Character Review: Mona Lisa

Throughout Ninja Turtle History, there have been love interests brought in and out of the stories.  One of those love interest only lasted for one episode, but remains a fan favorite to this very day, Mona Lisa.  She’s been such a strong fan favorite that people have requested me to do a character review on her since I started Cowabunga Corner.

Mona Lisa was a smart girl who got mixed up with the wrong crowd, particularly Captain Filch.  She was changed into a mutant, and became determined to stop Captain Filch.  Though she needed help.  While working on her mission to stop Filch from taking over MacDonald Crump’s Yacht, she meets Raphael.  At first she believed he was just a guy there for the costume party, which Raph thought the same of her.  But as their crazy mission starts, they both learn who each other are.

Mona Lisa was one of those characters that the fans fell in love with in one episode and wished for her return.  Though to our sadness she never came back for any other show.  She could have as the ending was left open to where she knew the location of the lair.  But she was just gone.  Her character growth started and ended in one episode, sad really.  The biggest surprise was she even had a toy made of her.

While she was a love interest for Raphael in this episode, I never could see her that as any more than just a friend because of the lack of character growth between the two.  I always felt the best girlfriend for Raphael was Ninjara, since she was with him for many of the Archie comic books.  I do like Mona Lisa and thought she was a missed chance for the cartoon company to add another leading female to the show that could've helped the guys a few times.

With a fun character design, a bright personality and even an awesome toy, Mona Lisa deserved a lot more air time than she got.  What are your thoughts on this character?  Feel free to give your own reviews, comments or ask questions in the comment area below.  All email addresses are kept private.