| “ | Ninjas, vanish! | „ |
| ~ Tatsu ordering his Foot Ninjas to retreat. |
Tatsu is the right hand ninja of the Shredder and the secondary antagonist of the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and its 1991 sequel, as well as a minor antagonist in the fifth season of the 2012 TV series.
He was portrayed by Toshishiro Obata in the 1990 film.
Biography
Movies
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)
Tatsu's early life is unknown, only that he joined Foot Clan a one point in the past and eventually became The Shredder's second-in-command. He was then entrusted by the latter to oversee a youth center under Foot Clan's control which they used to recruit would-be members while his master tend to other affairs. Said youth center's usual visitors were young runaways and street children that taught the way of shinobi under the tutelage of Tatsu himself.
However, Tatsu's students feared him as he was not above abusing them physically for failure like his master. In fact, he came close to kill a young teenager named Shensho (the film's original script as well as the comic and novel adaptations revealed the blow was supposedly fatal so as to show the sheer brutality that existed within the Foot's ranks) for attempting to calm him down when dealing his problematic fellow student. During a training session, when another student impressed him with his ability to hold his own against Tatsu's assaults with his martial arts prowess, Tatsu dishonorably (and unnecessarily) kicked him at the face when he bowed in respect simply because he didn't take his eyes off his opponent thus a dead giveaway of him lowering his guard. Nevertheless, the same student took that as a lesson and learned from it.
It was Tatsu who had a group of Foot Ninjas to deal April O'Neil when she voiced her suspicion of massive thefts in New York City being carried out by a shady organization. These detachment of Foot Ninjas failed to assassinate her due to Ninja Turtles' interference, though the rest of Foot Ninjas able to deduce their new adversary through one of Raphael's sais which its owner left behind by mistake. Coupled with Danny's account of his encounter with Ninja Turtles, Tatsu and Shredder issued an order to hunt them down. Though they managed to capture Splinter, the turtles' rat sensei, Tatsu and his men failed to capture them and April thanks to Casey Jones' interference where the worst they accomplished being setting April's apartment aflame. Angered by this failure, Tatsu inadvertently almost killed one of his students, leading to Danny having a second thought about Foot Clan.
Upon the return of Ninja Turtles following their tenporary exile, Shredder ordered Tatsu to execute Splinter. At this point, Casey joined forces with repentant Danny to free Splinter, setting the confrontation between the former and Tatsu in motion. A battle ensued with Tatsu seemed to be more powerful of two combatants until Casey Jones revealed his proficiency with blunt weapon with a golf club and emerged victorious. With Tatsu knocked out on his feet, Casey Jones persuaded Tatsu's students to turn on a new leaf by revealing that their master didn't treat them as family he and Shredder claimed to be.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of Ooze
In the second movie, Tatsu tried to assume the leadership of the Foot after the Shredder's presumed death. However, it turned out that his master was alive and he served him once more. He was last seen being crushed between the shells of all four Turtles and was arrested by the NYPD and sent to prison off-screen.
2012 Series
In the 2012 Turtles series, a much different version of Tatsu (now called Hattori Tatsu) serves as an overarching antagonist of the first arc of Season 5. He was voice by Michael Hagiwara.
The Forgotten Swordsman
Tatsu, after hearing about Shredder's death, decides to go to New York and take over the Foot Clan from Karai, who now uses it for good. Tatsu soon turns the Foot against Karai and her friend Shinigami and orders them to hunt her down, and they end up chasing her to a warehouse where a masked Tatsu is waiting for them. After he takes out Shinigami, Karai then realizes Tatsu's identity and transforms into her snake form to attack him, only to be easily brushed aside, although Shinigami manages to distract him long enough for them to escape. An angry Tatsu then strikes one of his ninjas, frustrated at their incompetence, and orders them to find the Kuro Kabuto.
Karai and Shinigami then head to the Turtles' lair in order to receive their assistance and stop Tatsu from retrieving the Kuro Kabuto, and, although Casey Jones argues that they should let Tiger Claw and Tatsu's forces fight it out, Raphael and Michelangelo return and inform them of Tiger Claw's desire to use the Kabuto to revive Shredder.
