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These are the first Rise of the TMNT action figures from Playmates Toys. Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.
NewsToy/Action Figures

14 Important TMNT Details Revealed at Toy Fair 2018

by Justin W
written by Justin W

Last weekend, toy manufacturers descended upon the Toy Fair with a plethora of new merchandise planned for 2018 and beyond. With a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon on the way, we knew that there would be some interesting revelations during this event. Sure enough, Pixel Dan was on hand to get as many details as possible about the new show. In addition to getting a walkthrough with a representative from Playmates Toys, he also managed to discover some information that had not yet been revealed by Nickelodeon. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most interesting details revealed during Toy Fair 2018.

This Origami Ninja is apparently made out of paper by the Foot Lieutenants. Image Source: Playmates Toys.

This Origami Ninja is apparently made out of paper by the Foot Lieutenants. Image Source: Playmates Toys.

1. S.H. Figuarts Shredder is On Hold

Before we get into the information revealed about Rise of the TMNT, it is important to note that the Shredder figure announced by S.H. Figuarts two years ago has sadly been put on hold. Although the figure hasn’t been cancelled, the company is waiting to see what the market will look like in 2018 before continuing on with their plans for this collectible.

2. First Look at New Foot Soldiers

In addition to the turtles themselves, Playmates Toys has also made action figures for two of the foot soldiers in Rise of the TMNT. One of these characters is the Foot Lieutenant, and the other is an Origami Ninja. A Playmates Toys representative explained that the Foot Lieutenant actually creates the Origami Ninja out of paper in the new cartoon.

3. First Look at Meat Sweats

As we mentioned in an earlier article, they are adding a new character named Meat Sweats to Rise of the TMNT. This pig-like character uses a meat tenderizer for a weapon and actually sweats meat. We don’t yet know how that will look, but the action figure does give us an idea of what we can expect.

4. Baron Draxum Will Be Revealed at Kids Choice Awards

Although the action figure for this villain wasn’t available during Toy Fair, a Playmates Toys representative did explain that we could expect to see him revealed during the Kid’s Choice Awards. While discussing this new enemy, the representative said that “we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Shredder.”

 

5. The First Rise of the TMNT Toy Line is Coming October 1st

While talking turtles, a Playmates Toys representative revealed that we can expect this first line of toys to hit store shelves on October 1st, 2018. Considering that Nickelodeon plans on releasing the cartoon in September, I’m willing to bet that the toys will actually show up a little bit sooner than that.

6. This New Toy Line Will Include Oversized & Ninja Action Figures

As usual, Playmates Toys will be producing a line of TMNT action figures that are double the size of their typical products. In addition to this, they have also created a set of toys which says popular phrases while performing a special action. Although these aren’t exactly original ideas, it’s nice to see that they’re giving the fans something more than just a basic line of toys.

The new Turtle Van is actually called the Turtle Tank! Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.

The new Turtle Van is actually called the Turtle Tank! Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.

7. New Vehicles Will Be Included With This Toy Line

In addition to all of the action figures they will produce, Playmates Toys is also creating a set of vehicles for the turtles to drive. Two of these vehicles will be motorcycles, but one of them is the new Turtle Van – now known as the “Turtle Tank.” The Turtle Tank will double as a play set that can fold out for more fun.

8. Two New Large Playsets Will Be Sold

Every new iteration of the turtles comes with a new Turtle Lair, prompting Playmates Toys to create a new playset. This time around, they’ve decided to make two sets which can be combined to create one massive play area for your TMNT toys. One of these playsets is The Hidden City, an area we will discuss in greater detail below.

9. The Hidden City is a New and Mystical Place

According to the Playmates Toys representative at Toy Fair 2018, The Hidden City is a new element and a “mystical place” in Rise of the TMNT. Considering that we’ve seen the turtles using weapons that glow, it’s a good bet that this might actually be the place where they find their new weaponry – but that’s just my assumption and not a confirmed fact.

The Turtle Lair playset is just one of two play areas which can be combined to create one massive set. Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.

The Turtle Lair playset is just one of two play areas which can be combined to create one massive set. Image Source: Playmates Toys, Nickelodeon.

