate on a character. These threads (the character ones) are pretty busy, and therefore always at the top, so very easy to find.

I mean, maybe we should sticky just some fact based threads about characters that can be updated continually as the movies or series progress.

...Not that there will be much more progression, but you know. A character FAQ list, for people looking for pure information and no debate.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Jo Dawn

The first movie was a horrible portrayal of Don's personality. That movie's characterization not really thought out or correct, for the most part. Sorry, but Don is not a 'nyuck-nyuck' Mikey-lite (no offense to Michaelangelo fans). Ok, the bit where he was so nerdy he couldn't think of a 'hip' word to use, was cute, but not accurate. Really, Don most likely couldn't care less if he appeared to be cool or with it. The part with Casey's truck (sans the friendship with Casey) was the only time we really saw something that his character could do, tech-wise.

But in the Mirage comics, Raph had that role with Casey, not Donny, so it's a bit odd, ya know? He's not that much of a joker, to me. Just a "smart ass nerd". I love him portrayed in that sense! Oh, and the reason they probably made more Donny "Mikeyish" like you were saying earlier, was probably to portray how well Donny and Mikey get along, just like in the Mirage comics. Mikey and Donny can relate well to one another when Leo and Raph are at odds with one another. Mikey is also close to Raph, but not so much with Leo. Donny seems he can get along best with Leo and not with Raph, so it's interesting how the movie set that all up.

Anywho, the main part where Donny seemed "Donnyish" to me for movie 1, was when he was trying to tell the other foot soldiers that they shouldn't jump down because of the foundation being weak.

Of all the incarnations, Don's relationship with April was the least accurate in the OT. Their friendship (and the well written crush in 2K3, not too obvious and in-your-face, yet just obvious enough) are a result of what they have in common, which is that they are both scientists. Which wasn't written in the OT, as April was a reporter and got captured more than Princess Peach.

Only difference between April and Peach, is that April can attempt to take care of herself, or was more so in the wrong place at the wrong time or got in over her head just trying to do her job. IMO, can't really compare Peach to April for OT series in that sense since Peach was primarily written to be a damsel in distress.

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader

What facts would you say should be included Jo Dawn??

I would certainly be willing to go back to the first post and edit it to include a bunch of canon information and then the rest of the thread could be opinions??

I'm all for this. First post have facts about said character, the rest just be discussion about said character since there are so many different mediums people have been exposed to. For me, I'm the most exposed to OT series, Mirage, and Archie.

I'm on a jpop music board. It's gone down, though, but I created a thread on the artist, Akino Arai. My first post is loaded with facts about her which includes album/single info and stuff like that. The rest of the thread was just discussion about the artist, her works, collaborations, why some like certain songs by her, why some don't like certain songs by her, etc. I feel that that can be done for these character threads as well.

Edit: I guess it's okay to link it here, but this what I meant. Like I said, the old message board went down, so they're starting over here, which sucks since I'd been there for the past eight years, and my thread was there for four, but there's not much activity going on in some of the threads on this new board.

Akino Arai

[Bauer536]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

But in the Mirage comics, Raph had that role with Casey, not Donny, so it's a bit odd, ya know? He's not that much of a joker, to me. Just a "smart ass nerd". I love him portrayed in that sense! Oh, and the reason they probably made more Donny "Mikeyish" like you were saying earlier, was probably to portray how well Donny and Mikey get along, just like in the Mirage comics. Mikey and Donny can relate well to one another when Leo and Raph are at odds with one another. Mikey is also close to Raph, but not so much with Leo. Donny seems he can get along best with Leo and not with Raph, so it's interesting how the movie set that all up.

Akino Arai

Wow. That is something I usually think about. Enough of Donnie hanging out with Mike. Mikey should be with Raph. They make interesting chemistry. Let’s actually see Don and Leo together. Heck, they’re both smart people, and they may take certain jobs seriously. Do it, Nickelodeon!

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Bauer536

Wow. That is something I usually think about. Enough of Donnie hanging out with Mike. Mikey should be with Raph. They make interesting chemistry. Let’s actually see Don and Leo together. Heck, they’re both smart people, and they may take certain jobs seriously. Do it, Nickelodeon!

Yeah, true. Would be nice to see. In the Mirage comics, seems it was...

Leo/Donny
Donny/Mikey
Mikey/Raph

The set up is an interesting one. Donny and Mikey are the ones in the middle. Maybe we will see more Leo/Donny for the newer series.

