Karai
Encyclopedia
Karai is a fictional character in several incarnations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
franchise, where she is usually a high-ranking member of the Foot Clan
. In some incarnations of the character (in particular the 2003 cartoon
) she is also related to The Shredder
.
(辛) as the word tsurai which means "difficult", "painful", or "cruel".)
' "City at War" story arc by Kevin Eastman
, Peter Laird
and Jim Lawson
, Karai is introduced as one of the leaders of the mainstream Foot Clan
in Japan (a member of its Council of Five) who came to New York City to restore order. Ever since Leonardo killed The Shredder
, the Foot faction in NYC has been in chaos, with different groups warring with one another for ultimate control, save for Shredder's Elite, who have been carrying out seemingly motiveless attacks on the other factions. Karai captures Leonardo and offers the TMNT a deal: if the Turtles kill the Elite, she will offer them a truce with the Foot Clan. After debate, the Turtles finally agree to seek Karai's assistance in dealing with the Elite. As they reach her skyscraper headquarters, they find dead Foot guards and the Foot's leader cradling the body of a dead girl. It is revealed that the girl was Karai's daughter, and in despair, she makes Leonardo swear he will help her kill all of the Elite. During a final confrontation, five Elite face off against the Turtles, Karai, and her Foot Soldiers. The disguised Karai, wearing the Shredder's armor, orders the Elite to commit seppuku
, but only one does; after a hard fight, the Turtles and Karai are the only ones left standing. Karai thanks the Turtles for their help, but they answer she owes them nothing but her word, to which she agree, saying that "no longer will the Foot Clan bother you", and returns to Japan.
While Karai never properly appears in Volume Three of the TMNT Image Comics
series, it is also revealed that Karai has been deposed as the leader of the Foot in Japan and she was presumed to be dead. Had this comic continued, Karai would have been revealed as the person behind the mask of Lady Shredder, a character introduced in the series' final issues as a third contestant vying for leadership of the Foot. However, this was later changed in the semi-official (developed using notes from the Image Comics series' writer Gary Carlson
, but otherwise fanmade) continuation, in which Lady Shredder was revealed to be Tang Amaya, an entirely different new character who was also retconned to be the real identity of The Mistress (from Tales of TMNT
) and Headhunter (from Big Bang Comics
), and the sister of Tang Shen.
who has gone on a soul-searching pilgrimage. Karai brings him Jones to her private condo, where he awakens naked and remembering nothing of the previous night. He later discovers a noticeably light-hearted Karai knows something of the night before, but is hesitant to tell him. As of 2011, the story is ongoing. According to Peter Laird, "What's happening with Mike, and with Karai and Casey, will have significant consequences." Laird also wrote: "It's possible that at some point we may know more about Karai's origin and her daughter. I'm not sure exactly how old Karai is, but it might just be that her daughter was adopted. In general, I consider the time span between Volume 2 and Volume 4 to be about fifteen years."
Karai also appears in three stand-alone stories in the non-canonical Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
series, including the stories of her youth and future, as well as in the comic book adaptation of the 2007 animated film.
animated series. Abandoned by her parents at a young age, Karai was taken in and adopted by Ch'rell, the Utrom Shredder (in the original comics, the Shredder's only daughter is was biological offspring named Pimiko and Karai had no relation to him). Trained in ninjutsu
and an aspiring practitioner of bushido
, Karai first appears as one of the highest-ranking members of the Foot Clan, similar in status to the Shredder's adopted son Hun (who holds a grudge against her); eventually, she becomes the clan's leader. Throughout the series, she appears both as an ally and enemy to the Turtles, sharing a sort of close love/hate relationship and friendship with Leonardo; a dualism that plays a part in most of her appearances. She was the only Foot member who knew that the Shredder was really an Utrom. After Ch'rell's exile at the end of Season 3
, Karai spent all of Season 4
and Season 5
trying to make the Turtles pay for this. When she appeared as a guest of April and Casey's wedding, her vendetta with the Turtles was confirmed to be finally over.