10. The Turtle Lair is in a Cylindrical Shape

While discussing the new playsets, a representative of Playmates Toys revealed that the Turtle Lair in the cartoon actually has a cylindrical shape. Although the lair does appear to be in a sewer, it would appear that this sewer lair is definitely circular. Ultimately, we’ll just have to wait and see what it actually looks like.

11. The TMNT May Get Their Traditional Weapons Eventually

According to a Playmates Toys representative, we may see the turtles “graduate” to their traditional equipment at a later date. This may have just been an off-handed comment about what he wanted to see in the new show, but it may also have been an important revelation. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until the show airs to find out exactly what’s going on.

12. Andy Suriano Thought Copying the 2k12 Series Would Be Disrespectful

When asked about some of the choices they have made with Rise of the TMNT, Co-Executive Producer Andy Suriano explained that he felt it would be disrespectful to borrow a lot of material from the 2k12 series. Although I’m sure we can all understand his concerns, it would appear that a lot of shellheads don’t like to see change.

13. Ant Ward Sought Advice From Fred Wolf

While being interviewed by Pixel Dan, Co-Executive Producer Ant Ward explained that he actually sought the advice of previous animators who had worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons. Of all the people he contacted, only Fred Wolf responded. Fans will be familiar with Fred Wolf Films as the company behind the original animated series.

14. Andy Suriano Doesn’t Want Fans to Panic

This Co-Executive Producer of Rise of the TMNT had a fairly positive message for fans: “Be patient, it’s all gonna make sense, and it’s gonna be okay…it’s still respectful to the franchise.” Although I’m sure that some of you won’t be persuaded by this message, it’s definitely nice to know that Suriano at least understands the concerns of some fans and he wants to reassure them that this new cartoon won’t ruin anything about their heroes in a half shell.

If you want to see more from Toy Fair 2018, check out Pixel Dan’s Youtube channel for dozens of videos from the convention floor.

What do you think about all of this information? Are you more excited for Rise of the TMNT or more worried about the new cartoon? Share your thoughts and feelings either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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NewsTV/Cartoon News

20 Shellraising Details About Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

by Justin W
written by Justin W

April O'Neil may look a bit different, but she still knows how to handle herself! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

April O’Neil may look a bit different, but she still knows how to handle herself! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Most of you have already seen the recently released character art for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but how much do you actually know about the new cartoon from Nickelodeon? Needless to say, there are a lot of interesting details that you won’t see in a few random pictures. Taking this into account, we’ve decided to provide 20 important facts for fans who may still be confused about this animated series.

April O’Neil is Black – Although the character has traditionally been depicted as a redhead, Nickelodeon has decided to give her a slightly different background this time around. Although this will probably change some of her mannerisms, April will still be a friend of the turtles who supports their efforts through thick and thin.

April Has a Bat – According to the creators of this cartoon, April not only has a baseball bat, but she also knows how to use it. In previous TMNT cartoons, April slowly developed into a stronger character. It would appear that we can expect her to start off much stronger than usual in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Raphael is the New Leader – For the first time in the history of the franchise, Raphael is going to be the leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He will still be a “meathead,” but the creators of this new cartoon indicate that his brothers have a lot of respect for his leadership.

Raph looks ready to lead in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Raph looks ready to lead in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Raphael Now Has Tonfas – In addition to becoming the leader, Raph will also be holding an entirely new set of weapons. Rather than using his characteristic sai, we can now expect Raphael to sport a pair of tonfas. Much like his previous weapon, the tonfa is used for both defensive and offensive purposes.

Raphael is a Snapping Turtle – In this iteration of the TMNT, all four turtles are a different breed. Raphael will be a snapping turtle, a species which is noted for being very aggressive when caught. These turtles are typically at the top of the food chain wherever they live, which is a perfect way to describe Raph!

Donatello Has a Fleet of Battle-shells – The original animated series said it best: “Donatello does machines.” Donnie won’t be changing much in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but he will apparently create a fleet of “battle-shells” to help the turtles beat their foes.

