TMNT Evolutions: Ranking Donatello's On-Screen Designs

In this video we take look at all the on-screen Donatellos and rank their Ninja Turtles designs.
This is part of a series. Check out the first video were we rank all the on-screen Raphael designs: • TMNT Evolutions: Ranki...
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[@THEOLDTURTLEDEN]

Check out the other TMNT Ranking videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKa1lGyMgMuNeKM

[@Hack_Man_VII]

As someone who has actually tried wearing glasses over a TMNT mask, I can say it's not easy. Donatello should wear goggles instead of glasses.

[@van8ryan]

I don't mind Donatello with glasses, but they should've picked either googles or glasses for the Michael Bay version; his face was way too busy from my perspective.

[@thevioletskull8158]

Good to know,I guess they can work like you said but Google's are better,though I'm based because while I haven't wore glasses with a bandanna but I agree Googles are cooler because of how you can use them and they are aesthetically plaseing.

[@Hack_Man_VII]

@@thevioletskull8158 To be clear, I never said the glasses worked. I was playing with my friends, and my glasses wouldn't sit right on my face. If I attempted anything remotely resembling how I saw the turtles fight, my glasses would fall off my face because of the mask. I don't just think goggles look better, but they would actually have an easier time staying on.

[@frostthewolf1443]

Same, that stuff is difficult. Possible, but difficult

[@Piiiiiiiiit]

just make little slits in the sides of the mask to slip the arms of the glasses through. that should hold them up.

[@SPIDERKN1GHT0327]

I think my favorite Donnie designs are Rise, Mutant Mayhem, Batman vs TMNT, and 2003.

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

Mine too also liked 2012 donnie teeth gap 😄🐢

[@Zamiiz]

Literally same 1000%

[@SPIDERKN1GHT0327]

I usually prefer Donnie without glasses, because I think giving him glasses is a bit unnecessary and stereotypical. "OH HE"S A NERD SO LETS GIVE HIM SOME BIG DORKY GLASSES." But I think Mutant Mayhem did it well because the glasses really show his age, since those turtles are younger than most iterations.

[@nole8146]

Yet 2012 & Batman v TMNT has the most 2010s nerd stereotype. Slightly taller, gap teeth and says does the mumble big words thing. Point is each gen of TMNT does stereotypes of their time

[@Farm_charm_sanctuary]

Yeah he’s more than just the nerdy guy. The glasses are cute but it’s not necessary.

[@Spidey-fg9bn]

Oh man, I don't know if I'm the only one who loves Donnie's design in Out of the Shadows 😅 , I love the gadgets he has around his arms, I think it's a cleaner design than the one he had in the first movie.

[@chloeburrescia9001]

Not at all. It was my first turtle show, and I fell in love with him, I feel like he's relatable💜🐢

[@LordJudgement1818]

Donnie is my fav! Absolutely

[@sham00ly75]

I think after michaelangelo you should do some other characters grouped in one video like April, Casey, Shredder, and so on.

[@thevioletskull8158]

It might get busy but maybe Casey and April would be fine

[@Plvcky]

THE BEST TURTLE! 💜

[@Dumbo09]

I have realized overtime in being in the tmnt fandom most people like the turtles to look similar in design usually because of either nostalgia or so that they can look more “badass”, and while I get having your own preference on what you want in a turtle design it ends up leaving some of these people never open for change which is bad and unhealthy in my personal opinion I don’t think this guy is as bad as others I have seen but I can definitely sense quite a bit of bias in his opinions on certain designs (especially for his dislike for the rise designs and favoring the 90s and 03 designs)

[@nikkalastonebraker3905]

Absolutely, te 1990 movie designs are awful, never ever make real-life ninja turtles! The Rise designs are some if the best designs as well!! Especially Donnie❤

[@rollin-kimblecroskey9110]

I'm glad that Donatello, is now wearing glasses and carries a lot of technical gear; which shows that he's the most intelligent thus the best one!

[@Jordan-ii4ip]

These On-Sreen Design rankings are some of my favorite videos of yours, they're really cool and fun to watch and I can even see myself looking back on them once they've all been released. One of my favorite aspects of the Ninja Turtles is how different artists and designers interpret them, they're some of the most malleable characters in fiction.

[@xLitaFan4Everx]

Aah, glad to see this on-screen designs ranking series continue. I'd love to see you revisit the Turtle Profiles series covering the 2003 turtles as well. Great video. 💜🐢

[@Moon-64]

This could just be me, but i actually like it when Leo is the only one with the diagonal strap and Raph Donnie and Mikey only have the horizontal one like how they did in the 2003 show. I don't know why it just looks more aesthetically pleasing to me.