, in the series' loose adaptation of the Mirage Comics' "City at War" story arc. Karai arrives in NYC after hearing the news of the gang war taking place after the Shredder's reported demise, quickly enlisting the aid of the Turtles to stop it, with a promise an end to the Foot's feud against them in exchange for their assistance. Leonardo, believing that Karai is honorable despite her legacy, convinces Donatello and Michelangelo to aid her (Raphael initially refuses). Together, Karai and the Turtles eventually retake control of the New York Foot and consequently its underworld. However, the end of the story reveals that Karai has been manipulating the Turtles and working with the not-dead Shredder all along. At this point, the TMNT (and Karai's) original co-creator and the show's consultant Peter Laird criticized the idea of "making Karai the Shredder's secret accomplice", calling it "a neat twist" but "a mistake" in his mind, as she "should be much like she is in the comics, a powerful character who brings unity (and the potential for conflict with the Turtles down the road) to the Foot", who "can/should come into conflict later on with the Shredder" and "become a strong adversary for the Turtles in her own right." In a homage scene, the way Karai held Leonardo hostage is exactly how the Shredder held him in the first live-action film
to force the other three to surrender.
Karai and the Foot reappear as a fully healed Oroku Saki retakes control of the Foot. Realizing that their agreement with the Foot had been retracted, the Turtles decide to face the Foot again. When forced to fight Leonardo, and despite his lack of resistance, Karai proves unwilling to kill him. Karai's internal conflict—loyalty to the Turtles vs. loyalty to her father—is the main thrust of her storyline in the Season 3, as she is pulled from both directions to take a side during their various encounters, even working together with the Turtles at times. She also appears in a cameo in Japan. Karai manages to stay in the graces of both sides until the Turtles face the Shredder again in the season's finale, where she stabs Leonardo in the shoulder, although she later prevents the Utrom Shredder from killing the Turtles while they are unconscious. In the end, the Shredder is taken prisoner and exiled, while Karai and the young head of the Foot's scientific division Dr. Chaplin are also captured and taken back to Earth.
The "Future Karai" also appears as a villain in an alternate-future episode "Same As It Never Was", in which she is serving the Shredder following his successful conquest of the Earth. She and her robots kill Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael, but she is then herself killed by the missiles fired by April. (In the first drafts of this episode, her title was Princess Karai, and April would get into Karai's "Dark Princess outfit" to defeat the Shredder and take control of the Foot in guise of her.)
With her father gone and dead in the eyes of the world, Karai takes over the Foot as well as the name of The Shredder (in a deleted scene she even says that Karai "no longer exists", completely replaced by The Shredder). This new Shredder "would retain the traditional iconic elements, but have a different treatment" (Laird was opposed to an idea of "all kinds of goofy, ludicrous weapons systems built into Karai's new Shredder armor") and she has became "faster and more deadly than ever before" (it was even proposed that she would have an ability to teleport, but Laird thought it would be cheating). Furious at what she saw as a betrayal by the Turtles, Karai spends the season plotting her revenge against them, first attacking them on the psychic plane via Foot Mystics, and later coordinating and leading an assault against them at their lair. She later once again duels Leonardo, who defeats her but then departs with the warning to leave his family alone, giving her one last chance for redemption. Karai next faces the Turtles during their attempt to retrieve a Foot amulet called the Heart of Tengu
, but failing to stop them despite her efforts.
Unknown to the Turtles and Agent Bishop, who initially charged them with retrieving it, Heart of Tengu was a mystical artifact that allowed the Foot to control its Elemental Mystics, who are in reality the heralds for a man-demon that had centuries ago terrorized Japan as the Shredder. The destruction of the artifact unleash a chain of events that results in the resurrection of the demon, whose first target is Karai for "usurping" the Shredder's name. Despite her efforts and those of the Turtles (who believe her the key to stopping him), the True Shredder bests Karai in battle, seriously injuring her. Rescued by the Turtles, Karai heals and, recognizing the threat the demon Shredder poses, agrees to a "temporary" alliance with her enemies. It is soon learned that because she shares the Shredder's mantle, Karai has the latent psychic ability to lower the Shredder's defenses through a shared link. This allows the Turtles an advantage in their final conflict with the demon, in which Karai helps pave the way for her namesake's destruction, while Dr. Chaplin helped to co-ordinate the battle. After the victory, Karai and Dr. Chaplin depart hand-in-hand, with her promising him to worry more about their immediate future.
