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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
TMNT-2012-logo
Also known as Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
(season five title)
Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
by Kevin Eastman
Peter Laird
Developed by Ciro Nieli
Joshua Sternin
J. R. Ventimilia
Voices of
Opening theme "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"
Ending theme "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"
(instrumental)
Composer(s) Sebastian Evans II
Stanley Martinez
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 124
Production
Executive
producer(s)
Producer(s)
Production company(s) LowBar Productions
Mirage Studios
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Release
Original release September 29, 2012 (debut)
November 12, 2017 (finale)
Chronology
Preceded by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
(2003 TV series)
Followed by Rise of the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles

(2018)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV series 2012-2017), also commonly referred to as TMNT 2012 and called Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for its fifth and final season, is a computer-animated martial arts action-adventure comedy-drama animated television series developed by Ciro Nieli (also acting as showrunner), Joshua Sternin, and J.R. Ventimilia for Nickelodeon Animation Studio in the franchise of the same name. A one-hour sneak peek of the series was released on September 28, 2012, while the official premiere aired and debuted on Nickelodeon and YTV (both in Canada and the USA) on September 29, 2012 with a two-part special episode ("Rise of the Turtles"). The series premiered in the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 1, 2012[1] and in Australia along with New Zealand on October 8, 2012.[2] It is the third animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series and the first to be produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. Composer Sebastian Evans provided the show's score. The series ran for five years with five seasons from late September 2012 until mid-November 2017 on Nickelodeon USA.

The series is 3D rendered and characterized by anime-inspired iconography, such as exaggerated expressions, manga effects, and other Japanese visual humor. Some characters in the series are aged down in comparison to previous incarnations with the Turtles acting more like adolescents themselves, although the series also incorporates darker themes on many occasions. It also paid homage to various aspects of the franchise's history, reinterpreting characters, elements, and long-running story arcs from the Mirage series and other previous incarnations (such as the original live-action movies, 1987 TV series, and 2003 TV series).

Like its predecessor, the show proved to be popular with both audiences and critics, garnering 3.9 million viewers on its premiere night and hitting a ratings high for Nickelodeon with boys 2-11, making it the network's top-rated premiere for an animated series since 2009. During its premiere weekend, the series reached nearly 12 million total viewers.[3] The premiere's success prompted Nickelodeon to order a second season on October 2, 2012[4] and in February 2013, the network renewed the show for a third season.[5] On June 17, 2014, Nickelodeon ordered a fourth season of the show. On July 10, 2015, Nickelodeon announced a 20-episode pick-up for season five, as well as confirming that season four would also consist of 20 episodes.[6]

TMNT 2012 Babies

(Left to Right) Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Donatello as baby mutant turtles.

The series makes slight changes to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles continuity, notably Michelangelo's new catchphrase "Booyakasha" (which Greg Cipes himself-plays Michelangelo- suggested) in place of "Cowabunga".[7] In a unique touch, each season of the series features the Turtles watching a cheesy animated show (beginning with Space Heroes in Season 1) that usually foreshadows events of an episode.

Merchandise based on the series includes a new line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles consumer products and six LEGO sets. Two video game adaptations were released in 2013, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (with the Turtles' radically redesigned from their television likenesses) followed shortly by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which more closely followed the series' designs). A game for mobile devices was also released as well as a racing game on the LEGO website. In 2014, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze released on consoles, and in 2017, an arcade game was released. In 2024, the arcade game was rereleased on consoles as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants with new levels and voice lines by the original cast.

The series was renewed for a second and third season on October 2, 2012 and February 26, 2013 respectively. The first season concluded on August 8, 2013 with 26 episodes. Season 2 debuted on October 12, 2013 and concluded on September 26, 2014 with another 26 episodes. Season 3 was released on October 3, 2014 (one week after the Season 2 finale) and concluded on September 27, 2015. Season 4 aired on October 25, 2015 and concluded on February 26, 2017, both seasons contained 26 episodes per season. The fifth and final season, titled "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", began airing on March 19, 2017, comprising of a shortened order of 20 episodes that were broken up into multi-episode story arcs. 

After a five year run spanning five seasons and 124 episodes, the show ended its run on November 12, 2017[8][9][10][11][12] and was succeeded by a new 2D animated reboot series (which was revealed under the title Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), that replaced this series on Nickelodeon in September of 2018. 

Synopsis

It's the Turtles' fifteenth birthday and they're itching to venture up to the surface and showcase their ninja skills. Master Splinter reluctantly agrees. At first, they love the surface with its weird lights and even stranger food (like pizza). However, things go awry when they witness a girl and her father being abducted by men in a van. They try to intervene, but don't fare well during the fight, with the van getting away, only to discover that the kidnappers are really robots with living brain creatures in their chest and were carrying the ooze that made them into mutants.

Eager to learn more about this strange connection, they regroup and begin to practice fighting as a team with Master Splinter appointing Leonardo as The Leader. After storming the enemy fortress, they learn that these creatures are called "The Kraang" and have sinister plans in store. They manage to rescue the girl, April, but The Kraang still have her father. They vow not to rest until they rescue him.

However, the Turtles' attack has not gone unnoticed by the media, which alerts The Shredder to come to New York City to take on Splinter/Hamato Yoshi's students himself. What ensues is the escalating war between the Foot and Hamato Clan, a Myth Arc that turns out to have been in the works for far longer than most of the cast knows, as well as the unraveling mystery of the Kraang's agenda for Earth and humankind. Booyakasha!

Plot

Season 1 (2012-13)

Ninjutsu sensei Hamato Yoshi (Splinter) is carrying his four pet turtles through the streets of Manhattan, New York City when he encounters members of an alien race called The Kraang. During an altercation with these aliens, Yoshi and the turtles are exposed to a mysterious radioactive alien chemical substance ooze called Mutagen which causes organic beings to undergo major physical transformations. Yoshi becomes (and takes of the characteristics of) a humanoid brown rat and the turtles become anthropomorphic, taking on human characteristics. Taking upon the new name "Splinter", he retreats to the New York City sewers via the subway tunnels, where he finds an underground chamber, raises the four turtles as his adopted sons and imparts to them his knowledge of ninjutsu.

Now teenagers, the Turtles (Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael) venture to the surface for the first time in 15 years and learn that the Kraang are using the mutagen as part of their plan to take over all of New York City. The Turtles befriend the teenage April O'Neil after she and her father Kirby O'Neil are abducted by The Kraang. Donatello also develops an instant crush on April. While Kirby remains a prisoner of The Kraang, April becomes an ally of the Turtles, who try to help her locate her father. April is also trained by Splinter to be a kunoichi (female ninja).

The Turtles also learn that Splinter's long-time archenemy Oroku Saki (Shredder) has come to New York City and has ordered his Foot Clan to track down Splinter and his sons, and put an end to their clan. This family feud eventually earns the coincidence of two of Shredder's disciples, martial arts star Chris Bradford and Brazilian street thug Xever Montes, getting mutated into Dogpound (later Rahzar) and Fishface. Furthermore, Shredder recruits former TCRI inventor and mad scientist Baxter Stockman after his M.O.U.S.E.R.S cross paths with Dogpound threatening some Purple Dragons to hack into April's phone (the Turtles are successful in rescuing April's phone... in pieces), but consistently threatens the scientist due to Stockman's incompetence and his ulterior motives. The Turtles also encounter (and defeat) Dr. Victor Falco, also known as 'The Rat King', who, along with having an army of New York rats, tried to brainwash Splinter into joining the dark side.

