2017 marks 30 years since the launch of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. Though Michelangelo, Raphael, Donny Osmond and Leon Trotsky had already been around for some years, first appearing in Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's comics series, it wasn't until the cartoon, and subsequent toy line, that they became a full-fat phenomenon.
As with any phenomenon, there comes countless imitators attempting to clamber aboard the bandwagon, and the years following the Turtles cartoon saw numerous efforts to grab some of the anthropomorphised glory/millions of dollars.
Here are just ten of them.
As with any phenomenon, there comes countless imitators attempting to clamber aboard the bandwagon, and the years following the Turtles cartoon saw numerous efforts to grab some of the anthropomorphised glory/millions of dollars.
Here are just ten of them.
WILD WEST C.O.W-BOYS OF MOO MESA
Running for two animated series from 1992 to 1993, the shockingly-named Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa was a pun-drench steam punk romp, revolving around a mutated community of cattle, that had been transformed by a radioactive "cow-met" (comet).
Living by the Code Of the West (C.O.W., see), characters included Lily Bovine, Cowlamity Kate Cudster, Cody Calf, the Cowlorado Kid, Buffalo Bull, and - most confusingly of all - a bison character called JR who was voiced by somebody called Michael Horse.
Konami released a reasonable arcade adaptation, that - appropriately - borrowed heavily from its own Western-themed Sunset Riders.
Living by the Code Of the West (C.O.W., see), characters included Lily Bovine, Cowlamity Kate Cudster, Cody Calf, the Cowlorado Kid, Buffalo Bull, and - most confusingly of all - a bison character called JR who was voiced by somebody called Michael Horse.
Konami released a reasonable arcade adaptation, that - appropriately - borrowed heavily from its own Western-themed Sunset Riders.
BIKER MICE FROM MARS
"In this wild and woolly universe, there are three things you can count on: your brains, your bros and your bike!"
Biker Mice From Mars was launched in the UK with a major publicity blitz that attempted to position it as the natural successor to the Turts. I can attest to this, as I attended the main licensing launch - as Konami had once again secured the video game rights.
The TV show focused on three motorcycling refugees from a war-torn Mars - Throttle, Modo and Vinnie - who escape to earth only to discover that the evil aliens are now trying to destroy Chicago.
Why Chicago? Space reasons.
Troublingly, despite being a large mouse, Vinnie spends much of the series flirting with Charley, a female human mechanic.
Being as their enemies were mice, the alien Plutarkians all had cheese-based names; Lawrence Limburger, Lord Camembert and Napoleon Brie. Literally none of these are made up.
Biker Mice From Mars was launched in the UK with a major publicity blitz that attempted to position it as the natural successor to the Turts. I can attest to this, as I attended the main licensing launch - as Konami had once again secured the video game rights.
The TV show focused on three motorcycling refugees from a war-torn Mars - Throttle, Modo and Vinnie - who escape to earth only to discover that the evil aliens are now trying to destroy Chicago.
Why Chicago? Space reasons.
Troublingly, despite being a large mouse, Vinnie spends much of the series flirting with Charley, a female human mechanic.
Being as their enemies were mice, the alien Plutarkians all had cheese-based names; Lawrence Limburger, Lord Camembert and Napoleon Brie. Literally none of these are made up.
BUCKY O'HARE AND THE TOAD WARS
There were no mutations in Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars. Instead, it was set in an alternate universe populated by anthropomorphised animals.
Like the Turts, Bucky O'Hare started life in an independent comic book, albeit this time around the amphibians are the enemies. Bucky and his friends - Jenny (a cat), Willy DuWitt (a human boy from Earth), and Deadeye Duck (a duck, presumably) - work for S.P.A.C.E. (Sentient Protoplasm Against Colonial Encroachment), in a bid to stop the evil Toad Empire, and its computer AI ruler KOMPLEX.
Inevitably, Bucky appeared in two video games - one an arcade beat 'em up, and an NES platformer.
Like the Turts, Bucky O'Hare started life in an independent comic book, albeit this time around the amphibians are the enemies. Bucky and his friends - Jenny (a cat), Willy DuWitt (a human boy from Earth), and Deadeye Duck (a duck, presumably) - work for S.P.A.C.E. (Sentient Protoplasm Against Colonial Encroachment), in a bid to stop the evil Toad Empire, and its computer AI ruler KOMPLEX.
Inevitably, Bucky appeared in two video games - one an arcade beat 'em up, and an NES platformer.
BATTLETOADS
Though starting life as a famously challenging video game franchise, courtesy of our very own Rare, Battletoads was clearly influenced by the Turtles.