Karai is not involved in any main storylines in the Season 6
in which the Turtles and Splinter travel a hundred years into the future. However, she is seen during the events that would have occurred after the Turtles' return from the year 2105, as Karai has abandoned her grudge against the Turtles and is eager to become a student of the Ninja Tribunal, but Leonardo is obsessively distrustful of her, almost ruining Karai's burial ritual of the Shredder and accusing her of being a traitor, in effect leading to his own banishment from the Tribunal. Karai makes her appearance in the Season 7 storyline in the series last season's finale, having been invited to attend the wedding of April O'Neil and Casey Jones, and arriving at the ceremony with Dr. Chaplin by her side. She and Chaplin later assist the Turtles in fending off the sudden onslaught of Cyber Shredder. Though she has no spoken lines in this episode, it is apparent that she had moved on with her life and was no longer involved with the Foot.
and shown wearing a full-body black armor with a hood on her head and a short cape, is the Japanese Foot Clan boss and has came to take over the New York Foot after the Shredder's death. This version of Karai may or may be not related to the Shredder; in the bio text of her action figure in the film's merchandise she is described as being the Shredder's daughter but no clear indication of this was given in the actual film. Karai was one of favourite comics characters of the writer and director Kevin Munroe
and he "was the one who really pushed for Karai" to appear in the film. Munroe said he would "love to see us explore the Karai and Foot Ninja thing a little more", meaning the film's sequel as well as new comics.
Karai is the new leader of the Foot, hired by the mysterious billionaire Max Winters to help him and his Stone Generals hunt down the thirteen ancient immortal monsters. She fights with Leonardo (whom she clearly recognises) and rejects his offer to help them, also engaging in battle with April O'Neil while the Foot battles the Turtles and their allies. During the tide of the battle, both the Foot Clan and the Turtles realized that Winters, revealing himself to be an immortal warlord named Yaotl, only wanted the monsters to be returned to their world to undo the immortality curse he and his Stone Generals had endured. Unfortunately, the Stone Generals have betrayed Winters by deliberately missing the final monster and intend to use the portal to finalize their conquest of Earth. When the Stone Generals offer the Foot a chance to join them in world conquest, Karai refuses, saying that they would honor their contract to Winters. Aided by April and Casey, she then leads her ninja in retrieving the last of the monsters. In the end, Karai parts ways with the Turtles peacefully, but gives a cryptic last word that Turtles "have passed" something (she refuses to elaborate) and "soon we will have further business together; the kind that involves familiar faces from your past", hinting on the Shredder's upcoming return which was indeed planned for the film's sequel.
, in which she frees Ch'rell from the clutches of the 1987 series'
Shredder, Krang
, and Rocksteady and Bebop
. She then aids the Shredder in modifying the Technodrome with Utrom technology. The Utrom Shredder, consumed with rage for revenge on the Turtles, wants to destroy every dimension where the Ninja Turtles exist even though it will most likely destroy himself, but Karai intervenes, rescuing the classic Turtles. In the end, at the Turtles Prime dimension (Mirage Turtles), Karai fights alongside the 12 Turtles, as well as 1987 series' Shredder, to stop the her father's insane plot.
versions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters
, fighting without use of any weapon. Karai was notorious as an extremely difficult boss to defeat (especially on Genesis) and is a secret player character
in the SNES version (in the Genesis version she is only unlockable with the use of a cheat device). Because of the relative obscurity of the TMNT Mirage comics (as compared to the 1980s cartoon and the films
), many players did not recognize Karai in Tournament Fighters and assumed her to be an original character created by Konami
.
Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is a boss character and an unlockable player character in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus
(2004), in an encounter loosely based on the cartoon's episode "Rogue in the House Part 2". Her appearance is that from the cartoon series and she is armed with dual swords and also has a special move of unleashing multiple kunai
s in every direction. In the story mode, the Turtles meet Karai after she very uneasily decided to obey the Shredder's order to put them to death. After defeating Karai in combat, Leonardo pleads for her to choose honor over the loyalty to the Shredder, even going as far as allowing her to strike him down if she chooses so, but she finds unable to do so and asks him to kill her instead. Leonardo refuses in turn and leaves, telling her that he believes they will one day understand each other.
Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is the penultimate boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare
(2005).