[Jester]

I could see Leo and Don palling around, since Leo's probably the only other Turtle Donnie could talk to about certain things. I could see Leo being more well read than Mikey or Raph, giving him something in common with Donnie.

[Krys]

Originally Posted by Jester

I could see Leo and Don palling around, since Leo's probably the only other Turtle Donnie could talk to about certain things. I could see Leo being more well read than Mikey or Raph, giving him something in common with Donnie.

Plus they're the most level-headed and rational out of all. They're also the most hardworking and dedicated at what they do. But I think they might have too much in common that the dynamic of their relationship isn't as interesting as say Leo and Ralph or Mikey and Donnie, where both relationships have opposite (and conflicting) personalities.

[Jester]

I think Mikey's just one of those guys that gets along with anyone. He's Raph's best friend because they're so different. His childlike joy balances Raph's dark depression As for Donnie and Mikey I love how they are in the 1st movie. I'll agree with Jo about Donnie not being Mikey light. But I think Mikey bring Donnie out of the shell (no pun intended) he would otherwise be in, if not for Mikey to joke with. I'm not sure how Leo and Mikey would get along. Mikey may help Leo to not take everything so seriously, which I'm sure Leo would be inclined to do, with out lighthearted Mikey to keep his protective, serious nature in check.


Wow....I respect Mikey more already.

[ssjup81]

Seems movie 1 played up Donny and Mikey a lot. It's nice how Mikey can get along so well with all of his brothers, but in the Mirage comics, I'm under the impression that he really didn't get along that well with Leo. I think Leo was much too serious for Mikey to relax around. Hm, seems I should be over in the Mikey thread. ^^

[Sage Ninja]

I never, never cared for the Donny and Mikey pair-up and actually get mildly annoyed when they are. To me when they are together the difference in their maturity levels is contrasted too much. But then I am basing my opinion on the interctions of Donny and Mike from 2k3 series. That seeing them together always seems to mean they are going to be wall-paper while Raph and Leo get all the glory and focus.

[Herald7]

That seeing them together always seems to mean they are going to be wall-paper while Raph and Leo get all the glory and focus.

That did seem to be true in that recent TMNT movie. But in the 1st movie they provided most of the comic relief together, which I always look forward to, hehe. Like we said before, it's a slightly different take on Donatello's character where he's the most thoughtful but not so uptight as other incarnations.

"Good thing these guys aren't lumberjacks!"

"No joke, the only things safe in the woods would be the trees!" Lol

[Sage Ninja]

I really didn't like movie one Donatello. People can say what they want about 2k7 movie but that was probably my favorite Donatello personality-wise. I want more of that Donny.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Sage Ninja

I really didn't like movie one Donatello. People can say what they want about 2k7 movie but that was probably my favorite Donatello personality-wise. I want more of that Donny.

The main problem with this, imo, is the fact that Donny and Mikey were glossed over so much, I can barely recall what his personality was like. He and Mikey were overlooked and overshadowed by Raph and Leo way too much to fully notice it, imo.

Movie 1 Donny was okay, I guess. He was a bit too goofy, though, but, it did exhibit how close he is to Mikey (like in the Mirage comics). He is thoughtful in that movie too. One part that comes to mind, was when Donny was trying to comfort Raph after he lost his sai. Movie 1 did seem to fail in Mikey and Raph's relationship, though, as those two are close too for the Mirage comics.

Movie 2 focused on the brainy part for Donny, that's probably the most well-known portrayal. Movie 3...probably the same, but I've blocked out a majority of that movie.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by Jo Dawn

Donnie doesn't really have a spiritual side. He is a scientific mind, using science to find his answers. That is, he does not practice any religion, but he will also defend Splinter and (mainly) Leonardo's beliefs. He trusts facts that you can touch and feel and answer on paper more than an invisible faith.

While I realize this is incredibly late in coming, I never stated that Donny was a follower of invisible faith, only that he has struggled with ideals or morals that could fall under the blanket of a "spiritual" dilemma. Geez, just because he is a Turtle of science does not make him void of all spiritual associations and/or personal problems that come from a place that even he can't map out. He isn't a robot.

The first movie was a horrible portrayal of Don's personality. That movie's characterization not really thought out or correct, for the most part. Sorry, but Don is not a 'nyuck-nyuck' Mikey-lite (no offense to Michaelangelo fans). Ok, the bit where he was so nerdy he couldn't think of a 'hip' word to use, was cute, but not accurate. Really, Don most likely couldn't care less if he appeared to be cool or with it. The part with Casey's truck (sans the friendship with Casey) was the only time we really saw something that his character could do, tech-wise.

