Problems with Original TMNT Show?

[Akira]

First off, I am new here, so please take it easy on me when I ask my questions. I expect you guys have answered them hundreds of times already but I couldn't find any topics about them on the first few pages of this forum, and it has been bugging me for years.

I grew up watching TMNT, it was my favorite show up through Season 6 or 7 I believe at which point my interest dropped steeply. I recently regained my interest not with the new series, which I find only mildly entertaining, but because I picked up the season 1 DVD of the original show that I knew and loved. Now my questions about it.

1) Why did it have to be called "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" In England? I mean in the first episode they see Ninja Dry cleaners, Pizza Parlor, Video rental and all sorts of Ninja references. Did all that stuff have to airbrushed out or what? Why is it that Ninja is such a taboo word to mention there? It is pop culture coolness to like ninja anything in USA. I studied Western Civilization in college, and took many classes on World War II. Historically, if anyone in the West could have had taboo issues with Japanese cultural terms is should be us since we fought them and helped the British fight the Nazi's in WWII. Oh well, I've just always wondered what thier problem was.

2) I heard Nunchucks are illegal in England, any truth to this? Also, why in the heck were Michelangelo's nunchucks removed from later seasons of the series, when England only got the first couple of seasons anyway? Why did a USA made show drop the nunchucks, yet Sais, Swords and staffs are still A-okay to portray? I mean surely a sword is considered more violent than nunchucks? And he gets what? A grapling hook? I never liked that at all. In the early seasons they all four had thier own graples. So that hardly counts as a replacement. Michelangelo basically is just weaponless for the rest of the series. And for what reason?

Okay, my great appreciation to anyone who can answer these in detail. I look forward to many interesting discussions.

[MikesPizzaShack]

Originally Posted by Akira

First off, I am new here, so please take it easy on me when I ask my questions. I expect you guys have answered them hundreds of times already but I couldn't find any topics about them on the first few pages of this forum, and it has been bugging me for years.

I grew up watching TMNT, it was my favorite show up through Season 6 or 7 I believe at which point my interest dropped steeply. I recently regained my interest not with the new series, which I find only mildly entertaining, but because I picked up the season 1 DVD of the original show that I knew and loved. Now my questions about it.

1) Why did it have to be called "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" In England? I mean in the first episode they see Ninja Dry cleaners, Pizza Parlor, Video rental and all sorts of Ninja references. Did all that stuff have to airbrushed out or what? Why is it that Ninja is such a taboo word to mention there? It is pop culture coolness to like ninja anything in USA. I studied Western Civilization in college, and took many classes on World War II. Historically, if anyone in the West could have had taboo issues with Japanese cultural terms is should be us since we fought them and helped the British fight the Nazi's in WWII. Oh well, I've just always wondered what thier problem was.

2) I heard Nunchucks are illegal in England, any truth to this? Also, why in the heck were Michelangelo's nunchucks removed from later seasons of the series, when England only got the first couple of seasons anyway? Why did a USA made show drop the nunchucks, yet Sais, Swords and staffs are still A-okay to portray? I mean surely a sword is considered more violent than nunchucks? And he gets what? A grapling hook? I never liked that at all. In the early seasons they all four had thier own graples. So that hardly counts as a replacement. Michelangelo basically is just weaponless for the rest of the series. And for what reason?

Okay, my great appreciation to anyone who can answer these in detail. I look forward to many interesting discussions.

hey there well im not from England but i will tell you all i know and hopefully some1 after me will correct anything i have said if im wrong ok here we go

1: this has to go back to WW2. eng had a prob w/ japan cuz of the way and ninjas were/still are "evil" so they changes the name to Hero Turtles insted. as for anything airbrushed out or changes in the ep it self like names of things thsi i dont know.

2: yes nunchucks are illigal in England. this is because around the time the turtles came out nunchuchs were the weapon of choice for English gangs so in all the eps in Eng they airbrushed them out of the show. ya it is reallty stupuid. also yes America did take them out of a few eps because of a few random psycho parentrs had problems w/ sticks on chains insted of swords and sais...so mike either had no weapon or a grappeling hook. its all because Eng cant get over things and there just as stupid w/ cencoship as america is. i hope i answerd your questions and i again i hope some1 whos knows more then i do about this corrects anything i said. cuz i wanna know the true correct reasons also if its diff then what i know and just wrote.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by Akira

First off, I am new here, so please take it easy on me when I ask my questions. I expect you guys have answered them hundreds of times already but I couldn't find any topics about them on the first few pages of this forum, and it has been bugging me for years.

