Rise of the TMNT's Character Designer is Good, Actually.

[@whatamisupposedtosayerikse3268]

I like how they’re not all the same age in rise i feel like it gives the dynamics more “depth” in a sense.. for example raph being overprotective makes a lot of sense considering he’s not just the leader he’s also the oldest (Mikey being 13, leo and Donnie being 14 and raph being 15 - and in the movie they’re like 2 years older)

[@viviwithav]

I think it plays with the fandom's expectations really well too. Leo's either the oldest in the canon, or everyone assumes he's the oldest, so it gives this version a lot of breathing room to make big mistakes until he has to grow up

[@helixsol7171]

Leo and Donnie are the Disaster Twins

[@firepuppies4086]

Actually, looking at the old game, they are slightly different she's in the og too

[@cutekitty1212]

Leonardo has always been the leader wtf happened.

[@helixsol7171]

@@cutekitty1212 They wanted to shake things up when making the show. It opens the characters and story up for new dynamics.

[@gregjayonnaise8314]

I also love how the turtle species each boy is reflects their position or personality: Leo is a red eared slider. Red ears are the most common pet type for turtles, but also the ORIGINAL species of turtle that the boys were in earlier incarnations, hinting at Leo potentially being a leader. The red slashes are also a callback to his voice actor Ben Schwartz’s previous role as Randy Cunningham. Raph is a snapping turtle, who are very aggressive and will eat basically anything. Raph butts heads with his siblings a lot and also will eat literally edible. Donnie is a soft shell, which are VERY aggressive and carnivorous, which explains why Rise Donnie is a super villain. Soft shells are also aquatic, which is likely why he has a swimmer’s build. Mikey is a box turtle. Box turtles are described as the friendliest turtle types and make good pets.

[@KhaosAdmiral]

for Leo being a red-eared slider its also pretty fitting because Leo is also willing to talk your ear off.

[@ShipperTrash]

Well, Raph is an alligator snapping turtle, and this species is actually more chill than just snapping turtles! They don't bite nearly as often and not as aggressive, even though they look much more intimidating. Just like Raph. AAH the designs are so thought out, I can't even-

[@callumbutler05]

Also love the detail that Mikey goes into his shell a LOT throughout the series. Very common box turtle trait.

[@denontown]

i actually really like how distinct and unique they are, sure them looking similar were supposed to be brothers but come on, being family isnt affected by appearance, just look at how april is incorporated into their family in this show! (its a shame the original promo art used for rise looks so off for some reason 😭)

[@viviwithav]

It's so good! I'll defend the message of found family through TMNT no matter what. They adopt some dude from Brooklyn, fight me. I was talking about the promo art with my bf! He's not a fan, but he thought the style was really nice, but I think Rise's art style is at its peak when it's animated. It's much smoother.

[@denontown]

@@viviwithav it looked amazing when it was animated for SURE

[@vibrantglitch5722]

@@viviwithav ABSOLUTELY but without the promo art, we wouldnt have such silly looking onotos they make me laugh 😭😭

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

ikr

[@Vivigreeny25]

The promo art is SO ugly but I love eyebrowless Donnie anyways

[@tsunemara]

For us, Splinter being such a dead beat dad and rather…unkempt looking at the start, was the hardest part for us to get used to. But we love how he evolved with his sons to be better for them.

[@viviwithav]

As an Asian kid in the arts, I can't help but empathize. He was a reckless pseudo Bruce Lee when he became a dad

[@tsunemara]

@@viviwithav agreed. Though you didn’t know that in the beginning, which only made him look horrible as a parent, until you realized why he was that way. For us, growing up on the originals, where Splinter was always a good father and teacher, it was a bit of a shock to see a splinter that needed to grow and didn’t have all the answers. It’s honestly refreshing

[@ShesquatchPiney]

HOT SOUUUUUP!!!!

[@aspiring.creative.person6092]

I agree. After the first episode I was like “oh, so this is like a teen titans go situation,” and I didn’t give it another chance until I got to art college and everyone here is obsessed with it lolol.

[@brainthebrian3690]

I was really surprised how even the "always nice" cartoon dorks didn't even like this, I feel like I was the only who saw this take on splinter as interesting from the beginning.

[@thesecondbestengine828]

Im glad they all look so different. The new movie sort of kept that trend with the turtles having different head and body shapes. Rise desgins are peak tho imo. Also your Leo = Bugs Bunny analogy is spot on. Im surprised i hadn't thought of that before.

[@viviwithav]

It occurred to me the more I realized leo heavily relies on his wit to outfox enemies. It looks like they're keeping to the trend from 2012 tmnt, and even though I didn't like the show enough to finish it, its made a great contribution

[@ghostfromgotham2661]

i could go on for days about how good their designs are, the rise team really put in their all for the designs. Like you can immediately tell their personalities and characters by just looking at them and that's amazing, that's what good character design is *supposed* to do. I went on a whole super long ramble to a friend of mine of how literally everything about future leo's design tells you something about him, from his scars to his sword to his arm, like even if you knew nothing about the plot at all and maybe knew some basics about tmnt in general, you can immediately know like he's a warrior, he's tough, he's missing his brothers, he's older than leo usually is depicted as, etc. Like you can tell by his sword that he lost donnie and raph and at least to me his arm makes it obvious that raph had to die first because donnie would've been the one to make the arm for a robot raph to replace him and they ran out of resources or time when leo lost his arm so donnie gave it to him. Like just from those two things you know part of his backstory and therefore his motivation. Or like regular mikey in the show having doodles on his knee pads and stickers on his plastron, you can immediately tell that he's the younger and goofier and creative brother, which you don't tend to get in most other tmnt designs. (no hate to any other tmnt iteration, but in a lot of them they're all designed to be almost the exact same just with slight variations to the shells or body shape or masks, but in rise they're so different for all the best ways, *this* is what character design should be) I genuinely don't understand when people say the rise designs are bad because if you know anything about shape language, character, personality, etc. then you know that their designs are amazing.

