TMNT cartoon for adults


Recently, I was in a conversation and we somehow brought up TMNT. I also heard about there possibly being a TMNT movie for adults coming out. I thought to myself, it would be awesome if they made a TMNT cartoon for adults.

Is there anyone else out there (besides me) who would like to see a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon that was meant for adult audiences?

This is what I think the show (at least the first season) should be like.... The turtles and Splinter live in their original sewer lair (at least for the first 2-4 seasons). The turtles should act just like the way they did in the newer cartoon (or at least close). I really don't care if the turtles have pupils or not (some think the TMNT look better with pupils, while others think they look better without them). But, I don't think this show (if it was ever made) should be as twisted as the adult Ren & Stimpy cartoon was. The characters in this cartoon should definetely swear and drink alcohol. This cartoon should be based on (but no 100% like) the old comic books and should be dark cartoon with a lot of action and (maybe) a little comedy in it.

If a show like this was to be made, it should air on any of these networks: Fox, TBS, TNT, USA, Cartoon Network (Adult Swim), FX or Spike TV

Here's what the characters should be like

*Leonardo: The leader (as he always was)
-mask color: Blue
-weapons: Twin Katanas

*Michelangelo: Basically the party dude and the goofy dumb ass of the group
-mask color: Orange
-weapons: Twin Nunchucks

*Donatello: Still the techno geek
-mask color: Purple
-weapon: Bo Staff

*Raphael: Still the angry short-tempered turtle of the group
-mask color: Red
-weapons: Sais

*Splinter: The wise sensei rat (as we all know was Hamato Yoshi's pet)
-robe color: either grey or tan
-weapon: Walking Stick

*April O'Neil: She could either be an assistant to Dr. Stockman (like in the newer cartoon) or she could be a news reporter (like in the classic cartoon and the live action movies). Either way, she owns and operates the 2nd Time Around antique store which could eventually get burned down by the foot

*Casey Jones: A vigilante who is hell bent on thwarting crime in New York City. Before he meets the turtles, he could just be beating the [beep] out of street punks (robbers, muggers and street gangs)
-weapons: Hockey Stick, 2 Baseball Bats and either a Golf Club or a Lacrosse Stick

*Oroku Saki/Shredder: In this one, Oroku Saki/Shredder should be human (not like in the newer cartoon where it turned out he was a little alien in a robotic body ) and still the leader of the foot clan.
-armor color: Dark red (like in the 90 movie) for the first season (and maybe a little of season 2) and then silver (like in the newer cartoon) for later on
-weapons: The blades on his armor and either a sword or spear

*Shredder's right hand man (name undecided): He could be like Hun (from the newer cartoon) who started out as a street gang member until he joined the foot, or he could be like Tatsu (from the 1990 TMNT movie and TMNTII) who was a ninja warrior.

*Dr. Stockman: He should be just like he was in the newer cartoon (of course with a few differences). (as before) He would build Mouser Robots for the Shredder or any other big villain. He himself could be a big villain (in some cases) and just be an ally to Shredder.

*Foot Ninjas: They should look similar to the ones in the 90 TMNT movie and TMNTII (of course make a few changes). They should be teenagers and maybe some could be young adults (like people in their early 20s)
weapons: Foot Ninjas could come armed with either 1 or two ninja swords, a bo staff, a battle axe, a bow and arrow or they could just come unarmed. Each individual Foot Ninja decides.

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I think it would be fun to see it taken back to its roots.

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If a show like this were to ever exist, the back story should be the same as the movies and the newer cartoon.

Like this....

* Hamato Yoshi is a Ninjitsu Master with a pet rat named Splinter who mimics his master's moves from his cage.

* Hamato Yoshi is attacked (and killed) by Shredder (with or without the help of his right hand man and Foot Ninjas). Splinter scars someone who attacked Yoshi.

* Four baby turtles are bought at a pet shop and are (somehow accidentally) washed down a storm drain.

