#tmntoh

The Nine Realms and the Guardians

Here is a rough approximation of the layout of the yokai realm in TMNT: Once Human (featuring my terrible handwriting and map-making skills!)

The Nine Realms is made up of nine main areas, each headed by a "Guardian". Most Guardian yokai are named for their species - so for example there are many kappa, but only one Guardian Kappa (with a capital "K"). But some have their own names and titles. Guardians are very powerful, functionally immortal yokai; but their position and power can be passed down and transferred (willfully) to another individual, who will then take up said Guardian's role and name. The next Guardian inherits the past Guardian's powers and some of their memories. Their main job is to protect their given realm, and maintain peace within their own realm and between other realms. In times of need, they may come together in a council, held in Realm 1.

The main mode of transport between the realms is train and portal, but there are roads and walking paths for other forms of transportation.

Many of these locations and characters may not be featured in the story itself, and some are just fun easter eggs from either past TMNT incarnations, or from Japanese folklore; but they exist just in case I decide I want to do something with them, haha!

1.) Tabitha ( From Jade's pokemon comic)

2.) My own interpritation/ remake of the Gastly evolution line

3.) A warm up sketch of Jade's Once Human Leo and my Kindred Souls Leo. Kindred Souls Leo doesnt write ( mostly just reads fantacy books ) but would be delighted to read Once Human Leo's poems.

4.) All of Jade's Once Human turtles watching something on tv. ( click for better image quality)

🐱 Do any of your characters have pets?

See, this is the question I was most unsure about haha!

🏠 What is the Lair like?

I actually don't really know what "Once Human's" lair looks like XD

Well, I don't really have a layout. I have a basic idea of what each of their rooms would look like, but no sense of actual structure or visual designs to show any of you. The following is some rambling and sort of making things up as I go (except for the last part which is very much set in stone).

Splinter's room would have a bunch of random things from his travels and likely a bookshelf of cookbooks. I'd also imagine he'd have some posters in his room, mostly of 80s memorabilia. Also a rainbow flag maybe? There's rainbow in there somewhere. I'm imagining warm lighting. Maybe rainbow fairy lights? It's also one of the messier rooms, but messy in a way where he knows where things are.

Leo has the most traditionally Japanese looking room. Tatami mats. Futon bed. Probably some bonsai plants and scrolls of calligraphy art on the walls (some of which he made himself).

Mikey's room is like an art studio. Bright, saturated colors. Probably some plush toys and bean bag chairs. There's also a corner with patches of cloth, thread, and a sewing machine for making clothing.

Donnie and Raph share a room (split with a curtain). It's a mishmash of their colors and interests. There's an area for Raph to weightlift, and he has a tiny old TV which he likes to watch sports on. Donnie has a desk with various parts and blueprints for projects. She likes to have some sort of background noise while working. Sometimes that's whatever Raph is watching or doing, and sometimes that's music via some large headphones she has, connected to a decent entertainment system.

I don't really have ideas for the rest of the lair. There's probably a dojo area. And a kitchen with a pantry..? uh yeah

One important factor of the lair that I do have figured out is that it is underground, and soooorta in a space that is between the human realm and the yokai realm. Think pocket dimension. This, along with Donnie's tech, keeps the lair safe from most outsiders - human, mystical, or otherwise. It can only be accessed by people who already know it's there, and anyone who comes near it sort of magically, can't really perceive it.

I'm so glad you're enjoying TMNT: Once Human! It makes me really happy that you're liking that the first season villain is not Shredder! I'm really excited about my Season 1 villains! Bishop and Draxum are essentially two sides of the same coin. There's a lot going on in the background with them that I haven't revealed yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how y'all will react the more I show ;3

Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you like the designs!

Hmm... "hardest to come up with".. it's been a while, but this might be a fun excuse to show off some early concept sketches ;3

Mikey was definitely the easiest to come up with. I knew I wanted them to be a softshell turtle, and when I learned that "peacock softshell turtles" existed, which have cool swirling patterns on their shell, I knew that was a Mikey!

Next up was Donnie who I knew I wanted to be some sort of box turtle/land turtle. I was considering an eastern box turtle (left), but I went with the black pond turtle (right) because of the starry aesthetic:

Raph was a bit tricky, because I had to find a balance for what accessories to put on him. How much armor? What type of mask? I was even considering a full face mask (kinda like the "Red Reign" mask in RotTMNT). But giving him a simple bandana and some spiky pads worked out all right:

With that all said, I think Leo was the most difficult to figure out. I wasn't sure what kind of turtle to make him! The mata mata turtle, mary river turtle, spiny turtle, and various map turtles were on the potential species list for Leo. I went with the bog turtle, because I think above all else I wanted him to be smol (and also to have potential angst regarding hiding his bright cheek markings)!