What is the "bare minimum" amount of TMNT experience required to truly be a fan?

[pannoni1]

So you walk on the street and ask someone in their 20s/30s and ask them, "Do you remember the TMNT?" You may hear stuff like "I saw the first movie", or I "had all four turtle action figures". Unfortunately, this is just a small drop in the bucket compared to what's out there, and is really just a person with a slight preference for TMNT. But to my knowledge, this is my opinion on the bare minimum to be just a casual TMNT fan:

-You've watched at least two of the four movies at least once.
-You've read at least one comic book.
-You've played at least one video game.
-You watched the cartoon (OT or 2k3) on Saturday mornings for at least a few months, plus you own at least one VHS tape/DVD of any of these cartoons.
-You owned at least five action figures.

Basically this shows that the person has enough experience to relate to the "core five" (soon to be six if Nick is a success) different universes of TMNT: Comics, Cartoons, Movies, Toys, and Video Games, even if they know very little about each.

Now, of course a die-hard, fan-club caliber is much more debatable. Basically, you need to either be a strong specialist in one of the five "majors" listed above, or in addition to having a satisfactory understanding of each universe, also have a good special ability to the franchise, such as being a good fanfic person or collecting more obscure stuff. But basically, the more you know/experience, the more of a fan you are, and with new stuff coming out, there is always room for growth!

Please feel free to share your opinions/definitions on what separates a true fan from a casual to just an observer.

[Icebot]

I think if you just really, really love one of the cartoons, you can be considered a true TMNT fan. I started to become a fan by playing the video games. That lead me to become a fan of the 80's / 90's cartoon. It took time, but the more I saw the cartoon, the more I loved it. And seeing new episodes every year made me love it even more. When they stopped making new episodes, I started reading a few TMNT comic books, saw a few movies, some Next Mutation and then of course came the 2003 cartoon. And I got into the 2003 toon just like the old toon.

[Phelan]

Originally Posted by Icebot

I think if you just really, really love one of the cartoons, you can be considered a true TMNT fan. I started to become a fan by playing the video games. That lead me to become a fan of the 80's / 90's cartoon. It took time, but the more I saw the cartoon, the more I loved it. And seeing new episodes every year made me love it even more. When they stopped making new episodes, I started reading a few TMNT comic books, saw a few movies, some Next Mutation and then of course came the 2003 cartoon. And I got into the 2003 toon just like the old toon.

I've seen, watched, played, owned the toys, video games, TV shows, movies, but I've never read any of the Comics. I'd like to, but they aren't all that available and I'm not really a big Comic fan.

[Phelan]

Originally Posted by Phelan

I've seen, watched, played, owned the toys, video games, TV shows, movies, but I've never read any of the Comics. I'd like to, but they aren't all that available and I'm not really a big Comic fan.

I do, however, love what I've seen of the E&L Turtles online.

[Roseangelo]

Anyone who likes the TMNT on any level and considers themselves a fan is a fan. It is just ideal that they don't act like a know-it-all fan unless they actually are.

[discordiatookie]

Hmm, you're not a true fan unless you visit these here forums...

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by discordiatookie

Hmm, you're not a true fan unless you visit these here forums...

Damn straight

[gobo]

Originally Posted by discordiatookie

Hmm, you're not a true fan unless you visit these here forums...

Ya tookie the words right outta my mouth.

[cryan]

Watched the OT back in the day(which I now own 2 of the DVD box sets,Seasons 4 and 6).I saw the 3 TMNT movies in the theater back when they came out(the third was a waste of time).I had some the the NES and Super NES games.So,I guess I am a fan too.Though I never got into the figures.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by pannoni1

-You've watched at least two of the four movies at least once.

Yep. I've seen all four and own three out of the four.

-You've read at least one comic book.

Yep yep yep. Not at the time they were originally out, but I have and finally able to collect the Mirage series...because of IDW's ultimate collections and from going to NYCC and getting volumes 2 and 3 of the original Mirage series.

-You've played at least one video game.

Hm, let's see...the first original arcade game, Turtles in Time (arcade/SNES), Hyperstone Heist, Turtles in Time Reshelled... Well, most are old-school.

-You watched the cartoon (OT or 2k3) on Saturday mornings for at least a few months, plus you own at least one VHS tape/DVD of any of these cartoons.

Yay, I used to watch the OT series (even before it was on Sat mornings). Hm, never owned any on VHS (just what I had taped off of television and those tapes are long gone and missing). Does movie 1 on VHS count? Had Volume I of the OT on DVD...lent it out and never got it back. Oh, you mustn't forget The Next Mutation. I used to watch that religiously...even though I don't remember much of what I saw.

-You owned at least five action figures.

Aww, and I was on a roll here too. Guess I never had action figures because of my being a girl...besides, I had my male cousins. They got the action figures. I played with theirs.

Hm, well, if it counts, I may have never had action figures, but I do have a t-shirt, four thermoses, four glasses, some shot glasses, two wallets, four keychains, and other random junk like that.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

Anyone who likes the TMNT on any level and considers themselves a fan is a fan. It is just ideal that they don't act like a know-it-all fan unless they actually are.

This. Truth.

[ryukenden]

Maybe just watching one full episode can draw someone in. The very first episode I ever saw was Return of the Shredder and I was hooked instantly. I don't know if that works for others but it sure worked on me. I'm not just talking TMNT, it worked for some other 80s toon as well.

[Logan]

I think all it really takes to be a turtles fan is to have a great deal of love for something TMNT, be it toys, comics, the toons, etc.

[mysterycolor]

i think that an overall appreciation for all things tmnt is required... certainly it is unfair to say you have to know x, y & z about 1, 2 & 3 or you are out... we can't all be the guru on every sub-section of the franchise... so you will always have something you love the most and something that gets to you a little and maybe parts you really never cared to learn more than the basics about... but you respect each aspect because you genuinely ♥ tmnt.

[gobo]

Agreed. As much as I despise The Next Mutation and smack-talk it a lot, I still respect it as a part of TMNT history. I even plan to marathon the series this summer to numb myself for NickTMNT.

[MikeandRaph87]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

Anyone who likes the TMNT on any level and considers themselves a fan is a fan. It is just ideal that they don't act like a know-it-all fan unless they actually are.

This is exactly what I was about to post! We have different areas we like more and know more about but we should appreciate all of it into it or not. I don't care for anything Image or Next Mutation but love most of the rest. We should acknowledge there are areas we love and areas not so much,but as long as its all appreciated for what it is and we call ourselves a fan.