Cowabunga, dudes! Welcome to the world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — where pizza, puns, and pulse-pounding heroics rule the day. This Heist Guide is your ultimate ticket back to 1987, when Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo first leapt off the comic page and into 193 episodes of action-packed animation. Below, you'll learn why the cartoon was created, meet the creative minds who brought it to life, and even uncover the identity of the mastermind behind that legendary theme song. It's a fact, Jack!
From source material modifications to why the show was censored in Europe, these are ten tricked-out truths that you need to know about the Heroes in a Half Shell and their first foray into the world of syndicated animation. So, grab a slice, get comfy, and prepare to dive shell-first into the totally tubular world of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon...
Right on! So, why was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon created?
Like G.I. Joe and Transformers before it, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was originally developed to help support a toy line. When New York licensing wiz Mark Freeman, who had previously handled Hanna-Barbera's extensive character portfolio, approached Playmates Toys with the idea, the uncertain company requested that a television deal be acquired first. Following the tremendous success of a five-part miniseries that began airing on Dec. 28, 1987, Playmates quickly moved forward, launching the very first series of Ninja Turtles action figures in the summer of 1988. This strategic combination of media and merchandise helped turn the Turtles into a lasting pop culture phenomenon.
That's rad! Who produced and animated the show?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was produced by Fred Wolf Films, a studio with a rich animation history that included 1971's The Point and several Puff the Magic Dragon specials beginning in 1978. Following on from their success with the Ninja Turtles, the company went on to produce series like The California Raisin Show (1989), Barnyard Commandos (1990), Toxic Crusaders (1991), James Bond Jr. (1991-1992), and The New Adventures of Zorro (1997-1998). Animation for the early episodes was handled by Japan's Toei Animation (Dragon Ball, Transformers), with additional contributions from Fred Wolf Dublin and A-1 Productions throughout the series.
Gnarly! What is the plot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
Based on the iconic comic book characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows the radical ruckus of four crime-fighting turtles — Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo — as they protect the bustling metropolis of New York City from a host of vamped-up villains. Together with allies like their adoptive father and Sensei Master Splinter, intrepid reporter April O'Neil, and masked vigilante Casey Jones, they face off against the sinister Shredder and his fiendish Foot Clan, the mysterious Krang, buggy Baxter Stockman, Bebop, Rocksteady, and many other maniacal mutants intent on taking a bite out of the Big Apple.
Wicked! Who voiced the turtles?
Good Question!
- Cam Clark, known for voicing Shotaro Kaneda in the original 1989 Streamline Pictures English dub of Akira and Liquid Snake in the Metal Gear series, brought Leonardo to life.
- Tony Award nominee Barry Gordon, who appeared regularly in The New Dick Van Dyke Show and starred alongside Abe Vigoda in Fish, voiced Donatello.
- Veteran voice actor Rob Paulsen, celebrated for roles like Yakko in Animaniacs, Pinky in Pinky and the Brain, and P.J. Pete in the Goof Troop franchise, gave voice to the cool but rude Raphael.
- Rounding out the core four was Townsend Coleman, known for leading roles in Where's Waldo? and The Tick, as the fun-loving party dude Michelangelo.
Bodacious, bro! Who else did voice work on the show?
It's quite a lineup! Among the standouts ...
- Peter Renaday — renowned for his work on Iron Man, Johnny Quest, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, brought wisdom and gravitas to Master Splinter.
- My Little Pony favorite Renae Jacobs gave life to April O'Neil.
- The ever-versatile Pat Fraley (BraveStarr, Denver, The Last Dinosaur, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa) delivered memorable performances as Krang, Baxter Stockman, and Casey Jones.
- Barry Gordon and Cam Clark (a.k.a. Donatello and Leonardo) hilariously embodied the bumbling Bebop and Rocksteady.
- Jennifer Darling (G.I. Joe: The Movie) added a dash of charm as Irma.
- And, of course, the incomparable James Avery — beloved as Philip Banks on six seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — commanded the role of The Shredder, Oroku Saki, with an unmistakable power and presence that still resonates today.
Righteous! Were there any changes from the original comic to the cartoon?
Absolutely! There were quite a few big changes between the comic and the cartoon. Eastman and Laird's books were much darker and more intense, but the animated series lightened the tone for a fun, family-friendly audience. The Turtles also swapped out their all-red masks for signature colors, which made telling them apart from one another much easier. The show leaned into slapstick humor, introduced catchphrases like "Cowabunga!", and turned Shredder's Foot Soldiers into robots instead of humans. April O'Neil also went from lab assistant to fearless TV reporter — complete with her iconic yellow jumpsuit. Oh, and here's a shocker for ya: in the comics, Shredder actually died!
That's heavy! Is it true the show was actually censored in europe?
Sure is! When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was first pitched to networks in the United Kingdom and Ireland, it ran into an unexpected hurdle: censorship rules! At the time, the word "ninja" was considered too violent for children's programming, so the title was changed to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. Every mention of "ninja" was removed in both dialogue and the opening theme song. Michelangelo's trademark nunchaku also came under fire, as they were seen as a weapon kids could easily imitate (and yet, Leonardo's swords were perfectly acceptable). Starting in Season 3, the show's creators removed them entirely, replaced by a far more kid-friendly grappling hook. Weapons use across the series was also toned down, while edits to dialogue were also made before the show aired in countries like Italy and Portugal.
Mental, man! Tell me about that theme song!
Believe it or not, Chuck Lorre — the powerhouse TV producer behind Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory — is the genius behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song. In a 2012 interview with the Archive of American Television, Lorre revealed that he landed the job after pop band The Turtles — seriously — backed out. With just 48 hours and a $2,000 budget, he grabbed the cheapest studio slot available and got to work. Vocals came courtesy of James Mandell, who was called in to sing for a quirky pilot about four mutant turtle brothers skilled in martial arts. Nutty, for sure! But, they nailed it in just two takes. The rest, as they say, is history — complete with a rather cheeky Easter Egg about it in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Totally awesome! Did the animation change in later seasons?
Yep! Beginning with Season 8, the show underwent a bold transformation to keep pace with the more action-packed kids' programming of the era (think Batman, Spider-Man and X-Men). The lighthearted humor was scaled back, the animation adopted a moodier tone, and the skies shifted to an ominous red. Even the theme song got a makeover, weaving in clips from the first live-action Ninja Turtles movie.
The series embraced a darker, more intense atmosphere — much closer to the spirit of the original comics. The Turtles were more serious, the core villains more menacing, and even April would trade in her job at Channel 6 for the life of a freelance reporter.
Cowabunga! So, where can I watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
If you're craving a daily dose of Turtle Power, you're in luck — there's no shortage of ways to shell-ebrate! Physical media junkies can grab Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on DVD (still waiting on that Blu-Ray upgrade), while steaming fans can dive into a dedicated TMNT channel on Pluto TV or sign up to watch the first 65 episodes on Paramount+. Specialty cable channels keep the action rolling too, with MeTV Toons bringing the Heroes in a Half Shell back to broadcast TV in the near future. And, for quick hits of 80s nostalgia, the official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles YouTube channel serves up pipping hot episodes that you can watch directly through the app.
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