Donnie is wearing a lot more tech than usual in this iteration of the TMNT. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Donnie is wearing a lot more tech than usual in this iteration of the TMNT. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Donatello Has a Tech Bo Staff – Although we don’t yet know what his bo staff is capable of, it would appear that Donnie’s weapon is a lot more complex than it has been in the past. All we know for sure is that this has been referred to as a “tech bo staff,” indicating that there’s more to the weaponry than meets the eye.

Donatello is a Softshell Turtle – Donnie’s breed is far different than that of his brothers, but it fits with his character. Softshell turtles have a more leathery shell which is flexible at the edges. It makes sense for a turtle with this vulnerability to use technology to protect himself, and it would appear that Donatello has done just that.

Leonardo is Very Smart – Now that he’s not the leader, Leo is free to let more of his personality shine. The creators of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles indicate that this iteration of Leonardo will be much more intelligent – and slightly arrogant about it.

Leonardo Will Create Catchphrases – In Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Michelangelo was always coming up with different names for their enemies. It would appear that Leo may take over in this role and create some different catchphrases for the group to use.

Leo has a much bigger sword this time around. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Leo has a much bigger sword this time around. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Leonardo Now Uses an Ōdachi – The former leader of the group will be using a different kind of sword in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. An Ōdachi is a much longer two-handed weapon which was commonly used by samurai. This type of blade isn’t as easy to wield as a standard katana, but I think Leonardo is more than capable of handling himself.

Leonardo is a Red-Eared Slider – Shellheads are probably very familiar with this breed, as the red-eared slider became one of the most popular pet turtles after the creation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the 80’s. These turtles have red marks near their eyes which look remarkably like the masks worn by our heroes in a half shell.

Michelangelo Will Say Cowabunga – Although Leo will be creating new catchphrases, the creators of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have revealed that Mikey will indeed be using the term “cowabunga” instead of “booyakasha.” The more things change, the more they stay the same!

No need to worry, Mikey will be using his classic catchphrase! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

No need to worry, Mikey will be using his classic catchphrase! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Michelangelo is a Box Turtle – Fans will note that this was the breed of the turtles before their most recent changes in this cartoon. Box turtles can hide their body inside of their shell to defend themselves against predators. This species is also noted for eating pretty much anything they can find – a characteristic which is perfect for Mikey!

Eric Bauza Will Play Splinter – If you watched Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you’ll be familiar with Eric Bauza as the voice of the villain Tiger Claw. In Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bauza will take on the role of none other than Master Splinter. According to Bauza, Splinter may be a bit more comedic this time around.

Rob Paulsen is the Voice Director – Long time fans will remember Paulsen as the voice of Raphael in the original animated series. He also played Donatello in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This time around, Paulsen will be providing direction for the voice actors, ensuring that they get the characters right.

Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche Will Play Villains – In addition to directing, Paulsen will also take on at least one role as a villain in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Maurice LaMarche, who once played the Brain to his Pinky, will also be providing the voice of a villain in this series.

Splinter may look different, but he'll still be an excellent teacher. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Splinter may look different, but he’ll still be an excellent teacher. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

John Cena is the Main Villain – Although we haven’t heard much about Shredder as of yet, it would appear that one of the main villains in this series will be Baron Draxum. This evil doer will be played by none other than WWE Superstar John Cena. Our heroes in a half shell will be tasked with stopping Baron Draxum from turning all humans into mutants!

Andy Suriano and Ant Ward are Creating the Cartoon – Both Andy Suriano and Ant Ward will be leading the charge behind the creation of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Both creators have worked with the TMNT before, and both have a lot of experience in animation with cartoons such as Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls and Camp Lazlo.

Rise of the TMNT Will Hit the Air in Fall of 2018 – Believe it or not, we’re only about 8 months away from the release of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It won’t be long before our heroes in a half shell are back on our television screens!

What do you think about these various details? Are you excited about Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Are you disappointed about any of the changes they have made? Share your thoughts and feelings either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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Raphael is the new leader of this group, and he's looking pretty good! Image Source: Nickelodeon.
NewsTV/Cartoon News

Rise of the TMNT Character Art Officially Revealed

by Justin W
written by Justin W

Ever since Nickelodeon announced that their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series would be coming to an end, fans have been eagerly awaiting a glimpse at the next iteration of our heroes in a half shell. Although we have learned a lot about Rise of the TMNT in the last few months, details on the actual character designs were sparse. That all changed today when Nick decided to host an awesome live event unveiling the first official character art from the new cartoon.

