For those of you who grew up on “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Super Mario Bros,” “Looney Tunes,” and superhero cartoons — basically if you grew up in the 90s — be on the lookout for an upcoming comical web-series that combines all of your favorite stereotypes into one Adult-Swim-esque parody called “Karate Tortoise.”
From a team that consists of New York Film Academy alumni and faculty, director Mike Diaz aims to deliver his audience what they’ve all been waiting for — a crazy cast of human-animal hybrids, aliens, and anthropomorphic reptiles that come to life through puppeteers, animators, sculptors, and builders. In fact, playing one of the super-villain hybrids, Rat Bastard, is actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried (“Aladdin,” “Problem Child”), who is sure to deliver a dose of 90s nostalgia.
“‘Karate Tortoise’ was born out of this simple question: Why, oh why, of all the eligible creatures on this planet, would you choose a turtle to be a mutant ninja?” says Diaz. “The story, aesthetic, and characters of each eight minute episode will make older viewers nostalgic for their childhood, while also capitalizing on the Snapchat addled attention spans of younger audiences.”
Diaz hopes ‘Karate Tortoise’ will eventually find a home on Adult Swim, IFC, or Comedy Central.
In order to raise the production budget for the series, the team turned to the crowdfunding site “Seed and Spark,” with the hopes of raising $30,000. With under a month to go on the fundraising, the team has already amassed over $12,000, and promises to deliver some pretty interesting prizes to fans who can fork out a few bucks of support. In fact, for the right price, Diaz and his producing partner Billy Hiller will get “Karate Tortoise” tattoos on their inner thigh.
If you’re interested in learning more about the project or would like to donate your support, visit their crowdfunding site by clicking HERE.