I grew up watching TMNT, it was my favorite show up through Season 6 or 7 I believe at which point my interest dropped steeply. I recently regained my interest not with the new series, which I find only mildly entertaining, but because I picked up the season 1 DVD of the original show that I knew and loved. Now my questions about it.

1) Why did it have to be called "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" In England? I mean in the first episode they see Ninja Dry cleaners, Pizza Parlor, Video rental and all sorts of Ninja references. Did all that stuff have to airbrushed out or what? Why is it that Ninja is such a taboo word to mention there? It is pop culture coolness to like ninja anything in USA. I studied Western Civilization in college, and took many classes on World War II. Historically, if anyone in the West could have had taboo issues with Japanese cultural terms is should be us since we fought them and helped the British fight the Nazi's in WWII. Oh well, I've just always wondered what thier problem was.

2) I heard Nunchucks are illegal in England, any truth to this? Also, why in the heck were Michelangelo's nunchucks removed from later seasons of the series, when England only got the first couple of seasons anyway? Why did a USA made show drop the nunchucks, yet Sais, Swords and staffs are still A-okay to portray? I mean surely a sword is considered more violent than nunchucks? And he gets what? A grapling hook? I never liked that at all. In the early seasons they all four had thier own graples. So that hardly counts as a replacement. Michelangelo basically is just weaponless for the rest of the series. And for what reason?

Okay, my great appreciation to anyone who can answer these in detail. I look forward to many interesting discussions.

What was with this whole nunchuck thing.

I understand your questions, my interest dropped in turtles before Season 6 started.

It was called HEro Turtles because the name ninja was outlawed/banned in UK at the time.

[jeff the cheff]

Even in the US, the later seasons didn't have nunchucks.

[Shreddette]

I reside in Canada and I don't recall Nunchukus being removed from the show...? Maybe I stopped watching it once Shredder was on the show less and less.

I think the whole Ninja Hero thing was LAAAME when I first heard it. No offense to people who live in England-- just becaus ya live there doesn't make you the people who decided against ninjas-- but man, letting political BS get in the way of entertainment is petty and lame.

LAME. Get over it!

Oh and I had a pair of nunchuks when I was a kid
My brother taught me how to use em. They're illegal here too... but that didn't stop us from making em out of mop handles and chains.

In fact they're probably still in the house we moved out of... we hid them up in the ceiling, a hidden area where my brother kept his playboys and our weapons. Unless the people who have lived there recently found them and destroyed them. Or kept them. (doubtful)

[Anarchistguy]

Originally Posted by Shreddette

I reside in Canada and I don't recall Nunchukus being removed from the show...? Maybe I stopped watching it once Shredder was on the show less and less.

I think the whole Ninja Hero thing was LAAAME when I first heard it. No offense to people who live in England-- just becaus ya live there doesn't make you the people who decided against ninjas-- but man, letting political BS get in the way of entertainment is petty and lame.

LAME. Get over it!

Oh and I had a pair of nunchuks when I was a kid
My brother taught me how to use em. They're illegal here too... but that didn't stop us from making em out of mop handles and chains.

In fact they're probably still in the house we moved out of... we hid them up in the ceiling, a hidden area where my brother kept his playboys and our weapons. Unless the people who have lived there recently found them and destroyed them. Or kept them. (doubtful)

All I know is if TMNT was a canadian cartoon, Michaelangelo would've kept his nunchucks 'TIL THE END. Censorship is less strict in Canada than in the US. (i.e: In the french dub of Dragon Ball Z, the blood isn't edited out (on TV). Most episodes are COMPLETELY intact. Same goes for the french dub of Sailor Moon. They kept the episodes that were cut in the american version and it's 85% uncensored)

[Misfit]

Forget it.

[Dane E5R]

You settle down. Anyone that "bashed England" in this thread made sure to say they meant no offense.

[Misfit]

Sorry.

[raphael_is_cool]

Well all this stuff was back with the old toon. It's ninjas now and I don't think nunchakus are illegal over here now, unless you need a licence...

My friend has some and another friend of mine even managed to get a pair of sai daggers without a licence or anything...I am so jealous, they're awesome

[Jester]

anyone know the other threads where this is discussed, cause it's been discussed pretty well before