Mean and Green: Why I Love the Ninja Turtles as Much as I Do

Hey, everyone!

So I've got another Ninja Turtle post for you. I know I talk about them a lot, and I'm not really sorry, ha ha. But that's what this post is about. I decided to take a look at why I love the Ninja Turtles so much. I can honestly say it's one of the few fandoms that I could consider myself to be obsessed with.

Now I have other shows and books that I love, like Doctor Who, Sherlock, Batman, and various anime shows. But I don't love them like I love the Ninja Turtles. I loved the original comics, I enjoy the 90s series, I adore the 2003 and 2012 series, and I love the movies. I look up fan art on Pinterest and Deviantart, and I've read fanfiction. I even used to play with the action figures as a kid, (well, they were my brothers' action figures, but meh). For a good portion of my life, I've been a fan of Ninja Turtles.

So here's the question: why? Why would I love a story as odd as Ninja Turtles? Why would I love something that was obviously catered to boys? Well, that's what I'm here to find out. Here's why I love the Ninja Turtles.

The Strange Story 

I'm sure most of you know, but I really do love strange shows. The wackier and weirder, the better. And it doesn't get much stranger than mutated turtles being raised by a mutated rat in the sewers and trained in the art of ninjutsu.

Maybe it was because I found Ninja Turtles that I developed a taste for the weird, but I don't know. I would watch other odd shows too. Anyway, the fact that the whole concept of the story being unusual is a good reason why I love this franchise. It's just so different, and the fact that it's so different is what makes it fun and gives it the perfect potential for endless scenarios.

The Non-Girly Tone

I was one of those girls who watched shows like Digimon, Action Man, Sonic X, and all the other cartoons geared towards boys. Why? Well because most of the cartoons meant for girls weren't very good. Or even if they were, I just couldn't get into them because the premise didn't interest me that much. There were some good "girl" cartoons such as Winx Club, Totally Spies, and W. I. T. C. H.,  but they tended to focus on romance, cool outfits, or friendship drama. On the other hand, "boy" cartoons had a lot more fighting and dangerous situations and cool villains ( I know, stereotyping sucks). Don't get me wrong, I know there are girls who like the "girly"  cartoons and that's fine, and there were some good cartoons geared towards girls. But those shows just didn't work for me, which is why I was drawn to a "boy" cartoon like TMNT.

Mikey is always the sass master

The Humor

You can't get around it. The Ninja Turtles are hilarious. Whether it's cheesy humor, witty humor, sarcastic dry humor, or even completely strange humor, the Ninja Turtles have it all. There have been so many times where I've burst out laughing hard from something I watched/read. These turtles are just plain funny.

It makes sense, if you think about it. You take four male teenagers with very different personalities, one rat with the driest sense of humor I've ever seen, and put them in one room and voila: You've got an endless supply of humorous dialogue and scenarios. Plus, the way the brothers feed off each other is absolutely fantastic. One will set up the punchline and the other will deliver it, whether on purpose or on accident.

The Characters

There are a wide variety of characters in the Ninja Turtle franchise, and they're all unique and so fun, particularly the turtle brothers. Each brother is so vastly different from the others. While some people complain that they're just archetypes (the leader, the goof-off, the nerd, the hot-head, etc), I think they work so well, especially with each other. The brothers, for being so different, all balance each other wonderfully. I think their different personalities help not only the story but the humor too. Besides, they all grow so much and develop that you grow to love each one for their individual quirks. We also have a great supply of human characters that are equally interesting and complex, and they interact with the turtles in different and fascinating ways.

The Action

The turtles have been in some of the most incredible and intense fights that I've seen. And frankly, they're just beautiful to watch when they fight. I've always loved watching martial artists and these guys are definitely masters of ninjutsu. I've noticed particularly in the 2003 and 2012 TV series that the fighting sequences are just incredible. Along with that, the turtles get into some very life-threatening situations that often had me holding my breath. Along with the humor, there was pain, there was fear, and there was danger. That's what drew me into the franchise in the first place.

Aww Raph, you big softie

The Lessons

This is probably the biggest reason why I love the Ninja Turtles. They represent an idea far bigger than just a story of ninja turtles in the sewers. As I watched each series, I learned to love the four turtle brothers. I found that besides the whole ninja thing, they were normal teenage boys trying to live with each other and get along.

But then I came to realize that while they seemed normal to me . . . they never would be. They'll never be seen as normal to the rest of the world, which is why they hide in the sewers in the first place. In the world of Ninja Turtles, these brothers will always be considered outcasts, no matter how awesome they are. It's heartbreaking and powerful. That's why I keep going back because this franchise displays the cruelty of humanity, as well as the kindness, in an unusual but beautiful way. It's a lesson that's displayed both prominently, and yet rather subtly, so much that I didn't even realize it until recently. The fact that they do make human friends makes this lesson more poignant in that not all humanity is intolerant.

That's what this show is about for me. It's about cruelty, death, hope, trusting others, trusting oneself, forgiveness, control, and love. It's about knowing when to hold on and when to let go. It's about the importance of family, honor, and friendship. And it's about never giving up on those you love.

That's why I love the Ninja Turtles, because underneath all the great fighting, the intense scenarios, and the humor lies simple lessons that stick with you. So keep the ninja brothers coming!

Well that's about all I've got for the moment. Until later, folks!