In 1984, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird founded Mirage Studios using a tax refund and personal loan from Eastman’s uncle so they could self-publish the very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic. Eastman and Laird couldn’t have possibly imagined the cultural impact their comic would have in the following years. Originally a gritty narrative that parodied the likes of Marvel‘s Daredevil and New Mutants, Dave Sim’s Cerebus, and Frank Miller’s Ronin, the TMNT franchise went on to expand much further than the comics world.
As soon as 1987, Playmates Toys picked up the franchise and released the first TMNT animation to promote their TMNT action figure line. Although the basic design of the Turtles has remained relatively static, they’ve still had some impressive redesigns and reboots over the years.
10 Mirage Comics’ TMNT Set The Standard For Future Designs
Eastman and Laird’s first version of the TMNT didn’t have too many distinguishing features. Outside of their names, personalities, and weapon choices, these TMNT looked exactly the same.
Even their iconic bandanas were all the same color. Since they were meant to parody the popular comics of the time, these TMNT occupied a violent, gritty narrative that greatly differs from the more lighthearted animated series that would follow. Notably, this version of the TMNT sets the basic silhouette for most designs in the future.
9 The 1987 Animated TMNT Gave Them Their Classic Cartoon Look & Colored Bandanas
This version of the TMNT differs greatly from its predecessor. Since this series was tied to Playmates Toys’ action figure line, it needed to appeal to children. These designs do away with the gritty scenery and dialogue and instead focus on silly humor, bright colors, and easily understandable plotlines.
This is also the series that gave the Turtles different colored bandanas to make them easier to recognize, black pupils in their eyes, and it’s also where they gained their famous love for pizza.
8 The 1990 Hit Movie Brought The TMNT To Life
The 1990 live-action film blended the new designs and humor of the 1987 cartoon with the darker themes of the original comic series. Famous puppeteer Jim Henson provided the turtle suits, proclaiming the suits to be the best work he’d done in his career so far.
The turtle suits surely steal the show, as they manage to be both cartoony and realistic in a way that doesn’t delve too far into the uncanny valley. The suits were further improved in the next live-action film, TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze.
7 The 2003 TMNT Cartoon Is Reminiscent Of The Mirage Comic Designs
These Turtles go back to their roots in character design. Instead of the soft, rounded bodies of the 1987 series, these Turtles are bulky and muscular. They keep the colored bandanas but lose the pupils and rounded eyes, going back to the angular, intimidating look of the past.
With Mirage Studios having a large amount of creative control for this series, the story content also veered back toward its more edgy origins. Nevertheless, it was still lighthearted enough to appeal to the Saturday morning cartoon audience.
6 The 2005 Redesigns For TMNT: Fast Forward Added Nice Features
TMNT: Fast Forward aired from 2006-2007 and is considered the sixth season of the 2003 TMNT series. The season takes place in the year 2015 in New York City, a time where other multispecies entities live, allowing the Turtles to walk freely on the streets without scrutiny.
This season is known for returning to a lighter, more comedic tone although the character designs are mostly the same. The notable difference is in their fancy new weapons and duds, which include light, futuristic armor for their arms and legs.
5 IDW Comics’ TMNT Is The Longest-Running Comic Of The Franchise So Far
IDW’s TMNT comic is the longest-running TMNT comic to date. Originally started in 2011, IDW is still publishing TMNT comics to this day—meaning they’re doing something right. These Turtles once again return to their 1984 comic roots in fostering a serious, action-packed art style and tone.
The origin story is slightly reimagined, but the focus is still on vengeance and familial bonds. And the Turtles themselves still retain the recognizable yet identical silhouettes, with a focus on their muscular builds.
4 The Last Ronin TMNT Is A Darker Take Than Even The Mirage Comics’ TMNT
In the Last Ronin, the boisterous Michelangelo is the only of his brothers remaining. Set in a dystopian future, Michelangelo has changed greatly from his past self and seeks revenge for the death of his brothers. It’s an ongoing five-part miniseries with Eastman and Laird directly involved, so long-time fans of the series are getting quite the treat.
While the basic silhouette of the TMNT in this series remains the same, it’s worth noting that Michelangelo is now wearing a full set of clothing carrying all his deceased brother’s weapons.
3 Jhonen Vasquez’s TMNT Short At San Diego Comic-Con 2016 Brought His Unique Style To The Franchise
Jhonen Vasquez is an artist who’s famous for his Johnny the Homicidal Maniac comics and the Nickelodeon cartoon Invader Zim. Nearly every second of the six-minute short, “Don vs. Raph,” drips with Vasquez’s distinctive style and humor.
The character designs are rounded and cartoonish with wildly varying facial and body expressions, the animation is smooth and colorful, the dialogue is silly and over-the-top, and the music tracks are like something right out of Invader Zim. For fans of both Vasquez and the TMNT, this short is definitely worth a watch. Fortunately, it can be found on Nickelodeon‘s official YouTube channel.
2 Nickelodeon’s 2012 3D-Animated TMNT Breathed Fresh Air Into A Static Design
Nickelodeon’s foray into the world of TMNT offered fans some significant character design changes. Instead of being roughly the same shape and size, there is a little variance in their heights and muscular builds. Donatello, for example, is taller, skinnier, and less broad-shouldered than Raphael.
And Raphael has a characteristic lightning-shaped chip on the front of his shell, signaling him as a rough-and-tumble guy. This version of the series also gives each Turtle their own distinct eye color, which is a notable departure from their previous all-black (or sometimes brown) coloring.
1 Nickelodeon’s 2018 Rise Of The TMNT Showcases The Most Unique Turtles So Far
Nickelodeon really upped their character design game with this entry in the franchise. For the first time, the static silhouette of the TMNT design is completely smashed. Each Turtle has a unique silhouette and character design, and they’re even based on different species of Turtle.
The story content and dialogue are unapologetically modern and comedic in their delivery, which might be off-putting to some TMNT purists. Regardless of the critics, Rise of the TMNT is a fresh and impressive addition to the TMNT franchise.