This IS the original TMNT Season 1.
592189
When I bought this, from the reviews I'd read I'd assumed that this was one of those "best of" collection DVDs. I was disapointed but wanted an ORIGINAL Turtles fix any way I could get it, imagine my surprise when I found a collection of the first episodes. It also includes (oddly) some of the 'last unreleased episodes which I'm assuming they put on here because they knew that they wouldn't sell that well if they were a stand alone at the end of the DVD season run. Anyway, to my point...

I know many of you complain about this only being 5 episodes and they need to release seasons etc etc... but the fact was, the first Turtles cartoons shown was actually only a 5 episode series arc introducing them and seeing if they would be popular enough to continue as a full blown season. If it had bombed they would have canned future TMNT episodes that they were working on. As we all know, it took off and they rushed more out. THIS IS THE FIRST SEASON, I know its small, but it was all there was at first. I just hope that they hurry up with season 2 and on. This really is something they should have addressed better on the DVD packaging and the product description on this site.

The "unaired episodes" I barely watched, I'd sadly stopped watching TMNT by the end of the shows run so I have no idea who these other characters are etc. Annoyingly, these unaired episodes start in the middle of a story arc about Leo's mutation being unstable or something, again, I stopped watching them, I'll bring them out to watch after getting (and seeing) the rest of the seasons of TMNT. I suggest buying it for the begining of TMNT, not these extra episodes.

As for the technical issues, yes, these episodes sadly aren't the best they could be, they're dirty, and slightly grainy (the reasons that it only gets 4 stars). But they don't look any worse than how they looked on TV (and obviously look much better than the VHS cassettes).

People, Please realize that what you're getting *IS* the begining of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and buy it, so that we can get the rest of the seasons on DVD as soon as possible.
447897
If you're a fan of the original Scooby-Doo episodes, then this one's for you. These are what started it all. So enjoy as I already am.
4160066
Cartoon Network had a lot going for it in the late 90's/early 00's. Shows like Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Ed Edd n Eddy, and The Powerpuff girls were all top quality children's cartoons that could also appeal to adults. They were aimed at kids, for sure, but they were very, very clever (especially PPG.) This show, however, was not so much aimed at children. It was pretty kid friendly, but overall this was an artistic show that was just plain and simple really good. I was 14 when it was popular, and now being 23, I understand why i got into it at a somewhat "older kid" age. The type of comedy was so original, and the show was so incredibly artistic. I find myself very influenced by shows like The Mighty Boosh these days, and Courage was in the same category. Odd, humorous dark stories that were presented in a unqiue and captivating way filled this show with so much to offer. You won't find me buying Johnny Bravo at 23, but Courage? I'm not ashamed to say yes. It was just a good show.

Taking a close look at this show, you can tell the care that went into each episode. The animation itself is so simple and colorful, but done in such a unique way. They always knew how to shade everything perfectly to fit the mood. The music was spot on as well. They just happened to have a crew of people working on every aspect of the show that all really "got" what John R. Dilworth was aiming for. It was like a tight band. I'd also like to point out that episodes like "The Shadow of Courage" and "The Hunchback of Nowhere" are some of the most brilliantly written, touching pieces of animation I've ever seen. Not many shows can get away with being borderline gruesome one minute, and almost have you shedding a tear the next. This was a masterful series.

I'm not one to buy a TV show on DVD simply because I watched it when I was a kid. Nostalgia is not a selling point to someone who cares about quality. I watched Ninja Turtles as a kid, but I know that that show was just filler. Great for kids, but there was no such thing as a standout episode in a series like that. Might be cool to see it once again online to say "hey, remember this!?", but no reason to drop money on it. This show, however, really should be purchased by anyone who is a fan of art, comedy, or animation. If I was teaching a film class, a stage writing class, or an animation class, I would show some of this stuff to my students. I really hope the other seasons get DVD releases too. This was a fantastic piece of animation, and it really stood the test of time. There's a reason it still gets shown in reruns occasionally, almost 10 years after the final episode aired. It was never the fad, never the highest rated, but it was always there. And always appreciated. And it still is. I won't be surprised if this DVD sells more than Johnny Bravo or Dexter, despite the fact that those shows were much more popular when they were in production. Most kids of that generation who are adults aren't going to buy those. I'm willing to bet the Courage fans, the true ones, have grown up to appreciate what the show really was, and will want to have it on hand. I know I do. This was one of the best things to come out of the animation field in recent times, and it's a shame that it gets overlooked in that sense by the general public.