I'll agree to disagree on this, as testament through my previously stated opinions. But to each his or her own.

[Jester]

I dunna Donnie...in NT:TNM (I know...what a piece of the mythos to pull from) Donatello was the most vocally opposed to Venus' shinobi mysticism as the tech-head of the group. But then again, with his master being so deeply spiritual, you'd think he'd be more open to that aspect of life/ninjitsu.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by Jester

I dunna Donnie...in NT:TNM (I know...what a piece of the mythos to pull from) Donatello was the most vocally opposed to Venus' shinobi mysticism as the tech-head of the group. But then again, with his master being so deeply spiritual, you'd think he'd be more open to that aspect of life/ninjitsu.

Oh definitely (and I like NM Donny, I think it was a great portrayal), please don't think I'm saying that Donatello is spiritual. Only that he could have dilemmas that could be blanketed under "spiritual". There has without a doubt been many issues (most notably perhaps of Tales) that touch upon what could be spiritual concerning Donny's character. My point is that just because he is a Turtle of science does not make him immune to the spiritual world.

[Herald7]

Originally Posted by DonnyTMNT

My point is that just because he is a Turtle of science does not make him immune to the spiritual world.

Yeah I mean it's kind of a cliche, stereotype nowadays to say a scientist can't be spiritual.

[MoreCowbell5263]

I grew up loving Donatello from the old cartoon because he was the one always saving the world. He'd be disarming some doomsday device while the others fought Foot soldiers.

Movie 1 Don is okay. His jokes were funny, but Don was never, in my opinion, about being one of the funny ones. They all have a sense of humor of some kind. And he really only had a couple moments where he showed that he might actually be really smart, like the observation about the structure being able to handle all the foot soldiers climbing in. He also gets the question right about War and Peace when they're playing Trivial Pursuit. But other than that, he was cracking jokes like bringing marshmallows to the campfire. Movie 1 was probably my favorite version of Mikey, though. I love his sense of humor in that movie compared to the dumbed down versions of him in the other ones.

Movie 2 Don was great. Don was asking a very important question, one regarding their true purpose. Why are they here? Are they meant for great things? All only to find out that it was just some giant accident that they were created. That's gotta be devastating.

Movie 3 Don was basically stepping in Mike's shoes and playing the comic relief of the movie while Mike dealt with the more serious story of him developing feelings for Mitsu and their acceptance in feudal Japan. Since Mike was all serious, that left Don making the corny "Addams Family" jokes whenever he wasn't trying to fix the time scepter. I know it was Corey Feldman again, but he sounded much different than he did in the first movie.

CGI Movie Don was great, pretty much exactly how I imagine Don. But yeah, he and Mike were just shoved into the background to make it "Raphael and his Amazing Friends." That movie looked like it was gonna be about Leonardo, which would've been a fresh change of pace for the movies since he's never really been the main focus of one, but quickly became all about Raphael. Come to think about it, all Leonardo ever really does in the movies is deal with Raph, except in the third one where Raph is actually happy for a change, and in that, all Leo does is fight that Norinaga guy (I think that was his name). But I digress.

4Kids Don was great. I need to watch the rest of the show again, but from I what I recall, a lot of the Don-centric episodes were science-y and out there, like "The King." When Raph had a solo episode, he fought mobsters and city goons. When Don had a solo episode, he fought weird ogres and mythological beasts. I don't know, it was odd. I do love Same As It Never Was, though. I like that version of the character, but his solo episodes from what I remember weren't any of my favorites, save for SAINW.

I think if Don had more to do in TMNT, it might've been my favorite version of him. But because he was pushed into the background so much, I have to go with either Movie 2 or 4Kids. OT Don seemed to lead the team more than Leonardo a lot, and I don't really see Don leading.

1. Movie 2/4Kids
2. Movie 4/TMNT
3. OT
4. Movie 1
5. Movie 3

[Plasticplayhouse]

I love Donnie! he's my second fave (insanely close) to Leo. I love everything about Donnie, his personality, the bo, him being tech savy, the purple bandana, etc. the only thing keeping him at #2 for me is what seems to be his periodical lack of self confidence. in the comics there's those times when he questions himself or hesitates...i just want to shake him and say, "You're kick ass man! you can do this!"