[@viviwithav]

I also think a lot of the old tmnts were so focused on selling toys, they wanted similar designs to recycle the same casts. Rottmnt feels like it was made for the sole purpose of telling a good story

[@bilgeakaln6335]

I want to have a conversation or friendship with you!.. Whichever works

[@capn_toad]

i love how the turtle species kind of factor into the brothers' personalities as well! donnie is a soft shelled turtle, so he leans real hard into the tech aspect because he's afraid of being vulnerable and useless. raph is an alligator snapping turtle, so he's big and strong and spiky to keep his brothers safe. and there's a cute running gag of mikey popping into his shell when he gets scared because he's a box shell turtle.

[@viviwithav]

It's interesting that I don't see Leo's species referenced that much aside from aesthetic glow marks. The only thing I can think of is their sociable personalities

[@Vivigreeny25]

Leo’s covered in bright flashy stripes that indicate a certain level of flamboyance and bravado, but frankly I think it’s worth mentioning that his red marks could be intimidating as hell (especially as a leader) if he actually used them like that.

[@CalamariCanary]

red ear slider turtles are common in Mexico, so This is just a headcannon but maybe that's why he likes visiting Senor Hueso's restaurant and adding random Spanish to his sentences!

[@elliart7432]

I can not imagine... nay, cannot FATHOM, why in the fresh hell anyone on planet earth would prefer 4 identical (and usually grimy looking??) characters over something actually creative and aesthetically pleasing. I mean if people were criticizing the designs in a vacuum, ok maybe it's just not for them. But its the fact they're apparently "bad" in comparison to the damn _old school teenage mutant ninja turtles_ that feels like a glitch in the universe

[@viviwithav]

I think people can't differentiate between animation, and art style tbh. Just because it looks "weird", i.e. heavily stylized, it's not good. That, or they want the same formula every few years

[@ShesquatchPiney]

The show's design is airtight. The color direction and blend of 3D with 2D is beautiful. I have always really loved "cel shaded" 3D that "looks 2D" and I think RoTMNT pulls it off expertly in all of its blissfully unhinged action. It's playful, the world feels FUN and giant onamotapaieas rocket by sometimes. I can't get enough!

[@ShesquatchPiney]

Also every time they use the slidy stick "eeooowoo" noise I am slain.

[@elliart7432]

@@ShesquatchPiney I didn't even notice there was cgi involved!

[@bilgeakaln6335]

I think mostly people are scared of change. Because remakes like these, means that ppl are getting something they liked as a kid so it feels obligatory to give some reassurince in the new version. The comfort of knowing that it is indifferent therefore you dont even have to try to addept to it again. So having something you feel like it was promised to be a safe copie paste, to turn out to be this original might've worried people at first. But today, after the movie came out I see nothing but love for the show.

[@ma3mc3mu-X]

The animation really gives me a whole TRIGGER vibe with how the angles and movements work, almost like Kill la Kill.

[@viviwithav]

Especially the VFX

[@zoeschmitt1624]

I did hear somewhere recently that that was the goal, like, they were literally inspired by and wanted to animate like trigger.

[@rubylee9566]

I like how Ralph’s design echoes that of his previous design, that of a brawler. But then it also gets rid of what made him not a leader. Like with him towering over his brother, he literally becomes someone they looked up to. His resting face being of a smile rather than a frown makes him feel more approachable. When I first saw this show, I didn't know how to feel when he was a leader, but he, and the other turtles, still echo their past selves while also being new, well developed versions of that. Even my sister, who would never watch any other rendition of the tmnt with me, loved this show.

[@viviwithav]

I'd say the writing went in the right direction by focusing on how they're teenaged superheroes. It makes them more relatable because the mutant in tmnt can be a little off putting

[@neori_i]

As a aspiring character designer I have really been enjoying your trigun design comparisons and when I heard that you made a video about rotmnt I instantly came here. Your videos are so fun while still being clear in what your saying. You are so underrated and I hope you get the attention you deserve.

[@viviwithav]

Thank you! I've been having a really tough time getting this content creator thing off the ground, so every nice comment means the world to me!

[@moonkashots]

Timestamps: Intro: 0:00-1:44 Animation, Shapes and lines: 1:45-5:08 Mikey: 5:09-9:57 Donnie: 9:58-16:09 Raphael: 16:10-21:57 Leo: 21:58-30:49 Cramp + Honourable mention: 30:50-31:26 More madness: 31:27-33:27 Outro: 33:31-36:26

[@limespots]

To add onto it, the designs are also extremely colourblind friendly Despite the fact I'm not colourblind, for years upon years I found it really hard to differentiate who was who, to the point I kept mistaking Leonardo for Donatello (and other turtles for other turtles). The cardboard cut outs for nearly each and every iteration in how similar they were made it difficult to tell who was who (even when 2012 TMNT tried to solve the problem by making them different height and giving them different features, which didn't exactly work). Rise of the TMNT made it far easier for me to tell who was who and the designs looking distinct is actually such a breath of fresh air that I do wish they at least kept the different species of turtle aspect for the TMNTs in Mutant Mayhem (though I am so glad they are making them look different). And I have a feeling that colourblind people don't struggle so much differentiating the TMNT with the ROTTMNT designs compared to different counterparts. The original TMNT in greyscale makes it almost impossible to tell who's who (with their *only* defining trait to tell who is who being their WEAPON - strip that and unless you're a god in TMNT knowledge, you would be unable to tell who's who entirely). ROTTMNT's designs are so unique that immediately it's easier to tell who's who, even in greyscale, simply because of the choices made to make their characters distinct.

