Old Turtles vs. New Turtles

[Donald Duck 12]

Yesterday my older cousin was looking at my TMNT figures. He got mad, because they weren't the ones he knew. My sister was trying to explain them to him. And my cousin's little sister renamed the mousers, "Trixie", and kept saying, "Hey Shredder, get wetter!" My eldest cousin and I were playing chess during all of this. I didn't know if I should say anything. I mean I understood both my cousin's and my sister's attatchment to both series'. I should have said, "And where's Venus de Milo?" So which version of the Turtles do you enjoy the most? Next Mutation and comics count too.

[Nin-Nin69]

The OG comics of course. Before they became this campy.

[Michael24]

Thought I grew up with the original cartoon and toys, I prefer the new Turtles much more, though I still had a fondness for the originals.

[Sharklady]

IMO, the current series strikes the best balance of humor and seriousness. The OG cartoon was a little too goofy, wherence the original comic book sometimes got downright grim.

[Andrew T. Hingson]

I've liked every version of the turtles. It's hard to pick a favorite. IMAGE and Next Mutation were the worst ones easily but the best ones... probably the original comics, the new show and the old show.

To compare the new and old shows:

Story: New show due to it having some depth and continuaty

Voice Acting: Old show because you just can't top those voices, they're perfect

Script: Tie (both equally as entertaining)

Characters: New show, the turtles are more interesting overall and Shredder is just plain more evil

Fighting: New show easily... The old shows fighting was really weak sause after the first few seasons

Music: The old show of course, best theme song ever and some great in scene tunes that were so delightfully cheezy but not too cheezy

Atmosphere: The old show was too happy for TMNT all things considered. The new show has a good mix of bright and dark scenery. The art isn't as the old series though... it's obviously a rush job this time. But overall the new show.

Merchandise: Tie. The old show had the best video games and side merchandise but the new shows action figures are much better built and more interesting to look at. I still treasure my OG TMNT action figure set though.

So I'd say they come out even. Deciding which one is best probably comes down to what generation you are from. Kids today wouldn't appreciate old TMNT like we do (but some would, they just wouldn't get the jokes).

[CyberCubed]

The Next Mutation Live action series takes the cake for being the absolute WORST version of the TMNT EVER.

The Image series at least had some interesting story ideas and was kept fairly dark and gritty.

The Next Mutation was a horrible kiddy Saban Power ranger clone. May it be forgotten.

Best versions of the TMNT:

1. Mirage Comics
2. New TMNT Cartoon
3. Original Cartoon
4. The movie trilogy

[Fone Bone]

Lets compare:

Theme song: Old school kicks new school's ass. Winner: Old School.

Animation: Tough. The original's animation had much more interesting looking characters but it was jerky at best. New school actually has an interesting look and is actually cinematic in execution, owing much to Samurai Jack. Winner: New School.

Voice acting: The original had much more famous VO's but the new one has decent acting too. Too close to call. Winner: Push.

Story and dialogue: New School leaves Old School in the dust. New school actually has a story arc in which episodes can effect each other down the line. Not to mention the show doesn't seem to have a real problem with killing characters so the stakes are real. Outside of the five part pilot the Old School Turtles NEVER surprised me. Winner: New School.

Merchandise: Irrelevant. Winner: Who cares?

Characters: Admittedly Old School had cooler looking characters. But new school actually has CHARACTERIZATION. Who'da thunk it? Characters grow and change, even if it isn't as radical as, say Gargoyles. Plus New School actually uses the comic book characters properly (See Casey Jones, Leatherhead, and Usagi.) Winner: New School.

Overall: Three to one, New School wins.

[matta2fatta]

the first movie was off the hook cuz it had turtles crying and how upset they was when splinter was kidnapped was mad legit. it was straight up mad emotional. and they finnally made raphael a pissed off mofo unlike the old toon. kno what im sayin? and like donetello aint come out like a super geek. the second one was just too goofy for my liking but still good. i missed casey tho. and the third one was just straight up whack

[PowerZord]

For me the originals will always be the best and not this Bastardization

[Frank Castle]

I like the comics. I like hero stories to be in dark and hopeless settings.

[Kouji Tamino]

Um, how is the new one a bastardization? If anything, the old cartoon is a bastardization because it's almost nothing like the original source. But I still enjoy the old cartoon due to nostalgia and such, y'know... :p

[Andrew T. Hingson]

I forgot animation.

