I'm sure someone smarter than me has described it better, but as a kid (I'm somewhat ancient) I watched the original cartoons and he was always portrayed as a sort of villain. Probably more harmless than he should have been, but these cartoon were created when life was admittedly far more male dominated. Women had very little rights or control and sexual dynamics were quite different and obviously worse. I think you have to be exceedingly close minded to not acknowledge the character depiction is harmful to children. The whole series is sort of problematic though right? I mean the WB cartoons were banned at one time or in another in various cultures. I think if society just said "ok were done with these characters now" I wouldn't put up a fight. *Ive never even watched space jam, could not care less*
Thinking on it I wonder if my TMNT is or will be considered problematic. I only recently found out they didn't use their weapons in the second film. I never really noticed because the weapons were only there in the first place as a cosmetic, to help in differentiating them where as they all used the same weapons in the comics. TMNT despite being solely adapted as a commercial does focus on morality a way WB cartoons never did, which is "at all". I'm struggling to think of a reason why TMNT might get cancelled. I wonder if I'm the same position as boomers who "just don't see" the harm in the WB cartoons that we who grew up in the post civil rights era?