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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Series Fan Favorite Makes Comics Debut
Over the course of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles run, numerous characters have jumped from the animated universe to the comics, but there are still many who haven’t had their chance to take the spotlight. That’s especially true of the later iterations of the show, but one fan-favorite character from a slept-on season has finally made their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics debut, and is already stealing the show.
The big debut happens in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14, which follows last issue’s reveal of the identity of Ujigami. IDW decided to follow that up with another big reveal, but this one ties back to the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. After a black cat is seen following the Turtles and spying on Karai, Karai calls them out, and they reveal themselves to be the deadly witch Shinigami.
The design has changed up just a bit from the cartoon, but the attitude and overall look are still very reminiscent of the original version, and now the character is canon to the comic series. She even retains her loyalty to Karai, and now she is looking to utilize Ujigami to help further Karai’s ultimate goal. You can check out her new design (left) and her original design (right) from the cartoon above.
Who Is Shinigami From The 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series?
Shinigami made her debut during the City at War episode of the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. City at War premiered in 2016, with Shinigami ambushing the Turtles and April O’Neal and stealing O’Neal’s tanto. It’s revealed that Shinigami is an old friend of Karai’s from Japan, and she teams up with her friend to take out Shredder.
Karai and Shinigami end up working alongside the Turtles several times despite not exactly wanting to, but the two sides do end up forging an alliance somewhat against Shredder. Shinigami also takes a liking to Michelangelo, who has a huge crush on her as well, and before the end of the series, both Karai and Shinigami even mourn Splinter’s death.
Shinigami has numerous magics and spells at her disposal, including the ability to shapeshift, and many times she chooses the form of a black cat. She’s also able to create illusions to disorient her enemies and can summon a horde of bats to attack her opponents and create a distraction. There’s also the Hypno Stone, which she uses multiple times throughout the series, and one might see her using it in the comics to perhaps sway Ujigami over to Karai’s side. While she does lean on her magical abilities, she’s also skilled with her weapon of choice, the Kusarigama, so even without her magic, she’s still quite deadly.
In an interview with The Beat, writer Gene Luen Yang discussed her debut. “For those who don’t know, Shinigami is a fan favorite villain from the 2012 TMNT cartoon series. She’s powerful and conniving, a real shapeshifter, but Freddie and I hope to give readers a glimpse of her humanity before the story arc is over,” Yang said. “She’s equal parts cool and creepy – ninja and witch – a perfect fit for a tale about Yomi-no-Kuni, the Land of the Dead!”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14 is in comic stores now.
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