Throughout IDW’s run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, many characters originally from the animated series have appeared, but some haven’t yet had a major role. This is particularly true for characters from more recent versions of the show. However, a beloved character from a lesser-known season has finally made their comic book debut and is quickly becoming a standout.
The latest issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, #14, builds on the previous reveal of Ujigami’s identity with another major surprise. This time, the reveal connects to the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. When a black cat is spotted watching the Turtles and Karai, Karai confronts it, and the cat reveals itself to be Shinigami, a dangerous witch.
The character’s design has been updated slightly from the animated series, but she still strongly resembles her original appearance and personality. Now officially part of the comic book universe, she remains loyal to Karai and is seeking to use Ujigami to help Karai achieve her goals. You can see the new design on the left and the original cartoon design on the right above.
Who Is Shinigami From The 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series?
Shinigami first appeared in the 2016 episode “City at War” of the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. In the episode, she ambushes the Turtles and April O’Neal, stealing April’s weapon, a tanto. It’s later revealed that Shinigami is an old friend of Karai’s from Japan, and the two team up to defeat Shredder.
Although Karai and Shinigami weren’t thrilled about it, they repeatedly found themselves working with the Turtles, eventually forming an uneasy alliance against Shredder. A friendship also developed between Shinigami and Michelangelo, who was quite smitten with her. By the end of the series, both Karai and Shinigami even showed their grief over Splinter’s passing.
Shinigami is a powerful magic user with a wide range of spells and abilities. She often shapeshifts, frequently taking the form of a black cat. She can also create illusions to confuse enemies and summon swarms of bats to distract or attack them. A key tool she uses is the Hypno Stone, which she’s used to try and manipulate others, like Ujigami, into siding with Karai. Even when she can’t use her magic, Shinigami is a dangerous fighter thanks to her mastery of the Kusarigama weapon.
Gene Luen Yang recently spoke with The Beat about their new work, focusing on the character Shinigami. Shinigami is a popular villain from the 2012 TMNT cartoon, known for being strong and manipulative with the ability to change shape. Yang and co-writer Freddie hope to show a more human side to the character before the story concludes. They describe her as a compelling mix of cool and frightening – a ninja and a witch – making her ideal for a story set in Yomi-no-Kuni, the Land of the Dead.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14 is in comic stores now.
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2026-01-16 07:40