Karai's voice (by Jennifer Morehouse) can be heard and she has a cameo in TMNT
(2007). Karai also serves as the second boss in the TMNT game for the Game Boy Advance
.
Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is one of the selectable characters in TMNT: Smash Up
(2009). Karai is wielding a single sword and, while not the most powerful, she is the fastest and most agile character in the game. Her appearance is that of the 2007 film and she is described as being the Shredder's daughter. Karai's alternative costume resembles the Amazonian Blade Bots (aka Karai-Bots) robots created by Dr. Chaplin in the cartoon's episode "New Blood" (also featured in "Same As It Never Was"). The image created for the Playboy
s Girls of Gaming 8 has her wearing the Shredder's armor.
Karai is a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack (2009), her appearance reflecting her Turtles Forever design.
in 2005, packed with bonus DVD. A larger action figure based on as she has appeared in TMNT (featuring a changeable head, with or without the face mask and hood) was released in 2007, also by Playmates.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
franchise, where she is usually a high-ranking member of the Foot Clan
Foot Clan
The Foot Clan is a fictional ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and the Turtles' main antagonists. It is usually led by the Shredder. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan the Hand in the Daredevil comics...
. In some incarnations of the character (in particular the 2003 cartoon
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
) she is also related to The Shredder
Shredder (TMNT)
The Shredder is a fictional character and primary antagonist from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. At one point or another in every incarnation of the TMNT stories, he has been the archenemy of Splinter and the Turtles...
.
Name
Karai (辛い) is a Japanese word commonly used to describe the flavor "spicy/hot". However, karai can also mean "extremely severe", "harsh", "strict" or "storm". (The word also shares the same kanjiKanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
(辛) as the word tsurai which means "difficult", "painful", or "cruel".)
1990s
In the Mirage Comics seriesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American comic book published by Mirage Studios from 1984 to 2009. Originally conceived by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird as a one-off parody, the comic's popularity has gone on to inspire a major pop culture franchise, including three television series, four...
' "City at War" story arc by Kevin Eastman
Kevin Eastman
Kevin Brooks Eastman is an American comic book artist and writer, best known as the creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Eastman is also the current owner, editor and publisher of the magazine Heavy Metal.-Early life:Eastman was born on May 30, 1962 in Springvale, Maine...
, Peter Laird
Peter Laird
Peter Alan Laird is an American comic book writer and artist. He is best known for co-creating Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with writer and artist Kevin Eastman.-Early life and career:...
and Jim Lawson
Jim Lawson
Jim Lawson is an American comic book artist best known for his work on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Lawson created the Rat King and also co-created the series Planet Racers with Peter Laird. He is also the writer/artist of the black-and white-comic series Paleo: Tales of the Late...
, Karai is introduced as one of the leaders of the mainstream Foot Clan
Foot Clan
The Foot Clan is a fictional ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and the Turtles' main antagonists. It is usually led by the Shredder. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan the Hand in the Daredevil comics...
in Japan (a member of its Council of Five) who came to New York City to restore order. Ever since Leonardo killed The Shredder
Shredder (TMNT)
The Shredder is a fictional character and primary antagonist from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. At one point or another in every incarnation of the TMNT stories, he has been the archenemy of Splinter and the Turtles...
, the Foot faction in NYC has been in chaos, with different groups warring with one another for ultimate control, save for Shredder's Elite, who have been carrying out seemingly motiveless attacks on the other factions. Karai captures Leonardo and offers the TMNT a deal: if the Turtles kill the Elite, she will offer them a truce with the Foot Clan. After debate, the Turtles finally agree to seek Karai's assistance in dealing with the Elite. As they reach her skyscraper headquarters, they find dead Foot guards and the Foot's leader cradling the body of a dead girl. It is revealed that the girl was Karai's daughter, and in despair, she makes Leonardo swear he will help her kill all of the Elite. During a final confrontation, five Elite face off against the Turtles, Karai, and her Foot Soldiers. The disguised Karai, wearing the Shredder's armor, orders the Elite to commit seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
, but only one does; after a hard fight, the Turtles and Karai are the only ones left standing. Karai thanks the Turtles for their help, but they answer she owes them nothing but her word, to which she agree, saying that "no longer will the Foot Clan bother you", and returns to Japan.