Learning about the Kraang's presence through his (adopted) daughter Karai, Shredder enters an alliance with the aliens to destroy their mutual enemies in the Hamato Clan. At one point, Karai considers offering an alliance with the Turtles to annihilate the Kraang once she sees the seriousness of an alien threat and informs them that Shredder blatantly disregards their presence, in addition to offering them secret access to a shipment of weapons (especially a rocket launcher) at the dockyard to take down the UFO, but this comes after she peskily stalks and duels with the Turtles (mostly Leonardo, who realizes that he may have feelings for her, unaware of her relationship to Splinter), and tracking them down to a facility where a major battle ensues before treacherously and selfishly abandoning them to fight a mutant she slyly, heedlessly and intentionally created (furthermore, Karai was so untrustworthy, that she was agreeing with Raphael that she poses a menacing threat. Karai also blatantly disregarded Leo's offer of redemption). Because of her recent betrayal (and her deceitful nature), the Turtles are initially skeptical, but later come to an agreement with her. However, when they sneakily ambush Shredder at the docks, it costs the Turtles (especially Leonardo) her friendship, when they learn that she considers Shredder as her 'father'. Afterwards, Shredder interrogates a captured Kraang droid, who speaks sufficient English to inform him that the Turtles are sheltering April, who is key to the alien's plot. Shredder sends Karai to capture and abduct April (possibly to lure Splinter and/or the Turtles to him) while the Turtles battle the Kraang in an underwater facility (when they learn that the Kraang want to infect the city's water supply). Eventually Turtles are successful with thwarting this Kraang plot. Meanwhile, April narrowly eludes Karai after a lengthy chase (and after the two girls duke it out in an alley). Upon returning to Splinter and the Turtles, April decides to take shelter at the Turtles' underground sewer lair for an extended time to train with Master Splinter while the Turtles face double the threat, as Shredder begins to ally himself with the Kraang.

The Turtles discover that the Kraang (led by Kraang Prime with Kraang Subprime as his second-in-command) are a corrupted extraterrestrial race of Utroms from outer space. They have invaded Earth many years ago and have come to Earth from Dimension X and built their headquarters with a company called the TCRI high rise. They are plotting to use the mutagen (along with a unique set of Kraang-like telekinetic psychic powers that April was born with) to annihilate mankind and to mutate/terraform the Earth (and all it's life forms) into a planet (another Dimension X) in order effectively trans-mutate the human race into fellow Kraang that will be suitable for their race. The Kraang needed April's unique mental energy, and they tried to use it to perfect the planetary mutation mechanism to the Turtle's reality (as it was mentioned earlier that the mutagen didn't work like the Kraang thought it would on Earth). After the Turtles rescue Kirby, the Kraang invade New York, but the Turtles and April emerge triumphant when they are able to send the Technodrome crashing into the sea (the Atlantic Ocean). Leonardo makes a heroic sacrifice, trying his best to hold off Kraang Prime and is seemingly killed, but also emerges alive and ultimately unharmed, having narrowly escaped at the last second. Meanwhile, Splinter battles Shredder and learns that Karai is technically his (Yoshi's) own long-lost birth daughter, Miwa who was kidnapped by Shredder and who believes that Splinter killed her mother. Unwilling to fight her, he retreats in sorrow. The first season ends with Turtles and April celebrating their victory over Kraang as Splinter hides this secret of Karai's true identity of Miwa from them, but promises to divulge this information for another day. Meanwhile, on the sea bed, the crashed Technodrome relights, indicating that the fight isn't over yet.

Season 2 (2013-14)

Sometime after their victory in the Season 2 premiere, the Turtles continue to lazily and over-confidently party, much to Splinter's dismay, as he orders them to be alert. The group soon learns that The Kraang have survived their previous attack, and a Kraang UFO is delivering a shipment of mutagen canisters to Shredder, who has teamed up with the Kraang to eliminate their mutual enemies. While the Turtles successfully infiltrate the Kraang UFO and thwart this mission of the mutagen reaching Shredder, their inept incompetence causes a flurry of mutagen canisters to rain down on the city, much to their horror. The Turtles struggle to contain an outbreak of mutations that occurs thanks to the leftover mutagen from the thwarted Kraang invasion. Kirby is among the victims of the outbreak, and a misunderstanding leads April to hate the Turtles and break off their friendship. However, the Turtles are able to earn her forgiveness when Donnie saves her from Karai, (who has taken temporary command of the Foot while the Shredder is away in Japan) resumes hunting her down with the help of The Kraang. Having finally reconciled with the Turtles, April once again decides to seek shelter at their lair to undergo some more training with Splinter, while the Turtles continue searching for the missing mutagen but also be on the lookout for the Foot army. The Hamato Clan also gains a new member when April's new friend Casey Jones helps repel an assault on the Turtles' lair. After several more adventures, which involve the Turtles and April storming TCRI, where they gain another human ally named Jack J. Kurtzman (a scientist who has studied the Kraang for years), with the group learning more about the Kraang's backstory and why April is a crucial element to the Kraang's plot as well as the return and revenge of The Rat King (who Splinter eventually defeats in the undercity), Master Splinter finally confesses to the Turtles (first Leo, then to the other three) the shockingly horrible secret about Karai's true identity he had been harboring, that she is his own long-lost birth daughter, and that she mistakenly believes that Splinter killed her mother, whereas it was really Shredder which is why she is filled with fanatical hatred towards them.

Meanwhile, The Shredder returns from Japan with the mutated Japanese bounty hunter Tiger Claw, who becomes the Shredder's new second-in-command, much to Karai's rebellious chagrin. During a battle with the Turtles, Tiger Claw is later sent through a portal inside a worm to the 1987–1996 animated series reality. Additionally, Karai is informed of the truth about her life by Leonardo. However, she flatly distrusts Leo and harshly rebuffs this, even trying to slay the turtle for his repeated "lies". But she is later shown eavesdropping on the group by hiding behind a billboard and overhears the group gossiping about her. Despite still being skeptical, she finally becomes intrigued by their conversation and begins to doubt her loyalty towards Shredder.

Some time later, Kirby is eventually restored to his human form when Donatello finally manages to synthesize and concoct a Retro-Mutagen, which causes organic beings to reverse their major physical transformations, and help keep it away from former T.C.R.I inventor Baxter Stockman, who gets mutated into Stockman-Fly while under Shredder's employ.

After Tiger Claw, who later returns to the 2012 reality, enlists her in a devious scheme to find the Turtles' lair, Karai succeeds in deceiving April, Donnie and Leo by pretending to trust them about Splinter. She is taken to the lair, much to Raphael's ire. As the brothers argue, Karai sneakily schemes an ambush by slyly activating her tracking device, leading Tiger Claw to the lair. However, after she finally (and genuinely) does realize the truth herself (thanks to Splinter showing her photographs of himself as a man with Tang Shen and Karai as an infant), her feelings towards Splinter and the Turtles change. Realizing the enormity of her treacherous schemes and cruelty towards the Turtles and Splinter, she joins forces with them and disowns Shredder and Tiger Claw (for real this time) by leading Tiger Claw to an old, underground meat processing factory. After the battle that ensues, she is captured by Tiger Claw, taken back to Shredder's lair where Shredder confesses the truth, and imprisoned. Repeated attempts to free Karai by Leonardo ultimately succeed, but the Shredder captures Karai again and uses her as bait to kill the Hamato Clan. However, despite the best efforts from the Turtles and Splinter to rescue her once more, Karai ends up mutated into a feral and predatory purple-and-white serpent after her cage falls into a pool of mutagen containing snake DNA (a trap that was meant for the Turtles), to everyone's horror.

This goes against Shredder's plan, so he is contacted by Kraang Prime to propose a risky alliance and a solution. After negotiating, the two come to an agreement: Shredder and his forces will help the Kraang capture April and conquer all of New York City, and then the world in exchange for the Kraang robots helping Shredder capture and destroy the Turtles and Splinter, as well as restoring Karai back to her normal human form.

Over the next few weeks, the Turtles, April, and Casey scour the city in search of Serpent Karai in the hopes of mutating her back to normal, but their search turns up nothing. Afterwards, Donnie must put aside his differences with Casey when some Purple Dragon gangsters steal and open an ancient Chinese dagger unleashing an evil ghost which tries to sap April's psychic powers while Leo, Raph, and Mikey undergo an evil possession, becoming Ho Chan's henchmen.

When the Kraang perfect their previously unstable mutagen, the Turtles travel through a portal (artificially made by Donnie) into Dimension X, scouring this weird alien land and battle rock monsters to rescue Leatherhead, who is being tormented by his Kraang captors and sends a holographic distress message through an orb. But only Mikey can figure this place out. They are successful in this mission, and escape back to Earth just before the Kraang's facility explodes, postponing their invasion for months (in Dimension X time), meaning days (in Earth time units). This gives the Turtles some more time to prepare their defenses, and Donnie some time to finish construction on the Turtle Mech.

