Sorry but I love Rise’s April and I think she’s the perfect evolution to the character
I’ve said it once but I’m gonna elaborate on it here Rise’s April O’Neil is the best adapted version and Imma tell you all why by sadly having to compare her to the 2k12 version (as they are they closest in a narrative sense & cause 2k12 stans do it all the time).
First off the creators themselves have admitted she is the honorary 6th Turtle in their eyes and everything about her just screams that. She’s extreme, a little off beat, and up for anything especially if its action packed. Like why do you think her jacket is green?! And this just feels so natural April has ALWAYS been an important part of the team and i’ll be honest the main reason i was upset with the new turtle in the comics is cause she uses yellow…..THATS APRIL’S COLOR HOW DARE YOU.
Another is WHY she’s hanging out with the turtles. I’ve said it before but every previous April needed a reason external to herself to hang in the sewers with humanoid turtles. I remember back when the 2k12 series was getting hyped to air the creators had said something along the lines of “You might be wondering why a teenage girl would hang out with turtles in this series we have a reason” And i was excited for that but much like pervious versions it was external factors and the only kinda internal one was that she’s not entirely human herself.
Like we never really saw 2k12 April interact outside her life with the turtles not really, we never saw her not connecting with her peers, we never saw her showcasing her interests outside of team stuff, but you know which April does? ROTTMNTs
We get a few eps where we see April doesn’t fit in at her school and it’s not cause she’s secretly part alien/mutant thing, it’s cause what she likes isn’t popular and it effects her like any other teenager. We haven’t gotten a flashback to her first meeting but I get the feeling after initial shock April didn’t care these were weird mutant turtle guys just that she found people she connects with. I mean we kinda see this with Sunita. We also see there are things April loves that the turtles don’t get like her being a fan of Warren Stone. And this serves to better make April a more fleshed out member of the cast.
Another BIG reason (at least for me) is this April is never sexualized like at all. It’s a well known fact April has always been the eye candy of TMNT and don’t you dare say she wasn’t sexualized in 2k12. Like look her standard outfit isn’t awful I mean it has the really bad layering fashion that every show at the time had (like is she wearing a black full body suit underneath? Who would layer like this?) but despite this was very skin tight to show all her curves. Now you can say thats cause of cg its needed to make the animation easier but you know what wasn’t needed? the giant star on her ass
It’s like a your eye naturally goes to it cause its such a bright color and kinda out of place that makes you go “is that suppose to be there?” I know I did when i watched the first ep. OH and not to mention the ridiculous amount of ass shots this teenager gets
and these were just pics on the wiki that i thought like “Could you really not find a better way to frame this?” like i didn’t go looking for these (And this isnt all of them) Now her Ninja outfit is a little better and oddly a little looser but uh hey guess what it still has?
YEP THAT FUCKING ASS STAR AND OF CORSE HER WEAPON IS ON THE HIP AND NOT THE BACK
oh and lets not forget this “loving” homage to the 80′s series
Yeahhhhhhh everyone knows the yellow jumpsuit is fetished to hell by older fans did we really need Donnie & Casey oggling her? Oh and lets of corse mention that one of her big over arching plots was a will they, won’t they/love triangle to further showcase her as an object of desire. And I’m pretty sure there was an ep where a full grown man was obsessed with her.
Now by Contrast Rise’s April has a very simple and clean desgin. It def took some cues from the 2k12 design what with the leggings and sporty look. But its far more simplified and guess what it doesnt have? A giant look at her butt star! Rather it has a desgin to bring your eyes up to her back.
In fact the shirt it self seems be made long and loose enough that scenes 2k12 April was subjected to would be avoided
Seriously theses were the closest I found on the wiki. Now lets look at some alternate Outfits she wears and once again we get this simple clean loose look but still looks cute and feminine.
Like lets be real her ninja outfit is top teir. Plus they made a bunny girl outfit look cute.
And lets compare April’s intro to her series they are all typically similar in that they need to turtles to rescue them. Now 2k12 April we see her walking with her dad silently before getting captured all we learn about her before the rescue is that Donnie thinks she’s pretty thats it. A character intro is suppose to show the core of who they are the turtles here had it Splinter had it and their choice for April is to let everyone know that she’s pretty. That’s uh not a good look they could have had her talking to her dad about something but nope.
Now lets look at Rise’s April intro. She’s screaming excitedly taking pictures as the turtles do their pool dive showcasing her love of the extreme and fun personality first and foremost as they chose to make the choice that April already knows these guys to streamline things. We know immediately she’s a part of this group, she’s fun loving and the camera is a nice little nod to her interest in journalism to be show cased later. All this in a few seconds.
And I’m sorry 2k12 April but the fact that she becomes basically ninja Jean Grey doesn’t change the fact that she is constantly shown off in a sexual way. And i’m not saying sex appeal is bad I’m saying that when it towards a character whos 16 at a show aimed at kids its kinda like who’s this really for?
Speaking of fighting I got a great love for the completely un-trained taking whatevers around and going to town style. It’s definitely suits the street wise city girl the writers are going for and even harkens back to the 80′s version of the character who’d use her wits grab whatever is around and get the job done. Its not as technical or “ninja” but it feels her own and less male gazey as lets be real action girl is a trope that can easily fall under that.
There’s also the fact that April is JUST the turtles bestie. It’s kinda crazy how even now how rare a having a main female character who isn’t a love interest on a show with a target audience for boys. This April shows you can Love someone and not be IN love with someone.
Overall I’d say Rises April is the natural progression of the character as she’s changed through the years an adaptations taking little cues from each.
80′s- Her interest in reporting, documenting, news and do whatever she can to get new info 2000s’- Her tech abilities & interest, willingness to get down and dirty in a fight, using her wits to her advantage 2012- Her age and relationship with the turtles and desire to be there for her boys
This April is amazing and I need to see more of her. She’s the Turtles girl with a plan, their partner in crime, overall bestie and honorary turtle.
(Sorry about the outfit tangent but it’s bugged me for years)