[@hamiltonsonol1103]

I agree before you couldn't even tell the difference between the turtles without the masks I am very pleased to see the new looks you can tell their unique and individual personalities look how donnie is now confident sassy sarcastic with rizz how raph is just a soft and sweet teddy bear i love the new look how leo is now sucidal and my fav Michaul just being beautiful I love it all

[@viviwithav]

To be fair, leo's always been suicidal but he's covered in glitter now lol

[@wisteriaclaw]

for sure, i couldnt even tell apart leo and donnie in 2012 at some points because their masks are too close in color (especially with that blue ass nighttime filter on them)

[@Vivigreeny25]

@@wisteriaclaw 2003 Turtles looked at this and took as a challenge to make them look as similar as humanly possible, with their only real differences being bandana colour (other than one (1) scar on Leo), and also loving to fuck around with lighting and mute colours for the Look which is great and all but for the love of god I cannot tell the difference between Mikey and Raph

[@LaplacesAngel612]

@@viviwithavthat sentence also applies to most drag queens and that fits rise Leo a bit too much

[@Daeneiracorn]

i didn't like the designs at first. but it grew on me. like everyone else on the internet i'm sad i didn't give the show a shot while it was still new

[@viviwithav]

I was in the same boat. I was going through a really bad time, so I lost interest in everything I liked as a kid until I gave ROTTMNT a try last year. I'm so glad kids now are getting shows of this quality

[@Daeneiracorn]

@@viviwithav same! Especially from nickelodeon of all places

[@budpalguy]

when I saw Rise Raph's design, I was afraid they were doing to him what they did to Knuckles in Sonic Boom, so I immediately turned my back. I was also still clinging to 2012 since I grew up on it and wasn't interested in a new version to replace it. about three years after Rise came out, however, I gave it a try and now I love it. I really hope it comes back for another season!

[@viviwithav]

@@budpalguy Honestly, I love himbos so that wasn't what bothered me lol. I didn't like the promo art for Rise when it was announced in 2018, so I put off watching it until last year

[@budpalguy]

@@viviwithav I love himbos, too, I was just afraid of Raphael being nothing *but* the dumb big guy of the group lmao I was glad I was wrong, tho!

[@Zenbrey]

Great and focused video. I hope you make a sequel on the Ladies of the series too. April and Big Mama are too bombastic to be ignored.

[@viviwithav]

Maybe after the Tears of the Kingdom, and character ai videos 🤣

[@Vivigreeny25]

Please god I need to see someone else bring up April’s ninpo outfit and Casey and the other Casey and Karai and FUCK BRO THERE’S SO MUCH TO BE TALKED ABOUT LIKE I Or even how they use green to actually make the turtles and April actually feel CONNECTED to the Hamato clan instead of it just being Splinters Backstory. Or EVERYTHING ABOUT CASEY JR YOU CAN SEE HIS FAMILY IN HIS CLOTHES LIKE I?????

[@temporarilyalaine]

@@Vivigreeny25 AND THE WAY WE COULDVE HAD LESBIAN CASEY AND APRIL?? IN LITERALLY EVERY ITERATION, APRIL N CASEY ALMOST ALWAYS GET TOGETHER BRO

[@jigglyfruit09]

I like to think that the turtles powers reflect the place they are in the family like mikeys mystic chains show that he is the glue to the family. Raph is easy, he is the shield to protect his family and also the fist that will hit any threat. Leo has portals because when he thinks and makes a plan he gets the team out of that situation and also when he thinks hes fast with it, ok sure not all of them are good but thats just like portals. And donnie who mystic power is to make tech out of thin air, this shows he is the thing that makes his family's life easier by what he creates and does with it Anyway irs just what i think😅

[@viviwithav]

And it's a good point! It's the first time I've seen the boys with magic powers from the beginning rather than relying on only their weapons. The anime influence is so good

[@anxiousoptimism5517]

I honestly loved the designs in Rise when I first saw them, despite watching some previous TMNT media. It was exciting and new! I never got to watching it after seeing the trailer for the first time, but found myself drawn to the fandom when everyone started to praise it and post clips online. I love their personalities and dynamics!

[@viviwithav]

I gave it a try when I kept seeing clips of the animation. It's because of Rise that I gave Lego Monkie Kid a try too; both are good, very good.

[@WinterRabbit1]

I’m happy to see such a fun video about Rise. I remember regretting not watching it when it first started because it didn’t match my hectic schedule at the time. I grew up watching the 87 TMNT on VHS and then the 2003 series as a kid. I didn’t watch much of the 2012 version after season 2 but it was…ok. Rise, however, reignited my passion for the franchise. From the animation and character designs to the story writing; it’s just a joy to watch. I’m interested in character design myself and Rise is actually what got me to try and work with shape language more. I’m seeing a lot of improvement with my own character designs now after studying the show.

[@viviwithav]

Ida Hem's so cool. I wanna be like her lol

[@aspiring.creative.person6092]

The first thing I noticed about TOTTMNT when I saw it was the god character designs. In past versions, I always felt the orange and red, or the blue and purple, depending on which version, were too similar. That might be a result of ink or technology, but anyway, the builds were too similar and I wouldn’t know who was who. Here, not only are the colors distinct, but the silhouettes are too!! It’s great :D

[@viviwithav]

And if you didn't have the bandanas to tell them apart, you had to look at the turtle's shades of green

[@ToontownAndCpenguin]

Very much enjoyed this, I've been obsessing over these turtles lately & my friends who are around my age (I'm in my 30's) are more so into the 2003 cartoon & won't give this one the time of day so I can't talk about how awesome this is around them, hearing someone else talk about it is what there is & I'll take it.

[@viviwithav]

Oh my god, I know right??? I got my best friend into it, and he adored it. It's so genuinely heartfelt, good, and fun, and I can't give the crew enough credit for what they've done. I'm in my 20s, so I grew up watching 2003 tmnt on 4kids 😅 legit, I wouldn't be the artist I am now if it wasn't for how that show made me feel. I'm so happy you stopped by! Thank you!

[@ToontownAndCpenguin]

@@viviwithav Thankfully, I convinced one friend to watch it alongside me since she trusts my taste, we've known each other since high school & she wasn't on board with the things I was into at first, she curses out the fact that she didn't watch Gravity Falls sooner even though I tried getting her into it after season 1 ended but before season 2. We can only meet once a month for sessions which like I really want to re-watch Rise but I can wait. So neat that 2003 TMNT got you into art! I'm more into writing myself but I wish to be better at drawing, I've been doing so ever since I was old enough to pick up a pencil but I didn't constantly practice, partially because when I was young, drawing & writing was a pain for me, I had to take a special class to learn how to hold a pencil properly & find a way to more comfortably do so but I still have my limits, at least with typing, it's not so straining on my hands. What inspired me to actually improve & do more drawing was probably Danny Phantom & Toontown. Annoyingly, I can slip into somewhat of a Butch Hartman style (I hate the guy) more comfortably. I designed a game for where I use to work (an after school center) that was like a child friendly version of Mafia & instead of making basic character cards, I drew out monkeys to represent the roles & they all ended up having a bit of a cross between Butch Hartman, Toontown, & just a tiny bit of Club Penguin because when I was a teenager, I got into doing some Club Penguin drawings. Sorry about going off like that, I tend to be very chatty typically, yesterday I was eating pizza while typing my comment so I kept it short.

