Has your Interest in the Turtles Ever Waned?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Damn, long time since i've posted here, posted very little over the last 2 years, lol, i used to go by the name of Foot Clan Major, lol. I'm just not as much a forum poster as i was a few years ago. Take alook atmy post history and you'll see.

This is what i'm talking about, do you go through periods where you go off the turtles? Here's my timeline:

1989: Watched first episode of the turtles cartoon on CBBC, was hooked instantly, and recorded every other episode shown after that. Bought the figures etc etc.

1993: TMnt stopped being shown in the UK, and it was all Power Rangers, which i didn't care for at the time. Started losing interest, naturally.

mid-90's - Totally lost my interest in the turtles, i let my mum tape over most of my TMNT episodes.

1999 - rediscovered the TMNT, when listening to the first movie soundtrack, and seeing the second movie again. I started feeling how great the cartoon was, and those times, shame i couldn't see them again.

2000 - I found some of my old episodes on a tape, but only an hour's worth. It made me realise how great it was, and i regretted taping over the episodes massively. Also first discovered these forums at the time, and it made me obsess even more.

2001-2002 - I was absolutely dying to see other episodes, tried downloading an episode, but in those days it took ages, but couldn't get a picture when it was downloaded! However, i counted my blessings as the cartoon came back on tv, and just like the old days, i taped every episode going. All of them i had before.

2003-2006 - Calmed down a bit, really enjoyed watching TMNT marathons on my new tapes! Joined this forum and i was going through this phase of being a review critic, so i obsessed over the idea of creating my own website, reviewing tmnt episodes, which i did. At this time hoping the new cartoon would succeed and the turtles to make a comeback, which they did! However, never really got into the new cartoon, but watched a good number of episodes at the time, but it didn't have the same magic the old one had! In 2005/2006, became obsessed with my reviewing episodes, and then took a rest, but never went back to it again. I think after that, my interest was beginning to sink, after now being able to see all the old cartoon episodes's i felt really burned out with the turtles really.

2007- My interests rose again with the advent of the new movie, but knowing it's just going to be an evolved version of the old cartoon i loved. My interest went to the back of my mind, but i have watched a few episodes since then, but i don't think i will ever go back to the obsession i had with it, it was way over the top. And as i said, not as big a forum poster as i was, i ain't the same person i was back then, and i've taken up new interests which actually take up alot of my time. It was just of the moment, i posted here, but i always felt i would eventually post again. Just that i have been pretty meh with the turtles and stuff, i'm just proud i was a kid at the time of the late 80's- early 90's with so many great kids tv, back then.

[CyberCubed]

Only when there was very little TMNT stuff going on, like in the Next Mutation and Image series years.

Even if I'm not constantly reading comics or watching the shows, it doesn't mean I lose interest entirely. You don't have to spend every waking hour thinking of the Turtles to be interested in them.

[Hero]

I went through simular twists and turns as well, Raph Attack.

I did'nt tape over my TM'H'T toons though. I hope to dig them out sometime and DVR record a few bits and peices including movie Donatello appearing on Comic Releif.

BTW. That toon Foot Soldier pic by Andi Peters' left shoulder that stuck around for ages in the CBBC Broom cupboard was drawn by me .

===HERO

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

OK. Here's my story.

August 1990. TMNT breakthrough in Sweden.
Mid 1991: I got hooked on TMNT.
Late 1993–early 1994: TMNT almost totally disappears from Sweden. I don't know how the stories continue.
Late November and early December 2003-Early 2004. Rediscover the TMNT because of the Internet, and get hooked again. Read a lot of fanfic on the Internet.
11 January 2006: I join the Technodrome Forums.

[Buslady]

MY interest began in 88-89 when i saw the cartoon, then took off after TMNT1.
Around 1994 it took back seat cos I had life to take care of, like being preggies, working, and dealing with divorce so you can see why it was settled back for awhile. But I never stopped being a Raph fan. Cos in 1997, I remember flipping channels, seeng TNM...I was like OH YAY TMNT...then I watched...HOLEY CRAP THIS SUCKS! What a shame they put out that crap, and Raph looked like some male nudie show stopper with these things hanging of him, all he needed was a few dollar bills tucked in the belt.
So, back seat it went until 2003...the new show blew me away, i was happy and I got right back into my favorite fandom driving my hubbykins nuts. HAHA!
Cos of the internet, it's easier to keep into it with forums, gaming, art, etc. which is nice. But I wish they would finally treat the property as a mature intelligent medium- 2K3 was great but adult fans might like something more.
So although it might have taken back seat, I never stopped being a fan.