While Karai never properly appears in Volume Three of the TMNT Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
series, it is also revealed that Karai has been deposed as the leader of the Foot in Japan and she was presumed to be dead. Had this comic continued, Karai would have been revealed as the person behind the mask of Lady Shredder, a character introduced in the series' final issues as a third contestant vying for leadership of the Foot. However, this was later changed in the semi-official (developed using notes from the Image Comics series' writer Gary Carlson
Gary Carlson
Gary Carlson is an American comic book writer, editor and publisher.-Biography:Gary self-published and created the black and white superhero anthology Megaton back in the early '80s, which introduced many new comic book talents including artists Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld and Angel Medina as well...
, but otherwise fanmade) continuation, in which Lady Shredder was revealed to be Tang Amaya, an entirely different new character who was also retconned to be the real identity of The Mistress (from Tales of TMNT
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an anthology comic book series published by Mirage Studios presenting additional stories featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their supporting cast as a companion book to the main Turtles series filling in the gaps of continuity in the TMNT...
) and Headhunter (from Big Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics first appeared in 1994, with five issue mini-series , published by Caliber Comics. Their second series was published by Image Comics. Currently their titles are self-published.-Publication history:...
), and the sister of Tang Shen.
2000s
In the more recent Volume Four comics, Karai is now residing in New York and wearing a high-tech armor for combat. She asks Leonardo to help capture alive one of the mysterious warriors that are giving much trouble for the Foot everywhere.> When Leonardo sees right through her lie about certain mystic books, even as she is usually a good liar, he suspects that something is either greatly troubling her or something is controlling her. A few weeks later, Karai visits a local high-profile nightclub, meeting Casey Jones, still longing for his wife April O'NeilApril O'Neil
April O'Neil is a fictional character in the Mirage Studios franchise Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In each of the many TMNT continuities, she is a good friend of the Turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.-Comics:...
who has gone on a soul-searching pilgrimage. Karai brings him Jones to her private condo, where he awakens naked and remembering nothing of the previous night. He later discovers a noticeably light-hearted Karai knows something of the night before, but is hesitant to tell him. As of 2011, the story is ongoing. According to Peter Laird, "What's happening with Mike, and with Karai and Casey, will have significant consequences." Laird also wrote: "It's possible that at some point we may know more about Karai's origin and her daughter. I'm not sure exactly how old Karai is, but it might just be that her daughter was adopted. In general, I consider the time span between Volume 2 and Volume 4 to be about fifteen years."
Karai also appears in three stand-alone stories in the non-canonical Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an anthology comic book series published by Mirage Studios presenting additional stories featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their supporting cast as a companion book to the main Turtles series filling in the gaps of continuity in the TMNT...
series, including the stories of her youth and future, as well as in the comic book adaptation of the 2007 animated film.
In cartoon
An alternative version of Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is a major character in the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
animated series. Abandoned by her parents at a young age, Karai was taken in and adopted by Ch'rell, the Utrom Shredder (in the original comics, the Shredder's only daughter is was biological offspring named Pimiko and Karai had no relation to him). Trained in ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
and an aspiring practitioner of bushido
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
, Karai first appears as one of the highest-ranking members of the Foot Clan, similar in status to the Shredder's adopted son Hun (who holds a grudge against her); eventually, she becomes the clan's leader. Throughout the series, she appears both as an ally and enemy to the Turtles, sharing a sort of close love/hate relationship and friendship with Leonardo; a dualism that plays a part in most of her appearances. She was the only Foot member who knew that the Shredder was really an Utrom. After Ch'rell's exile at the end of Season 3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) Season 3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles third season originally aired between October 9, 2004 and April 23, 2005, beginning with the "Space Invaders, Part 1" episode...
, Karai spent all of Season 4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) Season 4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fourth season originally aired between September 10, 2005 and April 15, 2006, beginning with the "Cousin Sid" episode...
and Season 5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) Season 5
The "Ninja Tribunal" arc was originally intended to be season five of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, but the schedule was changed to try to increase interest in the series and "Fast Forward" became the fifth season to air on commercial TV...
trying to make the Turtles pay for this. When she appeared as a guest of April and Casey's wedding, her vendetta with the Turtles was confirmed to be finally over.