* Splinter finds the turtles near a canister (undecided of where the canister with the ooze came from) that is leaking. The turtles and Splinter get this ooze on them and then, they mutate.

* The turtles and Splinter make their home in the sewers under NYC and over the years, Splinter trains the turtles in the ways of Ninjitsu. Where the turtles get stuff for their sewer lair (such as a TV, a computer or any other household items) I have no idea.

In case anyone asks me about the canister, I think the canister should originate from somewhere else (besides being created by aliens like in the newer cartoon). Maybe it could come from a laboratory (runned by humans) just like in TMNT II. As for the name of the company that created this ooze, I haven't thought up a name for it.

Someone's probably going to ask me about the turtles (why I even put down their mask colors). Here's an answer......I did say this cartoon should be based on the comics (but not entirely). I wouldn't like the idea of all 4 turtles wearing the exact same colored mask (as shown in this picture I came across). It would confuse the hell out of me.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/TM NT%206.jpg

I have watched TMNT Fast Forward. Let me tell you...That show (though the follow-up to the newer cartoon with Fast Forward added to the title) was just a [beep]in piece of [beep] compared to the first 5 seasons (including Ninja Tribunal), Fast Forward just sucked so bad. What the [beep] was wrong with the programming planners at 4Kids TV that that they decided to skip the Ninja Tribunal season and go straight to Fast Forward? All the villains (with the exception of some) were just so [beep]in pathetic. The only cool villains were Torbin Zixx, The Turtle Clones, The Inuwashi Gunjin, Baxter Stockman (who only appeared in one episode), Karai, Hun and Utrom Shredder (those three appeared in episodes that included stuff about the past. Hun and Karai appeared in The Journal and Shredder appeared in Timing is Everything).

TMNT Back to the Sewer was far better than Fast Forward, but not as good as the pre-Fast Forward seasons.

If this show was to do something as [beep]ty as TMNT Fast Forward, it should only be a 5 part Mini-Series. Hopefully this show wouldn't have that. Better yet, have the turtles be transported to Feudal Japan (with the use of a magic sceptor like the one in TMNT III) where they would meet an anscestor to Shredder and ancient Foot Ninjas and make that into a 5 part mini-series.

Other characters that should appear in this show (season 2 or later) are as follows:

* Karai: Still Shredder's apprentice. She should come in sometime maybe during the second season.
-weapons: Twin Katanas

* Leatherhead: I don't know if he should be good, bad (the whole time) or bad first then good. In the newer cartoon, Leatherhead was a bad guy at first, then turned good. In the classic cartoon, Leatherhead was always a bad guy (if I'm not mistaken).

* Rat King: He could live in a different part of the sewers like in the classic cartoon (if I remember correctly) with his army of rats.

* Two monsters (names undecided): These two monsters could be as destructive as Tohka and Razar (from TMNT II). If one was a wolf and the other was a snapping turtle, they could be named Tohka and Razar. If one was a boar and the other was a rhino, they could be named Bebop and Rocksteady. These two monsters (whoever they are) could be created by Shredder and Stockman by using a canister with the same type of ooze that mutated Splinter and the turtles. Hopefully they won't call Shredder Mama (like in TMNT II) and piss him off (lol).

Does anyone else have any ideas for what this show should be like?

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I would prefer if they made an adult type series, it be based on the 80's cartoon. Splinter was Hamato Yoshi, the existence of Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady, Leatherhead being a full time bad guy, Baxter turning into a fly at some point, April is a news reporter. I don't know how old you are, but I grew up on the 80's version and I don't see why they wouldn't, shouldn't, or couldn't base a new TMNT on that.

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I believe that the cartoon's retcon of splinter's origin is one of the most logcal ones in the history of altering source material. Splinter should have been a human martial arts master, the supposedly more serious movies and comics which had him as a normal rat who mimicked his master's movements,is absolutely rediculous.

"I am the cheese. I am the best character. I am better than both the salami and bologna combined"

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I also grew up with the original TMNT cartoon. The episodes with Shredder and Krang are better than the ones with that Lord Dregg guy.