[NightwatchersOnlygirl]

I saw the cartoon on tv about 1990 I really became a fan afther TMNT1 that's when I became
Raph's biggest fan right up when the the new toon was shown on tv

I've never stopped being a fan of Raphael

[gobo]

When TMNT had jumped that row of sharks into Power Ranger territory, and it appeared that one of the sharks had taken a big chunk out of the franchise, I honestly lost interest. I was disappointed enough that they were now siding with their competition, but I've always been intensely frustrated by anything from Saban Entertainment. I had low expectations for anything else Turtles-related after that, but the glory days were still always on my mind. For that reason, I had been waiting for 2K3 since way back then.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by gobo

When TMNT had jumped that row of sharks into Power Ranger territory

PR actually mangaging to have LESS JTS moments than TMNT...ironicly enough, the season the Turtles guest-starred in at the time was one of the series highest rated seasons and led to those great four seasons where it got significantly darker

If it helps, I didnt like that episode either

[Guitar_Raph]

1990: Got hooked when learning about Comin Out of Their Shells, that TMNT takes on a musical side.

1991: Saw the original TMNT movie on HBO.

1997: Got into NT; TNM.

2003: Saw the new 2K3 version. Liked Raph driving the Shell Cycle as well as Mikey being Turtle Titan.

2006: Saw costumed characters @ the Dallas Zoo.

2007; Saw the TMNT movie @ Cityplace (no longer there).

2009; Will miss TMNT on Saturday mornings.

[NiNi]

1987 - Date of cancellation - Watched the old toon and bought figures and such.

1990 - Watched movie 1 in theaters and was spastic about it as well as saw the Coming Out of Their Shells tour. (at a point bought movie 1 soundtrack and concert cassette)

1991 - Watched movie 2 in theaters. (eventually bought the soundtrack for that)

1992 - Still a bit of a fan, but kind of on and off I think.

1993 - Watched movie 3 in a drive-in theater.

1994 - 2002 - I played video games and read comics periodically. I was still a fan, but not as big as I was since my younger years.

2003 - Spazzed as soon as I heard/saw the new series.

2007 - Saw the TMNT movie. Started buying comics.

2007 & 2008 - Saw Michael Sinterniklaas and spazzed because he's my favorite English dub voice actor anyways. And bought 3 Old Toon animation cels.

2003 - current - Became a big fan once more and talk about the fandom more with others. Also starting about 2007 I started doing TMNT art for once!

So I guess you can say I had my moment of fandom recession.

[Cipher]

Definately. I loved the cartoon as a kid, catching the very end of Turtle-mania, watching it from '93-'96. I watched Next Mutation with a passing interest and then left Turtles behind for years. I didn't even watch the 2003 cartoon when it first aired. I saw a few episodes in the first two seasons, thought it was kind of cool that it followed the comics, but didn't watch it regularly.

Freshman year my interested started to rekindle. I had some fits of nostalgia and reread the few Mirage issues I had, bought the first season of the old toon on DVD, etc. A year or so later I started to catch myself up on the new toon with the season DVDs, I started buying new Mirage issues, and really came back into it full swing.

[TheUltimateShredhead]

I always loved those guys! Can't recall watching the series on a regular basis, but i loved all the eps i watched and allways thought they where the greatest heros

[Scandia]

Yup, from around the time when I moved to Florida to when the new 2007 movie aired.

[Lord Nightwalker]

No. It's never not been an interest since the time I first became a fan.
I went through periods of "withdrawl" When there wasn't any TMNT books ect. readily availible, but I latched on to the website and created my own little fan fics and such. I have never lost interest in them.
Much like Batman. Even when horrid stories and lack luster art would pop up, That didn't change a thing for me. I like what I like because I like it.
I'll be a fan all my days I imagine.
I can forsee not liking this and that over the course of the years, but as a whole, I couldn't imagine not being a fan. I mean, look at it this way, There will always be stories to be told and I'm not going to like them all, but for every one I don't like completely, There will be those that I do. And I believe that on a whole, if it's told well and expressed properly and respectfully to the source material, it can transcend generes and adapt to nearly an situation imaginible.