Despite all this, The Kraang launch a second invasion of New York, starting by trashing the Turtles' lair (April mistakenly leads Irma there, and Irma reveals herself to be Kraang Subprime). Although Splinter and the Turtles eventually fight off Kraang Subprime, most of their lair is trashed, forcing them to abandon it. The Kraang begin mutating New York City's populace, including Kirby, despite the efforts of Earth's military and the Turtles. A falling-out between Leo and Donnie jeopardizes the mission when Leonardo sacrifices himself to get the others to safety and is separated from the rest of the team. As more Kraang continue to invade, leading Donnie to lead. Leo is left to single-handedly battle Shredder, Tiger Claw, Dogpound, Fishface and the entire Foot Clan army (a hoard of Footbots) but despite his valiant efforts, Shredder and his thugs gang up on the turtle. Leo is gravely injured and knocked unconscious, as is Splinter after a battle with the Shredder, who, after defeating Leatherhead, ruthlessly flushes the unconscious rat down a sewer drain. The Turtles, April, and Casey are forced to flee to the O'Neil family's summer home in Upstate New York as the Kraang (and Shredder's forces) successfully conquer the whole city of Manhattan. Meanwhile, Splinter is rescued by Serpent Karai, who recognizes him and is left on a ledge underground in the sewer to recover.

Season 3 (2014-15)

The group takes refuge at the O'Neil family's summer home upstate in North Hampton, Massachusetts in order to recuperate from their loss at the hands of The Kraang and the Foot Clan. Leonardo goes into a coma for three months because of his wounds, and Raphael watches over Leonardo, waiting for him to wake up. After Leonardo wakes up, he takes an extended amount of time to recover, but guided by an apparition of Splinter, is able to overcome his physical and mental wounds.

The group eventually returns to New York with the goal of finding Splinter, Karai, Kirby, and their other missing allies and liberate the city from the Kraang. They are successful in finding Splinter (who is completely feral), and, after restoring his humanity and memories, set up a temporary base in the abandoned Antonio's Pizza restaurant. Donatello begins work on new samples of retro-mutagen as the search for Kirby and Karai continues. Shredder later captures and mutates Anton Zeck and Ivan Steranko into his latest mutants (a mutant warthog and rhino) which Mikey dubs as 'Bebop and Rocksteady' after the duo are seen hunting down Serpent Karai while the Purple Dragons gain Hun as their leader. The Turtles, after outwitting Bebop and Rocksteady, manage to spray some retro-mutagen on Serpent Karai but it has no effect. Slowly losing her mind, she bids farewell to the Turtles, April and Casey before escaping into the sea before getting captured by Shredder, who promises to restore her back to normal.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles even run into the Mighty Mutanimals (consisting of Slash (who has redeemed himself), Leatherhead, Tyler Rockwell, and Pete). Together, they manage to banish the Kraang back to Dimension X and free New York, but the effect of the invasion eventually earns Shredder cemented control of the city's criminal underworld for his efforts to create a mind-control serum meant for the turtles, Mutanimals and especially Serpent Karai, who gets brainwashed and begins hunting Splinter, the Turtles, April and Casey down. Meanwhile, Leo is taught an ancient healing technique to counteract the lethal venom.

The turtles are later offered by future time sorceress Renet to time travel to the past, where they meet up with a younger Hamato Yoshi and Oroku Saki, as well as Yoshi's late wife and Karai's mother, Teng Shen. During the battle between Yoshi and Saki inside the burning Hamato Clan dojo, Shen is accidentally killed by Saki, who meant to kill Yoshi instead. Saki leaves the dojo after his hair burns off from the fire and kidnaps Yoshi and Shen's baby daughter Miwa, vowing to raise her as Karai and leaving Yoshi to die. After his escape, the turtles save Yoshi, as they were "always destined to" before traveling back to the present with Renet.

When the Kraang return to Earth, the Turtles discover that the Kraang have another enemy from Dimension X in the form of the Triceraton Empire. Despite their best efforts and Shredder violating the Foot Clan's temporary truce with the Turtles by backstabbing Splinter during the fight in cold blood, the ruthless Triceratons activate the Heart of Darkness, a black hole-creating machine which annihilates both The Kraang, sucks up the Earth, and everyone on it. But just as it comes to the worst for the Turtles, April, and Casey, they are rescued by a friendly robot by the name of Professor Honeycutt (a.k.a. the Fugitoid) who uses a spacecraft to take the Turtles, April and Casey to a journey into outer space.

Season 4 (2015-17)

After the Turtles, April, and Casey are saved from the destruction of Earth, the Fugitoid uses his spacecraft the Ulixes to turn back time to six months earlier in order for him and the Turtles to prevent the Triceraton Empire led by Emperor Zanmoran from assembling the three components of the Heart of Darkness that are scattered throughout the universe before everything on Earth is lost. Besides fighting the Triceratons, the Turtles also face new enemies in outer space like Lord Vringath Dregg of the planet Sectoid and the bounty hunter Armaggon, and even have an adventure with their interdimensional 1987 series counterparts and their enemy Krang who is an exiled relative of Kraang Subprime. In the process, they also gain new allies such as Mona Lisa and Sal Commander. Despite the efforts of the Turtles, the Triceratons are still able to collect all three pieces of the Black Hole Generator, only for the present Turtles to return to Earth (in the past) and join forces with their past selves to warn Splinter's past self before he is killed by Shredder's past self, stop the detonator of the Heart of Darkness, and defeat the Triceratons. The present Fugitoid destroys the Black Hole Generator near the Triceraton space fleet, causing to explode, presumably killing the Triceratons. In the aftermath of the fight against the Triceratons, the past versions of the Turtles, April, and Casey leave Earth with the past Fugitoid in the Ulixes while the present Fugitoid's head reactivates in Earth orbit.

At one point, during their adventures throughout the cosmos, April is given a fragment of the ancient Aeon's mystical Sol Star (containing the very essence of power and life itself), and which helps her in further developing her psychic abilities as well as drastically increasing them to incalculable levels; also due to the several training sessions she had with the Fugitoid.

Weeks later following the Triceraton Invasion being thwarted and the Foot Clan's disappearance, April is promoted to kunoichi at the time when the witch Shinigami arrives and is revealed that she is Karai's friend as they plot to rebuild the Foot Clan and dispose of Shredder who is still recuperating from his last fight with Splinter. While Karai and Shinigami have some ninjas on their side, the Foot Clan strengthens the Footbot army by creating the Elite Footbots. Furthermore, some other crime organizations have been plotting to take over the Foot Clan's territory, and a crystal fragment of immeasurable mystical power (which April had received from an ancient benevolent race of aliens known as the Aeons) is beginning to exert quite a baneful influence on her. However, she eventually succeeds in overcoming its vast mystical power and shatters it. She then apologizes for her not disregarding the universal influence the Sol Star fragment had on her, but assures everyone that she has a better understand of how to control her increasingly powerful psionic abilities on her own.

Using a special mutagen formula, Oroku Saki recuperates and becomes the Super Shredder in order to take back control of the Foot Clan from Karai, finish off Splinter and the Turtles, and even goes far enough to inject more unstable mutagen into himself. He ends up killing Splinter by stabbing him after so long, and is thrown into a garbage truck to be left for dead by Casey and April. However, he survives and begins to hunt the Turtles once again. Having had enough, the Turtles decide to end the long feud once and for all. After many obstacles the Turtles face against Shredder, and Leonardo ends it by killing him.

With Splinter avenged and Shredder dead, the Turtles and their friends wonder about what lies ahead. Knowing the foot isn't over yet and there are still enemies out there, the heroes prepare for the road ahead, knowing that Splinter is still with them, in spirit.