It would be awesome if the original TMNT cartoon was aired on basic cable once more.

I heard that Boomerang [affiliated with Cartoon Network] airs old shows like The Flintstones and Scooby Doo. Does anyone here [who has Boomerang] know if the original TMNT cartoon is on it?

I have watched the newer TMNT cartoon [including Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer].

I like the original Shredder [from seasons 1-3], but I hate the fact that it turned out Oroku Saki/Shredder number 1 was an Utrom alien in a robotic suit .

The [1990] TMNT movie was pretty dark compared to it's two sequels. If they made a new TMNT cartoon for adults, it should either be almost as dark as or darker than the 1990 movie. It would be awesome if the characters swore.

It would be cool to hear Raphael or Casey Jones say something like this: [to enemies] "I'm gonna kick your asses you no good sons of bitches!"

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I agree about the new Shredder. That was a huge disappointment. It also completely undermined his strength and skill since it was a robotic body.

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In the newer cartoon, I thought that Karai as the Shredder was a joke.

Tengu Shredder (from the Ninja Tribunal episodes) and Cyber Shredder (from Back to the Sewer) were pretty cool.

Two of the best fights ever were Utrom Shredder vs Tengu Shredder vs Cyber Shredder fight in TMNT Back to the Sewer and the Leonardo [in TMNT Fast Forward] vs Utrom Shredder in TMNT Fast Forward.

If an adult cartoon existed, I'd want Oroku Saki/Shredder to be human [just like in the original cartoon and the first two TMNT movies] and [sometimes] use a hand weapon, such as a sword, a kwan do or a spear, not just his claws.

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Why do you think that Nicksolo. It is how it happened in the orginal comics. That is what is great about the 2003 cartoon for the most part it is very loyal to the source meterial(minus Shredder 1 being an Utrom)

I do not think TMNT should be made into a series. But maybe do a couple TV movies based on some of the more edgier stuff from the comics. Like do one based on the first issue or 2. Then have a movie based on the City at War and so on. I doubt they ever would but they could make one set in an alternate universe and base it on the Image comic volume 3 of TMNT(The one where Don falls out a helicopter and breaks his back and his sould gets transfered to a robot, Leo loses a hand, Raph gets his face messed up badly and later becomes the new Shredder, Splinter gets turned into a bat and Mikey kind of settles down and becomes more serious)

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I also grew up with the original TMNT cartoon. The episodes with Shredder and Krang are better than the ones with that Lord Dregg guy.


I completely agree. I think one main reason I didn't like the last few seasons is because the change wasn't gradual; it just changed all at once. If they eased into it, I might've had a better opinion of it.

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I would prefer if they made an adult type series, it be based on the 80's cartoon. Splinter was Hamato Yoshi, the existence of Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady, Leatherhead being a full time bad guy, Baxter turning into a fly at some point, April is a news reporter. I don't know how old you are, but I grew up on the 80's version and I don't see why they wouldn't, shouldn't, or couldn't base a new TMNT on that.


The creators don't want that. They want it close to the orignal source material (Comics)which the new series follows much closer. It means, Leatherhead is not a bad guy, baxter is not white or a fly, april is not a news reporter, and Krang bebop and Rocksteady will never be seen again. As much as we all want to see them, they want the seriousness of the turtles to stay in effect, like the cartoon (Newer) and TMNT the movie and the first film.

"The planet is fine. The people are f-cked! "George carlin R.I.P"

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I think "Samurai Tourist" from season four is the closest will ever see to Bebop and Roocksteady; just like the Utroms will be the closest we'll see of Krang. I 've heard Peter Laird state many times in blogs and interviews that he wants nothing to with the original series. And yet he let Fast Forward happen which sucked most of the life out of me after it started.

Dr. Peter Venkman: NOBODY steps on a church in my town.

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I agree that the series should be taken back its graphic novel roots. Those damn comics were bloody as hell, and the turtles swore like sailors. It was awesome.