[@Called_Indigo404]

This is a treat! At first, i have to getting used to the Rise Turtles design. And im glad not skipping this amazing show. They deserve better and those who just say it bad and DARE TO SAY THE ANIMATION IS BAD, that mean they just TOO LAZY to look a little bit of the show, OR THEY JUST WANT SOME ATTENTION. Rise deserve the love from around world for their amazing animation SPECIALY THE FIGHT SCENE, the expresion, character personality, their design, and their dynamic. And to close it up, i like this video. Also i agree that Rise April is a QUEEN. She can kick some shells, taking care of herself, and has a great Character dynamic with the Turtles.

[@sararatliff7707]

Anyone saying the animation is bad hasn't paid enough attention to just how fluid and gorgeous the fight sequences are. When the boys get serious and actually focus on being affective, it is a joy to behold.

[@Random_aroace]

I love rise! I think it will inspire future designs to be different

[@viviwithav]

I hope it inspires a new generation of artists. I feel so warm when I see people making their OCs or their own turtlesonas

[@kalciumsthename]

I'M SO SO SO HAPPY THIS VIDEO EXISTS, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE RISE GETTING THE ATTENTION AND ANALISIS IT TRULY DESERVES ITS SUCH A POWERFUL SERIES WITH SO MANY INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING CHARACTERS YIPEE

[@viviwithav]

I'm especially happy for the new generation of tmnt fans. I think it's so sweet that each generation is guaranteed a new tmnt series of their own

[@choxomoxxo565]

FUCK YEAHHHHHH I'M TALLER THAN A NINJA TURTLE!!!!!

[@viviwithav]

I'm dead, I can hear your pfp 😂

[@EhoftheVoid]

You have the most unhinged and yet perfectly accurate descriptions of Donnie I have ever seen

[@Mallorr]

“He just wants his brothers to stop trying to end their subscription to life” is such a raw line oh my god

[@willsucceedtheartist]

you described these boys phenomenally

[@viviwithav]

Thanks man, looking forward to our collab down the line btw!

[@tartadecaca5852]

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS VIDEO, I'VE BEEN HYPERFIXATED WITH RISE FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND THERE'S ALMOST NO CONTENT ABOUT IT HERE IN YT. YOU MADE A VERY GREAT JOB EXPLAINING EVERYTHING. also I love the way you edit

[@viviwithav]

Awww, thank you! I'm still working on nailing down an editing style I like tho. See, Mikey is my fave but I've always had a crush on leo, and tbh I never really paid attention to raph or Donnie till Rise. Everyone is so well rounded, and the writers were very smart to make their individual arcs interconnected with the theme of family, and finding a function within the team

[@mr.goblin6039]

Rise is mad underrated and the hate it got was so forced and silly. From nostalgia obsessed fans who are hated the fact the Turtles were all different looking for once, to the weirdos who hated April’s new design. This and Mutant Mayhem are such a fun version of the Turtles. I’m glad more people are finding out how great Rise was.

[@Axelberry17]

I love these characters desgins because In most of the tmnt shows it’s hard to tell who’s who without their mask. But this one. Even without their masks we KNOW who’s who. We know donnie is Donnie even when he doesn’t have his mask. We know who’s who by their silhouettes. If we can identify each character correctly, simply by silhouettes, that is great character design.

[@cosmicspacething3474]

That aspect really showed up when they all put on the dark red Bandannas

[@Etoiles14]

Wow this video was amazing. I already liked your videos on tiktok. But with this I loved how in this you crossed analyzed each of them to eachother. Also your joke are funny because you sounded so happy say them. Nice touch. Also I agree it seemed sad that people judged this show so harshly.

[@viviwithav]

It really got more hate that I thought it deserved. I got into the show awhile after it was cancelled, and I couldn't see what people were complaining about. I'm also kind of biased lol, but it's so good. Thanks for popping over btw! I'm still really upset that I lost my original tiktok, so I'm trying to rebuild 🥲

[@MysticPhoenix00]

*Quietly resists the urge to ree in fellow Leo Stan* As a writer who incorporates way too much thought into her own character design (fanfic-related or original work), this video felt as educational as it did entertaining. I admit, I didn't like Rise one bit when I saw the promo art for it, so I never gave it the chance... until my feeds got flooding with the Movie's stuff, and I became a fan overnight. Literally, I was up from like 10 at night until 5 just absorbing everything Rise. 03 will always be my bias, but I regret not giving Rise the chance sooner and will be forever sad it didn't get more seasons. This show was a gem that got passed over, I think.

[@viviwithav]

Please, ree. I've been a filthy Leo stan since I was 7, and I fall back into the fandom once every few years. I'll always say 03 had the best arcs, and writing, but rise has the best visuals and editing

[@MysticPhoenix00]

​@@viviwithav *Proceeds to ree* I think I've been one since I discovered TMNT 03 when I watched 4Kids growing up as a K-gardener. Back then, I was a sucker for the "Cool collected Leader" trope... but then the ANGST, the heckin' ANGST my boy went through! 😭 Leo in 03 until Shredder Strikes Back and Exodus was a different character from post-SSB and Exo, and I was THERE for it! I eat up any Leo spotlight content, lol. The Rise movie was like ALL of that: the Leo progression, growth, and more! I still cry over the movie's finale bit because I've never been so attached to these turtles as a loving family until now. I constantly devour any Rise fan comics and fics while praying to the Studio Gods that maybe, by some miracle, this version comes back someday in some way. Leo having portal powers is like... just a bit cooler than Leo being able to turn into a dragon, lol.

[@legendunfound1137]

I love this video and it’s a crime I wasn’t recommended it sooner! This spoke to me on a spiritual level and deserves far more love. I wish you well and hope to see more of your content. 😊

[@viviwithav]

Thanks fam! I really appreciate all the love I've been getting

[@missmangayaoi]

you have no idea how excited I was to see a new Rise video on KZbin!!!! I would love to see more! you understand the twink turtles so well. and the visual language of the show is so incredible! I love hearing about it. it's so fucking refreshing omg. subscribed for sure!!!