[@RealCoolGuy]

Any version with glasses is straight "F"-tier. Glasses with tape goes straight to X or Z or whatever is lower than F

[@N30NF43]

Why?

[@LeopoldLitchenstein]

As someone that isn't a glasses fan when it comes to Don I disagree. I've softened up on the idea of eyewear on him but between the two options I do prefer goggles, however it shouldn't be both because it's kinda overkill (and guess which one has both). So as a result I don't mind it in Mutant Mayhem/Tales of the TMNT honestly

[@RealCoolGuy]

​@@N30NF43Because it relies on the cliché of the outdated stereotype that "nerds wear glasses", which is silly at best, and miscategorises and simplifies the character of Donatello

[@N30NF43]

@@RealCoolGuyMy main nitpick with it is the lack of explanation as to how the prescription is correct for his eyes, or how the frames fit his face, or how they sit there at all when he doesn’t have a very prominent nose bridge or ears to hold them in place, or how he even found a pair of pristine glasses in the first place. it doesn’t make sense in the context of the TMNT, even if they’re fine visually.

[@van8ryan]

The design for Donatello's face in the 1990 TMNT movie was actually based off the Chamberlain Skeksis face from DARK CRYSTAL; where it had a mechanized "smile" that could appear/disappear with hand movement.

[@KevinsKontentKorner]

Donny is the man

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

Yes he it's donnie rock's forever no matter the era 😄🐢

[@KevinsKontentKorner]

@@isaiahedmonson5832 they didn’t give him justice in 2012 as much as 2003. He’s a bad ass in 2003 even though he was first turtle out of the battle nexus

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

@@KevinsKontentKorner yeah i really like rise donnie he was the best also tails of turtles show don is pretty awesome he's a anime fan/k-pop fan 😄🐢

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

@@KevinsKontentKorner my favorite donnie story from 2003 was the king episode

[@ITSDONNIE_TMNT2012]

2012 DONNIE IS SO CUTE WITH THE GAP IN HIS TEETH!!! 😆😆😆💜💜💜

[@NoOne-lc8qj]

Why do you love the 2003 TMNT designs so much? For me, I always saw them as just okay. I like how buff they are, which fits the show, but they don't look like teenagers at all, they feel more like young adults in that version. I also don't like how they all look the same. I prefer when there are more differences between them, like in the recent versions. But what makes them so good to you?

[@terrysyvertson9205]

there was a scrapped idea that the turtles were mutating ferther and donnie would have mutated to need to wear glasses, maybe that's why some versions of donnie have glasses, because they heard about the scrapped idea and thought donnie wearing glasses would make him stand out more and probably also because of the old trope of smart people wearing glasses

[@van8ryan]

That idea was mildly used in the final season of the original TMNT show (or the "Red Sky" season)

[@lukebaxter3252]

When it comes to the glasses element of Donnie, I think a future version of the Turtles should have him wear glasses only during times when he's working on experiments/equipment and when he's researching and reading. Every other time, he doesn't wear them. Btw, as someone who became a TMNT fan through the 2003 show, seeing their original design on S tier warms my heart. They're my favourite design for the Turtles.

[@RealCoolGuy]

Like Michael Keaton's Batman? I like that. Goggles or glasses for assistance is fine, but the problem is the stereotype of "nerd glasses"

[@lukebaxter3252]

@@RealCoolGuy It would simply be a case of him needing glasses to read or work on equipment. Similar to Indiana Jones, for example.

[@RealCoolGuy]

@@lukebaxter3252 Yeah. That's why I said Michael Keaton's Batman. I haven't seen Indiana Jones in decades. Did he do that too?

[@lukebaxter3252]

@@RealCoolGuy When he's teaching at Marshal College or researching, he wears his glasses. He does read without glasses, but he still sometimes wears them when reading, like the Grail Tablet in Last Crusade.

[@CHANIMATES]

Yay, the rankings are back. My favorite Donnie design is the new tales of the tmnt one. The mutant mayhem one was amazing, but it's like the tales one touched it up a bit more

[@alicias4311]

"Okay, I've been recommended this video at least 10 times, I have a watch it" * opens video * It was posted 4 days ago?!

[@j2323j]

I like him without glasses 👓

[@donatellod.dabbins3609]

I genuinely like Donny with glasses. My biggest problem with the Michael Bay Donny is the goggles. He only really needs one or the other, and i think the glasses are better. I think Mutant Mayhem is probably my favorite design. I also like the gap in his teeth from the 2012 show. I don't know why, but it just works for me. 😅

[@Neck41]

I'm with the side that hates glasses on Donatello. I know it's supposed to be a tv show where you are supposed to turn your brain off on, but it's isn't logical. Like how do they stay on his head? Plus how do they not fly off when he's jumping from rooftop to rooftop? Also in a fight, what happens if he gets hit in the face? Wouldn't they break, rendering him blind? Plus how would he even have gotten the correct lenses for his eyesight? In addition I honestly believe he doesn't need a physical representation showing he's smart. It kind of goes along with how in the world do they have braces?

