Is 4Kid's Michelangelo the worst iteration of the character?

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by ngroove

Definitely NOT!!!! In my opinion, the most laugh-out-loud HILARIOUS version of the character.

Amen, brotha! "Eat feet, eat feet!"

[Jelly Bean]

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

I think 4Kids Michelangelo would have been a better character had they just played him as an antihero more often and comic relief less often. I always saw him as the turtle who as most fallably human, but the flipside of that making him obnoxious and naive is that it makes him care about humanity and its values. It would be better if more of the episodes centered around him dealt with his enthusiastic works of heroism in human affairs the other turtles are disconnected from (ie, The Christmas Aliens, The Turtle Titan

I wish they had played up these qualites more instead of the others. There was so much that could have been done with these humanitarian side, but they didn't in favor of making him coky and self centered on occasion.

Though what do you mean he should have been more of the anti-hero? I thought and anti-hero was some one who did evil or bad things to do good. Is that what you meant?

), instead of so many where he has to suffer for his stupidity/laziness/egotism, and learns his lesson, but never permanently.

this was really my problem with him. ugh!!!!!

[Jester]

Originally Posted by Michelangelo

Amen, brotha! "Eat feet, eat feet!"

Not the best place to argue from, my friend.

[NameGoesHere1066]

he was joke. Every Mike outside of Mirage and Image is a joke to some degree or another. it just too bad writers have made Mike their butt monkey bitch.

He is worth so much more than what he gets.

that's Fridge Brilliance, right there.

what is Fridge Brilliance?

[TurtleTitan97]

Aw come on people, 2k3 Mikey has had loads of good moments! Like, when Leo was hurt after the Shredder return, Mike told him that story of when they were kids, that was hilarious! It shows he cares for his bros, not himself.

[Jephael]

I wasn't gonna touch on this but I have to say I've always been on the fence about how I feel towards 4Kids Mikey. Deep down he really is a good character but certain traits did bother me. I really didn't care for the moments where he would boast about how great a warrior he was then 2 seconds later be whimpering like a wuss because monsters gave him the willies. It made him too inconsistant.

[CyberCubed]

To be honest I think we're being too hard on him. I don't like him as much as Mirage, original cartoon, or movie Mikey but he is still entertaining.

He did get worse in FF and BTTS though, which is odd because the other 3 Turtles remained almost the same.

[TobTurn]

Originally Posted by Michelangelo

To quote you yourself in the Nick thread, "Am I that obvious? "

Pfff please. Your obsessions are not even close to my obsession with Ch'rell

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by Jester

Not the best place to argue from, my friend.

You mean the place from above as I'm kickin' my ninja feet your way?!

Originally Posted by TurtleTitan97

Aw come on people, 2k3 Mikey has had loads of good moments! Like, when Leo was hurt after the Shredder return, Mike told him that story of when they were kids, that was hilarious! It shows he cares for his bros, not himself.

There's no doubt (and it's clearly obvious - but the blind will be blind) that 4Kids Mikey totally cared for his brothers, there are numerous episodes/moments one could talk about that display this.

4Kids Mikey is the best (and throughout each page of this thread I have cited a ton of specific examples as to why I think so), so when will you all bow down to the Battle Nexus Champion?!

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

To be honest I think we're being too hard on him. I don't like him as much as Mirage, original cartoon, or movie Mikey but he is still entertaining.

Take a look at the poll results, the majority is way more in favor of 2k3 Mike than against. It just seems like some people listen more to the debbie-downers. Myself and TurtleTitan will never stop stop defending one of the best versions of Mikey to date!

[TurtleTitan97]

If there is one episode that I liked with Mikey as the main turtle, it has to be where he first became the Turtle Titan. He didn't do it to get famous, he did because he said he wanted to help people more instead of hiding in the shadows. It shows he has a heart of a hero, the best kind of superpower.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by TurtleTitan97

If there is one episode that I liked with Mikey as the main turtle, it has to be where he first became the Turtle Titan. He didn't do it to get famous, he did because he said he wanted to help people more instead of hiding in the shadows. It shows he has a heart of a hero, the best kind of superpower.

Yep, Mikey clearly demonstrated a humanitarian mentality during the 2k3 show, there's no doubt about it.

[Master Splinter]

I enjoyed 4Kid's Mikey... Not sure what else I can say...

-ms

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

I enjoyed 4Kid's Mikey... Not sure what else I can say...

-ms

Your words are highly valued, Master.

[FearlessLeader]

I for the most part like 4Kids Mikey. He can at times be annoying, but in a way it's almost charming at the same time it's aggravating. I think at one point it's Raphael that says annoying people is Mike's "secret mutant power" and he actually did help the guys defeat quite a few enemies by distracting them so much his brothers were able to beat the snot out of them.

