Race and the New Toon

**Jester** · 04-05-2011, 04:32 AM

I really debated just posting this in the "deal breaker" thread, and if this gets out of hand, don't hesitate to kill this thread, but I was wondering...

The Fred Wolf series took Baxter Stockman and made him a Doc Brown-esque white mad scientist. Would you have a problem if certain characters were "race swapped"? If Casey was a Michael Clark Duncan style dude? If April was Asian? I guess there aren't any other characters to do that to, but yeah...Would you have a problem with April and Casey not being White Anglo-Saxon Protestants?

*Powder* · 04-05-2011, 04:37 AM

Oh I could see this turning bad really quick.

**Jester** · 04-05-2011, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powder

Oh I could see this turning bad really quick.

Yeah, I'm leary, too. I mean does it really matter? I wouldn't mind if Casey wasn't white. I just think we can be adults...

...

Um....on second thought.

*PizzaPower* · 04-05-2011, 04:52 AM

april asian............................................. ...............yummmmmm

**Jester** · 04-05-2011, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PizzaPower

April Asian? Yummmmmm.

Powder, did you expect this direction?

*Powder* · 04-05-2011, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

Powder, did you expect this direction?

No but I second his motion. Asian women are yummy.

*Candy Kappa* · 04-05-2011, 05:45 AM

I think the only "dealbreaker" when it comes to race changing is making Shredder a different ethnicity then Japanese (and Karai if she's in the nick toon). I think the majority of the other human characters are adaptable enough, that what skin color they have does not really matter.

**Jester** · 04-05-2011, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwamu The Kappa

I think the only "dealbreaker" when it comes to race changing is making Shredder a different ethnicity then Japanese (and Karai if she's in the nick toon). I think the majority of the other human characters are adaptable enough, that what skin color they have does not really matter.

I thought that way too. Oroku Saki, Tang Shen, and Hamato Yoshi have a very specific, story driven race. It'd just be silly to make them anything but Japanese

BAXTER STOCKMAN 19 · 04-05-2011, 06:39 AM

Was Shredder in 87 toon a Japanese? He didnt look like Japan people. He looked more like American than Japan.

**Jester** · 04-05-2011, 07:14 AM

He was supposed to be.

Icegaze · 04-05-2011, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAXTER STOCKMAN 19

Was Shredder in 87 toon a Japanese? He didnt look like Japan people. He looked more like American than Japan.

Can you please explain to me what "to look American" means? o_O

Seriously... The things you hear..

Anywho, I agree 100% with Kiwamu The Kappa. For instance, a dark skinned Casey Jones or a hispanic April O'Neil wouldn't bother me one bit. I'm all for change. Who wants a carbon copy of past TMNT versions anyway? Besides, modifying hair colour doesn't seem to have been a problem in the past so why would skin colour be an issue?

*BubblyShell22* · 04-05-2011, 08:27 AM

I really could care less as long as they stay true to the characters we know and love.

*Donnie* · 04-05-2011, 09:53 AM

I don't care either, but I'm going to be the third to agree to an Asian April being quite delightful.

**Venom** · 04-05-2011, 09:54 AM

Well we all know April was originally black so no, it wouldn't make much diff to me if she were changed up. As noted, Baxter already has been swapped without much ado, and I could see Casey coming from a latin background (hey, all that misdirected passion comes from somewhere!

) And who said they were Protestant? If anything, I would assume them to be Catholic since they are from the north east.

Splinter should be French and Saki should become a young, disillusioned Middle Eastern man who became bitter after his brother was killed.

*CyberCubed* · 04-05-2011, 09:54 AM

We've known April/Casey the way they were so long, it would be odd to think of them as anything else.

Same thing with Shredder obviously having to be Japanese.

As for Baxter, it really doesn't matter if he's white or black. He never stays human very long in any incarnation anyway.

*oldmanwinters* · 04-05-2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Venom

Well we all know April was originally black

To quote Wikipedia' editors:
"This claim lacks factual verification."

Anyhoo, if I remember (can't offer any factual verification myself at the moment) it seems even Eastman & Laird weren't totally on the same page about April's ethnic background.

