Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1×01 Review: Mystic Mayhem

As expected, the premiere of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was amazing! ‘Mystic Mayhem’ introduced us to a new version of the TMNT lore. The turtles haven’t become experienced ninjas yet, and their juvenility led to a lot of comedic scenes. The 2D-animation is great and I can’t wait for more.

The series will officially premiere on Nickelodeon on September 17, however, ‘Mystic Mayhem’ is currently available for you to watch on Nickelodeon’s YouTube channel. I highly recommend you check it out.

The 2D hand drawn animation is definitely one of the reasons I enjoyed the premiere. As an artist, I found myself wanting to draw the characters, too. So, I guess, what Eric Bauza (the voice of Splinter) said about the new series being an inspiration for creative minds is true. I loved the rough lines and sharp edges featured in the character designs and environments.

The turtles have distinct personalities, and it is fun to see them interact with each other. The Rise of the TMNT animated series is telling a prequel story. So, don’t expect the turtles to win every fight. They have a lot to learn. Seeing them make rookie mistakes or being overconfident in their abilities added to the comedic tone of the premiere.

April O’Neil is also not the reporter we are all familiar with. However, she does have a very spunky personality and isn’t afraid to join the turtles in a fight. A very lazy Master Splinter might require some time getting used to, though.

The main antagonist is Baron Draxum. It was implied in ‘Mystic Mayhem’ that he might be the reason behind the creation of the mutated turtles. He wants to transform the entire human race into mutants. Baron Draxum kind of reminded me of the High Evolutionary from Marvel Comics.

I also liked the introduction of a hidden mystic realm beneath New York City. There’s a lot for this series to explore there. It also led to the turtles finding new mystical weapons. Even though Donatello didn’t take a magical weapon like his brothers, I think he will be augmenting his staff with the purple shard he pocketed.

Speaking of Donatello, he is my favorite turtle and it was amazing to see ‘Mystic Mayhem’ give him cool action sequences and one-liners.

The series has already been renewed for a second season.

Will you be checking out Rise of the TMNT? Have you watched ‘Mystic Mayhem’? Let us know.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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