What Made The 2003 TMNT So GREAT | Series Retrospective (Part 1)

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I have been a massive fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for years now, and to close out my content for 2021, I am going in depth on one of my favorite cartoons, the 2003 TMNT. This being the first episode of an eight episode series. Each season and Turtles Forever will get their own videos, like I did for the DCAU Retrospective. Hope everyone enjoys it!
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00:00 Intro History Lesson
07:18 The 2003 Series
12:57 Bringing It To Life
16:14 The Status Quo
18:17 The Shredder Strikes
26:25 The Shredder Strikes Back
35:03 The Return to New York
40:10 The Search For Splinter

[@JsReviews]

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[@kaidorade1317]

Though I saw a few seasons of the OG series, the 2003 reboot was my jam! This version of Shredder was bone chilling

[@diagonalscroll5]

…how did you comment 2 days before posting the video?

[@danielbaran4724]

Didn’t this series spawn the two sequel series: TMNT: Flashforward and TMNT: Back to the Sewers?

[@kaidorade1317]

@@danielbaran4724 yes it did. I didn’t care for those series

[@cpmc1164]

How did you watch the 2003 series?

[@majesticmo5048]

I've always compared TMNT 2003 to teen titans. Both feel pretty similar. They balance comedy with deep story telling so well. Also this shredder and slade are both very menacing

[@paulgilbert5278]

2003 Shredder is way more menacing than Slade

[@andreix3771]

@@paulgilbert5278 whos slade

[@akmaldanial67]

@@andreix3771 The Deathstroke from Teen Titans

[@jeyfomson6364]

Agreed.

[@andreix3771]

@@akmaldanial67 oh ok

[@HinokasArabfan1]

Scottie ray as the shredder is the greatest decision ever. His laugh is as iconic as the character. And his theme STILL sends chills down my spine to this day as an adult too.

[@digitaltailsmon4096]

Oh heck ya besides Zane from Yugioh GX, the Shredder is still the best voice he ever did.

[@1000tlt]

I didn't know he voiced Zane in gx

[@shanecorcoran2542]

@TenseDart his laugh as Alder makes it very clear it’s Scottie ray lol

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Love this Shredder! However, nearly all shredders have a fantastic voice! From Uncle Phil in the 80s to Trigon for the 2012 series, none disappoint!

[@shanecorcoran2542]

@@LowellLucasJr. agreed! I love KMR the most but Scottie Ray and James Avery are awesome too! I have a soft spot for 90 shredder as well.

[@Blackferret66]

That scene where Leo, as hurt as he is, manages to knock the bookcase over onto Shredder to save Splinter, and then Splinter's reaction, one mixed with shock, horror, sympathy, and maybe even a little pride, is my favorite moment of the entire series, and actually one of my favorite scenes in any cartoon.

[@nuparkerzfc6700]

Ive always loved the connection that the same "chemicals/ooze" that made the turtles "mutants" is the same stuff that made daredevil blind

[@jammin2575]

There’s a fair amount that came from and was parodying of Daredevil example’s: the Foot/the Hand, Stick/Splinter and the ooze/radioactive waste. There’s more but can’t remember it off hand.

[@staysolidshades254]

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved..... d

[@truffeltroll6668]

@@staysolidshades254 the ooze that made Daredevil blind is the same one that made the pharaohs family sick in the bible

[@paveantelic7876]

@@staysolidshades254 bruh

[@TheBlueTyphoon17]

2003 TMNT will always be my favorite iteration of the Turtles. Even at 28 years old, I still find myself watching through the whole show at least once a year. It’s that good to me.

[@dnmstarsi]

Same. As someone who is 28 as well, I'm also attached to this iteration of TMNT and while I started with Turtles in Time, The Manhattan Project, the first two live action movies and a bit of the Next Mutation that I barely remembered, the 2003 show was a more proper intro to this franchise.

[@khaliyahjefferson832]

@@dnmstarsi I always watched tmnt 2003 in 2017 and I enjoyed it until fast forward and also it was weird when they turned into dragons in that one arc

[@BiriBiri925]

Same here. I can sit down and rewatch the first 4 seasons anytime. All of them are very good. This is not the first turtle show I've watched. I watched the 87 series on VHS many years ago. But the 2003 series is the only one I really like. And the only one that I think is good. Years ago this showed me why 87 was bad. And when I got acquainted with the original comics already at a more conscious age, I was only convinced of this. The '87 series is terrible. If such an adaptation of the original came out now, it would simply be razed to the ground.

[@hadizabihi8128]

Same

[@GTD9002]

For REAL yo!! Its a Classic For Me!

[@Goaheadandstaymad21332]

Out of all the turtles, I love the relationship between Leo and Raph the most. They always have conflicting ideologies and they will argue to the point where they'd throw down. Though when Leo was on the brink of death it was Raph who broke down into tears out of fear of losing his brother. I truly believe that out of all the turtles, those two have the best bond.

[@singingwolf8997]

Anybody with a sibling probably relates to that kind of relationship so much. You butt heads, you argue, you never see eye to eye, but you still love them and would rather take on an army than watch them suffer.

[@velvetdarksoul8741]

@@singingwolf8997 unfortunately 2012 is just so much toxic masculinity and they honestly seem to hate eachorher so much

[@singingwolf8997]

@@velvetdarksoul8741 I've honestly never really watched the 2012 series. I've tried to watch episodes when it was still on tv, but it always seemed like everyone was just yelling and arguing all the time.

[@kenanwallace2124]

Yeah, this show and the 2007 film got that relationship between Leo and Raph down really well. My favourite renditions of the Turtles to date in all honesty, although 2012 was pretty golden as time went on.