[@viviwithav]

Thank you! I'll be updating some of my tiktok content on here too in case you're interested in some trigun stampede

[@-ayay-97]

It was 8 something pm in Texas. I was in my uncle’s house and my cousin put rottmnt on. I had known about tmnt and originally I had thought it was VERY babyish and VERY cringey. I remarked on the odd designs and made a few jokes on how the purple one (I DIDNT KNOW DONNIE’S NAME 😭😭) was kinda hot for laughs from my brother and cousin before actually starting to get into the episodes. Initial thoughts such as, “Huh, maybe this isn’t so bad,” occurred but I brushed them off. Once I had gotten home from Texas days later, I turned on my tv and switched Netflix on to check the show out fully. I. Was. IN LOVEEEEEEE. THE ACTION, THE COMEDY, THE PLOT JUST OMFGGGG I WAS HOOKED LIKE A DRUG. I thought back to how WRONG I was for drinking hatorade for this masterpiece of a show. I had to know more. I showered the internet until I found tmnt 2012, 2003, 1987 and so on. IM STILL HOOKED RISE IS LIFE RISE IS LOVEEEE ❤❤❤

[@NuggetGal]

in a way, the colors themselves *feel* like they belong to the characters. Orange typically seems to invoke a feeling of excitement or joy, think nerf guns, or the tang of the orange fruit, perfect for Mikey, the somewhat sporadic goofball who always seems to lighten the mood, or at least try. Purple typically seems to exude wealth or complexity, as showcased by Donnie's large amount of tech, while not giving off a lot of emotion in oneself, the few cases of which it does are shown in Donnie's more heartfelt moments. Red is more of two opposites combining to make one; Crimson, and Pink. Crimson being that of blood and violence, while pink is very joyful, caring, and loving, which come together to form Red, just like how these qualities come together to form Raph. Blue typically references either the ocean, or diamonds. The ocean being very mobile and always moving, while simultaneously both being fun and carefree, but also very deadly. Meanwhile, diamonds typically reference charisma or charm, these two objects' characteristics combining to form Leo. Then again this might just be me, and i'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this!

[@kenslycarpel3140]

Sounds accurate to me. I wonder if the people who created the turtles all the way back then had that in mind?

[@dansvec5391]

You did such a beautiful job of pointing out the brilliance of Rise. Hats off to you ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@axth3rr]

I cna't get over the png of the leo toy and the "This one is the slut that cries"

[@viviwithav]

I only speak truths

[@Sprout8467]

@@viviwithav It’s gross. Stop making sexual jokes about *teenagers* . They’re the *teenage* mutant ninja turtles….

[@Mal-go5dl]

@Sprout8467 it's a soft joke about cartoon turtles lighten up

[@christopherballero866]

As someone who's seen every TV incarnation of the Turtles I really liked Rise. It was nice to go to a more comedic version of the Turtles after 2 relatively serious incarnations. It was also nice that non-hardcore Turtle fans could be distinguished from each other

[@hereatmeiko]

Great job! I learnt a lot from your discussion on how shape language was used for their designs, this was fascinating and you did a great job making it straightforward and understandable. Here's to hoping that we can #saverottmnt

[@viviwithav]

I try. My issue with a lot of art education is how instructors get muddled in abstracts, or empty platitudes. ROTTMNT deserves the world, and I need people to catch on haha

[@SodaCider641]

“They have 8 NIPPLES!” “NO!” 💀💀💀💀💀

[@viviwithav]

It's the way he retreats into his seat that does it for me

[@heartofthewild680]

Donnie is also heavily autistic-coded (and also confirmed by the writers to be on the spectrum) while still being respectful to the autistic community, and as an autistic person, I love that! I want to see more realistic depictions of autism in media! I want more autistic characters who all have different autistic traits and personalities, and are all portrayed as people rather than just the butt of a joke or “the token disabled” character! I want better representation for the neurodivergent community in media, and Donnie in ROTTMNT is a wonderful start!

[@MC_.]

Nothing hurts me more than knowing i can never watch the show legally because it doest stream on netflix in my country 😫😭

[@viviwithav]

Time to take to the high seas 🏴‍☠🏴‍☠🏴‍☠

[@emperortime4380]

Raphael is boxy signifying stability. Donatello is tall and rectangular, illustrating his inherent feelings of being above others and distant. Mikey is friend shaped. Leo is a dorito for some reason. Idk maybe because he’s supposed to be sharp.

[@bilgeakaln6335]

I will forever keep talking of how valid your points are to my friends about this show's designs. ...orr whoever is around to slightly touch the topic. They are, to simply put, UNIQUE and different from other 45 previous versions. I see the tiny details jn mickey's grafitis or raphs's badages as nothing but a sign of love and thought put into the show and the brothers. Just look at their home, Leo's room with mangas and flipping action figures omg, their home too , looks lovely and cosy, with grafitis that probably mickey drew around. Even their general accesories are similar BUT they are still different to some degree. Not all of them wear the M symbol in the same place, or they use dif tools to protect dif parts of their limbs. The consept is the same but it gives the vibe of, like normal teenagers they all chose their outfits themselves. Just.... ❤❤ chef's kiss (Enjoyed every second of ur video, ow I'll be playing this in my head on repeat to keep me going)

[@foxliasgriffinYT]

i absolutely love rottmnt rise donnie js my fav and very relatable

[@viviwithav]

Were you always a fan of donnie, or do you only like rise donnie? I've noticed he's been getting a lot of love now

[@azureblooet5053]

it might just be the bias In me that hates angry characters but Raph being actually nice is everything. like if the world ever goes back to broody red guy i will actually combust

[@azureblooet5053]

Also making donnie autistic feels so obvious to me in hindsight but its perfect. Its like making zelda a nerd in botw like bruh obviously the incarnation of wisdom would be a nerd why didn’t we come up with this before. Not as the whole tech=tism thing but his kinda accidentally avoidant habits in older versions being converted into intentional character bits is everything. All of his shape language leaning in the way where he comes off as mean but mostly isn’t (ok like he does sibling bullying but he is still very nice to people other than leo)

[@viviwithav]

@@azureblooet5053 My favorite part about Donnie in ROTTMNT is how he stands up for himself because he used to be so passive in surface of his brothers' character development. I love 2003 Raph, but I agree that in the hands of a bad writer, Raph is only angry and it's a poor take on a character who's just really sensitive and temperamental

[@callumbutler05]

The cut to Leo after they say “Why not get to the source of his (Raph’s) anxiety?” 😂😂perfect. 21:54

[@vazzy2.0]

I like how you compare Mikey to a dancer because in The Lair games when Mikey is interviewed at the bottom it’s says he’s a Ballet Master which is a pretty fitting touch😌

[@Sugarr_puppy]

The fuking slut jokes 💀 Aside from that this is a really well written review and I honestly consumed every second of it

[@viviwithav]

Thanks, the script was written during a terrible three week cold, so I had to really take it slow!

