In "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Leonardo is characterized as a fun-loving, joke-cracking, and confident turtle, often acting as the team's motivator and strategist. He enjoys making light of situations and using humor to encourage his brothers, though this can sometimes be perceived as him not taking things seriouslyh enough. He is also shown to be strategic and enjoys formulating plans, sometimes stepping in to lead when he sees a need.