[@Makise3]

I agree, seeing their relationship grow throughout the series was a very nice and realistic experience. They are also my top 2 of the 4 turtles and they probably always will be. They both are just so cool but for totally different reasons that are unique to their character.

[@mechajay3358]

The 2003 show is what introduced me to the TMNT Franchise and it's just a incredible show. It's one of my favorite interpretations of the Turtles.

[@_SWFB]

whats ur fav? mines idw

[@SirGrimLockSmithVIII]

It's also insane how clean the animation for the 2003 show was considering it was just a Saturday Morning cartoon.

[@teddybeer6206]

FINALLY. My favorite TMNT show is getting some recognition. 2 things I love about this version of TMNT. 1) The TMNT are not superheroes. They do the right thing but they don't actively seek out crimes to fight. 2) The good guys don't always win. It makes the series feel more "realistic", keeps us on the edge of our seats and makes the victories all the more rewarding.

[@singingwolf8997]

I really like that the turtles don't always come out on top. Just the fact that we've seen pretty much all of them go through some serious emotional issues is so different from many similar shows. Leo's total tonal shift in season 4, for example, is honestly extremely relatable. While other shows would have the protagonists simply celebrating the defeat of the enemy, we see Leo dealing with the feeling of failure for nearly getting his family killed, regardless of their victory and clutch rescue. It affects his whole personality, even bordering on PTSD, which feels more realistic than "Hooray, we almost died, but we won anyway!".

[@kylekullin2520]

Ramboraph4life did reviews.

[@Tavemanic]

@@singingwolf8997 agreed, holy fuck I loved this show when it was on TV

[@singingwolf8997]

@@Tavemanic You can usually find the entire series for free here on KZbin. They get claimed from time to time, but they always get reposted.

[@lightheart5]

That's how it was like in the original 1984 comic

[@hakimsensei1648]

I also love how the theme changes every time something big happens like how after they beat the shredder the part that said “watch out for the shredder” was changed to the turtles saying “we beat the shredder” that always got me hype

[@kaams224]

It's actually "We shredded Shredder", it sounds even cooler than what you commented

[@JoshuaJacobs83]

@@kaams224 Wow.

[@singingwolf8997]

And when Karai took up the mantle, it changed to her saying "What out for Shredder". Just fun little touches that kept the intro up to date with the changing seasons.

[@tygarner9142]

@@singingwolf8997 Yoooo I REMEMBER that!!

[@dragongamerrylucius]

One of Casey's best lines that I can still remember: "Give me a toaster, or give me death!"

[@Wickedfan219]

The 2003 series is what got me into the TMNT fandom and it’s one of my favorite iteration of the TMNT. That version and the 2012 version are my absolute favorite versions of TMNT.

[@MINI_91]

2003 is by far my favorite version of the show. I grew up on the 80's version, but 2003 does everything better imo.

[@Deedric_Kee]

👍🏽

[@MariusWales]

Sometimes, I feel like 4Kids Entertainment doesn't get as much credit where it's due. I mean most of the censorship and story editing sucked, but they did launch the careers of many talented people and introduced a large variety of shows to many parts of the world, such as Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and TMNT 2003.

[@ayrtonjoga]

Yeah, it's even kinda ironic how the same fans who crucify 4Kids for "ruining" Sonic X because of the censorship are the same folks who says Jason Griffith is the best Sonic, despite 4Kids being the reason he was on the role in the next games until 2009 lol

[@cliffturbo2146]

@@ayrtonjoga Not everyone are grateful.

[@gundambassexe31]

I miss the 4kids Saturday morning block

[@digitaltailsmon4096]

I agree immensely. 4kids was not perfect and I fully understand many hate their guts but their is so much they did in introducing anime to kids in the 2000s and especially with shows like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and others. Also their voice actors are some of the best in the business in my eyes and it's great to see some have moved on beyond it.

[@shanecorcoran2542]

Not to mention 4kids had some amazing voice actors, mostly in those 4 shows you just listed.

[@AxelKonzern]

One of Splinter's lines from "Return to New York" has always stuck as my "Badass Childhood Memory". When finishing off the Foot Mystics: "Fire melts Metal, Water quenches Fire, Earth swallows Water, Wind scatters Earth, And I shall quell the Wind!"

[@EvyDevy]

SAME!

[@minuteworld7027]

you will NEVER BE A WOMAN.

[@Goofballhero]

Wow, I've never heard that but that is some Tolkien level epic poeticism.

[@ozodari6160]

@@Goofballhero it describes the star of vishnu. The sustainer, the preservation of life through endless flow and chaos

[@Goofballhero]

@@ozodari6160 No wonder, thanks for pointing that out. Is there a specific Vedic text you could point me towards that it is from per chance? Hinduism has some of the coldest yet cool lines I've read in a book period.

[@Patrick_The_Pure]

For someone who grew up with the original cartoon, i can say, it hasn't aged that well. I tried watching it a few years ago, i just couldn't. The 2003 series, especially the first seasons were absolute masterpieces.

[@nicolewhite3157]

Yeah it didn't but unlike some people might make you believe it wasn't comedy the series. there were a lot of serious moments

[@elitheriot9230]

I loved the original but I can see why you’d feel that way I’m just big on nostalgia I guess

[@jordancrooks6752]

Well th 2012 one was actually good with tmnt 2003

[@jakal911]

Same. 87 show was a kids show that ended up getting heavily censored and became very repetitive. It's hard to watch, and I watched most of it during its first run. I was a full adult watching 2003 and it made me so happy that they made it more mature. The movie is my ultimate favorite rendition, and this follows its lead.

