The Turtles are transported to an alternate dimension, where they befriend the rabbit samurai and master swordsman: Miyamoto Usagi.
The episode was written by Usagi's creator, Stan Sakai.
Tropes
- Aliens Speaking English: Justified, as the episode takes place in an Alternate Feudal Japan and Turtles themselves are fluent in Japanese, plus we hear the inhabitants of Usagi's dimension speak in authentic Japanese accents.
- Art Shift: Usagi's backstory is done in Stan Sakai's style.
- Authority Equals Asskicking: Leonardo is the only Turtle able to fight against Usagi effectively.
- Battle in the Rain: Usagi's fight with Jei in the beginning of the episode takes place while it is raining.
- Bears Are Bad News: Sumo easily pick out the Turtles due to their smell due to the fact that he's a bear and they live in a sewer.
- Big "SHUT UP!": Usagi to Kintaro following the fight with the Turtles: "BE SILENT!"
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Jei does this to the Turtles to get them to attack Usagi. Getting knocked on the head snaps them out of it.
- Bratty Half-Pint: Kintaro constantly. Even Usagi yells at him to shut up at one point.Donatello: Excitable little guy, isn't he?
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He does have some decency as he tried to help Usagi battle the brainwashed turtles and when he realizes the turtles are victims of brainwashing, stops Usagi from finishing them.
- Cliffhanger: Forced to flee on horseback, the heroes end up going off a cliff.
- Comically Missing the Point: With the world's minimal level of technology, Donatello theorizes that it would take approximately 57 years to manufacture everything needed to build a working dimensional portal.Mikey: Sweet! Good thing Turtles have such long lives.
- Creepy Monotone: The Turtles while under Jei's control.
- Dressing as the Enemy: The Turtles and Usagi pick off five of Sumo Kuma's samurai and don their armor to blend in.
- Dumbass Has a Point: When Sumo Kuma says the Turtles smelled different than his men, it's Mikey who points out that it's because they live in a sewer.
- Evolving Credits: The theme song shows the turtles wearing their samurai armor and portraits of Zombie Shredder, Tiger Claw, Kavaxas, and Newtralizer have been replaced by characters from Usagi's world.
- Freudian Excuse: Kintaro is destined to have great abilities and has been pampered his entire life, which is why he acts like an entitled brat.
- Mythology Gag: The Turtles wearing samurai armor and masks.
- Not Me This Time: Donatello objects to Raphael's accusation that they were transported by one of his experiments.
- Not So Stoic: Usagi tries to be patient with Kintaro's attitude since he's only a child, but the complaining and whining eventually gets to be too much for him. He yells at him to be quiet at one point and is all for the idea of stuffing the kid in a basket. The latter was to ensure Kintaro's safety, but Usagi's smirk was nonetheless noticeable.
- Shout-Out: The Cold Open is basically one long shout-out to "Blade of the Gods", the story that introduced Jei. While the context is differentnote and their initially peaceful beginning is cut, it's otherwise a shot-for-shot recreation: Usagi getting thrown out of the cabin, the two battling in the storm, a tree being struck by lightning disorienting Usagi, and Jei almost killing him before he's struck by lightning and seemingly disintegrated. Even the opening lines of the episode are pulled word-for-word from that story:Usagi: You— must be— insane!
- Spanner in the Works: Kintaro blundering with his ax caused Leo to get hit in the head and snap out of the brainwashing.
- Spoiled Brat: Kintaro, being pampered all his life due to his status, and the only reason Usagi doesn't lose his temper with him is because he's a child and Usagi is honorbound to protect him.
- Stealth Pun: The episode's cliffhanger is the characters going off the side of a cliff.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: The character Akemi is rather similar to Tomoe, Usagi's primary love interest in his home comic.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: After summoning the Turtles, Jei acts all wounded and helpless in order to get close enough to perform his brainwashing trick.