As you can see, the creators behind Rise of the TMNT have chosen to go with a very stylized approach. Sharp-eyed fans may note a bit of a nod to the artistic style that most viewers are familiar seeing from shows like Samurai Jack. Each character has very angular features with sharp and defined outlines. Although there are a few differences here and there, these turtles look very much like the heroes we remember from past cartoons, comic books and movies.

Leo is looking good as a red-eared slider! Image Source: Nickelodeon.
Donatello will let his technology speak for itself – perhaps literally! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

During the event, creators Andy Suriano and Ant Ward joined with Rob Paulsen to reveal key details about Rise of the TMNT. One of the most interesting revelations came when they announced that all four turtles would be a different breed. As Suriano pointed out, this allows them to give specific characteristics to each turtle which reflect the actions and behaviors of the breed they represent. For instance, Michelangelo is going to be a box turtle with the ability to hide his body in his shell.

In addition to the turtles, we also got the chance to see both April O’Neil and Master Splinter. Although the fans had questions about April’s bat, I’m personally very happy to see a version of her that is ready to kick butt from the get go. When it comes to Splinter, it’s clear that they’ve taken an entirely different approach with the character. During the live event, Eric Bauza provided a taste of what his Splinter sounds like to go with the artwork. All I can say is he had me in stitches with just one off-the-cuff line.

Mikey looks like he's ready to have some fun and kick some butt. Image Source: Nickelodeon.
Raphael is the new leader of this group, and he's looking pretty good! Image Source: Nickelodeon.
Raphael is the new leader of this group, and he's looking pretty good! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

If you’re still feeling unsure about Rise of the TMNT, just know that you are not alone. Although there was a lot of positive feedback throughout the live reveal, several fans were either frustrated or unhappy with what they were seeing. Ultimately, I feel like we need to wait this one out and see what Nickelodeon produces later this fall. Everyone attached to this show is incredibly talented, and I’ve got to believe that they know what they are doing.

This may be a wildly different take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. If past iterations have taught us anything, it is that there are several different versions of the turtles spread across several different dimensions. In other words, there is no one “correct” version of our half-shelled heroes, and this is just what they happen to look like in one specific dimension. By the way, this also means that there’s always a chance we’ll see previous versions of the turtles make a comeback in a crossover episode!

April O'Neil has a new look and a new weapon! Hopefully we'll get to see her use that bat to take down a few bad guys! Image Source: Nickelodeon.
Splinter may be a bit smaller than usual, but he could definitely pull a Yoda and reveal a surprising amount of strength. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Say what you will, but I am personally very impressed with this character art. I’m also impressed that our own Machelle Noel managed to answer one of the toughest trivia questions asked during the event! Even though she was a bit nervous during some of the games they played, Machelle definitely held her own and we’re proud to count her as one of the crew. If you want to see what she was up to with Andre Meadows of Black Nerd Comedy, make sure to go back and watch the full event on Facebook while it’s still available!

What do you think? Are you happy with the new character art for Rise of the TMNT? Will you be watching this show when it finally hits the air this fall? Share your thoughts and feelings either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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Nickelodeon has a huge announcement to make and revelations prepared for a special Facebook Live event on February 1st at 1pm EST. Image Source: Nickelodeon.
EventsNews

Huge Rise of the TMNT Announcement Coming February 1st

by Justin W
written by Justin W

Even though it has only been a few months since Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was taken off the air, they have already revealed several important details about the next cartoon in the franchise. We’ve seen the new logo and we know about some of the new voice actors attached to this project, but Nick has yet to unveil any artwork from Rise of the TMNT. Thankfully, that’s all about to change during a special event taking place in just a few days.

Late last week, Nickelodeon made the first announcement about this event on their @TMNT Twitter account. As you can see, they intend to reveal the character art for Rise of the TMNT during a Facebook Live event on February 1st at 1pm EST. As if that weren’t awesome enough, we can now officially reveal some of the people who will be on hand to talk about this artwork (and potentially other revelations) during this special occasion.