Seasons 2—3
Karai made her animated debut in the Season 2Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) Season 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles second season originally aired between November 8, 2003 and October 2, 2004, beginning with the "Turtles in Space, Part 1: The Fugitoid" episode. The episodes were first released on DVD in eight volumes, TMNT Volume nine through Volume fourteen. The volumes were...
, in the series' loose adaptation of the Mirage Comics' "City at War" story arc. Karai arrives in NYC after hearing the news of the gang war taking place after the Shredder's reported demise, quickly enlisting the aid of the Turtles to stop it, with a promise an end to the Foot's feud against them in exchange for their assistance. Leonardo, believing that Karai is honorable despite her legacy, convinces Donatello and Michelangelo to aid her (Raphael initially refuses). Together, Karai and the Turtles eventually retake control of the New York Foot and consequently its underworld. However, the end of the story reveals that Karai has been manipulating the Turtles and working with the not-dead Shredder all along. At this point, the TMNT (and Karai's) original co-creator and the show's consultant Peter Laird criticized the idea of "making Karai the Shredder's secret accomplice", calling it "a neat twist" but "a mistake" in his mind, as she "should be much like she is in the comics, a powerful character who brings unity (and the potential for conflict with the Turtles down the road) to the Foot", who "can/should come into conflict later on with the Shredder" and "become a strong adversary for the Turtles in her own right." In a homage scene, the way Karai held Leonardo hostage is exactly how the Shredder held him in the first live-action film
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 1990 American live-action film adaptation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise directed by Steve Barron. The film was followed by three sequels: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in 1991, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III in 1993, and...
to force the other three to surrender.
Karai and the Foot reappear as a fully healed Oroku Saki retakes control of the Foot. Realizing that their agreement with the Foot had been retracted, the Turtles decide to face the Foot again. When forced to fight Leonardo, and despite his lack of resistance, Karai proves unwilling to kill him. Karai's internal conflict—loyalty to the Turtles vs. loyalty to her father—is the main thrust of her storyline in the Season 3, as she is pulled from both directions to take a side during their various encounters, even working together with the Turtles at times. She also appears in a cameo in Japan. Karai manages to stay in the graces of both sides until the Turtles face the Shredder again in the season's finale, where she stabs Leonardo in the shoulder, although she later prevents the Utrom Shredder from killing the Turtles while they are unconscious. In the end, the Shredder is taken prisoner and exiled, while Karai and the young head of the Foot's scientific division Dr. Chaplin are also captured and taken back to Earth.
The "Future Karai" also appears as a villain in an alternate-future episode "Same As It Never Was", in which she is serving the Shredder following his successful conquest of the Earth. She and her robots kill Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael, but she is then herself killed by the missiles fired by April. (In the first drafts of this episode, her title was Princess Karai, and April would get into Karai's "Dark Princess outfit" to defeat the Shredder and take control of the Foot in guise of her.)
Seasons 4—7
Tengu
are a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore, art, theater, and literature. They are one of the best known yōkai and are sometimes worshipped as Shinto kami...
, but failing to stop them despite her efforts.
Unknown to the Turtles and Agent Bishop, who initially charged them with retrieving it, Heart of Tengu was a mystical artifact that allowed the Foot to control its Elemental Mystics, who are in reality the heralds for a man-demon that had centuries ago terrorized Japan as the Shredder. The destruction of the artifact unleash a chain of events that results in the resurrection of the demon, whose first target is Karai for "usurping" the Shredder's name. Despite her efforts and those of the Turtles (who believe her the key to stopping him), the True Shredder bests Karai in battle, seriously injuring her. Rescued by the Turtles, Karai heals and, recognizing the threat the demon Shredder poses, agrees to a "temporary" alliance with her enemies. It is soon learned that because she shares the Shredder's mantle, Karai has the latent psychic ability to lower the Shredder's defenses through a shared link. This allows the Turtles an advantage in their final conflict with the demon, in which Karai helps pave the way for her namesake's destruction, while Dr. Chaplin helped to co-ordinate the battle. After the victory, Karai and Dr. Chaplin depart hand-in-hand, with her promising him to worry more about their immediate future.
