Get a first look at the new ‘Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ character art
Character art for the upcoming “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” reboot has been revealed and Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo are sporting more than just brand-new looks.
Nickelodeon’s “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is a new animated show that reimagines the fan-favorite characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The series will follow the Turtles as they discover new powers and a new mystical world that exists beneath the streets of New York.
Joining the brothers in their adventures are some familiar faces, including friend and trusted ally April O’Neil as well as their sensei, Master Splinter.
As revealed in the new character art, the rebooted Turtles each sport very distinctive looks. When Eastman and Laird’s original characters made their comic-book debut in 1984, the brothers had identical designs except for their weapon of choice. The subsequent animated series and toy line introduced the quartet’s now familiar color coding.
The Turtles have, of course, undergone some makeovers throughout the years on various shows and movies. But in “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” the brothers have been completely redesigned, with each Turtle based on a distinct species and sporting a new signature weapon.
The largest, Raphael, is a snapping turtle who has traded in his sais for a pair of tonfas. And in the new “Ninja Turtles” cartoon he will be the team leader. Omar Miller will be voicing Raphael.
Leonardo, who has often been depicted as the eldest brother and leader, is a red-eared slider. Now the self-described “coolest” brother, Leonardo is armed with a single ōdachi sword instead of his dual katanas. He will be voiced by Ben Schwartz.
Still the tech genius of the bunch is Donatello, who will be voiced by Josh Brener. The new Donatello is a soft-shell turtle that carries a tech-bo staff, skilled in both martial arts and computer science.
Youngest brother Michelangelo is now a box turtle who will face foes with a kusari-fundo (a combat chain with a weight at the end) rather than his familiar nunchucks. He will be voiced by Brandon Mychal Smith.
Both April and Splinter’s looks have also been updated. April, described as a street-smart New York native, will be voiced by Kat Graham, while Splinter will be voiced by Eric Bauza.
Also joining the show is John Cena, who will voice the villain Baron Draxum, a mutant alchemist warrior who aims to turn all of humanity into mutants.
Check out the new character designs in the gallery above.
The 26-episode “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is scheduled to debut later this year.
Twitter: @tracycbrown
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