Hamato Yoshi was a ninja in modern day Japan who fled to New York City after he was set up by a rival. In New York, he was mutated into an anthropomorphic rat and began going by the name "Splinter".
History[]
Unbeknownst to much of the modern world, even in Japan, ninja clans still existed. One such member of a ninja school was Hamato Yoshi, whose prowess had made him the target of a fellow ninja, Oroku Saki. On the day that a visiting sensei was arriving to the dōjō, Saki set up Yoshi by pinning his kimono to the wall, preventing him from bowing to their esteemed visitor. Additionally, when he pulled the dagger out, it was perceived as a threat toward the sensei. Thus, Yoshi was cast out from the clan.
In shame, Yoshi fled to the United States of America. He was left penniless and could not secure housing, and thus was forced to live in the Sewers of New York City. The compassionate Yoshi was friendly to the sewer rats and eventually, when they came literally crashing down on his head, four baby turtles.
One day, Yoshi found the turtles covered in a mutagen he attempted to clean them off, but the turtles began to grow and mutate into human-like bipedal bodies. Yoshi found himself changed, too, into a rat-man. As the turtles' intelligence had increased exponentially, Yoshi found himself able to teach them not only life lessons and basic knowledge, but also ninjutsu.
Fifteen years later, the turtles witnessed a reporter by the name of Abril O'Neil being attacked by a gang of thugs in the sewer. They rescued her and when she fainted upon seeing them, they brought her back to their home. When she woke up, Yoshi offered her some tea and told her their story.
Much later, he accompanied his students when exploring some tunnels, which Yoshi suspected were the work of his old enemy Saki. As the turtles went to summon Abril, Yoshi continued along the path, eventually coming across Saki's armored tank base, the Tecno-guarida. Yoshi was attacked and left unconscious in a mound of dirt. He was recovered by the turtles when they returned to the scene, and taken back home. Las Tortuga Ninja #1
See also[]
- Character gallery: Splinter
- Appearances of Splinter