[@Sir-Loin_1976]

The 5 episode pilot from the fred wolf series still holds up pretty decently but after that, not so much imo.

[@KelvinShadewing]

Fun fact about Next Mutation: the scenes where Raph heads out on his bike aren't just one clip reused every episode. It was shot multiple times, and one of them, which made it into the show, includes a chunk of the bike falling off when he hits the curb.

[@luisquintero7359]

Another fun fact is that the next mutation turtles actually crossed over with Power Rangers In Space. The episode was Shell Shocked. Recently, the turtles once again teamed up with MMPR in the Boom Comics.

[@ExoParadigmGamer]

TMNT 2003 season 1, as a series attempting to tell an ongoing story on an episodic basis, is almost perfectly paced and structured. It knows the right time to throw in a new twist. It knows the right time to take a break from the main story and build up intrigue for the A plot. And it knows the right time to go hog wild with action and character confrontations. Each emotional and narrative beat is delivered to a T, with the Shredder Strikes Back being an excellent example of a villain gaining the upper hand and Tales of Leo providing an excellent dramatic low point. Then, of course, Return to New York makes an exciting, action-packed climax, all the while making the Shredder more mysterious than ever with nothing but action set pieces (e.g. the presence of Foot Mystics, mutant Shredder clones, and of course that chilling ending shot). There are so many great character moments in this season, too. One of my favorite moments is during The Monster Hunter, where Leo is reveling in his failure to protect his family, and Raphael (who is characterized by his bluntness and quickness to action through anger) helps guide Leo out of his emotional rut by helping forge new katanas and jump back into action. Of course, we also have the Shredder, who is expertly voiced and characterized as the ultimate antagonistic force. A villain in a kids show who is heavily implied to have killed someone as early as the first episode. I get chills every time I see him walk out of that burning building in The Shredder Strikes Part 2. Season 1 is so close to perfect that the show never really reaches those heights again. Season 2 is a mixed bag, and Season 3 has a lot of great episodes but ultimately feels redundant because the Shredder plot was basically wrapped up in Return to New York (or more definitively, Secret Origins) but kept limping along anyway. At the very least, it should be interesting to see you cover those seasons. Speaking of which, I love the new format you've developed for this season. As much as I rewatch the DCAU videos, after a while the episode-by-episode approach eventually became 90% summary and 10% analysis. They became a shorter way of rewatching the season as opposed to content in their own right. This video strikes a good balance between summary and analysis and keeps the flow going. Unfortunately, there are a few casualties to the format. While I totally understand skipping over Garbageman, Fallen Angel, Lone Raph and Cub, and especially the Unconvincing Turtle Titan (an episode that is so wildly out of place compared to the rest of the series that it might as well be non-canon), the casualty is that you skipped over Nano. While a standalone, B Plot episode, the emotional components easily rival or exceed the best of BTAS or even JL.

[@jeromethompson5848]

Well said it's like the 2003 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles took kids seriously as well as the adults

[@FormalFilmsProductions]

Well said

[@schmecklin377]

Definitely all true. As a kid, this shows mixture of emotional storytelling and pure action was just perfect.

[@AshTheDuke]

I realized they don’t show blood even those weapons cause blood lol

[@TheGloryXros]

By far the BEST iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Hands down. I wanna rewatch this all some day.

[@dave7474]

Ive been watching it with my mom in full lately. we got to see bits and pieces on 4kids and the random dvds, I was too young to really GET IT so now as an adult rewatching it its a ton of fun. Just finished season 1, great show love it. Sorry for replying to a year old comment, I just read it and I had to tell you

[@JaxBlade]

32:52 LEGIT Tho!! I was 12 years old when that midseason finale happened & I kept checking every Saturday for New TMNT eps but they just kept replaying earlier ones cause this was before DVR & TIVO so you couldnt just set a thing to record new episodes & so after 5 weeks of waiting & replays I just figured theyll play an ad when the season starts back up so I stopped watching the channel around that timeframe but then 5 months later they are fighting shredder again and Im like "when did this come back and how many eps did I miss?!" it was soo frustrating lmao

[@tomnorton4277]

Scottie Ray's voice acting as Shredder is iconic. As a character, I actually like the 2012 Shredder more because there's a tragic element about him and his immaturity and refusal to accept his own mistakes ends up costing him everything. However, you can't beat Scottie Ray's voice. Unlike Kevin Michael Richardson, he didn't have a particularly complex character to work with but he sounded like a demon that rose from the depths of hell. That's very fitting because season 5 revealed that the original Shredder literally WAS a demon in this universe and Ray was doing that voice right from the first episode, long before anybody would have told him about the demon Shredder.

[@digitaltailsmon4096]

I agree! This very year I actually learned who Scottie was or at least his name and his voice acting roles due to honestly one of the poorest casting decisions on 4kids with him playing the love interest in a show called Mew Mew Power or Tokyo Mew Mew as it's know everywhere else and well it's not the best role for him as he sounds way to old and it's distracting. But him as the Shredder and even Zane from Yugioh is where it is at.

[@BiriBiri925]

Shredder shouldn't be a tragic character. It's just...not right.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@BiriBiri925 Why not? It's a different take off Shredder and it worked. Why would you want him to just be pure evil every time?

[@jagtech490]

@@BiriBiri925 shredder has always been a tragic character, the original mirage shredder donned the armor out of vengeance for his brothers death at the hands of Hamato Yoshi splinters master.

[@tananatana4011]

I think the main difference is that Shredder in 2012 is like a genuine Shredder character, it's a modernization of the original cartoon enemy. 2003 Shredder is more of a fusion between two main villains from the og cartoon in an attempt to create a completely new character. They've combined Kraang and Shredder into Ch'rell, a completely original TMNT character. I see Ch'rell equally as innovating as Bishop for instance

[@beavers1978]

I grew up with the 2003 series. Pretty much my favorite version of the turtles.