Do I tend to find myself rolling my eyes at him at points, yeah... but that's just Mike to me. I find I do that with pretty much every version of the character and that doesn't effect my affection for him.

[shezcrafti]

I certainly don't think 4Kids Mikey is the worst; that honor goes to movie #3. He can certainly be annoying at times, but that has always been part of Mikey's, er, charm, I guess? But I don't mind it when he's annoying because it usually sets up some pretty hysterical one-liners for Raphael, like:

"Jesus, where's your OFF switch??"

I like how he acts like a little kid, but at the same time can kick ass with the best of them. It's a fun dynamic. The only thing that kinda bothers about Mikey me are the frequent belching & fart jokes; just a little too lowbrow for my taste.

[akp]

This is one of the more balanced responses about Mikey in 2k3.

I get the feeling that the character was written a lot more deeply that one may perceive from the surface.

Mikey represented a certained childishness, yes, but it was more of a child, who wants to be happy. He and Don seemed as two turtles who had a vocation/hobby/interest other than just being crime fighters.

Also, he seemed like the warrior who did not want to fight, but would fight when he had to. Case in point how he went against Kluh when it came down to his family.

He knew he was annoying but to be fair he also knew how to use it to his advantage. Eg. how he wore down and defeated Raph without even taking out his Chucks.

Maybe he was a bit distracted to be ninja. But of the four he seemed to be the least comfortable with the whole living in the shadows phenomena.

He wanted a life. And something larger than life to look forward to.

He was the dreamer in gang. If you notice he was the one who coaxed don to rig up the battle shell the first time. He was not an engineer but he was a dreamer.

One has to look at him slightly deeper than just the surface antics.

Originally Posted by Michelangelo

As expected I voted It's a bum rap. 4Kids Mikey is just fine..

4Kids Mikey is one of my favorite Mikey's around. I'm not going to say that he doesn't get annoying at times, but to echo Samhain he's no more annoying than Raph, Leo, and especially Casey.

In fact, I don't think he was that annoying at all. Slightly over the top at times like I've said, but I really just don't understand why people gripe over him so much. In my opinion, OT Mike was more annoying. I know many don't agree cause of his voice actor and nostalgia, but when I watch the OT I sometimes cringe at the 80s slang that poured from him. That's not really my cup of tea concerning Mikey. That OT aspect of Mike was toned down a tremendous amount in the 2k3, which worked great to me.

What Jester mentioned about Laird is perhaps somewhat accurate because Laird wanted to keep the Turtles "pure" while pleasing the masses who took the series simply as a light hearted cartoon. He had to include goofiness, and he certainly wouldn't let any of that fall onto Don and Leo, as seen by his notes. So Mikey bore the brunt of it. But for me, it didn't really make him annoying, and I thought a lot of his goofiness was tasteful and hilarious.

I don't agree that Mikey wanting to be a superhero was a bad thing at all, rather a key element of Mikey's personality and his want to be something more than just a turtle-in-a-sewer. When I asked PL what he wished he would have done more of with Mikey in the 2k3 his answer was:



So PL clearly wanted to show other sides of Mikey. Like I said, I really just think it was cause he so strongly felt that Don and Leo had to be serious minded and even went as extreme as telling Lloyd not to have Don and Leo say "yeah" but the proper "yes" - so the goofiness had to fall on Mike by default.

Anyways, no, 2k3 Mike isn't the worst interpretation of the character. I think IDW is (besides the constant video game stereotype we see literally almost every issue) doing an excellent job handling Mike's character, taking what will obviously never leave him from the OT and combining it with a balanced marriage between Mirage/2k3. So far he actually reminds me of movie 1 Mike - my favorite version of the character, which blended the OT with Mirage. Add a little 2k3 in there and you have IDW's Mike so far. I'm happy with that.

[Donnie]

Hell yeah akp, you the man! Oh and welcome to the Drome!

[ToTheNines]

I'm watching "Clash of the Turtle Titans" right now and loling at you people.

[CyberCubed]

That was one of the worst outbursts of the character.

Odd that the episode was written by Marty Isenberg who wrote many episodes in the first few seasons.

[akp]

Thanks.

I think the comment which offers the most insight into mikey is how he says to splinter at the battle nexus that it was great that they could fight in the open and have people love them for it. It revealed a lot for his desire to be accepted as a sentient being. Also its nice how he always connected great with other animals, be it klunk, or zog or zog the second.

Originally Posted by Michelangelo

Hell yeah akp, you the man! Oh and welcome to the Drome!