Las Tortugas Ninja III is often seen as the "black sheep" of the original trilogy because it lacks the Shredder and the urban atmosphere fans loved. However, it’s a fun, campy adventure that leans hard into the "Teenage" aspect of the characters. It's a nostalgic trip for anyone who grew up with a Sega Genesis and a bowl of cereal on Saturday mornings.
Because of the scepter's "equal mass" rule, for every Turtle that goes back, a Japanese honor guard is sent to modern-day New York. This leads to some of the movie's funniest moments, as 17th-century samurai discover the joys of television and hockey masks (thanks to Casey Jones).
Raph gets the most emotional heavy lifting here. He forms a bond with a young boy named Yoshi, making him realize that he might actually prefer the quiet, respected life of a warrior in ancient Japan over being a "monster" in a New York sewer.
The Turtles—Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael—must travel back in time to rescue April and retrieve the scepter before the "space-time window" closes forever. Once they arrive in the past, they find themselves caught in the middle of a civil war between a ruthless Daimyo (Lord Norinaga) and a group of village rebels.