EDIT:
Steve Murphy discussed it on his blog, which is now defunct!
Here was the old link:
http://the-5th-turtle.blogspot.com/2...-of-april.html

Also, "there's a thread for that":
http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=24283

*sdp* · 04-05-2011, 10:42 AM

I love racial diversity in shows but I hate when they change race for the sake of diversity on established characters. I can live with it but it does bother me, I'd rather they introduce new characters of different races than shoehorn a race on an establish character.

*gobo* · 04-05-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PizzaPower

april asian............................................. ...............yummmmmm

Ditto.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

As for Baxter, it really doesn't matter if he's white or black. He never stays human very long in any incarnation anyway.

♪If your thinking of Baxter Stockman♪
♪it don't matter if he's black or white♪
♪ee-hee♪

*plastroncafe* · 04-05-2011, 01:11 PM

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if the back stories of any of the main cast were shifted so that the cast wasn't quite so lacking in the diversity department.

I think all kids should be able to watch a cartoon and see themselves in the characters.

*VaughnMichael* · 04-05-2011, 01:31 PM

I saw the Stock they put in and Man I'm ok with it.

04-05-2011, 04:32 AM	#1
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,300	Race and the New Toon I really debated just posting this in the "deal breaker" thread, and if this gets out of hand, don't hesitate to kill this thread, but I was wondering... The Fred Wolf series took Baxter Stockman and made him a Doc Brown-esque white mad scientist. Would you have a problem if certain characters were "race swapped"? If Casey was a Michael Clark Duncan style dude? If April was Asian? I guess there aren't any other characters to do that to, but yeah...Would you have a problem with April and Casey not being White Anglo-Saxon Protestants? __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

04-05-2011, 04:52 AM	#4
PizzaPower Foot Elite Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pizza Parlor Posts: 3,200	april asian............................................. ...............yummmmmm __________________ https://www.twitch.tv/turtlepizzapower

04-05-2011, 05:45 AM	#7
Candy Kappa The Agenda of Existing Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vikingland Posts: 14,596	I think the only "dealbreaker" when it comes to race changing is making Shredder a different ethnicity then Japanese (and Karai if she's in the nick toon). I think the majority of the other human characters are adaptable enough, that what skin color they have does not really matter. __________________ devianArt Instagram Youtube Tumblr Art Blog Patreon

04-05-2011, 07:14 AM	#10
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,300	He was supposed to be. __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

04-05-2011, 08:27 AM	#12
BubblyShell22 Leo-holic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 16,912	I really could care less as long as they stay true to the characters we know and love. __________________ "A warrior who never fails, never learns."-The Ancient One. "Embrace your inner a**holiness."-Mr. Anderson.

04-05-2011, 04:37 AM	#2
Powder 40 Years of TMNT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shell-Ri-La Posts: 26,955	Oh I could see this turning bad really quick.

04-05-2011, 06:39 AM	#9
BAXTER STOCKMAN 19 Stone Warrior Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Greece Posts: 661	Was Shredder in 87 toon a Japanese? He didnt look like Japan people. He looked more like American than Japan.

04-05-2011, 09:53 AM	#13
Donnie Something from the Past Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New York Posts: 3,256	I don't care either, but I'm going to be the third to agree to an Asian April being quite delightful.

04-05-2011, 09:54 AM	#14
Venom Space Knight Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,637	Well we all know April was originally black so no, it wouldn't make much diff to me if she were changed up. As noted, Baxter already has been swapped without much ado, and I could see Casey coming from a latin background (hey, all that misdirected passion comes from somewhere! ) And who said they were Protestant? If anything, I would assume them to be Catholic since they are from the north east. Splinter should be French and Saki should become a young, disillusioned Middle Eastern man who became bitter after his brother was killed. __________________

04-05-2011, 09:54 AM	#15
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,872	We've known April/Casey the way they were so long, it would be odd to think of them as anything else. Same thing with Shredder obviously having to be Japanese. As for Baxter, it really doesn't matter if he's white or black. He never stays human very long in any incarnation anyway.

04-05-2011, 10:42 AM	#17
sdp Detoxed Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tokio, Italy Posts: 11,217	I love racial diversity in shows but I hate when they change race for the sake of diversity on established characters. I can live with it but it does bother me, I'd rather they introduce new characters of different races than shoehorn a race on an establish character. __________________ *Trapt* *urself Page MiscRave!!!* Click to join The Drome Discord server

04-05-2011, 01:31 PM	#20
VaughnMichael I'm Baaaaaaccck! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 11,833	I saw the Stock they put in and Man I'm ok with it.