Okay, this is the kind of post that only a couple of countries understand. Namely Australia and that other little hunk-a-dirt to the east - which is actually where this comes from.
Martial arts and Ninja mania swept the world during the 80’s due to the popularity of Kung Fu Theater and ninja movies (American Ninja etc.). The Karate Kid became a blockbuster hit film, and raised interest in the arts. The cartoon characters Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a widely mass-marketed pop culture phenomenon in the late 1980s.
The 80’s were a golden era of children’s programming. The Muppets and the Archies of the world were pushed aside for the hard hitting, action packed, futuristic adventures that dominated the decade.