[@Sugarr_puppy]

@@viviwithav aww well hope you’re feeling better now! ☺️

[@viviwithav]

@@Sugarr_puppy I'm trying! Things are still really hard, but I'm still working on it 🥰

[@Sprout8467]

Yeah. The slut jokes were gross. **Teenage** mutant ninja turtles. Disgusting…

[@ilikechipotle5475]

I loved the individually you could see from the character design and you could actually tell who a turtle is without there god damn bandanas 💀

[@aspiring.creative.person6092]

@ All the people who didn’t like that the turtles didn’t have a particular established dynamic off the bat: It’s almost like this show is called RISE of the TMNT

[@Freezient]

I like how you say Leo’s design is like a mix of Donnie and Mikey cause sometimes he does looks like one of them depending on the shots. Who knows how many times I saw Mikey fanart thinking its Leo and Leo fanarts thinking its Mikey

[@xxselkiexx6174]

Finally, watched this show back in September of last year. It was incredible. I loved it! I’ve gotten really into drawing and character design lately and what this show does with its shapes and styles is amazing. And this video really helped me with understanding it better. Thank you 😊

[@flob4400]

I remember how once I wanted to explain Raph to a friend and it wasn't until then when I noticed I have analized pretty deep all the brothers but him, because I am an older brother myself, I somehow just understood, I'm not like him, neither personality or body, but I just understood. His power made sence to me, he's the older, the biggest, naturaly adopting a softer personality in contrast of how he looks yet also naturaly developing a power that allows him to use himself as a shield cause he's big, his brothers can rely on him both physical and emotionaly. I think that's the easiest way for me to describe him. I'm not him, I don't believe myself to be able to do and act like he does, yet, as an older brother, I simply understood how and why. I also kinda though about my connection with 2012 and 2018, like- I was skeptical about 2018 but fell and got obsessed with it fast, and I wanted to kind of know why I left behind 2012 that easy, I believe is because of the brothers dynamic, in 2012 they were raised as fighters and that they had to be a team more than brothers, I barely remember the brotherly moments between them and mostly watched it cause I liked Leo xd. Yet I still was skeptical of 2018 changes cause I grew up with 2012, but as soon as I saw them being brothers all the time it melted me. In 2018 they actually grew as brothers and their problems seem more emotional towards each other more than just team work problems, and that's what was destroying me in the movie, Leo being called out cause he wasn't doing well leading the team, and Raph reacting to thi similar to how 2012 Leo would. Is not me saying that I didn't liked it, is me saying how much on an emotional edge the movie had me and I believe that that's why I have a stronger connection Rise

[@yourlocalpossum4744]

ROTTMNT is good and ppl who hate the big changes can go live in New Jersey>:( They TRIED to change things, I really don't get the back lash. It introduced me to TMNT, and I love the humor, characters, and everything about it. I love all the TMNT series but Rise just drew me in a way the other ones can't. I really wish we had more time. I swear we need to embrace change in the TMNT series so it can get a wide veriety of audiences. I love seeing them develop and train, and I LOOOOVE THE VILLAINS. And the voice acting? MWAH CHEFS KISS And don't get me started on the fighting styles. MWA THE FIGHTING ANIMATIONS ARE TOP TEIR BRO. AHUSFDQFIOEJFHDSEWIUF)G I also love to see how the style develops, like comparing the first episode to the movie is INSANE. Mikey=Chaotic good Donnie=Chaotic neutral Leo=Chaotic neutral Raph=Lawful good I don't care what others think, I LOVE THESE GOOFY CHAOTIC TURTLES Oh btw someone get Raph to hug me he needs a hug, I need a hug, PLEASE he's so huggable. Also I get Leo, I get it. I squeal when I see 2012 Leo's ADORABLE smile. HES SO CUTE. Rise Leo just reminds me of myself to a POINT. It's INSANE how much Leo is like me. And in conclusion, this show makes me foam at the mouth

[@viviwithav]

I've been foaming at the mouth since I was 7, this entire franchise has me by the BALLS. I love that every generation gets their own TMNT, and the community is only growing bigger as time goes on

[@yourlocalpossum4744]

@@viviwithav Im a tmnt newbie but this franchise has me in a choke hold already

[@Commenter839]

BRUH, the animation in the first episode was already really good, but by the time we reach the final fight against Shredder it's just friggin god tier. They had NO REASON to go this hard, and it just makes me wonder what action sequences we'll never see because the show got cancelled/indefinitely paused. Shout out to the deleted storyboard of Leo/Donnie/Raph/Mikey fighting Krang 1 towards the climax of the movie. The final version was already incredible as is, but the storyboard alone has some of the best sakuga I've ever seen and it's a crime that it got cut. Jfc I can't get over how good the animation is, the fight scenes in Rise can legitimately go toe to toe with a lot of popular anime out there

[@yourlocalpossum4744]

@@Commenter839 The movie was INSANELY GOOD. Shout out to Flying Barks Studio fr!! (Another good example of their animations is Lego Monkey kid!!! Has similar vibes as ROTTMNT, if you liked the humor and vibes of Rise I bet you'd like LMK!!)