Later, while he is walking to his car, Tatsu is confronted by Fishface and Rahzar, the latter of which recognizes Tatsu. Tatsu then easily defeats Fishface and offers to let Rahzar back into his new Foot Clan before driving off. As Fishface gets back up, Rahzar states that Tatsu's offer is worth considering.
At his new headquarters, Tatsu joyfully wields the Kuro Kabuto just as the Turtles, Karai and Shinigami allies shut off power to the building and Leonardo and Karai prepare to attack, however, Tatsu easily blocks them and starts to fight back. Tatsu then begins to beat down on Leonardo, Karai, Shinigami and Michelangelo and Karai manages to knock off Tatsu's mask, revealing that, to everyone's shock, he's completely blind. Tatsu then continues to fight the four warriors and explains that although he was born blind, yet he had an acute sense of hearing, and gave him a sixth sense, while everyone mocked him, Shredder saw his abilities as an asset and let him join the Foot Clan. Tatsu also reveals that, when she began to lead the Foot, Karai sent her ninjas to kill him, although he survived and sought vengeance. As April, Casey Jones, Donatello and Raphael join the fight, Tatsu continues to beat down on the Turtles and their allies, seriously injuring Casey and Shinigami, to the point where Raphael comments that fighting Tatsu is like fighting Shredder. At that moment, Leonardo states that Tatsu is still blind and begins to throw off his sense of hearing by constantly tossing Casey Jones' explosive hockey pucks while Karai runs at him. However, Tatsu is able to hear Karai and counters, only for Leonardo to sneak up behind him and deliver a strike at his nervous system, disabling his hearing long enough for Karai to defeat him using her snake form. As Karai takes back the Foot Clan, Rahzar drops in and Tatsu believes he is there to help, only for Rahzar to deny alliance to him as Kavaxas drops through the ceiling and drains Tatsu's soul, killing him.
End Times
After the Seal of the Ancients is broken by the revived Shredder, Kavaxas reveals that killing a great warrior (Tatsu), reviving an evil warrior (Shredder) and destroying the Seal were all part of a prophecy that would allow Kavaxas to release the spirits of the underworld on to the realm of mortals. Tatsu's spirit later appears as one of the many spirits released from the underworld, however, he is defeated by April, Donatello, and Raphael using the anti-spirit devices Donatello created and is presumably sent back to the Netherworld.
Quotes
1990 Film Series
| “ | Tatsu: (to Shredder on the Foot's growing influence over the city) Your empire flourishes, Master Shredder. Unnamed Foot Ninja: (to his friend) Oh, no, no, no, that's a stereo. Shredder: What more from the rat? Tatsu: Nothing. He will not speak. Shredder: And the boy who led us to the Turtles? Tatsu: He is still missing. I do not understand. Why do the Turtles trouble you, Master? They have not been seen for many days. Shredder: Something... about the way you described their fighting. Something familiar. Something... (pauses, realizing that Splinter and the Turtles might have some connection to Hamato Yoshi) ...from the past. |
„ |
| ~ Tatsu discussing with Shredder about Ninja Turtles with the latter realizing their fighting style being same as Hamato Yoshi's. |
| “ | Foot Ninja 1: (removes his mask) Is this it? Foot Ninja 2: Everyone else must've been picked up. Foot Ninja 3: Well, maybe they didn't find us. Foot Ninja 2: Hey, we all knew the junkyard was our fallback spot. Tatsu: (growls as he shows up, gaining everyone's attention) Our father is gone! (angrily kicks a nearby desk, spilling everything on it in process) They will pay! (karate chops a nearby piece of wood) I, Tatsu, now lead. Let any who challenge step forward. Shredder: (enters the junkyard base) I challenge. Tatsu and Foot Ninjas: (startled to see their leader returned albeit worse for wear) Foot Ninja 1: (astonished by Shredder's new scar which stressed his pitable state of being) His face. Tatsu: Master Shredder |
„ |
| ~ Tatsu being frustrated by Shredder's presumed death and Foot Clan's unfortunate state of being by the time their leader returns. |
Gallery
 Villains (2012 Cartoon)
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The Foot Clan The Kraang Hive Mind The Purple Dragons The Dream Beavers The Triceraton Empire The Italian Mafia Insectoids Savanti Romero's Monster Army The Honey Badger Ravagers The Scale Tail Clan Others | ||