[@TheRibottoStudios]

What I always REALLY liked about the 03 series, is that each season would give you at least a few solo episodes with each turtle. So that way you could further bond with your favorite and come to have an understanding about a turtle you might not have liked previously. Leonardo will never be my favorite, simply cause as a younger sibling myself, I see a lot of my sister in him; the worrier, the RESPONSIBLE one, always having to listen to what they say, cause "THEY'RE THE OLDEST" never seeing eye to eye....but the episode Tales of Leo...seeing Raph break down like he did...it made me realize that sure you'll always butt heads but you'd rather be in that spot they're in then see them suffer yourself. And it made me understand WHY my sister might have gone a little overboard whenever the parents were out.

[@LeopoldLitchenstein]

Tales of Leo is one of the reasons why he's my favorite of the bunch and I absolutely adore him being the worrying older brother (provided he isn't a dick about it like he tends to be in some of the movies)

[@tonys6620]

man I love how insanely dark TMNT 2003 is compared to other 4kids shows. They censored riceballs and the concept of death, but will not hesitate showing Baxter Stockman losing limbs and body parts to the point of being just a brain in a jar

[@zyro7756]

Was not expecting this but I’m happy to see it I was SO obsessed with this interpretation of this show when I was a kid so I’m happy to see it again Might genuinely rewatch it after this. Thanks for the throwback J

[@s-1348]

@@Deltabolster I'm currently finishing my rewatch, I believe that seasons 1-5 hold up great, minus those “dynamic backgrounds” use in many action shots from earlier seasons

[@chriscannon8144]

@@s-1348 Out of curiosity, do you plan on rewatching the Fast Forward & Back to the Sewer seasons?

[@s-1348]

@@chriscannon8144 I wasn’t planning on, but I’m currently already in BttS, so yes!

[@kawaki4441]

@@Deltabolster You have high ridicilously high expectations. If this show doesn't hold up, then nothing does.

[@velboi3823]

here's a place you can rewatch it kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKXIZnmDbbedo80&ab_channel=TMNT2003

[@AidGum]

Another thing I noticed in this series is that Splinter has grey fur, while the previous incarnations of him had brown fur. I think this was part of the whole moving on from the past decade thing J was bringing up too.

[@singingwolf8997]

I agree. I think they did try to show that Splinter had brown fur when he was younger, but that was thrown out later on, even showing him as a full on rat with grey fur. I like that touch as it sets him apart from other versions, while also helping to sell the 'wise old master' look.

[@AidGum]

@@singingwolf8997 It's so weird for me to see him with brown fur too since this was the adaption I grew up with.

[@singingwolf8997]

@@AidGum Same! Grey Splinter will always be the real Splinter for me.

[@Mike-eo1bw]

I still watch this series to this day as an adult, and I actually appreciate it even more as an adult. It does a superb job of balancing the dark themes with the humor of the turtles, action and character development.

[@cece6802]

where can i watch the show, and it is hd ?

[@iStefqn]

@@cece6802 you can watch it here on youtube, there's a whole playlist from season 1-7.

[@ocarinaplaya]

Baxter Stockman being reduced to a brain in a jar reminds me of a short doushinji that was posted on 4chan that depicted a school girl in class who would lose body parts when she got answers wrong. At the end she was just a pair of eyes and a brain and wept that the teacher still cared enough to make sure she succeeds even though he's the one who put her in the jar.

[@TheLastSterling1304]

Um, sauce?

[@SSJFutureGohan62093]

I had a figure of Stockman in his spider body thing. It was one of my favorites. Lmaoooo about the doushinji

[@ocarinaplaya]

@@TheLastSterling1304 idk. You may be able to find it under the guro tag in a booru

[@R.A.W-X7]

That's enough internet for me.

[@jacksontyer5762]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j57FZGd8eap2jrs

[@Kira_Official_]

I'm glad that there are people who enjoyed this interpretation of the turtles just as much as myself. Every time they release a new interpretation, I always compare it to this version. Waking up on Saturday mornings as kid to watch this was worth it.

[@solonsaturngaming3727]

same here with my mom, dad (Rest in Peace) and my younger brother, we all would wake up early and turn to Foxbox and watch the toons there. and when our sister came in Winx Club was forced to be watched Lol sadly that whole era i liked.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

38:58 When Shredder agrees with his enemy, that is an AWESOME Chill moment!!!

[@sbkeel5639]

2003 TMNT was truly one of the best shows ever. The plots were so fantastic!

[@matthewreynoso6904]

I loved watching this show as a kid, it balanced both seriousness and silliness very well! The voices really match the characters!

[@littlesparrow303]

Yes!! This is why I’m glad I grew up with this series than the 87’s. I like 2012 tmnt but is 2nd best to this series

[@deniseg9210]

The main shredder from this incarnation is definitely my favorite!

[@HinokasArabfan1]

The DEFINITIVE incarnation.

[@deniseg9210]

@@HinokasArabfan1 yeah Ch’rell was so cool! Thought I do think the 2012 incarnation of Shredder is a close second with the third in my book being the Rise incarnation of the shredder.

[@redred222]

no the version from the idw comic series is a true shredder, i also like the 2012 animated one too, he shouldnt be called shredder cause hes not in anything that way but the 2003 series

[@deniseg9210]

@@redred222 dude it’s my opinion not a fact it’s just what I think dude.

