Your Favorite Thing About TMNT

[Spitfire]

This isn't one of those topics where you say your favorite turtle or series, this is about what lures you to TMNT.

What is it that draws you to the turtles, makes you love them?

For me it's instinct, ever since I could remember the turtles pacified me and still do to this very day. If I'm ever down or depressed I can watch turtles and it puts a smile on my face. When I go to department stores I look in the toy aisle just to see the turtles on the shelves. Seeing the turtles in general puts a smile on my face, and that's why I caked my bedroom's walls with turtles. It gives my room a good feel. I can walk in, look around, and smile.

How about you guys?

[Scandia]

It's just a cool concept. I like the differing Turtles' personalities and hobbies and interests. And the OT always cracked me up as well.

[The Shelf]

This is probably the hardest question relating to TMNT to answer, at least for me. It's way harder than picking a favorite turtle or favorite universe.

But if I had to sum up my answer in only one answer rather than a long list of them, I would have to say... everything! I know, it sounds like a cop-out, but seriously, TMNT has pretty much everything I could ever want in a story. It's got a diverse cast of characters both in personality and origin, and it has stories that cover nearly every genre that I am interested in including action, adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, and even a little horror and romance. It has stories that are canon and stories that are "just for fun." It has stories that are "normal" where the characters spend time doing normal things, and then it has really bizarre stories such as those involving Kirby's crystal or the Shredder worm clones. TMNT really has something for everyone. I could go on, but I think it's the sheer uniqueness and diversity of the stories that have been told about TMNT that most lures me to them. Plus, I love how I can relate to every single one of the turtles.

In cases where other characters/stories might tie with the turtles in the above qualities, I fall back on these things to break the tie:

-- The turtles are ninjas, and ninjas are awesome.
-- The turtles are green, and green's my favorite color.
-- The turtles are turtles... and turtles are one of my favorite animals (although that may be a paradox because the reason I like turtles is very likely due to the TMNT).

[Wanda]

I've always felt similiarity to Turtles because they appear different than people, and that is the reason people dislike them.

My other parent isn't from Finland, and when I was a kid the other kids were confused about my heritage. Sometimes they made me feel like I was a weird stranger to them, and yes, I had to even deal with racism towards me.

[DonatelloDomeHead31]

I like pizza and whenever I see the ninja turtles eat pizza, that what draws me to them. Also the way they humor the viewers with their puns and jokes, especially Raphael.

[blue_angel99]

My three main reasons:


1) I love the ninja action and adventures cause I can never do that..

2) I luv seeing the family interaction between the turtles, Splinter, April and Casey. They overlook their differences and love each other no matter what.

3) The stories are funny...

[AquaParade]

Funny you ask this Spitfire, because it's a question I was really drilling into my brain the other day. I think what lures me to them are really just the great characters, and the fact that I've always kinda felt in a weird way that if you split me into four pieces, I would end up as the four turtles...personality wise. But I'm sure that goes for a lot of people. Also, there's probably a pinch of plain nostalgia thrown in that keeps me hooked.

[Masked Ninja]

Nowadays I really like the family aspect, as well as the way these four vastly different personalities interact. And let's not forget the kickawesome ninja action, especially when animated well. And... drawing Turtles is always like a break from the other art and work I have to do, because they're so fun to put on paper.

I'm not sure why I first got into 'em... I was a toddler and can't always remember that far back. I probably thought they were funny and cool. I've always loved animals too, so I'm sure that helped. And it was always fun to run and jump around shouting "Turtle Power!"

[CyberCubed]

I think it was just the fact that the Turtles have personalities anyone can relate to, and besides all the action/fighting that we all love, the TMNT still act like teens who just want to have fun and pursue their own interests.

Combine that with likeable supporting characters like Splinter, April and Casey...as well as awesome villains like Shredder, and you pretty much struck gold.

Its no surprise Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman became millionaires because of this. They just nailed the concept.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

I have no idea why I liked them as a kid, as far as why I became a huge fan after seeing the cartoon. I guess kids just like stuff that is way out there.

