Mirage Comics, original films, 2003 cartoon. In both the original comics and the live-action movies, Splinter is the pet rat of a ninja named Hamato Yoshi in Japan. Intelligent for his species, Splinter is able to learn ninjutsu art by mimicking his master's movements while he practiced.Originally a human named Hamato Yoshi, Splinter lived in Japan and studied ninjutsu alongside his best friend, Oroku Saki (later known as The Shredder). Yoshi's father found the young Saki as a baby boy, and raised him as Yoshi's brother.
