Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation-Trivia

* Several things from the 90s TMNT trilogy were carried over to this series with the Turtles living in the same abandoned train station featured in the second and third films, Splinter's ear is slashed as it was in the original film series, and Michaelangelo's signature weapon being a pair of tonfa instead of his traditional Nunchucks which he gave away to Mitsu at the end of the third film. This is because originally the plot for this series was to be used in a fourth movie called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: The Foot Walks Again. However, the TMNT trilogy and Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation are not in the same continuity.
* The only Ninja Turtles related project to not feature April O'Neil or Casey Jones. There is a rumor that they were meant to appear in second season had the show not been canceled after one season, but it is unclear whether they would have remained in their villainous roles from when the project started off as a movie.
* Fans of the franchise where not happy about the addition of the fifth turtle, Venus, and Kevin Eastman and Laird have never revived her in any future TMNT variations. However, Eastman is secretly still a fan of the idea, but keeps her out of the franchise now to keep fans happy. However they have kept her spirit alive by adding small references in images now and then. Most recently a centrefold like image of her was included on the side of a 2016 RC vehicle of the turtle van. Things similar to this appear from time to time from the creators as a small homage for their own amusement.
* The designs the turtles have are heavily based on the movie IV concept art. However, since this moved into a TV project, it was decided that the turtles would also wear initialed belt buckles and colored elbow and knee pads since TV audiences were so used to the turtles wearing them in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) cartoon show.
* Saban Entertainment came in with Fox Kids and Fox broadcasting after plans to make the Next Mutation movie fell through. When Saban and Fox asked co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird how they could make this project different, they mentioned the idea for a fifth turtle. Saban liked it but, insisted that the fifth turtle had to be female or they wouldn't green light the show. Laird, never a big fan of the male fifth turtle idea, very reluctantly agreed to add a fifth turtle since the original cartoon was ending and without a TV project Mirage Studios would need to downsize.
* Originally, Saban wanted to change the Turtles' signature mask-colors (Leonardo from blue to yellow, Donatello from purple to black) supposedly to avoid color-key issues with the heavy blue-screen work needed for the show but perhaps also as a way to sell additional new action figures. Venus Di Milo's original bandana color was going to be pink.
* This series had a crossover episode with Power Rangers in Space. This episode is available on the US release of the series. It is not included on the region 4 releases.
* There are two versions of this series in regards to sound effects. The original release had far less goofed sound effects during fight scenes. The episodes were later edited to feature them to make sure fight scenes where as kid friendly as possible.
* In this series, Leonardo uses a single straight-sword instead of twin katanas and Michelangelo uses tonfa batons. The latter change was made to get around the marketing headache the cartoon series suffered from which was caused by nunchucks being banned (and heavily stigmatized) weapons in the UK and some other territories.
* TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman was a co-producer on the series. Several of the villains had a similar look to the characters in his original concept art, for when the project was a live-action film.
* Matt Hill is the only actor to reprise his role from the live-action films. However, in this show, Hill provided the voice of Raphael and was not the suit actor for Raphael like he was in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.
* Continuing the trend of the movies, the only villains from the original Mirage comics to appear in this series are Shredder and the Foot Clan.
* The Dragon Lord was originally going to be called Dragon Face.
* When Saban got the rights to the series back from Disney, the opening theme was changed for DVD and streaming due to copyright restrictions. The original 1997 theme had a rock sound, and was performed by Jeremy Sweet, who also did the Rock the Dragon theme on Saban's concurrent Dragon Ball Z dub. The replacement theme from the early 2010s opted for a more electronic sound, and used autotune-like effects.
* In 2001 a follow up comic book was being discussed to pick up where this show left off. It would centre around a plot where the TMNT boys and splinter went through a second mutation and disband. However the effects did not occur to Venus whom with the help of April O'Neal would search for an antidote, in which early on would result in finding Baxtor Stockman whom captures Venus and clones her. The clone would then become a sixth turtle, sporting a pink bandanna. In addition Baxtor also mutates a gecko that becomes MONA Lisa and they become an alternate all female ninja team not only in search of an antidote for the turtles but also taking over duties as the cities crime fighters now that the turtle boys and splinter are not fit for hero action anymore. The idea was scrapped in favour of creating a new cartoon series instead.
* This series established that the ninja turtles where not brothers and each from different blood lines. The idea was used so the storylines of romantic involvement between Venus and the turtle boys could be used.
* Scott McNeil based his performance of Bonesteel on the character off Ogre from the Revenge of the Nerds films.
* The four original Ninja Turtles are trained in Ninjitsu. Venus is trained in Shinobi.
* The first Ninja Turtles TV series to mention Splinter and Hamoto Yoshi as two separate characters. In the first TV series they were one in the same.
* At 26 episodes this was the shortest Ninja Turtles related TV series.
* The first Ninja Turtles TV series that is live action as oppose to being animated.
* While Venus would serve as the first official female Ninja Turtle in the franchise it would not be until 2019, 21 years later after the show's ending, a new female Ninja Turtle would be introduced, Jennika (or Jenny for short), from the newer TMNT comic book series published by IDW Publishing.
* Unlike Venus whose color was light blue that was similar to Leonardo, Jennika had her own independent color of yellow, and her own personal weapon. Jennika's background was her being mutated into a Turtle by a blood transfusion from Leonardo after being nearly killed by Karai.