FANS of cult TV series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will see their heroes in a different light this week as the show will be aired for the first time in Welsh.

The new translated series, which is based on the comic book first created in 1984, will be called Crwbanod Ninja and will be shown for the first time in its new form on S4C on Thursday.

It follows four mutant turtles, Leo, Donnie, Raph and Mikey, who have been trained in the art of ninjutsu by their rat sensei, Master Splinter.

Splinter, or “Sgyryn” as he will be known in Welsh, allows the Crwbanod Ninja to leave their sewer lair and visit the surface, where they get their first glimpse of the real world.

“The New York dialect obviously doesn’t work in Welsh, so I had to give the Turtles an urban Welsh dialect, without losing the attitude, slickness and the ‘cool’ factor – and without detracting from their personalities,” said the show’s script translator, Dewi Prysor.

“But as a father to teenage sons, it wasn’t too difficult. The series is exciting, slick and daring and also visually striking. But more than that it’s really, really funny.

“It’s a dark humour with some slapstick elements, which I love. Ask my family and they’ll tell you that they heard uncontrollable fits of laughter coming from my study countless time when I was working on the script!”

Sioned Wyn Roberts, children’s programmes commissioner for S4C, said: “There’s no doubt that the Ninja Turtles is one of the most iconic series’ ever, so we saw this as an opportunity for a new generation to follow the four turtles and their adventures, and to do so in Welsh.

“The biggest challenge was translating the title!”

Crwbanod Ninja starts on S4C this Thursday at 6.05pm.