Season 5: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2017)

After the death of their father and master, and defeating the Shredder once and for all, the Turtles try to adjust to the changes in their lives. With Splinter gone, Leonardo is given the responsibility of sensei, which puts an even greater burden weighing down on his shoulders, while Karai (who has currently become the rightful heiress to the Foot Clan) decides to take charge of the clan and reform it. Meanwhile, Tiger Claw has been leading a gang of underground mutated bandits that follow Shredder (they all harbor thoughts and memories of the fallen Super Shredder), and summons a demodragon named Kavaxas to bring Rahzar, and Shredder back to life.

Some time later, the Turtles are then joined by the revisit of Raphael's Salamandrian girlfriend, Mona Lisa, and her fellow Salamandrian, Sal Commander, to defeat the Newtralizer, who has returned and possess an ability to travel through and absorb electricity. He is later backed up by his old ally, Lord Dregg. As a result, Raphael must convince Bishop to work with the Salamandrians to defeat Newtralizer and Dregg. After the demise of the two extraterrestrial villains, the Turtles embark on a few more adventures, such as being whisked away to an alternate dimension, where they befriend Miyamoto Usagi and the pug child Kintaro from the evil wizard and wolf-demon Jei. This season explores some untold side stories that were not fully revealed and explained from previous seasons such as a flashback to when Hamato Yoshi was first mutated into Splinter during his battle with The Kraang after arriving in New York more than 15 years earlier, and began raising Leo, Donnie, Raph and Mikey as his adopted sons (set during the Turtles' boyhood shortly following their mutation, before the series premiere), before shifting 50 years later in an alternate dimensional and hypothetical, but desolate and dystopian future ruled by mutant animals with all of Manhattan (and most of the Earth, exploded into a bunch of chunks) having terraformed into a post apocalyptic desert wasteland, and another adventure involving the return of Savanti Romero where he collaborates with Universal Classic Monsters to make Earth ruled for monsters. After Casey and April turn into vampires, the Turtles and Renet escape to Ancient Egypt. After unsuccessfully thwarting Savanti from awakening a powerful mummy pharaoh from its tomb, they travel to Transylvania where Savanti awakens Count Dracula from his tomb and allies himself with the vampire lord, who returns the favor by turning Vulko (a Romanian traveler) into a werewolf and Raphael into a vampire, both of the vampirized victims escape to 1818 Germany where Savanti recruits Frankenstein's monster and plans to unleash his creatures on 21st century New York City, where the ultimate monster mayhem showdown occurs. Raphael, Donatello, Casey, April and the rest of the New York's populace are restored back to normal after Mikey fatally impales Dracula, and the epidemic is lifted.

Weeks following the "Monstrous Tales" saga, the Turtles, April, Casey, Karai, Shinigami, and the Mighty Mutanimals soon teamed up with the 1987 counterparts of the Ninja Turtles where they face the return of the 2012 Bebop and Rocksteady where they are recruited by the 1987 counterparts of the Shredder and Krang to conquer Earth of both the 1987 and 2012 realities with a fully powered 1987 Technodrome after their versions of the 1987 Bebop and Rocksteady were accidentally left behind. While the Turtles and their allies fight off a horde of Foot Soldiers from the 1987–1996 series' reality and the 2012 Rock Soldiers led by Traag and Granitor, Bebop and Rocksteady soon discover Shredder and Krang's treacherous scheme to destroy the Earth and choose to become heroes in order to save the planet.

Episodes

Series overview

Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 26 September 29, 2012 August 8, 2013
2 26 October 12, 2013 September 26, 2014
3 26 October 3, 2014 September 27, 2015
4 26 October 25, 2015 February 26, 2017
5 20 March 19, 2017 November 12, 2017

Season 1 (2012–13)

The episodes aired with their working titles outside North America.

No.
 

overall

No. in
 

season

Title Directed by Written by Original air date  Prod.
 

code 

U.S. viewers
 

(millions)

1

2

1

2

"Rise of the Turtles (part 1, part 2)" Michael Chang & Alan Wan Joshua Sternin & J.R. Ventimilia September 29, 2012 101

102

3.92
3 3 "Turtle Temper" Alan Wan Jeremy Shipp October 6, 2012 103 3.25
4 4 "New Friend, Old Enemy" Juan Jose Meza-Leon Joshua Hamilton October 13, 2012 104 2.80
5 5 "I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman" Michael Chang & Ciro Nieli Joshua Sternin & J.R. Ventimilia October 20, 2012 105 3.40
6 6 "Metalhead" Juan Jose Meza-Leon Tom Alvarado October 27, 2012 106 3.61
7 7 "Monkey Brains" Alan Wan Russ Carney & Ron Corcillo November 3, 2012 107 3.69
8 8 "Never Say Xever" Michael Chang Kenny Byerly November 10, 2012 108 2.92
9 9 "The Gauntlet" Juan Jose Meza-Leon Joshua Sternin & J.R. Ventimilia November 17, 2012 109 2.80
10 10 "Panic in the Sewers" Alan Wan Jeremy Shipp November 24, 2012 110 2.92
11 11 "Mousers Attack!" Michael Chang Kenny Byerly December 8, 2012 111 3.37
12 12 "It Came From The Depths" Juan Jose Meza-Leon Russ Carney & Ron Corcillo December 15, 2012 112 3.46
13 13 "I, Monster" Michael Chang Jase Ricci January 25, 2013 114 2.61
14 14 "New Girl in Town" Alan Wan Jeremy Shipp February 1, 2013 113 2.33
15 15 "The Alien Agenda" Juan Jose Meza-Leon Kenny Byerly February 8, 2013 115 2.42
16 16 "The Pulverizer" Alan Wan Russ Carney & Ron Corcillo February 15, 2013 116 2.55
17 17 "TCRI" Michael Chang Joshua Sternin & J.R. Ventimilia March 1, 2013 117 2.15
18 18 "Cockroach Terminator" Juan Jose Meza-Leon Jeremy Shipp March 15, 2013 118 2.19
19 19 "Baxter's Gambit" Alan Wan Jase Ricci April 5, 2013 119 2.30
20 20 "Enemy of My Enemy" Michael Chang Kenny Byerly April 12, 2013 120 2.31
21 21 "Karai's Vendetta" Juan Jose Meza-Leon

& Sebastian Montes

Russ Carney & Ron Corcillo April 27, 2013 121 3.05
22 22 "The Pulverizer Returns!" Alan Wan Jeremy Shipp May 11, 2013 123 2.78
23 23 "Parasitica" Michael Chang Pete Goldfinger July 20, 2013 122 2.19
24 24 "Operation: Break Out" Michael Chang Jase Ricci July 27, 2013 124 2.15
25

26

25

26

"Showdown (part 1, part 2)" Juan Jose Meza-Leon &

Sebastian Montes & Alan Wan

Joshua Sternin & J.R. Ventimilia August 8, 2013 125

126

3.14

Season 2 (2013–14)

No.
 

overall

No. in
 

season

Title Directed by Written by Original air date  Prod.
 

code 

U.S. viewers
 

(millions)

27 1 "The Mutation Situation" Sebastian Montes & Ciro Nieli Brandon Auman October 12, 2013 201 2.68
28 2 "Invasion of the Squirrelanoids" Michael Chang Todd Garfield October 19, 2013 203 2.61
29 3 "Follow the Leader" Alan Wan Eugene Son November 2, 2013 202 2.49
30 4 "Mutagen Man Unleashed" Sebastian Montes Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt November 9, 2013 204 2.67
31 5 "Mikey Gets Shellacne" Alan Wan Thomas Krajewski November 16, 2013 205 2.67
32 6 "Target: April O'Neil" Michael Chang Nicole Dubuc November 23, 2013 206 2.54
33 7 "Slash and Destroy" Sebastian Montes Gavin Hignight November 30, 2013 207 2.51
34 8 "The Good, The Bad, and Casey Jones" Michael Chang Johnny Hartmann February 2, 2014 209 2.69
35 9 "The Kraang Conspiracy" Alan Wan Brandon Auman February 9, 2014 208 2.87
36 10 "Fungus Humungous" Sebastian Montes Mark Henry February 16, 2014 210 2.81
37 11 "Metalhead Rewired" Alan Wan Peter Di Cicco February 23, 2014 211 2.66
38 12 "Of Rats and Men" Sebastian Montes Todd Garfield March 2, 2014 212 2.7
39

