On what date did the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon first premiere in syndication?

The 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon first premiered in syndication on December 14, 1987.

The series began with a five-part miniseries that introduced the animated versions of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, Splinter, April O’Neil, and Shredder. After the miniseries, the program continued as a regularly produced syndicated cartoon and became one of the franchise’s defining adaptations.

The date is sometimes confused with September 1987, when the show’s promotional and production activity was already underway, or with the premiere dates of later seasons. The 1987 series was not initially a network Saturday-morning program; its first run was distributed through syndication.

This cartoon also helped establish several details that became widely associated with the franchise, including the turtles’ colored masks, their catchphrases, and the comedic portrayals of Bebop and Rocksteady.