Editing TMNT Summer Shorts

{{Short description|American animated web series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2026}}
{{Infobox television
| genre                = [[Anthology]]<br />[[Superhero fiction|Superhero]]
| based_on             = {{Based on|[[List of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters|Characters]] created|[[Peter Laird]] and [[Kevin Eastman]]}}
| starring             = Various
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_episodes         = 12
| company              = [[Nickelodeon Animation Studio]]
| network              = [[YouTube]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|2016|07|23}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|2018|01|04}}
}}
'''''TMNT Summer Shorts''''' is an American animated anthology of shorts that was released on [[Nickelodeon]]'s [[YouTube]] channel from 2016 to 2018. Produced by [[Nickelodeon Animation Studio]], the shorts present different takes on the ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' franchise and its characters, and were helmed by various creative teams and animation vendors.

== Production and release ==
At the [[San Diego Comic-Con]] (SDCC) in August 2016, Nickelodeon unvieled three ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' animated short films, each set in a different continuity and helmed by a different creative.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Pellegrini |first=Mark |date=2016-08-06 |title=TMNT San Diego Comic-Con 2016 Animated Shorts |url=https://aiptcomics.com/2016/08/06/tmnt-san-diego-comic-con-2016-animated-shorts/ |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=AIPT |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725134017/https://aiptcomics.com/2016/08/06/tmnt-san-diego-comic-con-2016-animated-shorts/|archive-date=2024-07-25|url-status=live}}</ref> This first batch included "Don vs. Raph" directed by Sung Jin Ahn, written by [[Jhonen Vasquez]], and animated by [[Titmouse, Inc.]]; "Turtles Take Time (and Space)" written and directed by Rie Koga and Brandon Auman, and animated by [[Studio Mir]]; and  "Pizza Friday" directed by Paul Jenkins, written by Jenkins and [[Kevin Eastman]], and animated by [[House of Cool]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Kawasaki |first=Luigi |date=2017-04-11 |title=Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles SDCC 2016 Shorts Best Nick TMNT we've gotten » MiscRave |url=http://miscrave.com/articles/sdcc-tmnt-shorts/ |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=MiscRave |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240415191708/http://miscrave.com/articles/sdcc-tmnt-shorts/|archive-date=April 15, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>

in June 2017, a new batch of shorts was released, and them along with the SDCC 2016 shorts were placed under the retroactive title, ''TMNT Summer Shorts''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Pellegrini |first=Mark |date=2017-10-10 |title=A look back at Nickelodeon’s 2017 TMNT Summer Shorts |url=https://aiptcomics.com/2017/10/10/a-look-back-at-nickelodeons-2017-tmnt-summer-shorts/ |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=AIPT |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226182731/https://aiptcomics.com/2017/10/10/a-look-back-at-nickelodeons-2017-tmnt-summer-shorts/|archive-date=February 26, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Kawasaki |first=Luigi |date=2017-08-27 |title=TMNT Summer Shorts 2017 Looking back at these 3 shorts » MiscRave |url=https://miscrave.com/articles/tmnt-summer-shorts/ |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=MiscRave |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419120623/https://miscrave.com/articles/tmnt-summer-shorts/|archive-date=April 19, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> These included "We Strike Hard and Fade Away into the Night" written and directed by Kevin R. Adams and Joe Ksander, and animated by Titmouse; "Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles" written and directed by Matt Youngberg, and animated by [[DNA Productions|DNA productions]] with additional work by [[Peter Chung]]; five "TMNT Team Up!" shorts written and directed by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica, and animated by Doodles (including an SDCC 2017 bonus episode); and "Boulangerie".<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=TMNT: Team Up! Comic-Con Exclusive {{!}} Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles {{!}} #NickSDCC {{!}} Nickelodeon |url=http://www.nickalive.net/2017/07/tmnt-team-up-comic-con-exclusive.html |access-date=2026-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260201154719/http://www.nickalive.net/2017/07/tmnt-team-up-comic-con-exclusive.html|archive-date=February 1, 2026|url-status=live}}</ref> Both ''AIPT'' and ''MiscRave'' noted that several shorts in Nickelodeon's 2017 promo have remained unreleased.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />

Titmouse co-founder [[Chris Prynoski]] described the shorts they worked on for the project as a "labor of love", and one they took on simply because it appealed to them. Each short took approximately 20 to 25 weeks for Titmouse to produce.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2017-08-14 |title=From Emmy Wins To ‘Rick and Morty’ Acid Trips, Titmouse Is More Relevant Than Ever {{!}} Decider |url=https://decider.com/2017/08/14/titmouse-chris-prynoski-interview-niko-and-the-sword-of-light-rick-and-morty/ |access-date=2026-02-13 |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415092655/https://decider.com/2017/08/14/titmouse-chris-prynoski-interview-niko-and-the-sword-of-light-rick-and-morty/|archive-date=April 15, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-08-15 |title=‘TMNT Summer Shorts’ {{!}} Decider {{!}} Where To Stream Movies & Shows on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max |url=https://decider.com/what-to-watch/tmnt-summer-shorts/ |access-date=2026-02-13 |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228170342/https://decider.com/what-to-watch/tmnt-summer-shorts/|archive-date=February 28, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Responding to the question of whether any of the shorts would be adapted to a full series Pryonski stated: "I think the style will be too difficult to execute on a regular basis as a series".<ref name=":2" />

== Episodes ==
{{Episode table |background=#56A95D |overall=5 |title=24 |director=17 |writer=19 |aux2=16 |airdate=14 |aux2T=Animated by |titleR= |episodes={{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 1
 |Title               = Don vs. Raph
 |DirectedBy          = Sung Jin Ahn
 |WrittenBy           = [[Jhonen Vasquez]]
 |Aux2                = [[Titmouse, Inc.]]
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2016|07|23}}
 |ShortSummary        = After getting into a petty squabble with one another, [[Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Donatello]] and [[Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Raphael]] engage in a variety of competitions to settle their conflict. This includes playing video games, making armpit fart noises, baking, hand shadows, eating spicy food, stacking minature blocks of wood, dress-up, jump rope, and thumb wrestling.
{{Episode cast}} [[Raphael (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Raphael]] ([[Adam DeVine]]), [[Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Leonardo]] ([[Anders Holm]]), [[Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Michelangelo]] ([[Blake Anderson]]), [[Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Donatello]]  ([[Eric Bauza]]), [[Splinter (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Splinter]] / [[Shredder (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Shredder]] ([[Matthew Yang King]])
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 2
 |Title               = Turtles Take Time (and Space)
 |DirectedBy          = Rie Koga
 |WrittenBy           = Brandon Auman
 |Aux2                = [[Studio Mir]]
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2016|07|23}}
 |ShortSummary        = [[April O'Neil|April]] brings a magical Time Scepter to the Turtles' lair. [[Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Michelangelo]] plays with it and accidentally sends himself and his brothers upon a ship during the [[Golden Age of Piracy|Pirate Age]]. After meeting with an ascendant of April and battling with a rival Pirate crew, they are transported into the pet shop they originated from where they are once again unmutated babies. After some mishaps, they are transported to an alternate reality where they take muscular forms and duel with the [[Shredder (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Shredder]]. Finally they are transported to the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)|1987 TV series]] reality.
{{Episode cast}} Raphael ([[Darren Criss]]), Donatello / Pirate #1 ([[Scott Menville]]), Leonardo (Eric Bauza), Michelangelo ([[Greg Cipes]]), 1980s Michelangelo / Pirate Captain ([[Townsend Coleman]]), [[April O'Neil|April]] / Pirate April ([[Jessica McKenna]]), Shredder ([[Brian Bloom]])
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}

{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 3
 |Title               = Pizza Friday
 |DirectedBy          = [[Paul Jenkins (writer)|Paul Jenkins]]
 |WrittenBy           = Paul Jenkins and [[Kevin Eastman]]
 |Aux2                = [[House of Cool]]
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2016|07|23}}
 |ShortSummary        = Using Donatello's cloaking device, the Turtles disguise themselves as humans, and with April, sneak into her high school in order to experience Pizza Friday. In the cafetaria, they encounter a group of strange speaking students who turn out to be [[Krang]] aliens similarly using cloaking technology to disguise themselves. Both the Turtles and Krang are exposed and they duel it out, before both fleeing the scene.
{{Episode cast}} Donatello ([[A. J. LoCascio]]), Raphael ([[Sam Riegel]]),  Leonardo ([[Yuri Lowenthal]]), Michelangelo ([[Zach Callison]]), April / Girls (Courtney Eastman), [[Krang]] / Strange Student (Jason Canning)
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}