40

13

14

"The Manhattan Project (part 1, part 2)" Michael Chang & Alan Wan Brandon Auman & John Shirley March 14, 2014 213

214

2.36
41 15 "Mazes & Mutants" Michael Chang Eugene Son April 27, 2014 215 2.67
42 16 "The Lonely Mutation of Baxter Stockman" Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman May 4, 2014 216 2.32
43 17 "Newtralized!" Alan Wan Gavin Hignight May 11, 2014 217 2.03
44 18 "Pizza Face" Sebastian Montes Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt May 18, 2014 219 2.29
45 19 "The Wrath of Tiger Claw" Michael Chang Christopher Yost June 8, 2014 218 2.30
46 20 "The Legend of the Kuro Kabuto" Alan Wan Doug Langdale June 15, 2014 220 1.87
47 21 "Plan 10" Michael Chang Henry Gilroy June 22, 2014 221 2.13
48 22 "Vengeance is Mine" Sebastian Montes Peter Di Cicco June 29, 2014 222 2.17
49 23 "A Chinatown Ghost Story" Alan Wan Randolph Heard September 12, 2014 223 1.33
50 24 "Into Dimension X!" Sebastian Montes Doug Langdale September 19, 2014 224 1.70
51

52

25

26

"The Invasion (part 1, part 2)" Michael Chang & Alan Wan Brandon Auman & John Shirley September 26, 2014 225

226

1.63

Season 3 (2014–15)

No.
 

overall

No. in
 

season

Title Directed by Written by Original air date  Prod.
 

code 

U.S. viewers
 

(millions)

53 1 "Within the Woods" Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman October 3, 2014 301 1.42
54 2 "A Foot Too Big" Michael Chang Doug Langdale October 10, 2014 302 1.31
55 3 "Buried Secrets" Alan Wan Mark Henry October 17, 2014 303 1.67
56 4 "The Croaking" Michael Chang Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt November 7, 2014 304 1.47
57 5 "In Dreams" Sebastian Montes Doug Langdale November 14, 2014 305 1.35
58 6 "Race with the Demon" Alan Wan Gavin Hignight November 21, 2014 306 1.74
59 7 "Eyes of the Chimera" Michael Chang Greg Weisman January 11, 2015 307 1.85
60 8 "Vision Quest" Sebastian Montes Todd Casey January 18, 2015 308 2.31
61 9 "Return to New York" Alan Wan Brandon Auman January 25, 2015 309 1.85
62 10 "Serpent Hunt" Michael Chang Randolph Heard February 1, 2015 310 1.57
63 11 "The Pig and The Rhino" Alan Wan Brandon Auman March 8, 2015 311 1.81
64

65

12

13

"Battle for New York (part 1, part 2)" Michael Chang & Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman & Mark Henry March 15, 2015 312

313

1.78
66 14 "Casey Jones VS. The Underworld" Sebastian Montes Andrew Robinson March 22, 2015 314 1.85
67 15 "The Noxious Avenger" Alan Wan Todd Casey April 26, 2015 315 1.74
68 16 "Clash of the Mutanimals" Michael Chang Henry Gilroy May 3, 2015 316 1.57
69 17 "Meet Mondo Gecko" Sebastian Montes Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt May 10, 2015 317 1.80
70 18 "The Deadly Venom" Alan Wan Eugene Son May 17, 2015 318 1.70
71 19 "Turtles in Time" Michael Chang Randolph Heard August 2, 2015 319 1.65
72 20 "Tale of the Yokai" Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman August 9, 2015 320 1.37
73 21 "Attack of the Mega Shredder!" Alan Wan Gavin Hignight August 16, 2015 321 1.78
74 22 "The Creeping Doom" Michael Chang Peter Di Cicco August 23, 2015 322 1.77
75 23 "The Fourfold Trap" Sebastian Montes Mark Henry September 13, 2015 323 1.60
76 24 "Dinosaur Seen in Sewers!" Michael Chang Todd Casey September 20, 2015 324 1.82
77

78

25

26

"Annihilation: Earth! (part 1, part 2)" Sebastian Montes & Alan Wan Brandon Auman September 27, 2015 325

326

1.43

Season 4 (2015–17)

No.
 

overall

No. in
 

season

Title Directed by Written by Original air date [nb] Prod.
 

code 

U.S. viewers
 

(millions)

79 1 "Beyond the Known Universe" Alan Wan Brandon Auman October 25, 2015 401 1.62
80 2 "The Moons of Thalos 3" Michael Chang John Shirley November 1, 2015 402 1.66
81 3 "The Weird World of Wyrm" Sebastian Montes Randolph Heard November 8, 2015 403 1.60
82 4 "The Outlaw Armaggon!" Alan Wan Gavin Hignight November 15, 2015 404 1.41
83 5 "Riddle of The Ancient Aeons" Michael Chang Brandon Auman January 10, 2016 405 1.62
84 6 "Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind" Sebastian Montes Todd Casey January 17, 2016 406 1.58
85 7 "The Arena of Carnage" Alan Wan Peter Di Cicco January 24, 2016 407 1.58
86 8 "The War for Dimension X"0 Michael Chang Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt January 31, 2016 408 1.6
87 9 "The Cosmic Ocean" Sebastian Montes Mark Henry March 13, 2016 409 1.52
88 10 "Trans-Dimensional Turtles" Alan Wan Brandon Auman March 27, 2016 410 1.53
89 11 "Revenge of the Triceratons" Michael Chang & Ben Jones Randolph Heard April 3, 2016 411 1.45
90 12 "The Evil of Dregg" Sebastian Montes Gavin Hignight April 10, 2016 412 1.70
91 13 "The Ever-Burning Fire" Alan Wan John Shirley April 17, 2016 413 1.40
92 14 "Earth's Last Stand" Michael Chang & Ben Jones Brandon Auman April 24, 2016 414 1.64
93 15 "City at War" Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman August 14, 2016 415 1.51
94 16 "Broken Foot" Alan Wan Peter Di Cicco August 21, 2016 416 1.46
95 17 "The Insecta Trifecta" Michael Chang & Ben Jones Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt August 28, 2016 417 1.40
96 18 "Mutant Gangland" Sebastian Montes Todd Casey September 4, 2016 418 1.21
97 19 "Bat in the Belfry" Alan Wan Eugene Son September 11, 2016 419 1.47
98 20 "The Super Shredder" Rie Koga Brandon Auman November 6, 2016 420 1.47
99 21 "Darkest Plight" Sebastian Montes Randolph Heard November 13, 2016 421 1.26
100 22 "The Power Inside Her" Alan Wan Peter Di Cicco November 20, 2016 422 1.21
101 23 "Tokka vs. The World" Rie Koga Gavin Hignight February 5, 2017 423 1.23
102 24 "Tale of Tiger Claw" Sebastian Montes Mark Henry February 12, 2017 424 1.17
103 25 "Requiem" Alan Wan Brandon Auman February 19, 2017 425 1.01
104 26 "Owari" Rie Koga Brandon Auman February 26, 2017 426 1.23

Season 5: Tales of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2017)

No.
 

overall

No.in
 

season

Title Directed by Written by Original air date [nb] Prod.
 

code 

USA viewers
 

(millions)

105 1 "Scroll of the Demodragon" Sebastian Montes Randolph Heard March 19, 2017 501 1.012
106 2 "The Forgotten Swordsman" Alan Wan Peter Di Cicco March 26, 2017 502 0.992
107 3 "Heart of Evil" Rie Koga Gavin Hignight April 2, 2017 503 1.122
108 4 "End Times" Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman April 9, 2017 504 1.142
109