[@DonatelloThruster]

Personally, I think not having any of the rise of the tmnt designs in S tier is crazy given the fact that in a lot of other versions the first thing you look for to differentiate the four turtle teens is their mask colors and weapons, but with rise each and every one of them have such unique designs and they all have their own special designs. Maybe I'm just being bias because rise is my favorite, but other than that I love your rankings and your opinions has made me notice things about the turtles I haven't noticed before ❤

[@EGGarden190]

IM SOOO HAPPYYYYY IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@labetenoire]

I never liked Donatello with glasses. It just feels like lazy shorthand of "He's the smart one, so give him glasses." Also it just doesn't make sense physically. Like I can understand a mutant reptile needing corrective lenses for its vision, but why would it wear human style glasses when it doesn't have the bridge of a nose to rest the glasses on or ears to keep them in place. If they insist on giving Donny glasses, they should at least make it so he designed a pair to actually fit on a turtle head.

[@ORB1424]

I prefer when Donnie doesn't wear glasses, but I don't mind it when he dose. I think the Rise Donnie has the perfect amount of technology on him, just the goggles and the iPad thing strapped to his wrist.

[@kidsnavarro4783]

I love Donnie wear glasses

[@DumbDella]

I’ve been waiting for more ranking videos haha 🧡🧡🧡🧡

[@billyrod1980]

As a Donatello guy my favorite version and design of him was Secret of the Ooze. He didn’t have much of a role in the first movie nor did the first movie feature his intelligence all that much. That changed in the 2nd movie. Not only was his uniqueness of the group more featured he was actually the coolest turtle in that movie. Also never been a fan of the versions of him that feature the glasses as I consider it a cliche when it comes to nerds.

[@turbo_killer347]

I hope you do Splinter and April as well

[@BobbyMoore2-mp8wb]

He did look awesome in TMNT out of Shadows movie 😊

[@thevioletskull8158]

Justice for Rise Raph

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

Yes i liked that raphael more then 2012 one also new raph from tails of tmnt is one of my favs 🐢😊

[@dennisbeaman958]

Jim Henson did a amazing job on the turtles they knew how to make costumes if i remember correctly it was a different group in the second and 3rd or just the 3rd

[@chloeburrescia9001]

My turtle journey started with bayverse. I love that version of Donnie. He's charming and relatable. But I also live 2012. He's thought and need to calm down with April🤭💜🐢

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

I don't mind the glasses at all it would be interesting if don by the next movie has contacks lenses 😄🐢

[@sovereignrenaissance7487]

It’s been 5 years since the TMNT vs. Batman movie, I don’t see a sequel happening with that movie…

[@gabrielhall9099]

Can you please do a Ranking of The Shredder, Splinter, Casey Jones and April designs as well??

[@andrewkelley9317]

Im not going to complain about donnie having glasses but Im not saying he should😅

[@tiojonathanwoods7612]

In the miniature where is Rise Donatello?

[@doctorstrange4868]

The thing that bothers me with the glasses is for creatures who are suppose to be hiding, who is the doctor that would have written a mutant turtle a prescription? Also the "smart" character wears glasses is tired! My favorite designs are the 1990 movie turtles. 2012 turtles did eventually grow on me, I do appreciate that they all look different.

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

i wait for 8 moth you do this video

[@CatYellowRanger]

I'll be honest, Donnie's Bayverse design grew on me(Raph too). I think the designs in Shadows look better than in the first, they look more 'teenage'(Leo still scares me).

[@mbj2727]

Would be interesting to see how you would design them if you had to make your own interpretation and see what it would look with the help of an artist. Otherwise very cool video, nice to have your opinion (I feel a little bad for the dona rise one)

[@Sonicfan2117]

Finally A new one

[@me-kd7bw]

Ima be honest 2012 are my favorite designs not just mini hulks all unique and not crazy looking like mutant mayhem

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

17:24 me too

[@johnwright-b2l]

I am looking forward to the two thousand three and two thousand twelve turtles from super7 and neca .

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

I think the newer version's of donnie has a more interesting personality then early ones like 2012,rise,muntant mayhem but i still like 1990 and 80's also 0.3 🐢

[@JesusIsGodJohn1]

Donatello with glasses makes no sense to me. the ooze would transform and enhance. and he made a fracking dimensional portal how can he not do laser surgery or contacts. BTW Glasses doesn't make you look smart. Glasses are to help people with eye damage and has nothing to do with smarts. Looks real stupid if not needed.