Karai is not involved in any main storylines in the Season 6
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) Season 6
The Fast Forward arc originally aired between July 29, 2006 and October 27, 2007, beginning with the "Future Shellshock" episode.This season mostly takes place in 2105 New York City, with plots such as Sh’Okanabo’s attempts to unleash the "Day of Awakening"; the Turtles’ attempts to expose Darius...
in which the Turtles and Splinter travel a hundred years into the future. However, she is seen during the events that would have occurred after the Turtles' return from the year 2105, as Karai has abandoned her grudge against the Turtles and is eager to become a student of the Ninja Tribunal, but Leonardo is obsessively distrustful of her, almost ruining Karai's burial ritual of the Shredder and accusing her of being a traitor, in effect leading to his own banishment from the Tribunal. Karai makes her appearance in the Season 7 storyline in the series last season's finale, having been invited to attend the wedding of April O'Neil and Casey Jones, and arriving at the ceremony with Dr. Chaplin by her side. She and Chaplin later assist the Turtles in fending off the sudden onslaught of Cyber Shredder. Though she has no spoken lines in this episode, it is apparent that she had moved on with her life and was no longer involved with the Foot.
TMNT
In 2007 animated film TMNT, Karai is the new character, based on the comics' Karai. Voiced by Zhang ZiyiZhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
and shown wearing a full-body black armor with a hood on her head and a short cape, is the Japanese Foot Clan boss and has came to take over the New York Foot after the Shredder's death. This version of Karai may or may be not related to the Shredder; in the bio text of her action figure in the film's merchandise she is described as being the Shredder's daughter but no clear indication of this was given in the actual film. Karai was one of favourite comics characters of the writer and director Kevin Munroe
Kevin Munroe
Kevin Andrew Munroe is a Canadian-born filmmaker, now an American citizen. His best known work is that of writer and director of TMNT . He also had a cameo appearance as a diner patron in the same film. His most recent film was Dead of Night....
and he "was the one who really pushed for Karai" to appear in the film. Munroe said he would "love to see us explore the Karai and Foot Ninja thing a little more", meaning the film's sequel as well as new comics.
Karai is the new leader of the Foot, hired by the mysterious billionaire Max Winters to help him and his Stone Generals hunt down the thirteen ancient immortal monsters. She fights with Leonardo (whom she clearly recognises) and rejects his offer to help them, also engaging in battle with April O'Neil while the Foot battles the Turtles and their allies. During the tide of the battle, both the Foot Clan and the Turtles realized that Winters, revealing himself to be an immortal warlord named Yaotl, only wanted the monsters to be returned to their world to undo the immortality curse he and his Stone Generals had endured. Unfortunately, the Stone Generals have betrayed Winters by deliberately missing the final monster and intend to use the portal to finalize their conquest of Earth. When the Stone Generals offer the Foot a chance to join them in world conquest, Karai refuses, saying that they would honor their contract to Winters. Aided by April and Casey, she then leads her ninja in retrieving the last of the monsters. In the end, Karai parts ways with the Turtles peacefully, but gives a cryptic last word that Turtles "have passed" something (she refuses to elaborate) and "soon we will have further business together; the kind that involves familiar faces from your past", hinting on the Shredder's upcoming return which was indeed planned for the film's sequel.
Turtles Forever
Karai also makes an appearance in the 2009 animated television film Turtles ForeverTurtles Forever
Turtles Forever, also known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles Forever or TMNT: Turtles Forever is a 2009 made-for-tv animated movie that was produced by 4Kids Entertainment...
, in which she frees Ch'rell from the clutches of the 1987 series'
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
Shredder, Krang
Krang
Krang is a fictional supervillain who appears in the Sonic The Hedgehog TV shows and most frequently in the 1987 STH cartoon and its associated media, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic book and most of the classic TMNT video games....
, and Rocksteady and Bebop
Rocksteady and Bebop
Rocksteady and Bebop are fictional characters in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series and the Archie TMNT Adventures comics as well as most of the classic TMNT video games. They follow the orders of series villain The Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan...
. She then aids the Shredder in modifying the Technodrome with Utrom technology. The Utrom Shredder, consumed with rage for revenge on the Turtles, wants to destroy every dimension where the Ninja Turtles exist even though it will most likely destroy himself, but Karai intervenes, rescuing the classic Turtles. In the end, at the Turtles Prime dimension (Mirage Turtles), Karai fights alongside the 12 Turtles, as well as 1987 series' Shredder, to stop the her father's insane plot.