[@Commenter839]

@@yourlocalpossum4744 I've actually been on a quest to watch all of Flying Bark's shows post-Rise, since most of their shows after 2018 give off similar vibes to it in some way. As of right now I've watched Glitch Techs (RIP) and Moon Girl, and I want to watch Monkie Kid next, but the first 2 seasons are practically impossible to find in decent quality without a Prime subscription. I wouldn't mind buying the show outright- I purchased Rise on KZbin- but I can't find an official way to just buy the show anywhere either. So now I'm waiting for Amazon to offer me another free Prime trial so I can hopefully download and watch Monkie Kid

[@beachballssideaccount]

I checked your channel's video list and was surprised to see this is your first one! Aside from some hiccups in the audio this essay is very well put together. It's a fascinating look into the turtles' dynamic in Rise, how they reflect and even subvert ideas associated with their designs (i.e. the analysis on Raph's facial expression) and how they've changed across iterations. tl;dr turtle video very good!

[@viviwithav]

Thank you! I'm gonna keep putting my nose to the grind stone from here and try to get better

[@bruhmcbro2704]

OO, character DESIGN analysis?? For Rise? OF COURSE IM WATCHING!!

[@viviwithav]

I hope you like what's to come then :)

[@cicirosehannigan]

You could always do a part 2 of this essay!

[@viviwithav]

Funny you should say that cause I got a collab in the works for ROTTMNT :)

[@cozmicbrowniies]

random lil thing that i think is worth mentioning: in the episode “smart lair” in the scene donnie and mikey are playing an arcade game and shelldon makes mikey loose, their icons appear on the screen for a moment. mikeys icon is literally a circle and donnies is literally a rectangle

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

These versions of the turtles are hands down my second favorite, I LOVE that they are all different species of turtles. While the 2012 turtles are still my fav, the Rise turtles are a very close second and they definitely have the cooler designs

[@vitraartist2622]

I've only seen rise of the tmnt but I adore it. Such a fantastic show. Also Leo is best boy.

[@viviwithav]

I recommend 2003 TMNT for the writing, and character arcs. It's also a pretty faithful take on the mirage comics

[@catherinesheffield8093]

Since Donnie is canonically autistic, I've heard the interpretation that Donnie was confused at his own tears because he struggles with emotions.

[@WannabeArtist55]

As someone who haves ADHD this makes Donnie a lot more relatable to me, since I too struggle to understand both me and other people.

[@maxdark1585]

His powers actually appeared in season 2 but im wondering if youve seen that season? I might be totally wrong but season 2 actually has an episode with some character development for donnie, ahout how he overcompensates with tech and is insecure about his place in the family without it. Im at 13:41 when making this comment so if youre about to bring that up i apologize

[@maxdark1585]

Another reason I think this is cause the other 3 went back to their og weapons in season 2, so mikey uses nunchucks again in the movie, leo has 2 katanas instead of 1 odachi, raph has his sais again. This is because the mystic weapons they had were meant to represent their biggest flaws in being a team, and throughout season 1 and 2 those flaws were addressed through the episodes and worked on, so they were able to rise up and use the weapons as a well oiled machine (until further inter family drama happened leading up to the movie a few months after season 2 took place)

[@viviwithav]

Hey, so that was my fault haha. I was horribly sick, and I meant to say something about how Leo's safety was such a powerful trigger for him, he broke two of his major rules: to not get emotional, and to not use his mystic art. You're not wrong fam, I was being dumb

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

19:58 Thats a common snapping turtle

[@Kittenmax15]

Hey thanks it’s nice to see a old tmnt fan be kind to rise! As I have not found a Vidilike this before. Also your right about the reincarnation cycle thing it dose feel that way

[@angelalycos2.076]

You really could have fooled me with how well put together this was, I never would have thought this was your first vid.

[@viviwithav]

Aw, thanks fam. It was a really big struggle for me, but I plan on getting better 💕

[@xxselkiexx6174]

I grew up with the 2012 turtles, and it’s been one of my favourite shows too this day. However I also really want to watch rottmnt at some point, because it looks like it’s so much fun 😊 Great vid by the way 👍

[@viviwithav]

Do yourself a favor, it's so good. Thank you btw

[@tmaxim2651]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Donnie’s autistic traits. Great video though :)

[@viviwithav]

I would if I was discussing the writing of the show :) personally, his character design doesn't convey his autistic traits, but his rigid shape language and expression work makes him emotionally distant

[@blankedeye1451]

"Raph has the muscles to support generational trauma" NAHHH U DID NOT

[@WannabeArtist55]

Roast of the generation. *pun intended*

[@Pyro_Papillo]

Your descriptors, for these characters is sending me off the fucking wall

[@DGKnight20]

I loved every single one of the tmnt iterations. All of them, I just wanted more of them.

[@causallycrazy136]

this is a great video and all the points are explained really well, I do think the background music is a little loud at some points and it makes it a little hard to hear.

[@viviwithav]

I'm sorry, it's something I need to get better at! Audio mixing is really hard, and it's something I'm gonna address on my TOTK video. Thanks for the feedback!

[@causallycrazy136]

@@viviwithav Thank you

[@jinx7075]

THE READ ON DONNY NOO

[@lynnboartsdye1943]

I’d like to waggle my finger at the fans for bashing the show so much that it didn’t get the chance to run a full course like it deserved. We missed out on so much stuff like the reveal of big mamas assistant and an episode that focuses on mikey and Ralph’s dynamic more. Also fun fact, there’s a headcanon about Leo being transmasc since typically male red eared sliders lose their red marks into adulthood whilst the females keep their red marks, I’m doubtful this is canon but it’s really cool to see. I hope future adaptations take a lesson from rise and adapt some of its utterly iconic villains.