[@redred222]

@@deniseg9210 i wasent saying your opinion is wrong at all i was just saying my own no problem liking that shreadder not everyone grew up with the 80s shredder or the comic version

[@lukyshot248]

So happy that this series is getting more recognition these days- for the longest time I was convinced that I was the only one who'd seen it, but it's absolutely amazing and the fact that fans are coming out of the woodwork puts a smile on my face.

[@hamothemagnif8529]

One of the best US based cartoons ever. Also, “SPOONS!” yelled Raph while using spoons as weapons while off world. Such a good reference.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

It's also a reference to The Tick's battle cry.

[@hamothemagnif8529]

@@michaelandreipalon359 yes, that’s what i was referring to. Not sure why left out what it was referencing. Thanks.

[@JoshuaModerwell]

In my opinion, there are three things that made the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series so great: 1. The animation 2. The voice acting 3. The action

[@jok6r]

You forgot the comedy and story telling

[@JoshuaModerwell]

@@jok6r Yeah, that too. The 2003 series has everthing I wanted in it, action, adventure, comedy, drama, and horror.

[@jok6r]

@@JoshuaModerwell yea it's like nigh perfect

[@JoshuaModerwell]

@@jok6r Yeah, even the 2012 series had action, adventure, comedy, drama, and horror.

[@staysolidshades254]

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved..... d

[@AllardRT]

>40+ minutes of praise towards my favorite incarnation of TMNT Yup, this is the kind of stuff I"m subbed to this channel for

[@TreyH.006]

I love how Stockman is being abused the way he is and he’s still so cocky.

[@TheJayspyder]

This will always be my personal favorite interpretation of TMNT and their expanded universe. A timeless classic.

[@yomanyo327]

god, this is the only show that was so fun to watch, that I have re-watched the whole thing several times, and parts of it countless times.

[@DonniedrakoE]

Certainly a surprise but a welcome one nonetheless! The 2012 show will always be my personal favorite I can't deny that the 2003 show got me into the turtles and will also hold a special place in my heart for being so goated.

[@leithaziz2716]

Im not really an active TMNT fan, but one thing I love about this fandom is that it has an appreciation for every incarnation of the series and you see people talk about them regularly and being pretty wholesome about it. All without constantly whining about which is better (you state which is your favorite and leave it at that), as you can find something to like in most of them. You don't really see that in most fandoms anymore. You guys are awesome : )

[@velvetdarksoul8741]

@@leithaziz2716 not true people keep hating on Rise and I honestly love Rise i don't get the hate it gets, the voice acting fun, the animations amazing and its honestly alot darker than most people realize once u read into the situations

[@leithaziz2716]

@@velvetdarksoul8741 I think people hated on Rise at the start, but they grew up to like it a lot. The artstyle was just jarring at the begginning.

[@specialbeamvegeta4059]

@@leithaziz2716 it was, until that kill la kill style animation, I completely forgot about it. Though it’s not my favourite incarnation tbh

[@daboyz2374]

There’s something I find so badass about 2003’s art style I MEAN LOOK AT SHREDDER

[@ultimateazure1125]

Man what a throwback! I fell in love with this series thanks to seeing it on Saturday Mornings way back when, became a TMNT fan ever since. I actually grew up with both the 2k3 & 80s Turtles thanks to my Uncle introducing me to it. I love both of them but always liked the 2k3 series a bit more, it was just so awesome & badass (still is). This retrospect really puts me in the mood to go back & re-watch TMNT 2k3 all over again as its been *years* since I've last seen it. Thank you for covering one of my all time favorite childhood series!

[@Kris_sy]

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE!! That 7-year hiatus was what this franchise needed; same thing for the others that came after. Which is why it took the ROTTMNT Netflix movie for the fans to give the 2018 series a chance since contrast to its predecessors, we only got close to a year break between Rise and the series finale of 2012 version.

[@DarkDekicDuka]

Look. All of us here are kids of the 2000s. So nostalgia plays a big part in all this. That being said. Ehm. HOT DIGGITY THIS IS THE BEST DANG CARTOON SHOW EVER PUT TO SCREEN!

[@slimshady-tf9mo]

💯 facts

[@thefallenguardian6167]

Bodacious perception my good man

[@makavelimusolini1036]

Is it better than avatar?

[@DarkDekicDuka]

@@makavelimusolini1036 In my mind, infinitely better.

[@makavelimusolini1036]

@@DarkDekicDuka from what I've seen, no.

[@nubeyazul]

This is my favorite version of the turtles (and I actually love them all), it's great to see some love going towards this series. I'm still hoping for a full series blueray set someday.

[@ElvisApps]

I love to , because, some years ago I see this serie in 2007 4Kist when I was a kid , and still like it

[@ElvisApps]

@raindrops on roses really

[@mattsmith2247]

I can't overstate how much I loved this video. I don't get to see enough reviews and retrospectives that actually deal with characterization and depth of development the way you have. And as a huge fan of the series this was a whole lot of fun to watch.

[@LegoJPLstudios]

The Shredder Strikes Back is my favorite TMNT story arc. It's the first thing I think of every time I'm reminded of this show.

[@Asaylum117]

My biggest issue with this series is that we never got a full physical release of this amazing show. TMNT 2003 was my favourite show growing up and the fact this amazing series never got a full DVD release feels like an absolute crime on itself.

[@TheEnigmaticBM39]

We got up to season 5 of the original series on DVD. I agree, we need a bluray of this amazing show.

[@kawaki4441]

Season 1 starts out with a banger that truly hooks you in. Turtles interecting with the world, actually losing against Foot and the Shredder outright killing a guy at the end of the episode sent a message that things really did change from previous interpetation. Admittedly, they did reuse some frames when turtles fought Foot Ninja's but that a minor complaint on my part since the animation and art style were consistently great to the point that I really can't recall that it was ever less than good. Lightning and rain in episodes such as Shredder Strikes Back was beautiful and the addition of the show's soundtrack makes you really invested in every second of run time.