Certain episodes in the old series that were animated by Toei were very slick and stylized. But the inconsistancy of the animation in that series was staggering. So the new series wins that category easily. Very cinematic at times and always consistant.

[Simpler Simon]

the first movie was off the hook cuz it had turtles crying and how upset they was when splinter was kidnapped was mad legit. it was straight up mad emotional. and they finnally made raphael a pissed off mofo unlike the old toon.
what he said....i think :p The first movie (ignore the sequels) is definitely the best overall telling of the Turtles' origins and conflicts with Shredder. It streamlines the story from the comics, getting rid of Saki's brother and doesn't wander into any weird territory like the Utrom-Saki from the new series.

The new series would definitely come second...if 4Kids gives it a big enough episode order (and judging from various rumours, they just might) it might be remembered enough to stand right beside the original toon.

[CyberCubed]

For me the originals will always be the best and not this Bastardization

Yeak OK. :rolleyes:

All the bandana and voice mistakes in the old show were really terrible, thank goodness the new show hasn't had Leo speak with Raph's voice...or at least not yet anyway.

[Don_East]

Theme song & Theme: Old School's music matched the decade while New School is generic 4Kids crap. Winner: Old School.

Animation: Old school goofs always amuse me but the have to give it to New School due to dramactic scenes. Winner: New School

Voice acting: Old School easily. New School just had the 4Kids team. Winner: Old School

Story and dialogue: New School this wins one, though Old School's Rapheal was hilarious. Winner: New School.

Merchandise: Is Relevant but it's no contest any way. Winner: Old School

Characters: New School did do closer to comics. But one thing ruins it for me. SHREDDER THE ULTROM! Besides New School's filler episodes sucked(except for "The King"). Winner: Old School.

Winner Overall: Old School

[Donald Duck 12]

I haven't read the comics. Okay, correction, I have one Archie TMNT and it's not too good. I have a few memories of the old series and Next Mutation, but I had never really watched it. I didn't get into action cartoons until ABC Family's action block (though Batman and the Spidey movie had a lot to do with it too). So I checked out the new series right in the "Search for Splinter" and I was hooked! Then I saw the first two movies and the first was really good, and the second was so so. I'd have to go with 4Kids' series as the best, but most of that's because I love Casey!

[Dudley]

I like the old series theme song.:D

[Matt-a-Tastic]

So um, theres 5 sereis alltogether

Old comics
New(er) comics
OG cartoon
Next Mutation
Movies
4Kids cartoon

there was also an anime OVA, but that dosent count becuase it was only 2 eppies long
any way my order of how I like them

Next Mutation - belive it or not I think the live action series was best,the costumes were great and they really bought the turtles to life

4Kids cartoon- this is also great, slightly better than the movie trilogy, but not by much

Movie trilogy- Again has the advantage of being live-action, but was a little boring at times, thats why I preder the 4kids cartoon and the next mutation

old cartoon - kinda crummy, but still not too bad, for enthusasts only really

comics - havent really seen them much, but frankly, TMNT dosent really work as a comic, you need to see the turtles moving I think

oh and by the way, I do actally prefer animation to live action, it might not seem that way though.;)

[mammy2shoesfan]

Wow thats a hard one to me. Love the old cartoon and the new cartoon is growing on me. I only problem with the old cartoon was the way the turtles were drawn if the where drawn like they are here or with less a cartoonly look it would be no contest but i have to give to to the love cartoon due to my love of show. If this new one last a few more years maybe it will easier to say this one. I miss channel 6 with Vern and Irema and all the other side charactors that were introduced during those great years.

[ClockStomper]

I think the first movie struck the PERFECT balance of everything the Turtles are. Looking at it carefully, you'll see it really does incorperate all the essential elements.

The OG cartoon sucked as Casey was a Terminator rip-off.

Next Mutation sucked because there was no April or Casey.

The new cartoon gets second place for making Saki a sack of alien goo instead of a Lex Luthor type figure.

[sidewinder]

I admit to not watching te new one much, but of all versions, original owns. Voice actors owned. Merchandise owned. In fact, I had a big Raphael; fun stuff.

