As you tenured readers know, PiercingMetal recently attended the American International Toy Fair over at the Javits Center and one of the appointments that we had was with Playmates Toys. They are the folks behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line which is a show that airs on the Nickolodeon network. During the convention we got to see some brand new variations on the characters and that brings me to this post as Nickolodeon has just unveiled a teaser trailer for the upcoming series “Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Let’s take a look at the trailer and then you can review the press release about the show. Have fun or should I say “COWABUNGA!!!!”
The Press Release:
Nickelodeon today released the first trailer for its all-new animated series, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which follows the band of brothers as they discover new powers and encounter a mystical world they never knew existed beneath the streets of New York City. The 2D-animated series, which blends action and comedy and features a dynamic fresh look, debuts later this year on Nickelodeon.
The series stars the voice talent of Omar Miller (Ballers) as Raphael, Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) as Leonardo, Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) as Donatello, Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re The Worst) as Michelangelo, Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) as April O’Neil and Eric Bauza (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Splinter. WWE Superstar John Cena lends his voice as villain, Baron Draxum, an alchemist warrior mutant who seeks to turn all of humanity into mutants.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reimagines the iconic series and breathes new life into the classic characters, with jagged-shelled Raphael as a snapping turtle, wielding twin tonfas as his weapons; Leonardo as a red-eared slider, using an ōdachi sword; Donatello as a soft-shell turtle, sporting a tech-bo staff; and Michelangelo as a box turtle, arming himself with a kusari-fundo. Along for the adventure is the Turtles’ most trusted ally, April O’Neil, a street savvy native New Yorker, and Splinter, father figure and sensei to the Turtles.
The Turtles also hold distinct personality traits and skills: Raphael, as the oldest and biggest brother, is the leader full of enthusiasm and bravado; Leonardo, the self-professed coolest brother possesses irreverent charm and a rebel heart; Donatello is a mechanical genius and tech wizard whose ninja skills are second only to his coding; and Michelangelo, the youngest brother, is a skateboarder and artist who is wild and imaginative.
The new 26-episode series is co-executive produced by Andy Suriano (character designer, Samurai Jack) and Ant Ward (supervising producer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) at Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif. Veteran animation industry voice actor Rob Paulsen is voice directing the series. Viewers can visit the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Plot: Deep in the sewers of New York City, Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo are four mutant turtle brothers who go on adventures where they end up “tapping into mystic ninja powers they never knew existed”, while “learning” to work together as a team and navigate the perils of the modern age and hidden realms in order to fulfill their destiny to become a team of heroes”.
The Characters/Voice Talent:
Leonardo (voiced by Ben Schwartz)
Raphael (voiced by Omar Miller)
Donatello (voiced by Josh Brener)
Michelangelo (voiced by Brandon Mychal Smith)
April O’Neil (voiced by Kat Graham)
Splinter (voiced by Eric Bauza)
Baron Draxum (voiced by John Cena)
PiercingMetal Thoughts: My dad always says “the only constant is change” and yeah this even applies to stuff that we never thought would change. Having seen what the new renditions of Turtles will look like in toys I have to say that I’m intrigued. Let’s face it, this is long overdue because for decades the only way to tell the difference between the four was by the color mask that they wore and the weapon they sported. I feel bad for the comic book artists and animators though since they have to do a little more work on the characters. Anyway, I’ll close up now and ask what you thought of this trailer and what you think about the new look for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You can opine down in the comments section below.
Official Websites:
Nickolodeon: http://www.nick.com/rise-of-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teenagemutantninjaturtles