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

Hands down my all time favorite iteration of the turtles. TMNT 2003 forever!

[@AskAir]

The Baxter Stockman arc in this show was easily the best in the franchise!

[@arvidassburg4500]

tbh he should've died in the zombie episode tho

[@Crunch_Carter]

It’s the one that’s always stuck to me to this day. When I think of the show it’s always one of if not the first thing f I think of

[@MrE_]

I'm still scarred to this day from that "monster" episode where Baxter stockman deteriorates

[@alexandru18]

You?! what are you doing here?

[@AskAir]

@@alexandru18 ;)

[@playerback7722]

TMNT 2003 was a childhood favorite. Too badass.

[@ImEmpathyTV]

I've rewatched the series countless times. I wish this version got more attention as I believe it's the best incarnation of the series. Best storylines, best voice actors, best art style, best animation, best soundtrack, best themes, best atmosphere, best character arcs and just a perfect blend of the comics and the 80s cartoon. Also Scottie Ray as the Shredder might be one of the best voice acting performances I've ever heard!

[@frogoat]

Such a great show, perfectly fusing the best elements of it's predecessors.

[@JordanEvansMusic]

This show is seriously so incredible!!! Probably my favorite show of all time. I loved the story line, the animations, the diverse characters. Seriously the 2003 series is outstanding Some of the characters liked bishop Ans shredder still freaking terrify me. I love how complex the lore is too learning about shredders identity. I cry every time I watch the turtles forever movie

[@cliffturbo2146]

My introduction to the Ninja Turtles Franchise, and still love it to bits. Still not done with either 1987 show or 2012 (I really like it so far), but 2003 is something I just can't get enough of. The action, the animation and the story still holds up. Hopefully, there will be a Blu-Ray collection in the future.

[@crustyclaps1150]

2012 is the best, the writers and researchers nailed every angle. Later ill tell u what happens in the last episode of the 2012 series.

[@I_was_a_Bullfrog]

And the spin-offs with Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers. A big ol' Blu Ray collection with all three would be great

[@cliffturbo2146]

@@I_was_a_Bullfrog Definitely, yeah.

[@shredderorokusaki3013]

I WILL KILL THE TURLTES AND CONQUER THE WORLD! YOU MUST SEE MY VIDEOS TO SEE HOW BRUTALLY I KILL MY ENEMIES! I was the best in 2012 series because i killed Splinter too! But in 2003 i was better and more powerful than in 1987 series. 2018 series however i appeared only in few episodes and i was a demon like in season 5 of 2003.

[@jayjohn223]

@@crustyclaps1150 what makes you say that? I personally disagree but would love to have your take on it

[@cradiculous]

There's something about Shredder's exit at 32:16 that is most agreeable to me. The man has good taste.

[@brookswilliams5239]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 you would say that wouldn't you?

[@trinityhyper8974]

When i was younger i watched this show so many times, and when i finished it i started from the beginning right away, i knew every dialogue and i still enjoyed it. We need more TMNT stuff like this show. This video was awesome ^^ It's good to see so many people love tmnt especially the 2003 series.

[@dejiadeleye5697]

Tmnt 2012: This is Brilliant Tmnt 2003: But I like this

[@diegoaragon2734]

The 2003 version of the Turtles was my childhood I loved absolutely everything about this show

[@agroed]

So damn hyped for this. TMNT 2003 was my favorite show growing up. Thanks so much for putting this level of effort into these videos. I can't wait for the next part. Shell yeah!

[@henmar354]

When I first saw the designs of 2012 tmnt I laughed. Tmnt 2003 is what I grew up with. And they look badass. But honestly season 1 and 2 of 2012 tmnt are amazing and probably the best tmnt seasons ever.

[@Max25670]

-Almost 20 years later and still waiting for that blu ray release of the series. -Also hoping they release a big hardcover artbook of the series. This show was one of my motivations of pursuing art because the character/creature/vehicle designs are still some of the best I've seen. As a kid I would pause my VHS tapes of the show and redraw the characters into my notebooks. -Also Leo cutting Shredder's head off, only for him to get up later, absolutely blew my 10-year-old mind.

[@lyubot.9138]

This is NOT what I was expecting but I am SO GLAD that this is what he's reviewing! Absolutely love the 03 turtles they were my childhood!

[@destronlaserwave9566]

Scottie Ray's performance of Shredder is just chilling. Everytime he is on screen my mouth just drops because of how cool he is. Whenever he is on screen, you know something serious is about to happen Between this show and the 2012 show, this is my favorite iteration of the Turtles. I grew up with it, but revisiting it now as an adult makes me appreciate it more.

[@mrmacedon]

TMNT 2003 was the good stuff! My favorite moment was when the Triceraton joined the fight and whooped Shredder, i remember as a kid i was so happy and hyped! 🔥🔥

[@justinsullivan1285]

Let's compare and contrast the versions of TMNT. TMNT 87: comical, kid friendly, action, (but p.g.) TMNT 03: less jokes, darker, character development and More ACTION!!! Nuff said.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

You must remember this though Justin. At the end of the day, the 87 turtles propelled them to the mainstream and the 03 series cant exist unless the 80's series proved the series can have reinventions

[@goojo173]

‘03 owes its existence to the ‘87 show and the comics. And the comics are better anyways imo. As good as ‘03 is, it’ll never be the best.