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I also think one based on the original adult oriented comic would be great. It was a dark one and the Foot Soldiers were humans, like in the movie not robots.

And just to make it more fun, make sure Raph gets to really beat the pants out of them, just like in the comic.

Sort of like the new Thundercats cartoon on CN. Its much more adult oriented, of course not as much as I would prefer, but still much better than the 80s version was.

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I remember reading something in a TV guide about 15 years ago with Leonardo kissing a talk show host. The article itself was about stuff like The Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles not being just for kids anymore. I don't know if it was a plan that fell through the floor or if I just misread the article.

As for your suggestion, applying so many of the things you suggested from the movies and new cartoons seems like would just take it back to being a kid's show again. Your best bet would be to take the story directly from the colored graphic novels uncensored.

"There is no escape, John!"

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Never read a TMNT graphic novel, or even just a TMNT comic book.

How good are they?

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They're okay. The Archie Comics ones are pretty good except for the fact that they're from Archie Comics which I'm really pissed off at right now.

"There is no escape, John!"

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If you go over to ninjaturtles.com, they have the first couple of issues available to read for free. You can get a gist from that.

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Issues from the Archie Comics?

"There is no escape, John!"

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If you go over to ninjaturtles.com, they have the first couple of issues available to read for free. You can get a gist from that.


Thanks Forgotten Hero, I'll go check it out.

Just some other ideas I had...

If Krang and his forces were to appear in this show, here is how I see it.

Either the turtles get transported to another galaxy [just like in the Turtles in Space episode of the 03 cartoon] or they could enter another dimension via a portal. The dimension could be Dimension X or it could have a different name.

Krang could still be a little brain like alien with a robotic body. His henchmen could be Bebop, Rocksteady and whoever else served under him [like those stone warriors]. I don't remember directly, it's been a good long while since I saw the classic TMNT cartoon.

If such an episode occured, it should be like a 5 part episode.

There should also be an episode where [for some reason] the turtles end up in Feudal Japan where they meet an ancestor of Shredder [basically a warlord who wears armor similar to modern Shredder's armor] as well as the earliest members of the Foot Clan. I think that's how TMNT III should've been. The Secret Origins episode of the 03 cartoon was like that except Splinter and the turtles were in a Virtual Reality pod viewing the history of the Utrmoms

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Issues from the Archie Comics?


No, the Eastman/Laird comics. The first issue starts out much like the first episode of the 2003 series, with the Turtles taking on the Purple Dragons. Only, unlike the 2003 series, the Turtles cut into them and leave their bodies in a bloody heap. I'm not one who's shocked by violence, but it was a surreal experience to see such a violent introduction from the stars of such a tame cartoon show as the 1987 series.

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The following things would be awesome for a TMNT cartoon for adults:

-Characters bleed
-Some characters get severed limbs
-Characters use swear words such as ass, hell, bitch and bastard [I know words like those can be used on basic cable]
-Some characters drink alcohol

Also, Raphael should have his own motor cycle as he did in the 2003 cartoon, all the turtles should have skate boards and the turtles should have a vehicle designed for sewer travel.

It would be funny to hear Donatello with road rage. Someone does something and Donatello honks the horn and yells at the guy, but 9/10 that would be a Raph thing.

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[deleted]

Who's the ninja chick in that pic?

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I'm all for mature turtles, having them actually use their weapons and those weapons doing what those weapons do. (Cut, bleed, kill) Would be cool.

Cursing is cool, they just shouldn't go on like truckers.

For sure they should hit on April and maybe drink and what not.

No drug use unless it's some ninja herb. Ala Batman Begins.

I'm all for one of the turtles getting killed or put in a coma for drama. (Leo, and Raph takes over, maybe they have that female turtle?)

But with sex.

It can be implied, but vaguely, the sex should happen between Casey and April or a female turtle and a male turtle. (likely Mike.) Interracial sex would be toooooo crazy for cable. Maybe this new movie coming out. But not on TV.

