TMNT Rise of the Turtles: Thoughts so Far

So just yesterday, I found that Nick just released designs for the upcoming TMNT: Rise of the Turtles. What I found interesting is that each of the turtles are actually a different species.

A first for the franchise, Raphael is the leader of the band now. Given that he is a snapping turtle, Raph is all hunky and chunky, but now wields tonfa instead of his usual sais (probably due to the fact that in New York, martial arts weapons, let alone publicly practicing without a permit, is illegal or so I remember).

Given he is a snapper, this does bring into question whether or not

Tokka

or Slash

would appear should the show be successful for a season 2. Either one of them could work as mutant Galapagos tortoises, perhaps even give a nod to the late Lonesome George.

Leonardo is among the more faithful designs for the turtles (he's still the oldest), as he still wields katanas. Here, he is a red eared slider, but how he will work after being a leader in other incarnations for so long is uncertain. Maybe at one point, Raph would be kidnapped and Leo would have to step up as leader.

Considering that I have a box turtle, I find Mikey more relatable. Of course, it would be a no-brainer that Michaelangelo would be the party dude, but I personally hope they explore a bit of a smart side as they did with the 2012 series and the IDW comics (he is actually fluent with ancient Japanese).

I find his design to be the best of the turtles. A softshell turtle this time, Don has extra armor on his leathery shell, glasses like his Michael Bay counterpart, and yet keeps the bo staff. I personally hope he expands to give himself a few bodysuits, perhaps expand more on Metalhead.

A first for most of us (there is a Deviantartist who is remaking the first two TMNT movies as comics that has an African American April), April is now African American, but I see no problem with that. And the fact that Apritello is still happening intrigues me. Now I'm wondering what Casey Jones will look like.

The only design I don't like so far. It's no surprise Splinter is supposed to represent an old man, but fat... I will have to watch the series itself to see where they go with this. But so far, the 2012 Splinter is my favorite radical rat.

While I am aware that the antagonist isn't the Shredder, but a mystic voiced by

I hope that they find a way to work him in, along with perhaps a few minion mutants like Bebop and Rocksteady.

So begins the long wait for it to air in September, but I still see some promise with this show.