Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (abbreviated to NT:TNM) or Saban’s Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation is an American/Japanese live-action television series produced by Saban Entertainment and Toei, which ran on the Fox Kids network from 1997-1998. The short-lived series was based loosely from Mirage Studios’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The series introduced many new elements to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saga, including new central antagonists, an army of humanoid dragons known as “The Rank” led by the vicious Dragonlord. It was touted (in some of the promotional material) as a continuation of the 1987 TV series, but by the period of time it aired it turned apparent that this was not the case. Instead, the series apparently followed the continuity of the live-action films. The Turtles lived in the same abandoned train station featured in the second and third films, and Splinter’s ear is slashed as it was in the original film. However, most fans tend to regard the films and the series as two separate entities, citing differing styles, The Shredder being alive (and no longer Super Shredder), the absence of April O’Neil and Casey Jones
In a departure from other TMNT continuities, Leonardo states in the second episode that the Turtles are not blood-related, while other media either explicitly states that the Turtles are biological siblings or avoids the issue altogether.
The most prominent new element was the inclusion of a female mutant turtle called Venus de Milo; named after the famous statue. Other notable differences were found in the Turtles’ weapons; Leonardo carried one double-bladed ninjatō instead of two katana (though he was shown to own two in a few episodes); Raphael’s twin sai could combine to make a staff; and because nunchaku are outlawed in several places, Michaelangelo’s signature weapon in this series was a pair of tonfa. Similarly, the name of the series was amended in several countries to Hero Turtles: The Next Mutation under censorship ruling.
[audio:https://mutantooze.org/wiki/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/nextmutation-theme.mp3|titles=nextmutation-theme]- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Cast and Crew
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 01 (East Meets West Part 1)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 02 (East Meets West Part 2)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 03 (East Meets West Part 3)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 04 (East Meets West Part 4)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 05 (East Meets West Part 5)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 06 (Staff of Bu-Ki)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 07 (Silver & Gold)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 08 (Meet Dr. Quease)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 09 (All in The Family)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 10 (Trusting Dr. Quease)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 11 (Windfall)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 12 (Turtles Night Out)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 13 (Mutant Reflections)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 14 (Truce or Consequence)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 15 (Sewer Crash)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 16 (Going Ape)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 17 (Enemy of My Enemy)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 18 (King Wick)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 19 (The Good Dragon)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 20 (The Guest)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 21 (Like Brothers)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 22 (Unchain My Heart Part 1)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 23 (Unchain My Heart Part 2)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 24 (Unchain My Heart Part 3)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 25 (Unchain My Heart Part 4)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Episode 26 (Who Needs Her!)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Production Photo Gallery
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – Theme Song
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation – TMNT vs Power Rangers
- Shop – Next Mutation Vol.1 DVD