110

5

6

"When Worlds Collide (part 1, part 2)" Sebastian Montes

Alan Wan

Todd Casey & Elliott Casey

Eugene Son

June 18, 2017 510

511

0.912
111 7 "Yojimbo" Rie Koga Stan Sakai July 23, 2017 515 0.992
112 8 "Osoroshi no Tabi" Sebastian Montes Brandon Auman July 30, 2017 516 0.932
113 9 "Kagayake! Kintaro" Alan Wan Henry Gilroy August 6, 2017 517 0.972
114 10 "Lone Rat and Cubs" Alan Wan Kevin Eastman August 13, 2017 505 1.063
115 11 "The Wasteland Warrior" Rie Koga Brandon Auman September 22, 2017 (Nicktoons) 518 N/A
116 12 "The Impossible Desert" Sebastian Montes Peter Di Cicco September 22, 2017 (Nicktoons) 519 N/A
117 13 "Carmageddon!" Alan Wan Gavin Hignight September 22, 2017 (Nicktoons) 520 N/A
118 14 "The Curse of Savanti Romero" Rie Koga Peter Di Cicco September 27, 2017 (Nicktoons) 506 N/A
119 15 "The Crypt of Dracula" Sebastian Montes John Shirley September 27, 2017 (Nicktoons) 507 N/A
120 16 "The Frankenstein Experiment" Alan Wan Brandon Auman October 4, 20173

(Nicktoons)

508 N/A
121 17 "Monsters Among Us!" Rie Koga Kevin Burke & Chris "Doc" Wyatt October 11, 2017

(Nicktoons)

509 N/A
122 18 "Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady"3 Rie Koga Peter Di Cicco November 12, 20173 512 0.963
123 19 "The Foot Walks Again!"3 Sebastian Montes Mark Henry November 12, 20173 513 0.963
124 20 "The Big Blowout"3 Alan Wan Jed MacKay November 12, 20173 514 0.963

Specials

Title Directed by Written by Original air date
"Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past" Glen Murakami Brandon Auman November 22, 2015
"Kicking Shell and Taking Names" Ciro Nieli Brandon Auman November 25, 2015

Shorts

Title Directed by Written by Original air date
"Don VS Raph" Sung Jin Ahn Jhonen Vasquez July 22, 2016
"Turtles Take Time (and Space)" Rie Koga Brandon Auman July 22, 2016
"Pizza Friday" Paul Jenkins Kevin Eastman & Paul Jenkins July 22, 2016
"Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles" Matt Youngberg Matt Youngberg June 4, 2017
"TMNT Team Up! #1 'No Fly Zone'" Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica June 11, 2017
"'Boulangerie'" TBA TBA June 18, 2017
"TMNT Team Up! #2 'Flora the Fedora'" Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica June 25, 2017
"We Strike Hard & Fade Away Into the Night" Kevin R. Adams & Joe Ksander Kevin R. Adams & Joe Ksander June 18, 2017 (Nicktoons) July 9, 2017 (YouTube)
"TMNT Team-Up!: Comic Con Exclusive" Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica July 18, 2017
"TMNT Team Up! #3 'Turtle: Impossible'" Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica July 30, 2017
"TMNT Team Up! #4 'Big Daddy’s TV'" Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica Gary Doodles & Tommy Sica August 13, 2017

Notes: Tokka vs. the World" and "Tale of Tiger Claw" first aired on December 17, 2016 in South Korea. "Requiem" and "Owari" first aired on December 30, 2016 in South Korea.

The "Raphael: Mutant Apocalypse" arc ("The Wasteland Warrior", "The Impossible Desert" and "Carmageddon!") along with the 4-episode "Monsters and Mutants" story arc ("The Curse of Savanti Romero", "The Crypt of Dracula", "The Frankenstein Experiment", and "Monsters Among Us!") all aired on Nicktoons instead of Nickelodeon.

Production

Tmnt place holder

The teaser image from the official TMNT website during the transition from Mirage to Nickelodeon.

Viacom purchase

After Viacom purchased the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise in October 2009, a press release was issued unveiling that Nickelodeon would be developing a new CGI-animated television series slated to air in 2012. Though the franchise was brought out from Mirage Studios, the company is still able to publish up to 18, 48 paged black and white TMNT comics a year. Additionally, toy products would continue to be made through Playmates and the rumors of a new live-action TMNT movie were put to rest as the company also revealed that they'd be making a film for 2012 with Paramount Pictures, though the date has seen been pushed back.[13][14]

Development

At the time, details on the series were scarce. From March 2011, new details about the show were released to the public. Ciro Nieli, executive producer, cited that the series would be slightly different than past incarnations. The Turtles will have "more individual attributes" that will tell them apart, were as previously they could only be distinguished by the color of their masks, the color of their skin and their weapons. Also, Michelangelo's traditional nunchaku would be replaced by kusarigama. Along with this wealth of new information, a first glimpse of the show was released alongside an initial promotional image.[15]

2011 Nickelodeon cartoon promotional image

The initial promotional image.

2011 Nickelodeon licensing insert with full promo art

2011 Licensing Book with a fuller version of the image.

More information was unveiled at an invite-only fan event in March 2010. These details, however, were from a work-in-progress version of the series, and have the opportunity to change in the final product. Some details that have been made known, however, including a teenage April O'Neil, Hamato Yoshi becoming Splinter, and The Kraang, an homage to many different entities in TMNT lore (Krang/Utroms/Foot Soldiers). The series is said to have the dark elements and intense action of the 2003 TV series, but still have the jokes of the 1987 TV series while still being something of its own.

Turtles2012

A later promotional image showing the finalized computer models.

Images of the Ninja Turtles, Master Splinter, April, Shredder and The Kraang were all been revealed. Some confirmed changes to the series were Donnie having a crush on April, Master Splinter being younger and having a more active role in the series, and Splinter training April to be a ninja so she can go out and battle enemies along with the Turtles. Mikey and Don can also extend their weapons into blades. Leo will also still be the skilled leader, albeit younger than Don and Raph, who will still be a hot-head.

Sometime in March 2011, a micro site for the new series was leaked on Nickelodeon's website. The micro site revealed pictures of April, Shredder, The Kraang, and Splinter with bios for all of them. The site was shut down for some time, but as of June 2011, it was back up and featured a personality quiz, bios for the Turtles, a newsletter, a new flash-game called Dark Horizons, and the new trailer for the series. Merchandise for the series was already starting to get made, including action figures from Playmates Toys which were to be released in August 2011, a set of stickers, Hallowe'en costumes, and books based on the series.

An official trailer was released on June 23, 2011 and aired on Nickelodeon the following Saturday. The trailer revealed the Turtle's new voices, the animation, and that the theme song of the series would be a remixed/remade version of the original theme song from the 1987 series. A new trailer was revealed on June 21, 2012, on Nickelodeon USA.[16]

Casting

TMNT 2012 The Turtles

The Turtles

Jason Biggs originally voiced Leonardo during the series premiere. However, due to unspecified reasons, he left the show after the 19th episode of Season 2 and was temporarily recasted by Dominic Catrambone for the rest of Season 2 (nonetheless, Leo's voice still sounds very similar). In June 2014, it was announced that Seth Green would replace Jason Biggs and Dominic Catrambone as the voice of Leonardo from Season 3 onward until the fifth and final season. The change of voice is explained within the series by the character wounding his vocal chords.[17]

Rob Paulsen, who voiced Raphael in the 1987 series, voices Donatello. In June 2011, it was confirmed that Sean Astin would be voicing Raphael and Greg Cipes would be voicing Michelangelo. In August 2011, it was revealed that Mae Whitman would be the voice for April O'Neil. In April 2012, it was announced that Phil LaMarr would be playing the role of Baxter Stockman and Nolan North would be playing the race of aliens known as The Kraang. Actress Kelly Hu confirmed her role as Karai in May 2012.

Trailer

Episodes

Nickelodeon has ordered five seasons, all of which will have 26 episodes (except Season 5 which has only 20 episodes). Season 1 premiered on September 29, 2012. The premiere of season 2 was on October 12, 2013. Season 3 has been announced on February 26, 2013, premiered on October 3, 2014 and concluded on September 27, 2015. Season 4, which was announced on June 17, 2014, had premiered on October 25, 2015 and concluded on February 26, 2017. Season 4 is the only season to air over a year, whereas the other seasons have aired for less than a year.

Season 5 has been announced on July 10, 2015. It was also the final season, titled "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles".