[@wichitarichard]

All "Rise" designs are an F, Except Raph, who gets maybe a D at most.

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

i think fast forwad season is the best

[@FluffiAnimates]

15:10 was likely bc of fans criticizing them and they changed it for the sake of their fans

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

14:05 is ok for me

[@Batman88878]

I HATE Donnie with glasses! It's so stupid, not to mention it ruins the nice dichotomy of the character: if he doesn't open his mouth & you only see him fight, he's a badass. But when he speaks, you get that soft-spoken, intellectual dude. Just putting glasses on him to indicate he's the smart one is also dumb because glasses don't make you smart. They just mean you can't see without corrective lenses.

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

I don't care about his glasses the new donnie in mayhem is so awesome like that he's not just a nerd in the movie and show he has more personally to me then older version of don (expect donnie from the 1st movie and rise, 2012 )

[@Spidey-fg9bn]

Personally, I don't like how generic the live action turtles from the 90s and the children's show from the 80s look. I like it when the designs are more detailed but not over the top how the designs of Michael Bay's movies In my opinion, IDW comics gave us the definitive designs of the turtles by Mateus Santolouco (the best Ninja Turtles artist), Mateus Santolouco gave each turtle a different physique making them different from each other unlike the rise of the ninja turtles which had to give them horribly deformed designs to differentiate them from each other

[@NunSpecial_lol]

I prefer donnie without the glasses, I don't him with it

[@Wolverinefan616]

I think his 2012 design was the best

[@gregzotter6189]

3:43 Who's the Turtle with the white bandana?

[@Catty-Crash]

As a autistic Person, I approved ROTTMNT Donnie, Since itt has been confrimed that Donnie is Autistic in the show.

[@5SK.RoyaltyTV]

First and foremost Michaelangelo from the 1990 movie has the best design. Then Ralph, then Leonardo and then Donetello. In my opinion Donnie from the original 1990 movie is the best design for him.

[@tonyangelo]

I think glasses overdo it for me when it comes to Donatello. Goggles are fine, but glasses? he'd be loosing them more than Velma.

[@tyleryates8508]

Finally

[@Khalin15]

This may be a reach.... what about the Tmnt Shredder's Revenge design? Just putting it out there

[@sham00ly75]

yeah those designs are amazing

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

20:06 not me i always like 3d better

[@ValorantCypher5]

Is there any Donatello fans out there? (And yes I’m a Donnie fan btw)

[@lukeharrison9287]

with glasses

[@TheDrexLord]

Personally, I don't really like any post-2014 tmnt donny looks. They are all just too techy. We all know he is a nerd, but you don't need to give him glasses and cover him in tech.

[@BrandonRaske]

1987 donnie

[@DarthCobalt55]

No glasses is better

[@dr.wolfstar1765]

Donnie with glasses alway ALWAYS is a mistake

[@amardani4195]

Only tmnt 2012 is the best

[@JMAc742]

No glasses please

[@marioperez9394]

I think all the Nick versions of the turtles are the worst especially Donnie who is my favorite turtle and I always hated the Nick designs with him making him look like ridiculously nerdy

[@marioperez9394]

I do like the Bay movies though just hate the designs

[@tyleryates8508]

Idk the 2003 designs lack personality

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

raph 1987 good red sky season raph best raph 1990 best raph 1991 good raph 1993 not bad raph 1994 best raph 1996 bad raph 2003 season 1 to season 5 best raph fast forward best back to the sewar raph best turtles forever raph 2003 best raph 2007 best raph 2012 best raph 2014 good raph 2016 best rise raph best rise movie raph best raph 2019 best mutant mayhem raph best raph 2024 great

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

leo 1987 best red sky season leo best leo 1990 cool leo 1991 not bad leo 1993 bad leo 1994 good leo 1996 bad leo 2003 season 1 to season 5 good leo fast forward best leo back to the sewar is good leo 2007 best leo 2012 best leo 2014 good leo 2016 best rise leo best rise movie leo best 2019 leo not bad mutant mayhem leo best leo 2024 best

[@raphandmikeyandrenetu9p]

ok donnie 1987 best red sky donnie best donnie 1990 movie is ok donne 1991 movie not bad donnie 1993 bad donnie 1994 not bad donnie 1996 not good donnie 2003 season 1 to season 5 not bad donnie fast forward best donnie back to the sewar not bad donnie 2007 best turtles forever donnie 2003 best donne 2012 is the best donnie 2014 not bad donnie 2016 not bad rise donnie best rise movie donnie best donnie 2019 good donnie mutant mayhem 2023 is great donnie 2024 is good