In video games
Karai is the final boss in the 1993 Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
versions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, or Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Tournament Fighters in Europe, is the title of three different fighting games based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, produced by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, and Super NES and...
, fighting without use of any weapon. Karai was notorious as an extremely difficult boss to defeat (especially on Genesis) and is a secret player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
in the SNES version (in the Genesis version she is only unlockable with the use of a cheat device). Because of the relative obscurity of the TMNT Mirage comics (as compared to the 1980s cartoon and the films
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a film franchise based on the comic book series of the same name by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles :...
), many players did not recognize Karai in Tournament Fighters and assumed her to be an original character created by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
.
- In the SNES game, "a very strong fighter by the name of 'Karai'" is announced to be "still alive" and challenges the winner of the titular fighting tournament, making her the final boss to beat. Her appearance in the SNES version is roughly based on this from the Mirage comics but in-game she is looking confusingly masculine.
- In the Genesis version, however, Karai is much more feminine and quite similar to the game's original character Aska, appearing brown haired and wearing the Shredder-style armor with bare thighs and thong. She also has a different backstory in the Genesis game, in which she has sent the Turtles' clones to kidnap Splinter into the Dimension X, and is suddenly revealing herself to be the true mastermind behind this at the end of the game, following the player's defeat of Krang (in addition, the regular ending has Karai saying that it was only her clone that has been destroyed, as she can be truly killed only in the alternative ending after finishing the game at the hardest difficulty setting).
Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is a boss character and an unlockable player character in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus is a video game of the top-down beat 'em up genre released in 2004 by Konami. The game is based on the 2003 TV series....
(2004), in an encounter loosely based on the cartoon's episode "Rogue in the House Part 2". Her appearance is that from the cartoon series and she is armed with dual swords and also has a special move of unleashing multiple kunai
Kunai
A is a Japanese tool possibly derived from the masonry trowel. Two variations are the and the . It is a good example of a very basic tool which, in the hands of a martial arts expert, could be used as a multi-functional weapon...
s in every direction. In the story mode, the Turtles meet Karai after she very uneasily decided to obey the Shredder's order to put them to death. After defeating Karai in combat, Leonardo pleads for her to choose honor over the loyalty to the Shredder, even going as far as allowing her to strike him down if she chooses so, but she finds unable to do so and asks him to kill her instead. Leonardo refuses in turn and leaves, telling her that he believes they will one day understand each other.
Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is the penultimate boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare is a video game published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and Nintendo DS, featuring the crime-fighting heroes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It is the last TMNT game to be made by Konami.It is the first Teenage Mutant Ninja...
(2005).
Karai's voice (by Jennifer Morehouse) can be heard and she has a cameo in TMNT
TMNT (video game)
Critical reception of the games has been average at best, with IGN giving a score of 6.0 out of 10 for the GameCube, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and PC versions...
(2007). Karai also serves as the second boss in the TMNT game for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
.
Karai (voiced by Karen Neil) is one of the selectable characters in TMNT: Smash Up
TMNT: Smash Up
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up is a 2009 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fighting game for the Wii and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. The game was developed by a Japanese game developer, Game Arts, who had previously worked on Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and several former members of Team...
(2009). Karai is wielding a single sword and, while not the most powerful, she is the fastest and most agile character in the game. Her appearance is that of the 2007 film and she is described as being the Shredder's daughter. Karai's alternative costume resembles the Amazonian Blade Bots (aka Karai-Bots) robots created by Dr. Chaplin in the cartoon's episode "New Blood" (also featured in "Same As It Never Was"). The image created for the Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
s Girls of Gaming 8 has her wearing the Shredder's armor.
Karai is a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack (2009), her appearance reflecting her Turtles Forever design.
In merchandise
An action figure of the cartoon Karai in her Shredder armor (with a removable helmet) was released by PlaymatesPlaymates
"Playmates" may refer to:*Playmates , written in 1940*Playmates , directed by Mauritz Stiller*Playmates , starring Oliver Hardy*Playmates , starring Diana Serra Cary...
in 2005, packed with bonus DVD. A larger action figure based on as she has appeared in TMNT (featuring a changeable head, with or without the face mask and hood) was released in 2007, also by Playmates.