Season Number of episodes First aired Last aired
1 26 September 29, 2012 August 8, 2013
2 26 October 12, 2013 September 26, 2014
3 26 October 3, 2014 September 27, 2015
4 26 October 25, 2015 February 26, 2017
5 20 March 19, 2017 November 12, 2017

Related animation

Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past

On November 22, 2015, Nickelodeon aired a 2D animated special, Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past. In the special, the Ninja Turtles are accidentally transported back to the Cretaceous period by an ancient meteorite and must work together with Rocksteady and Bebop (along with some newly befriended dinosaur allies) to get back to their own time, while simultaneously fending off would-be predators and a faction of the Triceraton Army led by General Zera (voiced by Kate Mulgrew), coming to prehistoric Earth. Random House also released a book based on the special while Playmates released new dinosaur toys in the fall to coincide with the program.[18] The special was seen by 1.41 million viewers. It was released on DVD, through Nickelodeon and Paramount Home Media Distribution, on March 15, 2016.

Short films

A series of short films were released during the course of the series, including: Turtles in Time, Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles, TMNT Team Up: The Short Series.

Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles focuses on the eponymous group, four human teen mecha pilots trained by an aged Michelangelo (with Greg Cipes reprising his role from the series) set in a futuristic New York City (circa 2090) inhabited both by humans and anthropomorphic animals, including a Scruff McGruff-like police chief. The four children each pilot colored turtle like mechs, and consist of the following: team leader Frida (voiced by America Young) pilots the red, Raphael-like mech; the blue mech with cloaking abilities that resembles Leonardo is piloted by Frida's antagonistic teammate Jackson (Eric Artel); the battle happy Kusama (Tania Gunadi) pilots the Michelangelo-like orange mech; and the purple mech, which is heavily armored and wields a bo staff that can transform into a hammer, is piloted by the nerdy and somewhat anxious Basque (Khary Payton). The short features the Mecha Turtles subduing a group of anthropomorphic thieves resembling Hyenas and other canines, consisting of wolf-like leader Grimm, spotted hyena-like members Jester Joe (both voiced by Eric Bauza) and Jester Jim (voiced by David Kaye, who also voices the armored police officer Sgt. Swat), and several other silent members.

Home video

The series has also been released to home video, mainly DVD. Nickelodeon's typical Region 1 DVD release schedule is to release each season across three volumes, consisting of four DVDs totally, with each disc containing about 6-7 sequential episodes.

Season Episodes DVD release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
1 26 Volume 1: Rise of the Turtles: February 26, 2013
Volume 2: Enter Shredder: July 16, 2013
Volume 3: Ultimate Showdown: October 1, 2013
The Complete 1st Season: October 7, 2014
Pulverizer Power: June 9, 2015
The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons: October 6, 2015
Complete Season: November 18, 2013 Volume 1: March 6, 2013
Volume 2: June 26, 2013
Volume 3: September 4, 2013 
Volume 4: October 23, 2013
2 26 Volume 4: Mutagen Mayhem: March 18, 2014
Volume 5: The Good, The Bad and Casey Jones: July 1, 2014
Volume 6: Showdown in Dimension X: December 2, 2014
The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons: October 6, 2015
Complete Season: March 30, 2015 Volume 1: June 25, 2014
3 26 Volume 7: Retreat: March 10, 2015
Volume 8: Return to NYC: July 14, 2015
Volume 9: Revenge: December 1, 2015
Complete Season: September 5, 2016 TBA
4 26 Volume 10: Beyond the Known Universe: May 24, 2016
Volume 11: Earth's Last Stand: December 13, 2016
Volume 12: Super Shredder (episodes 20-26): March 21, 2017
TBA TBA
5 20 Volume 12: Super Shredder (episodes 1-4): March 21, 2017
Volume 13: Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady: September 12, 2017
Volume 14: The Final Chapters: December 12, 2017
TBA TBA

Merchandise

Comics

Similar to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures series from Archie Comics, which spin-off from the original TV seriesIDW Publishing released a spin-off comic title named Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures featuring original adventures, starting July 2013. The series was cancelled after 24 issues, and was succeeded by a revised story program entitled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures, which was launched in August 2015. One of the main reasons for this revision was the inclusion of the Shredder as a vital character into the comic stories, which had been neglected in New Animated AdventuresAmazing Adventures was published until September 2017, with a total of fourteen regular issues, one special story guest-starring Carmelo Anthony, a three-issue story arch titled Robotanimals, and the crossover mini-series Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures.

Toys

Playmates Toys created a new line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles consumer products to go along with the show.

In mid-2012, Playmates Toys released their first wave of basic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures which consisted of "hero figures" Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, Splinter and April O'Neil as well as "villain characters" Shredder, Kraang, and a Foot Soldier. In early 2013, Playmates released series 2 which consisted of the new "hero" character Metalhead as well as new villains Dogpound and Fishface. In April 2013, the third wave appeared which included the "hero" character Leatherhead as well as villains Snakeweed and Baxter Stockman. Wave four was released in early August and it featured the villains Rat King and Spyroach as well as new "Stealth Tech" versions of the four turtles. Wave 5 was released in October with a 7 pack of Mousers as well as four baby versions of the Turtles (Turtles in training) October saw the final release of 2013 with wave six which included two new villains: Spider Bytez and a newly sculpted Shredder figure featuring a removable helmet and cape. Wave seven first appeared in February 2014 with figures for Kirby Bat, Squirrelanoid, Casey Jones, and Mutagen Man.

The Lego Group released a Lego theme of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles between 2012 and 2014.

In July 2014, Build-A-Bear Workshop released a series of plush versions of the Turtles, as well as other TMNT themed apparel including an outfit of Shredder, along with items such as the Turtles' signature weapons.[citation needed]

In April 2014, Diamond Select Toys unveiled the first series of Minimates mini-figures based on the Nickelodeon series. Two unpainted promotional figures were given away at Comic-Con International 2014, and Series 1 was released in fall 2014 as blind bags at Kmart and comic shops, and in 2-packs at Toys "R" Us. Each location had one or two exclusive characters in addition to their shared characters. Series 2 was released in comic shops in early-2015 and at Toys "R" Us in mid-2015, again with both shared and exclusive figures. Series 3 is scheduled for both locations for the fall of 2015. A Series 4 has been confirmed.

Characters

Main/major characters

Recurring/supporting characters

Minor/one-time characters

Mentioned characters

Production crew

Background

On October 21, 2009, Viacom announced that it had bought the complete rights of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise from Peter Laird for $60 million, and would be developing a CGI animated TV series for its Nickelodeon family of channels for broadcast in 2012. A feature film, released by Paramount Pictures (also a division of Viacom), debuted in 2014.

Jason Biggs originally voiced Leonardo and Rob Paulsen voices Donatello. In June 2011, it was confirmed that Sean Astin is playing Raphael and Greg Cipes is Michelangelo. In August 2011, it was revealed that Mae Whitman would be the voice for April O'Neil. In April 2012, it was announced that Phil LaMarr would be playing the role of Baxter Stockman and Nolan North would be playing a race of aliens known as the Kraang, while Roseanne Barr was confirmed to voice their leader, Kraang Prime. Actress Kelly Hu confirmed her role as Karai in May 2012. Corey Feldman has been confirmed to play the role of Slash. Recurring TMNT character Casey Jones began appearing in the second season, and is voiced by former Nickelodeon star Josh Peck.

Production art was leaked on the Nickelodeon website before it was taken down. The images showed the designs of all four Turtles, Shredder, Splinter, a teenage April O'Neil and the Kraang, an alien race that combines elements of both Krang and the Utroms. A trailer for the series was released on June 21, 2012, on Nickelodeon USA. In June 2014, it was announced that Seth Green would replace Jason Biggs as the voice of Leonardo in season 3.

Merchandise

Playmates Toys created a new line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles consumer products to go along with the show.

