Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (group)

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (often shortened to the TMNT or Ninja Turtles) are four fictional teenaged superhero anthropomorphic mutant turtles. Named after Italian Renaissance artists, they were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei Master Splinter in the Japanese martial art of ninjutsu. From their home in the sewers of New York City, they battle petty criminals, evil overlords, mutated creatures, and alien invaders while attempting to remain hidden from society. They were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The characters originated in comic books published by Mirage Studios and expanded into cartoon series, films, video games, toys, and other merchandise. During the peak of the franchise's popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it gained worldwide success and fame.

Members

 * Leonardo (Leo) – The tactical, level-headed, courageous leader and devoted student of his sensei, Leonardo wears a blue mask and wields two swords. As the most conscientious of the four, he often bears the burden of responsibility for his brothers, which commonly leads to conflict with Raphael. Leonardo was named after the Italian polymath, painter, engineer, inventor, writer, anatomist, and sculptor, Leonardo da Vinci.
 * Michelangelo (Mikey or Mike) – The most stereotypical teenager of the team, Michelangelo is a free-spirited, relaxed, goofy, mischievous, jokester known for his love of pizza and kind-hearted nature. Michelangelo wears an orange mask and wields a pair of nunchaku. He provides the comic relief, though he still has an adventurous side. The least mature of the four Turtles, he shows characteristics of a "surfer" type and is often depicted with a Southern Californian accent. He is named after the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer, Michelangelo. His name was originally misspelled "Michaelangelo" by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.
 * Donatello (Donnie or Don) – The scientist, inventor, engineer, and technological genius, Donatello wears a purple mask and wields a bo (staff). Donatello is perhaps the least violent turtle, preferring to use his knowledge to solve conflicts, but never hesitates to defend his brothers. He is named after the early Renaissance Italian artist and sculptor from Florence, Donatello.
 * Raphael (Raph) – The team's bad boy, Raphael wears a red mask and wields a pair of sai. He has an aggressive nature, and seldom hesitates to throw the first punch. He is often depicted with a New York accent. His personality can be fierce and sarcastic, and oftentimes delivers deadpan humor. He is intensely loyal to his brothers and sensei. He is named after the Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, Raphael.

Friends and Allies

 * Splinter – The Turtles' sensei and adoptive father. In the original comics, Splinter is a Japanese mutant rat that learned the ways of ninjutsu from his owner and master, Hamato Yoshi. His name and character are a parody of the Marvel Comics character, Stick, who trained Matt Murdock/Daredevil. For the 1987 TV series, Splinter's origin was changed so he is Hamato Yoshi himself mutated into a humanoid rat. In the IDW comics, he is Hamato Yoshi reincarnated as a mutated rat. Other versions usually follow one of these origins.
 * April O'Neil – A former lab assistant to the mad scientist Baxter Stockman, April is the plucky human companion of the Turtles. April first met the Turtles when they saved her from Baxter's Mouser robots. She embarks on many of the Turtles' adventures and aids them by doing the work in public that the Turtles cannot. In the 1987 TV series, Archie Comics series, the first three films, and the 2014 film reboot, April is a television news reporter. In the 2007 CGI film, she and Casey Jones own a shipping firm. In the 2012 series, April is a teenager who is rescued by the TMNTs and later given some "crash courses" in being a ninja by Splinter.
 * Casey Jones – A vigilante who wears a hockey mask to protect his identity, Casey Jones has become one of the Turtles' closest allies, as well as a love interest to April. Casey first encountered the Turtles after having a fight with Raphael. He fights crime with an assortment of sporting goods he carries in a golf bag, such as baseball bats, golf clubs, and hockey sticks.
 * Renet Tilley - A young Time Sorceress from the 79th Level allied to the Turtles.

Enemies and Foes

 * The Shredder – A villainous ninjutsu master clad in armor called Oroku Saki, he is the leader of the Foot Clan, an evil ninja clan (the followers of the Foot Clan are not necessarily evil, as it appears that they are brainwashed local youth of all races that are tasked with carrying out illegal deeds of a mysterious higher order.) In every incarnation of the TMNT franchise, he has been the archenemy of the Turtles and Splinter as well as the main antagonist in most installments of the franchise.
 * Foot Soldiers/Ninjas – The ninjas of the Foot Clan who work for the Shredder.
 * Karai – A female high-rank member of the Foot Clan, she has appeared in several different TMNT comics, cartoons, and films, as well as in multiple video games. In her original appearance she was a commander on the same level as Shredder while in some of her later incarnations of the character, she is closely related to Shredder as his adopted daughter or biological granddaughter as well second-in-command. In most works, she shares an ambiguous rivalry with Leonardo, which occasionally even borders on romantic interest.
 * Baxter Stockman – Baxter Stockman is a scientist and inventor who often acts as an enemy to the Turtles in various incarnations. He is known as the inventor of the mouser robots that appear in many versions, and is often depicted as allied with the Foot Clan, Krang, or going on his own.
 * Krang – Krang is a small brain-like alien warlord who often appears as one of the main villains of the franchise alongside The Shredder. The character was originally inspired by the Utroms, an alien race from the original comics, while in later versions he is a member of the Utroms. In some incarnations Krang would often team up with Shredder while some versions have them as rivals for conquest.
 * Bebop and Rocksteady – A criminal duo of a mutant warthog and rhinoceros, respectively, that were originally two human thugs that become the Shredder's henchmen in some versions. They are usually depicted as super-strong but not very smart.

Iago PUC

 * The Ninja Turtles appear in Comic Con Incorporated. While the Turtles are roomers in the titular fictional hotel, Master Splinter appears as a manager, and works as the teacher in the hotel's yoga class.
 * The Ninja Turtles are guest characters in Marvel's Spider-Man: Webbed Champion, with Leonardo voiced by Eric Bauza, Michelangelo voiced by Greg Cipes, Donatello voiced by Yuri Lowenthal and Raphael voiced by Nolan North. They appear officially in the multi-part crossover arc "Legendary Universes", on which their reality is the fourth and last explored by Spider-Man and his team. Also appearing with them are Master Splinter (voiced by Richard Epcar), April O'Neil (voiced by Catherine Taber), Casey Jones (voiced by Troy Baker) and the Shredder (voiced by Lex Lang).
 * First appearing in "Part 5: Of Spiders and Turtles", the Turtles team up with Spider-Man and his team in solving the mysteries of the substance which created Mantis, as well as to defeat the Spider Emperor and his clan of mutant animals and Shredder and his Foot Clan. Throughout the episode, each of the Turtles picks a partner with each of the Spider heroes; Leo partners with Spider-Man himself, Mikey partners with Ghost-Spider, Donnie partners with Spider-Girl, and Raph partners with Kid Arachnid.
 * The Turtles, April and Casey later appear in "Part 6: Ultimate Alliance" among the many heroes who join the final battle against the Regent and his army of Insectoids from the Negative Zone.