[shuriken]

Originally Posted by Lord Nightwalker

No. It's never not been an interest since the time I first became a fan.
I went through periods of "withdrawl" When there wasn't any TMNT books ect. readily availible, but I latched on to the website and created my own little fan fics and such. I have never lost interest in them.
Much like Batman. Even when horrid stories and lack luster art would pop up, That didn't change a thing for me. I like what I like because I like it.
I'll be a fan all my days I imagine.
I can forsee not liking this and that over the course of the years, but as a whole, I couldn't imagine not being a fan. I mean, look at it this way, There will always be stories to be told and I'm not going to like them all, but for every one I don't like completely, There will be those that I do. And I believe that on a whole, if it's told well and expressed properly and respectfully to the source material, it can transcend generes and adapt to nearly an situation imaginible.

Well said Lord Nightwalker, well said.
I too have been a fan since the age of 2 when I could first say the word "cowabunga" accurately. There have been times when I was slightly ashamed about the guys like the Next Mutation, but I got over it. I don't care what anyone outside the fandom really thinks about the Turtles. All I know is I will be loyal until the Day I die. Even if " Super quest" and "East Meets West" made me face palm about ten times.

[ToTheNines]

Oh hell yes. I'm an impatient guy, so I obviously have problems with the TMNT franchise lol.

I'm only 17 so I never got to experience the "Turtle craze", but I was a huge fan of the movies, seasons 7-10, the toys, the video games and the Next Mutation. TMNT used to co-exist with my other shows until next mutation got cancelled and Beast Wars and Pokemon totally took over.

I finally got back into TMNT when I was 11 (the summer before the NT came out) when all my stuff was in storage while we were waiting for our house to be built. All I had to play with was my NES (the best game being TMNT III) and ninja weapons from the Dollar Tree.

So when the NT came out, I was the perfect age and it blew my mind. By the time season three came around I was off and on until late season four, when I discovered the OT on DVD.

The fourth movie has kicked my ass into gear permanantly (even thought I don't like it much anymore) so now I wait daily for a new DVD or something to be announced and try not to burn myself out ever again lol.

[Buslady]

why do i feel like *someone* likes to copy my history....*sigh*....

[Jester]

Yes....man it has to be over 10 characters. Ok here's my story.

As a kid I loved the TMNT but by the Red Sky treatment I thought the Turtles were canceled. I just happened on them at one point and thought they sucked.

Jump to the NT:TNM era. I was in Italy at the time and the only NM stuff I saw were the figures which were cool if expensive by 1997-8 standards (but hey I was in Italy. In fact the only reason I got a Mutant Marauder vehicle was because of a language barrier issue. Mom bought my sister an Italian Tickle Me Elmo doll and it was double scanned, and for some reason instead ofg taking it off they forced mom to find something of equal value in the store...and I lucked out.) and the video re-edit of the 1st 5 episodes into a DTV movie, which wasn't (completely) terrible...just not the Turtles as I remembered them.

Spring forward to 2003, by now I was in college, and rumors were swirling that the TMNT were coming back to TV. I was hyped, watched and got re-hooked and I've been ever since.

With my resurrected TMNT fandom I also tracked down some the things I sold due to the Italy tour. Kinda sucked, but I'm over it. Sold a lot of action figures and crap though.

[Kendamu]

All of my fandoms go through ups and downs, but I'm intersted in a lot of things so I don't really sweat it.

From Maybe 1988 to 1993 I was most interested in TMNT, but sometimes I would get into Batman or Ghostbusters or something again if a new movie or cartoon was coming out.

From 1993 to 1996 I was mainly interested in Batman and X-Men, but I still watched the Turtles weekly.

From 1996 to 1998 I discovered the comics (both old and new) and was mostly interested in TMNT again.

From 1998 to 2003 I liked TMNT, but there wasn't much going on so I just revisited them once in awhile while mainly passing time with anime.

When the new show came on in 2003, my interest spiked again and a lot of new stuff was happening at once so I've kept a pretty steady interest since then along with all the other stuff I'm into.

[turkishproverb]

Waned sure, but never went away. It waned during the post TNM era, as I didn't know about the comic. I wrote a few horrible stories during that time, but other than that it was only occasional nastolgia.

Came back when I found out about the Image Comic.

Even today though, I have periods of slightly higher...intensity...

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

PR actually mangaging to have LESS JTS moments than TMNT...ironicly enough, the season the Turtles guest-starred in at the time was one of the series highest rated seasons and led to those great four seasons where it got significantly darker

If it helps, I didnt like that episode either

Which season was it that had the traitor Ranger team and Zord bloodbath?