{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 4
 |Title               = Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles
 |DirectedBy          = Matt Youngberg
 |WrittenBy           = Matt Youngberg
 |Aux2                = DNA Production Co., Ltd.<br>[[Peter Chung]] <small>(additional animation)</small>
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|06|05}}
 |ShortSummary        = It is 2090 in [[New York City]], and humans and mutants seemingly co-exist in peace. A bank robbery is underway by a pack of mutant dogs, but before they can flee the scene they are stopped by Frida, Jackson, Basque, and Kusama, four human teenagers piloting mech suits resembling turtles.While Frida and Jackson bicker, the pack leader, Grimm, finds and enters a large construction mech and a battle ensues. After settling their differences and finally acting as a unit, the teenagers defeat Grimm and tie him up with rest of his pack for the police to reprimand. Back at their lair the teenagers celebrate, and their master, an older Michelangelo, congratulates them.
{{Episode cast}} Michelangelo (Greg Cipes), Frida ([[America Young]]), Jackson (Eric Artel), Basque ([[Khary Payton]]), Kusama ([[Tania Gunadi]]), Jester Joe / Grimm (Eric Bauza), Jester Jim / Sgt. Swat ([[David Kaye (voice actor)|David Kaye]])
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 5
 |Title               = No Fly Zone
 |DirectedBy          = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |WrittenBy           = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |Aux2                = Gary Doodles
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|06|12}}
 |ShortSummary        = This is the first entry in the ''TMNT Team Up!'' subseries created by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica. It consists of four comedic short stories:
* The Shredder and Turtles roast each other via text messaging.
* Splinter karate chopping wooden planks in a construction shop much to the managers dismay.
* [[Bebop and Rocksteady]] perform a song about their friendship.
* Baxter Stockman accidentally smashes against the Party Van's windshield.
{{Episode cast}} Tommy Sica, Gary Doodles, Cassandra Sica
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 6
 |Title               = Boulangerie
 |DirectedBy          = N/A
 |WrittenBy           = N/A
 |Aux2                = N/A
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|06|18}}
 |ShortSummary        = The Turtles in disguise try to buy snacks from a French bakery.
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 7
 |Title               = Flora the Fedora
 |DirectedBy          = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |WrittenBy           = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |Aux2                = Gary Doodles
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|06|26}}
 |ShortSummary        = This is the second entry in the ''TMNT Team Up!'' subseries created by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica. It consists of six comedic short stories:
* The Turtles, in the Turtle Van, drive into a large pothole
* Michelangelo gets stuck in a pipe and April, unknowingly, tries to plunge him out
* Shredder tries and fails to fly
* Krang goes boop
* Bebop and Rocksteady watch television
* The Turtles eat chinese food
{{Episode cast}} Tommy Sica, Gary Doodles, Cassandra Sica
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 8
 |Title               = We Strike Hard & Fade Into the Night
 |DirectedBy          = Kevin R. Adams and Joe Ksander
 |WrittenBy           = Kevin R. Adams and Joe Ksander
 |Aux2                = Titmouse, Inc.
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|07|10}}
 |ShortSummary        = In a moving train in the subways of New York City, April is holding a cansiter containing a glowing crytsal with ooze-like properties. The train is hijacked by [[Foot Clan]] ninjas. Leonardo saves April and on the roof the train, the Turtles and April are confronted by more ninjas as well as Mouser robots. One Mouser steals the canister and brings it to Krang, who is inside a runaway Techno Cosmic Research Institute (TCRI) vehicle. The Turtles battle Krang and hijack the vehicle, before reuniting with April who is fighting off Foot ninjas using mutant tentacles courtesy of the canister. The tentacles soon spiiral out of her control and the Turtles save her.
{{Episode cast}} Raphael (David Theune), Leonardo (Ryan Meharry), Michelangelo (Jacob Reed), Donatello (Adam McCabe), April ([[Lauren Lapkus]]), [[Krang]] ([[Betsy Sodaro]])
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 9
 |Title               = TMNT Team-Up!: Comic Con Exclusive
 |DirectedBy          = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |WrittenBy           = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |Aux2                = Gary Doodles
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|07|18}}