And can the turtles take off the goddamn ninja bands? What is the deal? Are they glued to their faces? They shouldn't wear them if they're sneaking around. My god. The 1987 series got so stupid with that.

But yea, lets make this work.

"The day your born, your already dead."

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And can the turtles take off the goddamn ninja bands? What is the deal? Are they glued to their faces? They shouldn't wear them if they're sneaking around. My god. The 1987 series got so stupid with that.


In the '87 series, they had their headbands off quite a few times. It's particularly noticable in the episode where it starts out with the the four turtles sleeping; you an clearly see the headbands hung on the sides of their beds.

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That's actually from the second episode. And I don't see what's wrong with the turtles wearing headbands.

Sports Suck!
http://www.sportssuck.org/article6.htm

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I don't see what's wrong with the turtles wearing headbands.


I don't, either. It's one of the major ways I was able to tell the difference between 'em when I was younger.

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i always felt the first movie hurt in a lot of ways, with splinter now being a rat mutated, not a human mutated to rat. i'm old skool never watched any series beyond mid 90's. Even then it was sparse. Shredder a robot? that's ghetto. the whole original point was shredder v splinter. splinter trained the turtles to stop splinter. they can spin that off into an adult swim type cartoon. i loved the 1st two movies, number 3 was decent but i was a little too old too young for it. (too old because it wasn't cool; too young because it was high school still) however the cartoons pre 2nd movie were awesome.
was never a huge fan of Dimension X, got a little too weird for me. but none the less was not too bad.

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I've got better things to do tonight than die...

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i always felt the first movie hurt in a lot of ways, with splinter now being a rat mutated, not a human mutated to rat.


Yeah, that was really the only thing about the first movie that I didn't care for. I watched it recently and saw that part and said to myself, "That's not the way I remember it happening!!"

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i always felt the first movie hurt in a lot of ways, with splinter now being a rat mutated, not a human mutated to rat.

That's the way it was in the comics, Hamto Yoshi and Splinter are not the same person. Shredder killed Hamato Yoshi in the comics and Splinter honored Yoshi by having the Turtles kill Shredder.

Sports Suck!
http://www.sportssuck.org/article6.htm

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That's the way it was in the comics, Hamto Yoshi and Splinter are not the same person. Shredder killed Hamato Yoshi in the comics and Splinter honored Yoshi by having the Turtles kill Shredder.


Ohh! See, now it makes more sense! I only grew up on the cartoons and never read the comics.

Thanks for the explanation, Cyborg89!

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i knew it was derrived from the comics, but it wouldn've been less confusing if the cartoon didn't bring in successes from the movies really intertwinded the two cannons which were a little screwy. but i always liked splinter being yoshi mutated to rat. but that's just me not bashing anyone liked splinter mimicking his master

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I've got better things to do tonight than die...

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So like HBO Spawn, but with the turtles then? That would be pretty sweet.

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It would be cool to see a hardcore Japanese R-Rated Anime animation more in tune with the comics but I think most producers wouldn't take the risk.

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It would be cool to see a hardcore Japanese R-Rated Anime animation more in tune with the comics but I think most producers wouldn't take the risk


Why [just out of curiosity] wouldn't most producers take a risk like that? Is it just because of copyright laws?

Anyway....

Recently, I played TMNT Turtles in Time on an SNES emulator.

In the Prehistoric level, you face Slash.

Slash should be in this cartoon. Would he be created by Stockman or Shredder? I really don't know. All I know about Slash is that he's from the original TMNT cartoon and he appears as a boss in Turtles in Time.

I would also like to see Stockman create an evil Turtlebot [similar to the one from the 2003 TMNT game], or create 4 evil Turtlebots [each one mimics one of the turtles].

Later in the series, they should have Stockman become a fly [just like in the original cartoon].

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Most wouldn't take the risk because the western audiences are very ignorant to adult animation unless it is things like Family Guy. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a well established PG-Rated franchise and it also could cause backlash from parent groups if something the view as kid friendly is suddenly blood and guts, we are living in an age where even well established R-Rated franchises like Die Hard and Terminator are being watered down to milk more money.