This Rise of the TMNT event will be hosted by none other than Eric Bauza, the actor who gave a voice to Tiger Claw in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Considering that Bauza will also be providing the voice of Splinter in this new cartoon, he may actually be the perfect host for such an announcement. Kevin Eastman will also be there to offer his own thoughts on this new interpretation of the characters that he co-created with Peter Laird.

During this Facebook Live event, you can also expect the appearance of Rob Paulsen, Ant Ward and Andy Suriano. All three of them will be working behind-the-scenes to create a TMNT cartoon that fans will enjoy. In addition to all of these incredible creators, Nickelodeon has also reached out to super-fans Andre Meadows and Machelle Noel to provide their own thoughts on this Rise of the TMNT character art.

 

Sharp-eyed viewers will recognize Andre not only from Black Nerd Comedy, but also from all of his work as a host during several TMNT panels. Machelle also has an impressive history interviewing people like Eric Bauza, Rob Paulsen and even Kevin Eastman. Needless to say, you couldn’t have chosen two better shellheads to ask questions about Rise of the TMNT during this very special announcement.

With so many notable people attached to this awesome event, it’s safe to say that Thursday is going to be an important day for TMNT fans. Keep your eyes peeled to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Facebook Page to see the latest design for our heroes in a half shell on February 1st at 1pm EST.

Are you excited to get the first glimpse of character art for Rise of the TMNT? Will you be watching the Facebook Live event on February 1st? Share your thoughts and plans either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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NewsTV/Cartoon News

Nickelodeon Plans First Look at Rise of the TMNT During BLE 2017

by Justin W
written by Justin W

As you may know, Nickelodeon is currently in the process of releasing the last few episodes of their TMNT series. Starting in 2018, the current series will be replaced with a 2D animated cartoon entitled Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The company has hired co-executive producers Andy Suriano & Ant Ward to helm this project, and fans are already expecting great things. While Ward helped to produce the current Ninja Turtles series, Suriano is best known as a character designer for popular animated shows such as Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls, Fairly Oddparents and even the latest revamp of Ducktales.

Sadly, we have yet to receive even one image hinting at the potential design for Rise of the TMNT. All we know right now is that the series will feature 2D animation. To be fair, Nickelodeon is usually pretty tight-lipped about their plans, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they haven’t actually shown us what the new cartoon is going to look like. That isn’t necessarily a bad sign, but it can be pretty frustrating for fans of the franchise. Thankfully, we may see a few leaks in the near future, as Nick & Viacom have planned to provide a first look at Rise during the Brand Licensing Europe expo taking place later this week.

It looks like Nick is getting ready for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2018! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

It looks like Nick is getting ready for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2018! Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Although there are a lot of fans hoping that someone is able to take even a blurry picture that would give us some kind of clue about Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, chances are that we won’t see anything. After all, this isn’t the first time that Nickelodeon promised to reveal a sneak peek of the new series at just such an event. Back in May, Nick announced similar plans for the Las Vegas Licensing Expo. While we were hoping that this might lead to some new revelations, nothing came out of the exhibition. We still don’t have any photos or even a few more words about the direction that Rise of the TMNT might take.

Like most fans, I still remain hopeful that someone will take the chance to pull out their phone and quickly snap a picture from 200 ft away that might give us something to work with. However, if I’m being honest with myself, I fully expect to wait until Nickelodeon and Viacom officially reveal their plans for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For all we know, they might wait until the next San Diego Comic-con to give us even the tiniest glimpse at Rise, but we’ll do our best to keep you informed as new information is revealed.

Speaking of which, there is one new (if minute) detail that shellheads might want to know. According to the NickALive blog, Rise of the TMNT is expected to hit the air in Fall of 2018. Considering that this is the season in which new television shows are typically released, it’s reasonable to expect Nickelodeon to continue with that tradition. Unfortunately, this also means that the company likely won’t be in any hurry to provide additional information about the cartoon. We could see something big from BLE 2017, but don’t get your hopes up.

Are you tired of waiting for more details about Rise of the TMNT? Is Nickelodeon making the fans wait too long for information about their next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series? Will anything come out of BLE 2017? Share your thoughts either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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