I personally could care less about extras. I just want the episodes. This is all I need. King of the Hill only got released up to season 6 due to low DVD sales, which was awful, seeing as how it was also a really great animated show. Do yourself a favor and make sure not to ignore this series. Support this DVD. Support QUALITY
2167037
This is issue 9 of the first original series.  I'm glad that IDW put the time into redoing these classics so everyone new and old to the comics can read them.
1521720
This is all 3 episodes of the OVA (original video animation) series, too short to be a TV series and too long to be a movie (only with the comparable budget.) I got these 3 episodes (individually)on fansubs back in 1996 going completely on nostalgia and curiosity. It is an update of the original series known as Science Ninja Team: Gatchaman which ran 105 eps on Japanese TV from 1972-'74. I was pleasantly surprised in watching it that despite the ridiculous bird costumes there was an intelligent and compelling story. No "Battle of the Planets" here! No R2D2 clones, no robot dogs, and Jinpei-G4 is a normal speaking kid (unlike his Keeop counterpart from BOTP with the speech impediment). I learned through this OVA that there was more to the original Japanese version of the early 70's TV series. It was a story about intrigue, espionage, and hostile take overs while the BOTP version was dumbed down and turned into a space adventure to cash in on the Star Wars craze of the late 70's when Sandy frank bought the rights to the original series. There's still a place in my heart for BOTP as I used to watch it at 4:30 everyday after school (in 1978) when I was in 3rd grade.

Since I first saw this OVA on fansubs, it was in Japanese with the English subtitles. The subtitles were great as fans tend to get the names right and go with the better feel of how to spell out the katakana characters in English (ie. Berg Katse was the common way to spell out the villian's name as opposed to UV's translation; "Verk Katze.") But I'm just nitpicking... :) On this DVD release they fixed the timing problem they had with the subtitles corrosponding with the speaking character on the VHS release of Part 3. And, they added a Gatchaman '94 music video at the end of part 3 that used a techno version of the original Gatchaman theme. Pretty cool. For this American release the names of the episodes were changed. I don't know why because their original names would've worked just fine. The original episode titles are as follows:
1. Gatchaman vs. Turtle King
2. Secret Red Impulse
3. Final Count 0002

The English dub track is deplorable... Names were changed, the plot was dumbed down, and the acting was just lame. However, that's the good thing with the advent of DVD, I can watch it with the Japanese track.
In addition to this pet peeve, Condor Joe's character was downplayed considerably from the original TV series. Berg Katse's back story was very vague as there was much more behind his character in the original TV series.
The music was great as it was produced my Bill Meyers and "Earth Wind and Fire" legend Maurice White. At times some of the original BGM was used for the nostalgia effect. The updated animation (on an OVA budget) was incredible. However I did not like the CGI "eyeball" appearance of Galactar's ruler Sousai X. I prefer his eerie ghostly image from the original. And, the "roaring" Tie Fighter sound effect they used for the multiple Turtle Kings was kind of cheesy.

Over all this is an impressive remake. When I first saw it I couldn't get my hands on old copies of the original TV series (now available from ADV) fast enough to watch the NON-BOTP story unfold. It definitly recharged my enthusiasm for the Gatchaman franchise.
287942
A lot of us grew up on the Generation One or G1 Transformer's long before a live action film about giant transforming robots could have been thought possible. Now to tie in with this summer's live action sequel, Transformer's 2: Revenge Of The Fallen, comes this 3-Disc DVD set containing all sixteen episodes of the first season of this beloved eighties classic. Those sixteen episodes, originally airing September 17th to December 29th 1984, are:

1: More Than Meets the Eye (1)
2: More Than Meets the Eye (2)
3: More Than Meets the Eye (3)
4: Transport to Oblivion
5: Roll for It
6: Divide and Conquer
7: S.O.S. Dinobots
8: The Ultimate Doom: Brainwash (1)
9: The Ultimate Doom: Search (2)
10: The Ultimate Doom: Revival (3)
11: War of the Dinobots
12: Countdown to Extinction
13: Fire in the Sky
14: Heavy Metal War
15: Fire on the Mountain
16: A Plague of Insecticons

Special Features Are So Far Said To Include:

Original Concept Artwork
Archival Hasbro Toy Commercials
Rare Public Service Announcements
"Triplechanger: From Toy To Comic To Screen: The Origins Of The Transformers" Featurette
A Printable Script For The Episode "Transport To Oblivion"
& A Limited Edition Autobot Magnet

The animation may not have been the best on this series but in the eighties it's all we needed and our active imaginations filled in the rest. Despite the older less impressive animation these episodes are still classics to those who remember them and will be more enjoyable for most of us than the many spinoffs that followed the G1 series. There was something innocent about the series here, maybe because it was so early before the fact that each episode was really just a half hour commercial became common knowledge, maybe because here they actually looked like robots in disguise, but maybe just because they are the ones most of us grew up on and where the whole lasting franchise found it's niche.

Fans should be very excited to own these episodes in a new more affordable set. The set is being put out by Shout! Factory and they have always done an excellent job of providing fans with a lot of well done special features on long awaited sets. This set was originally announced as having a few special features included with more possibly in the works but I'm very glad to see the amount that they have now announced for it and have updated this review to include them. Alot of people who didn't buy the more expensive original sets are going to be excited at the chance to get this one and I know that I can't wait. I originally gave this set 5 stars just for the opportunity to own these classic episodes in a proper DVD set, but after hearing that they will in fact be restored to original broadcast versions with a new stereo soundtrack created from the original audio I'm more excited than ever.

Some may say that this series was just the next step in a great advertising campaign for children's toys but those of us who grew up being entertained by it know that there truly is more to this series than meets the eye. Thanks For Your Time.

*Rather than clutter up the review page I have posted a list of episode descriptions in my comments section for those who are curious.

*It now appears that Shout! will also be releasing Transformer's G1 in a complete series set this summer. While I think this first season set is still great for some I personally am more excited for the complete series.
1553899
Available to this on DVD from Nickelodeon is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete First Season, featuring all 26 episodes on a 4-disc set. Special Features include 6 "Making Of" Animatics, Theme Song: Karaoke Music Video, Animated Comic Books: Tales From The Turtle Lair Part 1-6, and The Mutation of a Scene (New Girl in Town, The Pulverizer, TCRI, Cockroach Terminator, Baxter's Gambit). Included in the set is a 16-page sample of the upcoming coffee book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History by Andrew Farago.

Nobody ever imagined the kind of phenomenon that would occur when the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book was printed in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Now 30 years after their debut, the series is still going strong with new issues being released by IDW Publishing, this summer's blockbuster film is headed for Blu-ray in the middle of December and Nickelodeon is currently airing the third season of the third animated series on Friday nights.

The Nickelodeon series borrows the best bits from the original 1987 series and the 2003 reboot, which finds Leo, Donnie, Ralph and Mikey battling an alien race known as the Kraang, Shredder and his Foot Clan and dozens of deadly mutants. Along with their master Splinter and their human friend April O'Neil, the Turtles must protect New York City at all costs.

Episodes on the 4-disc set are:

Disc 1

Rise Of The Turtles (Double-Length Episode)

Turtle Temper

New Friend, Old Enemy

I Think His Name Is Baxter Stockman

Metalhead

Disc 2

Monkey Brains

Never Say Xever

The Gauntlet

Panic In The Sewers

Mousers Attack!

It Came From The Depths

New Girl In Town

Disc 3

I, Monster

The Alien Agenda

The Pulverizer

TCRI

Cockroach Terminator

Baxter's Gambit

Disc 4

Enemy Of My Enemy

Karai's Vendetta

The Pulverizer Returns!