In mid 2012, Playmates Toys released their first wave of basic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures which consisted of "hero figures" Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, Splinter and April O'Neil as well as "villain characters" Shredder, Kraang, and a Foot Soldier. In later 2012, Playmates released series 2 which consisted of the new "hero" character Metalhead as well as new villain Dogpound and Fishface. In April 2013, the third wave appeared which included the "hero" character Leatherhead as well as villains Snakeweed and Baxter Stockman. Wave four was released in early August and it featured the villains Rat King and Cockroach Terminator as well as new "Stealth Tech" versions of the four turtles. Wave 5 was released in October with a 7 pack of M.O.U.S.E.R.S. as well as four baby versions of the Turtles (Turtles in training) October saw the final release of 2013 with wave six which included two new villains: Spider Bytez and a newly sculpted Shredder figure featuring a removable helmet and cape. Wave seven first appeared in February 2014 with figures for Kirby Bat, Squirrelanoid, Casey Jones, and Mutagen Man.

The Lego Group released a Lego theme of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2013.

in July 2014, Build-A-Bear Workshop released a series of plush versions of the Turtles, as well as other TMNT themed apparel including an outfit of Shredder, along with items such as the Turtles' signature weapons.

Video games

In 2013, Nickelodeon released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run for iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

On August 28, 2013, Activision released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, a downloadable 3D beat 'em up game, for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. On April 15, 2014 a version was released for the PlayStation 3. The game features an online multiplayer co-op for up to four players.

Activision also released a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game based on the series for Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and Xbox 360 on October 22, 2013.

On September 4, 2014. Activision announced a second game based on the show called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze. The game was released on Nintendo 3DS and Xbox 360, and was also released on the PlayStation 3 instead of the Wii. The game was developed by WayForward.

Broadcast

The series debuted on Canadian channel YTV on September 29, 2012. It also premiered on Nickelodeon (UK and Ireland) on October 1, 2012. Then Nickelodeon (Australia and New Zealand) debuted the show on October 8, 2012. It aired on Nickelodeon (Canada) on September 2, 2013.

it also aired on Nickelodeon (UK and Ireland) and then on Channel 5 in the UK.

In Japan, the series aired in TV Tokyo between April 4, 2014 and September 26, 2014, with the season 1 aired. Later, the entire series aired on Disney XD Japan from May 18, 2017 until September 14, 2019.[19]

Reception

IGN has officially given the show positive reviews, with many episodes reviewed being given the "Editor's Choice" title. "Invasion" has received the highest rating of 10/10.[20] The series premiered in the U.S. to 3.9 million viewers.

Variety has praised the show, saying " handsomely produced effort, with a strong vocal cast, considerable humor and scads of high-spirited action. If the goal was to introduce the Turtles to a new generation — amphibious mission accomplished.

Trivia

  • According to CBR, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012 TV series is ranked to be the best TMNT TV show for sixteen reasons.[21]
  • This is the first series in which each Turtle has a definitive spotting detail, beyond the colored bandanas-masks, skin color, and weapons:
    • Michelangelo has freckles, a childlike face, and is the shortest.
    • Donatello has a gap between his front teeth and is the tallest and leanest of the brothers.
    • Raphael has a lightning bolt chip broken off on the top right of his plastron. He is also the 2nd shortest.
    • Leonardo has, for the most part, been unchanged, but if one looks closely, it can be seen that his skin is a darker shade of green than the others, and he's also the second tallest.
    • They all have different mask lengths, in order from longest to shortest: Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo. 
    • The Turtles all have distinct eye colors. Raphael has green, Donatello has reddish brown, and Michelangelo and Leonardo both have blue eyes, though Mikey's are a lighter shade of blue than Leo's.
    • On another note, they all have pupils except when they become serious in some segments, to when they have white, empty eyes.
    • Each Turtle's head is distinctly shaped.
  • All the Turtles have their own skateboard, which was shown in a trailer.
  • The Turtles start off as 15 years old in this series, though it is obvious Leonardo is the oldest, followed by Raphael, then Donatello, and finally Michelangelo being the youngest.
  • They have three toes on each foot instead of two like in previous incarnations.
  • They don't have visible tails like in some previous incarnations.
  • They have different color wraps on their feet and wrists with Leonardo having light peach, Donatello having golden brown, Michelangelo having light brown, and Raphael having dark brown.
  • Leonardo's favorite television series, Space Heroes, has similar art and story to the Filmation Star Trek animated series. However, it was replaced in the second season by Super Robo Mecha Force Five!.
  • The romantic element of the story is more emphasized in this series, with each turtle developing a crush on someone (primarily Donatello and April O'Neil, although Raphael and Mona Lisa are the only confirmed couple by the end of the series).
  • This is the second incarnation of Shredder to be voiced by an African-American actor. James Avery was the villain voice for most of the 1987 TV series' run, along with Dorian Harewood, who voiced him for several Season 3 episodes. This Shredder is played by Kevin Michael Richardson.
  • The show tends to shift into three different styles, mainly the mouth movement.
  • The show's opening ends with the Turtles in the same poses as the original Turtles on the cover of the very first issue of the Mirage Studios' comic book.
  • Just like in the original comics, the 1987 TV series and the 2003 TV series showed that a young boy purchased the TMNT when they were still baby turtles, but in this version, it's Hamato Yoshi the one who bought them.
  • This is the third TV series to show the Ninja Turtles as little preteen kids.
  • There are two references to Megan Fox, April O'Neil actress in the Paramount Pictures TMNT films, one made by Kraang Subprime in a 2016 episode and by Mikey in a 2017 episode.
  • So far, this is the only CGI television series within TMNT media, while the other three animated series use 2D animation.
  • This was the first TV series for TMNT where the audience can distinguish the Turtles by their different physical appearance, the second being Rise of the TMNT.

See Also

Gallery

References

  1. Matt Edwards (2012-07-30). New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song. Den of Geek. Retrieved on March 26, 2013.
  2. All new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series comes to Nickelodeon in October. Throng (2012-07-19). Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved on March 26, 2013.
  3. Bibel, Sara (October 2, 2012). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Renewed by Nickelodeon for Second Season; Premiere is Number 1 Kids Program on Basic Cable. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved on March 16, 2013.
  4. Goldman, Eric (October 2, 2012). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Renewed for Season 2. IGN. Retrieved on February 26, 2013.
  5. Nicholson, Max (February 26, 2012). Nickelodeon Renews Ninja Turtles for Season 3. IGN. Retrieved on February 26, 2012.
  6. Albert, Brian (July 10, 2015). COMIC CON 2015: DAVID TENNANT GUEST STARS IN TMNT SEASON 5. IGN. Retrieved on July 10, 2015.
  7. Rahman, Ray (September 26, 2012). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles producer: How booyakasha became the new cowabunga. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 12, 2012.
  8. https://twitter.com/TMNT/status/930153363664244737
  9. https://www.instagram.com/p/BbXG-F5HAGJ/?taken-by=tmnt
  10. https://www.instagram.com/p/BazOCtoDUqn/?taken-by=tmnt
  11. https://www.instagram.com/p/BbZ8l8pDkGm/?taken-by=tmnt
  12. https://www.instagram.com/p/BbfDxn_D7U5/?taken-by=tmnt
  13. Castro, Manny (October 21, 2009). Viacom Buys The Ninja Turtles!. NowPublic. Archived from the original on October 24, 2009. Retrieved on February 26, 2012.
  14. Nickelodeon Acquires Global Rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Reuters (October 21, 2009). Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved on February 26, 2012.
  15. Nick's new TMNT cartoon; preview art revealed. The Allspark (March 7, 2011). Retrieved on March 20, 2013.
  16. Stransky, Tanner (June 21, 2012). 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' trailer. Entertainment Weekly.
  17. Ng, Philiana (June 17, 2014). Nickelodeon Renews 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' for Season 4 (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. Nicholson, Max (July 29, 2015). New 2D-Animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV Special Announced. IGN.
  19. Wikipedia (Japanese) - ティーンエイジ・ミュータント・ニンジャ・タートルズ (2012年のアニメ)
  20. Nicholson, Max (September 26, 2014). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: "The Invasion" Review. IGN.
  21. TMNT: 16 Reasons The 2012 Series Ruled. CBR (April 09, 2017). Retrieved on April 3, 2019.

External links

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