[@nijatnijat49]

Tbh I don't understand why everyone's so hell bent on why ones better than the other when the demographic is different and the vision behind the show is different. They both work for what they set out to do and no need to put one down over the other

[@JcgLounge]

Man. This series was insanely dope. This, the 2007 film, and the 1990 movie, are the definitive Ninja Turtles. I still have a huge liking of the 2012 series tho.

[@ultimateknight4667]

Wasn't expecting you too review this but 0 complaints as this is my favorite incarnation of the team and you always do well detailed reviews.

[@marmik961]

20:44 Walking into a story that was already unfolding without them. I like that that's a really good observation. The Shredder Strikes Back and Return to New York are wonderful episodes with great action and animation while also leaving room for the characters to breathe. 25:12 I actually think these episodes are really good for Mikey he's not only the one to land a hit on the bad guy but he's the one who manages to stop him. How often do you see that in stories like this? The most cowardly character is the one that saves the day. Also the 3rd live action movie gets a hard time but it does have this one really funny joke where Casey is watching these guys from feudal Japan and tries to teach them how to play Hockey. Japenese guys: Don't understand. Casey: Uh, just do what you saw on TV. Japenese guys :Oh (fight each other)

[@andrewbuchanan8123]

This was definitely one of my favorite shows growing up. Loved your analysis and thanks for the nostalgia!

[@jakylekuririn]

"Hmm, we will call this place... "Home." - Master Splinter

[@ros9764]

"Our king is very noisy at names"

[@chazzq2428]

It's so cool seeing someone going over this show. The mid-season break was agonizing as a kid especially since Leonardo was my favorite turtle back then (still is).

[@redwolfe7049]

I remember making deliveries to 4Kids in NYC and trying not to lose my mind at the artwork in the office lol. I couldn't believe I set foot in there. Just like DC Comics when they were on Broadway in NYC. I even had a bunch of free comics from there.

[@arvidassburg4500]

For a kids show, Stockman's fate was absolutely brutal. They play it off in such a comedic manner, given Stockman maintains his attitude and ego no matter how many times he gets "punished." It must've been horrifying having the Shredder haunt you every second of your life, threatening to dismember you until you are but a brain in a capsule, slave to his bidding. The episode where he turned into a zombie and went insane due to trauma was heartbreaking to watch, but the satisfaction of it is ruined when Bishop brings him back just cuz (the show went downhill after season 3.) Also, can we talk about the part where the male version of April O'Neal MANHANDLES his brain out of the capsule and into a robot suit? That alone should've been enough to kill Stockman, or at the least give him brain damage. Then again, realistically he should've died when Shredder turned him into a spider.

[@My-cat-is-staring-at-you]

Shit's brutal for any demographic.

[@alexfischer7876]

Also, the "male version of April O'Neil" is Dr. Chapman. _Big difference._

[@Cousinbiddy1]

It’s not a kids show

[@UnifiedEntity]

Best interpretation of the Turles. This show had great cinematography, great humor, great Drama and great action. I did however found the Alien and in Space stuff a bit....off oddly enough when talking about a series with talking Turtles.

[@BiriBiri925]

Aliens and outer space were in the original comics and appeared very early. In fact, in the comics, Shredder is given much less time. Almost everything in the 2003 series is either faithfully transferred or reimagined ideas from the comics.

[@harrisonblock]

My favourite part about the Turtles defeating Shredder the first time is that it required a combined effort from all four of them to disarm him of the Sword of Tengu.

[@JustChrisWillDoTa]

This video hits me straight in the nostalgias. Made me think of my dad driving me round loads of places just trying to find an action figure when the craze blew up in the 80s. Got a Michaelangelo after hours of hunting, surprised my dad put up with that stuff, bless him. Also, I still wasn't that happy, wanted Raphael.

[@WoFDarkNewton]

I only ever played the 2003 game, that was my only exposure to TMNT, outside of its sequel. But that game was amazing. Never knew the game was based on a TV series. It all makes a bunch more sense now.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Ah, I really hope that game and Battle Nexus get multiplatform rereleases. So good!

[@WoFDarkNewton]

@@michaelandreipalon359 I really disliked Battle Nexus with a passion to be honest. Something about the audio or the art style or maybe the gameplay itself. It just felt... wrong. I felt this way about a lot of sequels to classic games, though. Super Mario Sunshine, Smash Bros Melee for a long time, anything after the first Spyro. I feel like all of these games departed from something that made the originals feel crisp and fresh. I'm almost certain it has something to do with the sound effects and impact VFX, as well as probably the music.

[@pcb1175]

I grew up with 2003 TMNT show & absolutely love it

[@BarnabusBarbarossa]

I feel like this show is often misconstrued, both by people nostalgic for the 80s show and fans of the 2012 show, as an example of peak 2000s hip grimdark edginess, when it really is not that at all. The show strikes a great balance between dramatic stakes, good humour and earnestness and has a tone not that different from the DCAU. Honestly, I think it's a better balance than what the 2012 show had in its early days, where that show kinda suffered from "irony poisoning". What I really love about the 2003 show is its earnestness. It throws so many bonkers sci-fi and fantasy tropes at us in rapid succession, but it never feels the need to qualify its outlandish concepts with sarcasm or ironic presentation. It knows that we're here for all the strange pulpy stuff, from mutants to aliens to time travel to sorcery to lost civilizations, and just lets us soak it all in and enjoy it without feeling the need to wink or smirk at us. A lot of modern shows just can't resist undercutting their own genre premise with sarcastic metajokes, and that kinda makes me appreciate TMNT 2003 more in hindsight.