Parasitica

Operation: Break Out

Showdown (Parts 1 + 2)

I've been of a TMNT fan ever since I saw the first episode of the original series back in 1987, but I was a little skeptical of the computer-animation being used for the new incarnation. Once I saw the Rise Of The Turtles, all my worries were over. The series is actually well-made, has a great voice cast and it has become its own show, but at the same time it has paid homage to the 1987 and 2003 cartoons. Last year, Nickelodeon released the entire first season in three volumes (Rise of the Turtles, Enter Shredder and Ultimate Showdown), which did upset some diehard fans as they wanted the complete season set. Now, those fans are finally getting their wish, but they might be slightly disappointed with this release. Besides from the cool cover-box and the coffee table booklet, there is nothing new here. Actually, the same three volumes are included in this set, so if you have already purchased the previous releases, then there is no reason to buy it. The good news is that the set is only retails at $35.98 and is currently being sold on Amazon for $12.96, which is about the same price of just one of the volumes. Overall, I did enjoy watching the episodes on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete First Season. If you don't already own the volumes, then I recommend buying this set as you can't beat the price.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
2676094
NICE FIGURE - it looks good and the paint is job is good. My son collects the TMNT figures and thinks it's great. He started collecting back in the 80's and thinks this is like the ones he had then.
2353469
How can you not love the classic 90's TMNT comics. This is a great compilation at a very reasonable price.
2025875
I am a fanatic about the real tmnt series and this brought me back way back to the early 90s late 80's golden age of my life. I love cartoons and this delivers.
4138973
The TMNT series has been great and this volume just takes it to the next level. The story and flow are phenomenal, a must for any turtle or comic fan.
327833
Finally you can watch every episode of the classic TMNT cartoon. Whoever thought of putting the DVDs in the Turtle Mobile deserves the Pulitzer Prize especially since the wheels work.
2076672
Better than I was expecting; started watching with my 4 1/2 year old son just to get away from cartoons for a break.  He loves the TMNT. Good special affects and background storyline.  Not intended for the little kids I have to say, obviously!
4537352
I remember likeng the ninja turtles for as far as I can actually remember anything. They were huge in the early 90' s when I was a kid.
Well the turtles in this book collection are not as friendly and comical as they were on tv and live action movies.
This is the original telling of Laird an Eastman's phenomenal heroes; a collection of violent, dark and futuristic tales that will satisfy the curosity of anybody who grew up with the turtles.

Something I found to be extremely cool is how little the original concept has changed over the years ,on the first 4 issues alone there's so much material that has been used and re-used throughout almost 30 years after their first publication, proving how solid of a comic book this is.

Its part fantasy, part noir, part sci-fi. Overall a must read not only to fans of the ninja turtles but comic book fans in general.
2530370
One of the top superhero cartoons of all time.
3637540
It's almost like the entire series in summary form.

If you've seen the original, it's Turtle King, followed by the Van Allen Belt arc, followed by Cross Caronemon.  Joe's history is tied together a bit better (so the puppy incident is excluded and the reason for what happens to him at the end ties into the bit with his parents).  I'm being intentionally vague so as not to spoil it for folk who haven't seen it.

I've you've seen the original, this is a nice quick run through it all.  If not, go see the original.  This will feel very rushed otherwise.  It's an amazing series that brought in the very first generation of American anime fans.
4936453
NECA's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figures are an awesome tribute to the original TMNT comics by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. As per NECA's usual standards, Donatello is incredibly detailed and come loaded with articulation. His bo feel weighty and made of sturdy plastic. Don also comes with a base, a baby turtle, and other accessories.

Don is made in the style of the original TMNT comics. The style and paint scheme are in the spirit of the original comics, even down to the red bandana and detailing on the shell. As such, he looks like they just jumped off the page of one of the comics. The stark contrast of black grit on the yellow plastron and green body generally works well to highlight the detail. The pictures I saw online don't do justice to how awesome this figure look in person.

As other reviewers have noted, this figure isn't really a toy per se. It's primarily for collectors. It's not fragile, but might break with rough play. However, this guy works beautifully for display. The articulation means you can pose him in almost any action pose you want. I'd be wary of twisting and turning the joints too much, but the poses do hold well.

Unfortunately, this figure expensive and it's tough to find on the secondhand market. However, for diehard TMNT fans, it's a must. You can look for the figures in the tube packaging, which are the same except that they have fewer accessories and no baby turtles.