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The bō (kanji: 棒, "staff; pole; rod") is a long staff, usually made of tapered hard wood, for example, white oak, bamboo and, in some cases (for training purposes), rotan. Sometimes it is made from or plated with metal for extra strength. A bō with a size of 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) is also called a rokushakubō (kanji: 六尺棒).
Although often met with dismissive attitude in the Western world, staves are dangerous as any other weapon is, capable of damaging internal organs, breaking bone, and inflicting significant bruises even with light training strikes. The reach staves offer allow wielders to target their opponent's entire body. In one-on-one combat, staves have an advantage over swords and provide superior defense against multiple opponents as both ends of the weapon are available to use. Staves are easy to learn due to their simple strike patterns and staff training is typically foundational for other weapons training, like swordsmanship. The material a staff is made from affects its combat style; an oak staff isn't as lightweight as a bamboo staff. The bō is a versatile weapon; able to defend as well as attack. Its length allows its user to keep enemies at a distance, and twirling the bō quickly can block attacks. The Japanese martial art of wielding the bō is called bōjutsu (kanji: 棒術, "bō technique").
In TMNT[]
In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, the bō is Donatello's signature weapon. This coincides with Donnie's character as he is more along the lines of defense and strategies more than offense. In many TMNT iterations, there is a running gag involving Donnie's bō being easily destroyed by an enemy or assertions about his bō's supposed ineffectiveness.
Mirage[]
In the Mirage continuity, all four Ninja Turtles use the bō in 49th Street Stompers.
2003 TV series[]
Donatello's bō is by Ch'rell in "The Shredder Strikes Back, Part 2". It is also broken by one of the Amazonian Blade Bots in "New Blood". The Foot Mystics all use double-ended or triple-headed bō.
Video games[]
Some Foot Ninja wield bō in the video games Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare.
2012 TV series[]
In the 2012 TV series, Donatello's bō has been modified to be able to project a blade, turning it into a naginata. The weapon has grip tape wrapped around the middle. Unfortunately, Donatello's bō easily breaks when used against Kraangdroids. In "Metalhead", Donatello develops a robot to fight for him as he feels that his bō is inadequate against the alien technology, but comes to accept his weapon of choice after he is able to defeat Metalhead when it falls under Kraang control (although he attempts to turn his bō into a rocket launcher). The Pulverizer struggles to use the bō to practice ninja moves, until Donatello teaches him. Michelangelo uses the bō when he is forced to poke Splinter with it while he is resting in "I, Monster", and manages to push the hidden button, sending the blade within inches of Splinter's face. In "Pulverizer Returns", Leonardo is forced to used the bō by Splinter to teach the Ninja Turtles how to fight outside their elements. Leonardo often trips over it, though.
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation[]
In Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, Donatello's bō is metal and extendable.
TMNT: New Animated Adventures[]
In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures comic, Raphael uses the bō to learn how to fight outside his element.
2014 film series[]
In the 2014 movie, Donatello has a retractable spring-loaded metal staff, which is much more resistant and stronger than its wooden version from previous incarnations. In the trailers Donnie uses it to reflect bullets, throw a car up in the air and push a container against some Foot Soldiers. Splinter also uses the bō when fighting the Shredder. The Shredder forms a staff from his blades in the final fight. In the sequel film, Donnie adds a taser to one end, allowing him to electrocute others, as well as an upgrade enabling it to interface with plane controls.
Rise of the TMNT[]
In Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donatello equips a technologically enhanced bō his own creation known as the Tech-Bō, which is able to transform into different tools. In "Mystic Mayhem", Donnie is offered the opportunity to replace his staff for a mystic weapon like his brothers, but refuses. In "Shreddy or Not" the Tech-Bō is destroyed when the lair collapses during the Shredder's hunt for Splinter's Hamato essence. Later on, after accessing Hamato Ninpō, Donnie uses Hamato Ninpō to transform a garden hoe into a traditional bō with the power to transform and construct technological weapons. He continues to wield this bō in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie.
Gallery[]
See also[]
External links[]
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