When the animated TV series about 4 mutaded Turtles with a ninja combat training was sold to publishers in the UK to be aired on television, the British seemed to dislike the word "ninja" - probably they didn't find it pedagogical enough. Therefore the word was taken out of the episodes as well as the title. They re-named the series to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. Additionally, they had to cut out any scenes that involved Michelangelo using his nunchucks (due to censorship laws).
Unfortunately, Germany (and probably also other if not all the other European countries) imported the shortened version from the UK and therefore also aired the censored version of the series.
In march 2009, NewKSM released the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DVD box-set including the first 25 episodes. In May 2010 they released the second box including the following 25 episodes. Just as for the first box-set, they again decided to include the shortened versions (along with the German dubbing) as well as the original US version (in English) on the DVDs.

For this comparison, the shortened German Version (which is based on the UK cut of the episodes) was compared to the uncensored Original Version. Both of these Versions were included in the DVD Box 2 released by NewKSM.


Since the original Version runs a little faster than the original Version (due to the problem of PAL-speedup) it is a little harder to compare the exact differences in time. Therefore, it is very much possible that the time designations are not one-hundred percent accurate.


2 cut (black screen not included) = 5.92 sec.

Thanks to NewKSM for providing us with the DVD box-set!

Time designation: UK Version/US Version

Intro:

For the UK Version of the series, the intro was lavishly re-cut. If you want to have a look at a more detailed report about the intro, have a look at the report for the very first episode of the first season of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" on our website. Also, you should have a look at the report about episode 3 which has a more detailed description about the 2 changes that were made for the German DVD's version of the intro.


Episode:

6:45/6:29-6:36
When the fly abducts April the UK version stops the scene a little earlier. In the US version the fly walks along the sewer a little longer. Then follows a black screen. Subsequently the scene is repeated again (see image 3). The beginning of the following scene where the two of them are shown from the side is missing as well.
5.92 sec. (black screen not included)

15:18/14:48-14:50
At this point the US version shows a black screen.
1.68 sec.