Following the success of the games, it was picked up for an animated TV pilot. Alas, the characters (Zitz, Rash and Pimple) never proceeded to a full series - which was just as well, given its blatant lifting of the Turtles' surfer-speak (albeit in the TV version, the characters were high school dudes, blessed with the ability to turn into the titular toads)
Following the success of the games, it was picked up for an animated TV pilot. Alas, the characters (Zitz, Rash and Pimple) never proceeded to a full series - which was just as well, given its blatant lifting of the Turtles' surfer-speak (albeit in the TV version, the characters were high school dudes, blessed with the ability to turn into the titular toads)
STREET SHARKS
The premise of Street Sharks had John, Bobby, Coop, and Clint - the four sons of the curiously pun-less Doctor Robot Bolton - transformed accidentally into powerful half-shark creatures, and adopting the names Ripster, Jab, Streex, and, well... Big Slammu.
The series' main antagonists were Dr Paradigm - a half-piranha man, and his subservient Seaviates. Most troublingly, however, allies of the Street Sharks included characters called Bends and Moby Lick.
The series' main antagonists were Dr Paradigm - a half-piranha man, and his subservient Seaviates. Most troublingly, however, allies of the Street Sharks included characters called Bends and Moby Lick.
ROAD ROVERS
The Road Rovers were a team of dogs mutated via radiation from an exploding "transdogmafier"; Hunter, Colleen, Blitz, Exile, and, um, Shag.
Their chief antagonist was General Parvo, a "feline sapien", and his assistant The Groomer (armed with hair clipper, and - inexplicably - an endless supply of throat lozenges to help Parvo with his constant cough).
Their chief antagonist was General Parvo, a "feline sapien", and his assistant The Groomer (armed with hair clipper, and - inexplicably - an endless supply of throat lozenges to help Parvo with his constant cough).
SAMURAI PIZZA CATS
Based on the anime series Cat Ninja Legend Teyandee, the Samurai Pizza Cats were Speedy Cherviche, Polly Ester and Guido Anchovy, who operate out of the Pizza Cat Restaurant in the futuristic city of Little Tokyo. When not fighting evil, and attempting to bring down a corrupt Prime Minister and his band of ninja crows (obviously), the cats earned their keep by delivering pizzas.
Other characters were called things like Big "Al" Dente and Emperor Fred (the ruler of Little Tokyo, who went so insane after having his wisdom teeth removed that he turned into a scat singer).
Progressively for the time, the main villain, Seymour Cheese, was a flamboyant cross-dresser who often appeared wearing female underwear, and would flirt with his male subordinates.
Other characters were called things like Big "Al" Dente and Emperor Fred (the ruler of Little Tokyo, who went so insane after having his wisdom teeth removed that he turned into a scat singer).
Progressively for the time, the main villain, Seymour Cheese, was a flamboyant cross-dresser who often appeared wearing female underwear, and would flirt with his male subordinates.
THE CHEETAHMEN
Only existing as a pair of video games for the NES - the first of which appeared on the famously glitchy compilation Action 52 - The Cheetahmen were a team of genetically-engineered cheetah martial artists - Apollo, Hercules and Aries.
They fought a succession of other humanised animals, created by the evil Dr Pubis (Morbis), as well as the games' own clunky controls. The sequel was pulled from release, but its ROM has subsequently leaked online, cementing The Cheetahmen as one of the worst game franchises to have ever been almost released.
Suffice to say, ambitious plans for an animated series and toyline never came to fruition.
They fought a succession of other humanised animals, created by the evil Dr Pubis (Morbis), as well as the games' own clunky controls. The sequel was pulled from release, but its ROM has subsequently leaked online, cementing The Cheetahmen as one of the worst game franchises to have ever been almost released.
Suffice to say, ambitious plans for an animated series and toyline never came to fruition.
EXTREME DINOSAURS
As if dinosaurs weren't extreme enough already, Extreme Dinosaurs transformed a team of them into half-human mercenaries. Attempting to capitalise not only on the then-waning popularity of the Turtles, but also the Jurassic Park movie series, Extreme Dinosaurs - T-Bone, Stegz, Bullzeye, Spike and Hard Rock - protected earth against an army of interdimensional raptors.
They operated out of a dinosaur museum owned by Porcupine Duvall, and for some reason occasionally teamed up with Prince H - a member of the British Royal Family.
They operated out of a dinosaur museum owned by Porcupine Duvall, and for some reason occasionally teamed up with Prince H - a member of the British Royal Family.
CYBOARS
A short-lived line of action figures inspired by an equally short-lived comic book, Cyboars also existed as a short-lived CGI series. Half-robot/half-pig, the Cyboars crashed to earth in a spaceship - along with their godawful names; Hog Kong, Cyber Chop, Bush Hog, Rabid Fire, and Air Boar. Terrible.
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