[@SummerStars18]

I'm so sorry, I'm not sure if it's my laptop or your cut off style/ music overlay but sometimes I can hear you fine and other times I have to crank my voume up only to wrench it back down when the music/ voice overs clip plays- those HURT when you have headphones on. OW!. Do you do your voice overs at different paces from the mic? I'm so sorry but it's killing me because i'm loving this video so much and i want to hear everything but i'm spending as much time adjusting my volume as i am listening to you. BUT on a much better note, i love the depth you go into their charcters with how they differ from the previous versions but at their core they are still the same. And I too love how this is 'RISE' we are seeing the Turtles before they became their more 'serious' counterparts, although thankfully this version shows that they are still goig to be more realistic even after a growth period. I love Raph's contrast of bigger, older, tank of a brother, whilst still having a childlike center- He's the perfect version of judging someone by their apperance. I also love that Donnie is still very much a confident cocky teen, who hasn't yet gone full mad scientist on us- The original turtles, and the 2003 Turtles whom I grew up with (and loved!) always felt like Adults- still love their brothers and their family but much more reigned in and controlled vs the Rise which literally show what little shits brothers are and how fun, messing around and annoying the pants off each other whilst still having their backs and being a 'if you touch my family you're not going home'...Just gonna link that amv cos it's amazing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKqbdGmpo9ljrKM AND OH MY GODS MIKEY, what a little cute potato. I could not adore this boy anymore if I tried! His whole positive smol bean vibe that can then go 'Dr Delicate Touch'? HOOO BOY! I am HERE for this! I don't know- i just have so many feelings about this series and how IN LOVE with it I am. I love that this series came at this from the side of humor whilst stepping up with animation angles and flow because Feck me but the Krang fight scene in the movie was spectactular! Ok I've waffled on long enough but yeah GREAT vid, but please try to fix the volume levels. Thank you!

[@viviwithav]

It's not you, it's me. I recorded this when I was sick and had trouble breathing, and I dont know anything about audio mixing. It's something that's been a problem with this video, so im trying to fix it for my TOTK video! And thank you! If not for the technical quality, I try to make up for it with substance and knowledge. I want peoples' biggest takeaway from this video (if they can listen to it in peace), is to go give the show a try. It's so so good, and I love 2003 tmnt, but it suffers from the design issues that rottmnt fixes. Thanks for the amv rec btw, I've been eating up all the rottmnt edits!

[@berniedavis6676]

I've been on the TMNT ride since 1987. that's right, I'm an old-timer. XD I've seen every design of the turtles some good & some bad. and I enjoyed Rise. and I'm looking forward to seeing the new Seth Rogen TMNT movie when it comes out. I know you referenced the 2003 tmnt which was closer to the comics a lot in this vid, and I don't blame you that was an awesome series. but if you are talking about the cartoon turtles then you have to mention the OGs. the Fred Wolf era, the 1987-1996 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. it started with them and their most iconic versions of the Heros in a Half Shell. hope you get to do a video on character designs of shows from the 80s and 90s.

[@viviwithav]

Man, when I was kid I was obsessed with 2003 TMNT so much, I didn't give the OG ones a try. I need to pick up the comics again at the very least, though I can't say the same for the live action show 😅

[@anokartist2352]

12:04 my sister walked in on that exact moment 🥲

[@kaloyanpetrov7863]

Lol I actually stumbled across you channel while on my way back to home after university actually when I was choosing where to continue my studies I got accepted into animation too but at last I chose architecture because it was something I like too tough not as much as drawing and animation and it made my grandmothers happy but now I aways have this feeling what if I tough the other path. Anyways thank you for the amazing video I will look forward to see more of your content.

[@OozeyMutagen]

I love this video and how you kept simping for Leo out of no were!😂 Honestly same girl, same.💙💙 Also thanks for this video and for explaining their designs. And I hope more people will start liking rottmnt!❤❤

[@tyokabina2829]

Fun fact. Donnie is on the spectrum and Mikey got ADHD. I should have the wog tweet saved somewhere on my computer. Frankly I am relentlessly happy to finally have a decent media representation outside of educational. And it just happens to be my favourite turtle ❤

[@maggot216]

I was surprised that Donnie's Autism wasn't even mentioned.

[@mosiahmendoza6846]

I think this light be the best adaptation of the turtles yet #saverottmnt

[@shirotokuro1675]

12:05 GIRL WHAT

[@Glowbead]

4:10 "This one is a sl*t who cries" Best way to describe leo 🏳️‍🌈

[@stabbycat748]

As someone who has annoyed the absolute living bajesus out of my best friend because I redesign Amy every time they make a new Sonic AU, and I always try and give each and every detail of her design some kind of meaning, I LOVE THIS VIDEO!!! Also, I am exactly half an inch taller than Leo. That makes me happy.

[@avetisova]

Mmmmm quality content!! Didn't even realize it was 40 minutes long it felt not long enough!! Let's goooo!!

[@viviwithav]

I'm glad. Down the line, if I can somehow earn money from this, I wanna go balls deep and post hour long video essays

[@cosmicspacething3474]

Honestly it’s sad that the series had a rocky start because of it didn’t it would’ve been much less hated. Because it rose beyond all the other half ass reboots (pun entirely intended)

[@Peasham]

I mean nah the start was fine, people doing a racism because of it wasn't its fault lol

[@queentamer9095]

Amazing video! I hope more fans of tmnt, especially rise, see this

[@mariahthemarionette6536]

You are curly and passionate about what you do. This was a wonderful review.

[@phlpcockrell]

The audio isn't great at some parts but it's always great to get a deep dive into Rise

[@viviwithav]

Thanks, I still really appreciate you giving the video a try. I hope you like my next one!

[@Ziz-The-Fox]

The people ranting about rottmnt got me so fired up you have no idea.

[@ccloud-qb9eo]

omg this video is hilarious, I need more of this 😭

[@viviwithav]

Thank you, I'll try!

[@firepuppies4086]

The character designs being vastly different can be a bit problematic for Ninjas in the traditional sense. The clone technique was an actual thing where numerous people attempt to look the same to kind of trick the targets and authorities to limit the ability to tell identity... But these aren't like, normal , realistic ninjas by approach. So it's acceptable and works for what they are going for

[@viviwithav]

Also, they subtly address that when they wear the Hamato drip. It's the same outfit, but the only difference are their silhouettes

[@Kermitaine]

Yeah I understand your love for character design. It's like my favorite subject! Nice video btw! 😄

[@bilgeakaln6335]

22:07 ODAHDHAFHACHA OMG YES! ONE OF US ONE OF US! I mean idk what to tell you ig we have a thing for blues

[@jabreakitjubawtit4748]

I feel like same as it never was was 2003 Donnie’s window moment

[@dnpanimationstudio382]

Amazing analysis💖💖💖 you noticed so many amazing details!

[@valtoonz]

Damn, this channel is underrated

[@viviwithav]

Thanks fam, I just got here lol

[@plain_otaku_dude224]

31:00 what was that 😂😂😅