The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (or simply Ninja Turtles) are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists. From their home in the storm sewers of New York City, they battle petty criminals, evil megalomaniacs, and alien invaders, all while remaining isolated from society at large.




Main characters:

Leonardo (Leo) — The courageous leader and devoted student of martial arts, Leonardo wears a blue mask in some versions and wields two katana. He is the oldest of the four and the most skilled fighter of the turtles. Leonardo was named after the Italian polymath, scientist, engineer, inventor, anatomist, and painter, Leonardo da Vinci.

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 an intense fighter. He would usually speak in a Brooklyn accent. His personality can be alternately fierce and sarcastic, and oftentimes delivers deadpan humor. Still, he is intensely loyal to his brothers and sensei. Raphael is good friends with Casey Jones. He is named after the Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, Raphael.

Michelangelo (Mike or Mikey) — Easy-going and free-spirited, Michelangelo wears an orange mask in some versions and wields a pair of nunchaku. Michelangelo provides much of the comic relief. Most of the time, he is youngest of the four Turtles. While he loves to relax, this Turtle also has an adventurous and creative side. He's something of the "surfer" boy, speaking usually in a Southern California accent. He is named after the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer Michelangelo Buonarroti. His name was originally misspelled "Michaelangelo" by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.

Donatello (Don or Donny) — The knowledgeable scientist, inventor, engineer, and technological genius, Donatello wears a purple mask in some versions and wields the bō staff. Donatello is perhaps the least violent Turtle, preferring to use his knowledge to solve conflicts. He is named after the sculptor Donatello.

Splinter — The Turtles' sensei and adoptive father, Splinter is a Japanese mutant rat who learned the ways of ninjutsu from his owner and master, Hamato Yoshi. In the 1987 TV series and Archie Comics series, Splinter was Hamato Yoshi mutated into a rat instead of being just Yoshi's pet.