 |ShortSummary        = This is a bonus entry in the ''TMNT Team Up!'' subseries created by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica. It consists of three comedic short stories:
* A young fan at Comic Con meets Krang's robotic armor.
* The Turtles go to Comic Con and meet their co-creator, [[Kevin Eastman]].
* Shredder and Krang meet Shredder cosplayers.
{{Episode cast}} Tommy Sica, Gary Doodles, Cassandra Sica, Kevin Eastman
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 10
 |Title               = Turtle: Impossible
 |DirectedBy          = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |WrittenBy           = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |Aux2                = Gary Doodles
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|07|31}}
 |ShortSummary        = This is the third entry in the ''TMNT Team Up!'' subseries created by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica. It consists of seven comedic short stories:
* The Turtles and April have a saturday night binge party.
* The Turtles are driving in the Party Van before a giant mutant pigeon carries them away.
* A Foot Ninja gets hit in the head by some shoes.
* Splinter relays wisdom in a cage.
* Ace Duck crashes into a pile of rubber ducks.
* Shredder refuses his mother's invitation for dinner.
* Donatello tries to diffuse a bomb.
{{Episode cast}} Tommy Sica, Gary Doodles, Cassandra Sica
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 11
 |Title               = Big Daddy's TV
 |DirectedBy          = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |WrittenBy           = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |Aux2                = Gary Doodles
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2017|08|14}}
 |ShortSummary        = This is the fourth entry in the ''TMNT Team Up!'' subseries created by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica. It consists of five comedic short stories:
* Leonardo answers the doorbell but his hit by a random subway train.
* Shredder, Krang, Bebop, and Rocksteady watch TV on Shredder's new massive flat screen.
* Michelangelo uses Donatello's computer.
* Bebop and Rocksteady perform a song about their friendship.
* The Turtles, April, and [[Casey Jones (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Casey]] drive in April's new car.
{{Episode cast}} Tommy Sica, Gary Doodles, Cassandra Sica
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber       = 12
 |Title               = Krang On Idol
 |DirectedBy          = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |WrittenBy           = Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica
 |Aux2                = Gary Doodles
 |OriginalAirDate     = {{Start date|2018|01|04}}
 |ShortSummary        = This is the fifth and final entry in the ''TMNT Team Up!'' subseries created by Gary Doodles and Tommy Sica. It consists of six comedic short stories:
* Michelangelo parks the Party Van in a No Parking Zone and is abducted by aliens.
* Shredder looks up bunions on the internet.
* The Turtles are playing a game of ''[[Twister (game)|Twister]]''.
* A little girl buys a Ninja Turtles ice pop.
* Krang raps on Idol.
* Leonardo dreams about Splinter.
{{Episode cast}} Tommy Sica, Gary Doodles, Cassandra Sica
 |LineColor           = 56A95D
}}
}}

== Reception ==
Mark Pellegrini of ''AIPT'' thought of the shorts as a fun throwback to the guest artist issues of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios)|original ''Turtles'' comics]], though largely felt that the 2017 batch was a letdown compared to the 2016 one due to its lack of variety.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He hailed "Don vs. Raph" as his favorite of the 2016 shorts for its kinetic pace and Jhonen Vasquez's trademark humor and visuals, and "We Strike Hard and Fade Away into the Night" as his favorite in 2017 for its similarly fast pace and stylish animation.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> ''MiscRave'' praised "Turtles Take Time (and Space)" for its lighthearted tone, action, and designs, and highlighted "We Strike Hard and Fade Away into the Night" and "Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles" as additional favorites.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

== References ==
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{{reflist}}

{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles}}
{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series}}

[[Category:2010s American animated television series]]
[[Category:2010s American anthology television series]]
[[Category:2010s American children's television series]]
[[Category:2010s American superhero television series]]
[[Category:2010s YouTube series]]
[[Category:2016 web series debuts]]
[[Category:American children's animated action television series]]
[[Category:American children's animated superhero television series]]
[[Category:Nickelodeon]]
[[Category:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series]]