[@BiriBiri925]

An attempt to reduce everything to irony and sarcasm, constant "breaks" is the scourge of all modern multimedia content. It's just unbearable, they are so afraid that the audience will become "bored". Just look at Marvel. These damn movies can't last 5 minutes without a stupid "joke" to break the atmosphere. The same applies to the 2012 series.

[@litterboxstudios]

Great work on this, and can’t wait for the rest! It’s a shame this show gets overlooked so often these days, but it definitely left its mark and shifted the future of the franchise.

[@malcolmthorne9779]

TMNT 2003 is kind of what the turtles were supposed to be in my eyes. I know it's not the original, but it feels to me like the pinnacle. It has good storytelling and a great balance between comedy and grit.

[@iancruz6617]

Because tmnt 2003 was faithful to the source material of the comics

[@dr.wolfstar1765]

No shredder has even come close to how cool Season one shredder of this show

[@ALtheBoi]

Omg HELL yea, *HEEEELL yea* We on the _exact_ same wavelength J I swear to god, 03 Turtles was so goddamn goated! Edit: Something to note in the finale is that Leo didn't know Shredder was a Utrom, so he jumped at him with full intent to finish him off A really great detail that shows the severity of the situation.

[@vesk4000]

The 2003 TMNT is by far my favourite animated show from when I was a kid! I'm very glad so many other people appreciate it as well.

[@twisted_devil]

When Raph cried while talking to leo in the farmhouse that... hit me so bad. Best scene ever could not stop crying

[@Inkfy]

YOOOOOO I'm so hyped for this! Almost no one talks about the 2003 reboot for TMNT. I'm so happy because I find it to be incredibly underrated. That and I think your cartoon reviews are really fun! Can't wait to see part 2~

[@kylekullin2520]

Ramboraph4life has

[@qwerty5684]

Literally everyone talks about it

[@bananabike279]

Heard great things about the 2003 series, but I never knew it was THIS good! I was legit on the edge of my seat at the The Shredder Strikes (Back) parts wondering what will happen next, I really need to check out this show for myself someday

[@caryslan5890]

I gotta say, thanks to your review, I have finally gotten into the 2003 TMNT show and I am enjoying it. I was a kid that grew up with the 1987 Ninja Turtles, so I still have a soft spot for that version which is one of the reasons why I never watched this show. The other reason is that in 2003-2009 I was in High School and starting out as a young adult, which means I pretty much skipped a TMNT series on a network block for children in favor of stuff like DBZ and ironically, Justice League. That said, this is such a gem. I consider the DCAU(especially Justice League) and X-Men 92 to be the gold standards of animated comic book adaptions due to their writing and how well those two adapted iconic characters and storylines from the comics which is some thing even big budget blockbuster films(like the X-Men films struggling to adapt the Phoenix Saga) often fail to do right. But I think the 2003 TMNT series joins this group of top-notch adaptions. While the 1987 Turtles will always have a place in my heart because of the fond memories, I think the 2003 series is the better adaptation and a show that sits in the company of the DCAU and X-Men 92

[@RickyUzumaki993]

Glad I’m not the only one who thinks this is the best version of TMNT.

[@Dylan-bq5jd]

After taking a film analysis class, I realized just how much work and time these types of analyses can take. I mean 43 minutes talking about TMNT and that’s just part one. Talk about a passion project!

[@Temzy]

THIS was the version I grew up with in my childhood. Awesome video man 🙌🏾

[@TKDGal76]

The 2003 version of the series is my absolute favorite. The shredder strikes are the best with so much action and the story is very good too. I started reading the comic versions after seeing these episodes. Great vid

[@SupportTheLittleGuy]

I’m so glad they added all of these episodes on paramount plus !!!!!

[@andrebaxter4023]

Same!

[@rockydarknight2980]

Is sad that this show is nearly 20 years old. Time flies so fast. I grew up with the ninja turtles , still have the Vhs tapes. Turtle power everyone.

[@arthurperalta104]

This is by far one of my favorite shows from my childhood and every time I hear that intro music I can’t help but get excited I can’t tell you how happy I am they’re finally getting a full retrospective

[@mcurran6505]

TMNT '03 Episodes that are adapted from the original Mirage Comics. (Season 1) Episode 1: "Things Change" - Based on the opening pages Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One Issue #1, "The Turtles origin is told". Episodes 2 & 3: "A Better Mousetrap & Attack of the Mousers" - Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One Issue #2, "TMNT VS the Mousers". Episode 4: " Meet Casey Jones" - Based on Raphael, Microseries Issue #1, "Me, Myself and I". Episdoes 10 & 11: "The Shredder Strikes" - Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One Issue #1, "The Turtles origin is told". Episode 16: "The King" - Based on Donatello, Microseries #1, "Kirby and the Warp Crystal". Episodes 17 & 18: "The Shredder Strikes Back." - Based on Leonardo #1 "What Goes Around Comes Around" and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One Issue #10 "Silent Partner" Episode 19: "Tales of Leo" - Partially based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One Issue #10 "Silent Partner" Episodes 21, 22 & 23: "Return to New York" - Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One "Return to New York" Episodes 25 & 26: "The Search for Splinter" - Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume One Issue #4, "Rescuing Master Splinter."

[@SuperSpamGuy]

Underrated comment of the century

[@shredderorokusaki3013]

I WILL KILL THE TURLTES AND CONQUER THE WORLD! YOU MUST SEE MY VIDEOS TO SEE HOW BRUTALLY I KILL MY ENEMIES! I was the best in 2012 series because i killed Splinter too! But in 2003 i was better and more powerful than in 1987 series. 2018 series however i appeared only in few episodes and i was a demon like in season 5 of 2003.

[@AndrewAce.]

This was by far my favorite TMNT...