If there is anything certain in this world, it’s death, taxes, and the franchise viability of theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Thanks to producerSeth Rogenand Nickelodeon Movies, creatorsPeter LairdandKevin Eastman’s iconic heroes-in-a-half-shell are back again (again) to raise someMutant Mayhemwith a new coat of stylistically grungy CGI animation and acast of genuine teenage voices— but why do we have so manyTMNTreboots?
The new sewer-hopping outing for Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo is only the latest in a long line of reboots and adaptations that have made the pizza-loving reptiles the must-have action figures for several generations of childhood fans. Across several feature films and a parade of TV series spanning both animation and live-action,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtleshas spun off from its noir graphic novel origins and persevered as a phenomenally successful franchise with one of the highest frequencies of wildly diverse reimaginings in modern pop culture history to catch up with the quickly evolving tastes and identities of their young audiences.
From the tongue-in-cheek cartoon quirkiness of thedebut 1987 animated seriesand puppet-performed New Line Cinema films to the anime-inspired pathos of the 2012 CGI series and hyper-dramaticMichael Bayfilms, theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleshave effectively embodied the aesthetic styles and thematic tones of the youth culture that adopts them as their own, finding fans in every generation over nearly the past four decades. Much like how they evolved from the mysterious ooze that created them, the Turtles’ greatest ability as a franchise is to adapt from iteration to iteration and grow with the ever-changing youth culture that they cater to.
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The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Have Undeniable Kid Appeal
While the TMNT have been rebooted into various styles, tones, and mediums to adapt to the tastes of their times, the true strength of the turtles’ story transcends whichever medium and direction they are adapted into and allows them to identify with the very spirit of youth. As an animal-centered-martial arts-sci-fi comedy,TMNTas a concept on its own is a perfect storm of everything that makes a toyetic action franchise appealing, organically creating stories and characters that would serve as the basis for fun toys and childhood fantasy. However, despite how conceptually it detaches itself from reality as toy-based escapism and cartoon antics, the TMNT as characters position themselves as a photograph of the very spirit and attitudes of youth.
Across every adaptation of the franchise, no matter how nuanced or bombastic, the TMNT have illustrated a sense of youthful comradery and brotherhood that is identifiably relatable. They joke around, call each other out, argue with one another, and learn from each other as they all grow into adulthood together. The story ofTMNTis perpetuallycoming-of-agein nature as they embark on their adventures against the Shredder while also coming into their own as young adults. While the catchphrases, references, and lingo may change, the relationship between the turtles as brothers outcasted by the world reflects the kind of friendships and social anxieties experienced by adolescents in any generation.
Being a Ninja Turtle Is Not So Different From Being a Kid
The turtles’ personalities in how they express their eagerness to engage in the world around them are broad and identifiable enough, juggling joyful naivety and angsty arrogance between the four of them, reflecting universally recognizable traits seen in young people wanting to have independence. Although fellow radioactive hero,Spider-Man, has embodied the same coming-of-age trials as a youthful hero across many adaptations, the way the turtles relate to one another and recontextualize their established personalities to the current idea of youth makes them a product of their times that miraculously turns around into being timelessly endearing as youthful comradery.
Even characters like April O’Neil and Master Splinter have adapted to fit the kinds of youthful experiences that the turtles occupy from reboot to reboot. April has gone from their surrogate mother figure to a fellow teenage friend that shares in their social isolation as the charming weirdo. Splinter has always been their wise teacher, but in recent years has fully evolved into the turtles’ adopted father who matches their youthful vigor with world-weary parental care.
In the franchise’s very name, the turtles are teenagers first and foremost. Across every different reincarnation, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles exemplify the playful spirit of youth in friendship, brotherhood, and adolescent angst as teenage heroes. While tastes and styles may change in what adventures they embark on, the balance of burgeoning maturity and teenage comradery helps the TMNT shine through as an immortal exploration of what makes youth worth remembering, maintaining each generation of fans well into adulthood.