Now why did I gravitate toward turtle fandom again, after years of kind of thinking of it as something from my childhood? Probably because of becoming a comic book fan, and realizing that the turtles are probably what sparked my interest in the superhero genre in the first place.

So I guess my favorite aspect is...the superhero aspect? Also that it's just such a strange tale.

[Zog the Equalizer]

For me I guess its the way I can identify with Don in almost every single aspect of his personality. I'm also a very family oriented person. Plus the are Teenage Mutant NINJA Turtles, Ninjas are f**king awesome!

[Janus Prospero]

I love how there is a turtle for everyone. Of course a lot of us act like all the different turtles given our current situations and mood.

Additionally, I feel like they're very relatable. Even though they're green mutants, I kinda think that makes them even more so. They're not just relatable in their different personalities, but also in their conflict of being outsiders (something nearly everyone has faced at some point or another.)

But also because they are ninja, and that is totally badass.

[shuriken]

I liked them ever since I can remember. It was partly due to them that I know English(I grew up speaking Spanish, but watched a lot of Cartoons, but I really enjoyed the Turtles). But I just like them, a lot, I like thefamily aspect, the story, the characters. They're also fun to draw too.

[Colliwog]

When I was about 5 or 6, I had my first pet turtles. My sister and I had found them as hatchlings and our parents let us keep them. I was in love with turtles from then on. 20 years later, I still have one of them. And not long after that, I discovered the TMNT and thought they were just the coolest ever!!
As I grew up, I gradually lost interest and eventually forgot them completely.

Around the start of this year, I was browsing DA and saw the best piece of Turtles fan art I'd ever seen, and fell in love with the Turtles all over again.

[TheUltimateShredhead]

I love the concept of four ninjas being teenage mutant turtles fighting against the evil force of a ninja master and a alien warlord, and there two dumb clumpsy mutants! Call me nerdy if you want, but i prefer cartoonish funny kids show over action bad boy (typical wats popular) movies. Well... but i wish there was more fighting and action in the OT series.

[TheUltimateShredhead]

Originally Posted by Wanda

I've always felt similiarity to Turtles because they appear different than people, and that is the reason people dislike them.

My other parent isn't from Finland, and when I was a kid the other kids were confused about my heritage. Sometimes they made me feel like I was a weird stranger to them, and yes, I had to even deal with racism towards me.

Was your other parent of non-caucasian ethnicity?

[syd]

"instinct"...*snort*God,he killed me.i'm a realist,and i'm not gonna to say that kinda of fantacies.i love TMNT because i love their stones.and what's more...i think i had recorded right in my thread.

[Buslady]

i love turtles and the fact i can identify with them, i know what it feels like to be outcast and seen as some reject. *hugs her raphie*

[Jester]

Not sure...nestalgia?

But in all seriousness it's an interesting consept with a good mix of action, humor and drama. as BL's siggy shows, the TMNT are a family and I love that.

That and I love Rob Paulsen. He's like my freakin' idol. I'd love to do what he does.

[a_big_apple]

What an interesting question! It's really hard for me to remember a time when I wasn't a Turtles fan, so I'm not sure exactly what got me hooked. I've always preferred animation to live action in my tv watching, and I think the humor and the action of the OT probably caught my attention. I've been a fan ever since because of their personalities, and the family aspect. I'm an only child, and I spent a lot of time playing by myself and wishing I had sibs...the Turtles kind of were siblings for me, and I've always felt able to relate to them much more than I can relate to any other characters. They're so distinct and lovable, and their family is so close and insular. That's the way I want to be with my friends, like a family. I also sort of grew up on the Archies, and they got more and more serious as I got older, which was just the right pace to keep me hooked and to relate to the various struggles of being a kid and young adult. They've become old friends, and I think that's something that a lot of fans experience.

And, like everyone else has said, the kick-butt ninja action is always a bonus! Though I'm pretty sure that my affinity for ninjas, action, and martial arts all stems from my love of TMNT.

Thanks for this question, Spitfire, it's really great to see everyone writing about their connection to TMNT--makes me feel like I'm way less of a freak than people sometimes think I am! I definitely share that "pacifying" reaction.... No matter what kind of mood I'm in or what's gone wrong with my day, they always make me smile and feel at home.