[Rogue_A]

My order:

1) Original Mirage series comics- I was first introduced to the Turtles through an autographed #2 issue I won at the Words and Pictures Museum, a museum Kevin Eastman owned in the 90's in Northampton, MA, dedicated to sequential art. I was hooked onto them afterwards, and borrowed as many as I can (I never bought any of them unfortunately, it's still just #2 I own....).
2) Movies
3) New School Series- because it's just a bit more related to the Mirage comics, at least at the beginning...I like it a bit better. On the downside though, the intro gets old REALLY fast and 4Kids doesn't use the greatest VO actors...
4) Old School series- Good for a laugh, the intro never gets old, and I enjoyed the VO actors, especially Cam Clarke and Rob Paulsen. However, the quality of the animation, not to mention the absurd characters, just wasn't my cup of tea because I was used to the Turtles in a dark and grim world, not comedy.
5) Archie Comics (I never got to read the Image version unfortunately)
6) New Mutation- OMG, it's the movies in the dark Saban abyss! Not to mention, this cartoon always makes me think of when I went to the W&P Museum to go see them unveil the Venus de Milo statue they added to the kids's activity floor, called the "Kids Zone" if I remember correctly. I swear, they had to be violating at least one fire code with how many people were on one floor of the tiny building the museum was in. I couldn't see a thing, and all the taller people kept on shoving their butts into my personal bubble, ugh.

[Mandi-chan]

Without a doubt I'd say that the new toon is the BEST version of the ninja turtles I've come across (I don't read the comics).

Animation: A+

Voice acting: A+

Writing: A+

Music/background: A+

Opening theme: A- (It's getting a little old but I still love it!)

Overall: A++++

The old toon on the other hand...lets just say that if it weren't for the humor, I'd definatly hate it with a passion. I think it's very crappy in every way, and only like it because of the humor. I've seen 12 eps, and some may think that that's not enough to judge it...but I'm not wasting my money to rent more eps.

I'd say that the movies come in second place...

And I've only seen the Power Rangers crossover w/ the Next Mutation so I can't really judge it...The first five eps sounded decent, and I'd like to see them.

[Johnny Cakes]

I just got the Old school season 1 (5 episodes) on DVD and it was great. One weird thing though, on the back of the box it quotes the new school song "One! Live by the code of the martial arts. Two! Never fight unless someone else starts." I'm sure lots of you already knew this, but I thought it was weird.

Anyways, I like both series but I find that the old one amuses me a whole l ot more. The turtles certainly look cooler in the new one and the plots are better, but the old one just cracks me up. My vote is for old school.

[SirLemming]

I think I could make a more fair judgment once I re-watch some old-school episodes OTHER than the first 5. Those 5 episodes are probably better than most of the new series so far in certain (not all) ways, but I suspect that the rest of the old series would prove far less impressive.

[Queen of Hearts]

I like the older Ninja Turtles better, but the new one's okay too.

[Wesyeed]

If the new Ninja turteles had a baby with Season 1 of the old ninja turtles, it would be Season 10 of the old ninja turtles. :cool:

[Mandi-chan]

I DO like the old toon, but I can't help but dislike it a lot. I was so excited when I got my hands on a tape of the old toon, I was about to see the cartoon I enjoyed as a kid! But when I popped it in....I was so bitterly disappointed. I mean, people online go on and on about how it's so much better than the new series...but that's not what I saw. I saw a crappy cartoon about four pizza obsessed turtles. After watching that tape I hated the old toon, but for some reason I decided to give it another chance and watched some more episodes and realized that I DO like it...it's funny.

Overall...I enjoy it but still need to warm up to it...I'll NEVER claim it's better than the new toon though. Because the new toon is my FAVORITE version of the story, no matter how much the old one will make me laugh I'll never like it more than the new one. And I'll never claim it's as good as the new one either, because I don't see it that way!

[Duke]

1) First Movie - As people said, it was the perfect vision of the Turtles.

2) New Series - The overarching storyline is awesome as is the fighting scenes. Hell, the only American show more violent is JLU.

3) TMNT Anime OAV - The thing's so friggin campy it's hilarious! There's the part where the Turtles turn into big cyborg Power Rangers and shoot fire from their hands, and the one part where Splinter catches an energy ball and kicks it into outer space (though Splinter is an angst-ridden mother-[CENSORED] in this version), and Shredder calls Krang an octopus all the time.

4) Old toon - It was fun, it was campy, and I still have fond memories of it.

5) Second Movie - Get rid of Vanilla Ice and it's a pretty cool movie. The costumes used are my favorites for any live-action TMNT.

6) Third Movie - It's watchable at least.

7) Next Mutation - I couldn't stand this series.