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I'm gonna kill you all kinds of dead.

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One thing that should happen as part of an episode [preferably following the death of Oroku Saki/Shredder] should be where Leonardo goes away to train with someone similar to the Ancient One [from the Ninja Tribunal episodes of the 03 cartoon] and while he's away, there's an increase in crime. Raphael eventually get's fed up with it and [with a suit of armor he finds] becomes his alter ego, Nightwatcher. Raph [as Nightwatcher] kicks the living [beep] out of muggers, street punks, vandals, etc. Casey eventually joins Raph on this. Upon his return, Leo stalks Nightwatcher and the two of them fight.

You know what, if you want to know what I'm basing this episode on, look at this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wD27S58FHw

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We did sorta get an "adult" ninja turtles cartoon. The 2003 series had some very adult moments in it. Was story-heavy, some of the situations were dead serious, the ninja turtles got beat up to the point where we'd see them suffering for it for a few episodes or a season. One of the villains would mess up, and each time he messed up, his higher power would take a body part away from him in order to assure there would be no more mistakes.


Shocking how those first few seasons of the 2003 series passed as a children's show. You did have a couple of fart jokes, and Mikey serving as the immature humor for children. But for the most part, very adult.


They may of not swore a lot, or drank beer. But what's to say that constitutes as being an adult? They are teenagers, so guess it would make sense. so long as the writers don't feel the need to swear just for the sake of swearing. Have it serve a purpose, or demonstrate that they are teenagers.


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Boy it's been a long time since this topic saw any new replies.

Yes I myself have heard that the 2003 cartoon was very close to an adult cartoon.

With the exception of Fast Forward & Back to the Sewer, I can agree.

I thought of some ideas for the adult TMNT cartoon.

Season 1
-Have Oroku Saki/Shredder around only for this season
-He survives a couple fights against the TMNT (1st battle, he is scarred after an explosion, 2nd battle 2nd Time Around is blown up & in the final episode of season 1, he's beheaded by Leo & dies for good).

Season 2
-Revolve around the search for Splinter (who disappeared after the final battle against the Shredder but is found in suspended animation at the TCRI building owned & operated by Utroms)
-Turtles in Space
-City at War (introduce Karai here)
-The Battle Nexus tournament (introduce the Ultimate Ninja who comes to our world before the tournament to fight Shredder but faces Leo instead since he killed Shredder)

Season 3
-Invasion of Earth by the Triceratons (who come to Earth looking for Fugitoid who they were hunting for in season 2) & also have the Federation appear to battle the Triceratons
-Maybe have Stockman (introduced in season 1) do some sort of experiment with flies which goes awry & his DNA mixes with a fly.....So yes, Stockman becomes a fly but he's more serious compared to Stockman of the 80s cartoon

Season 4
-Have Leonardo go away to Japan for training to be a better leader to his brothers & better his fighting skills
-Karai become the Shredder (or she can make a new alias for herself) & she takes over the Foot
-The turtles lair is discovered (& destroyed) by Karai & the Foot Soldiers while Leo is still away on training so the turtles & Splinter move to a new 1 (maybe abandoned subway tunnels or something)

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If a show like this was to be made, it should air on any of these networks: Fox, TBS, TNT, USA, Cartoon Network (Adult Swim), FX or Spike TV
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Why not Nick At Nite?

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To be adult a TMNT cartoon shall have DEATHS.

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The problem is, with many series, that when they get older and are still loved that the producer forget to adjust for the viewers. In a society which gets older quite a lot and less younger folks (afaik (EU)) they should start making series for adult people based on childhood heroes. Many comic artists do that and i love the more adult like comics, but some dont adapt and this is what is wrong with TV. Sorry for the late reply i just rewatched the tv series ;)

"When the gallery of justice closes, the gates of injustice opens" ©me

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Heres some Adult orientated TMNT directly from the Shredder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wdcjYWS2fk


Want to go Retro? WWW.BossClawPresents.com

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