''Ninjago'' (previously known as ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' until 2019) is a
computer-animated
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes ( still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refe ...
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
produced by
The Lego Group
Lego A/S (trade name: The Lego Group) is a Danish toy production company based in Billund, Denmark. It manufactures Lego-brand toys, consisting mostly of interlocking plastic bricks. The Lego Group has also built several amusement parks aroun ...
. It was created to coincide with the
Lego Ninjago
Lego Ninjago is a List of Lego themes, Lego theme that was created in 2011 and a flagship brand of The Lego Group. It is the first theme to be based on ninja since the discontinuation of the Lego Ninja theme in 2000. Whilst it retains some elemen ...
line of construction toys, which is based on the characters and events of the series. It centers on the fictional world of Ninjago, telling the story of a group of six teenage
ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enem ...
s and their battles against the forces of evil. The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen, two Danish film producers. The storyline was written by
Kevin and Dan Hageman until the ninth season; their successor as the head writer was Bragi Schut. The show features a large
ensemble cast
In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17
Structure
In contrast to ...
of voice actors who had recurring roles in the series. The English-language voice cast was recorded in Canada for its entire run. The music was scored by composers Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent.
The series was in continuous production for over a decade and celebrated its tenth anniversary on January 14, 2021. It began with two pilot episodes in January 2011, which were followed by two 13-episode seasons that aired from December 2011 to November 2012. Both the Lego theme and the series had an intended shelf life of three years with the second season planned as the original ending. However, the success of the series and its product line led to the show continuing production, with
thirteen more seasons, a
special
Special or specials may refer to:
Policing
* Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force
* Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer
Literature
* ''Specia ...
, a
feature film adaptation, and a
four-episode miniseries being released. ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' was produced in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Wil Film ApS for its first ten seasons. The production was relocated to
WildBrain Studios
WildBrain Studios is the in-house television studio arm of Canadian entertainment company WildBrain based in Vancouver which was established in 2016 as DHX Studios.
History
In January 2016, DHX Media announced that they would be building a 6 ...
in Canada for the
eleventh season, and the series was retitled ''Ninjago''. The series concluded on October 1, 2022, with the second part of the fifteenth season being released on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
in Australia and New Zealand.
In Denmark, where the series' original production companies are located, it premiered on
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
. It aired on various Nickelodeon networks internationally. In the United States, it aired on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
until 2020, when premieres moved to Netflix. In Canada, the series was broadcast on
Teletoon
Teletoon (stylized as TELETOON) is a Canadian English-language specialty channel owned by Teletoon Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. Its name is a portmanteau of "television" and " cartoon". The channel primarily broadcasts ...
and
YTV.
Synopsis
The show is largely set in the fictional realm of Ninjago, a place loosely inspired by
East Asian myths and culture. While featuring historically designed buildings and traditional clothing, Ninjago exists in a modern setting centered around the large metropolis of Ninjago City, which features skyscrapers, current-age and futuristic vehicles, modern electronics, mechanical exo-suits (
mechs
In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...
), and other futuristic technology.
The plot focuses on a group of six teenage ninja fighting against the forces of evil, who are also defined as "Elemental Masters", several characters who have
elemental
An elemental is a mythic being that is described in occult and alchemical works from around the time of the European Renaissance, and particularly elaborated in the 16th century works of Paracelsus. According to Paracelsus and his subsequent fo ...
powers.
The series began with the ninja team being formed and trained by their ancient master Sensei Wu in the fictional
martial art
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
of "Spinjitzu", which is the main fighting method depicted in the show.
The ninjas' base is a flying
junk ship named "Destiny's Bounty", which has varied in design over the course of the series. The
pilot episodes
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
introduced the original four ninja characters named Kai, Cole, Jay and Zane and Kai's sister Nya, while the central character
Lloyd Garmadon
Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon is a fictional character in the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago'' (previously known as ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'') which is produced by The Lego Group. He was created by the original ''Ninjago'' sc ...
was introduced in the first season, titled ''
Rise of the Snakes
''Rise of the Snakes'' (also titled ''Rise of the Serpentine'' on DVD release) is the first season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was ...
''.
The series incorporates a detailed fictional lore, which is woven into the storyline using character
dialogue
Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. As a philosophical or didactic device, it is c ...
and
flashbacks. The lore mainly focuses on the history of the First Spinjitzu Master and his creation of the island of Ninjago:
Cast and characters
*
Lloyd Garmadon
Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon is a fictional character in the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago'' (previously known as ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'') which is produced by The Lego Group. He was created by the original ''Ninjago'' sc ...
(voiced by Jillian Michaels in Seasons 1–7 and
Sam Vincent
James Samuel Vincent (born May 18, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
Vincent won the State of Michigan "Mr. Basketball" award in 1981, the first year the award was given. He attended Lansing's Eastern High Sch ...
in Seasons 8–15
) is the Green Ninja and Elemental Master of Energy, which grants him the ability to manipulate energy. He is the current leader of the ninja, son of Garmadon and Misako, nephew of Master Wu and the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master. He frequently wields either a
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
or
dual katanas. Lloyd makes his debut in the first season following the pilot episodes as a mischievous child wanting to be an evil warlord like his father, which results in childish schemes that are foiled by the original four ninja. Lloyd is reformed by the ninja and Master Wu, before discovering his destiny as the prophesied Green Ninja. While initially mischievous and naive, Lloyd is tempered by experience over the course of the series to become a mature, wise and skilled ninja. Although he is depicted as the youngest member of the team, Lloyd's character has been developed to be its natural leader.
*
Kai (voiced by
Vincent Tong) is the red ninja and Elemental Master of Fire. Like Lloyd, he frequently wields either a
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
or
dual katanas. His elemental power grants him limited
pyrokinesis
Pyrokinesis is the purported psychic ability allowing a person to create and control fire with the mind. As with other parapsychological phenomena, there is no conclusive evidence in support of the actual existence of pyrokinesis. Many alleged c ...
and heat resistance. Kai is fiercely loyal to his friends and family, often willing to do anything to ensure their safety. He often acts on emotion instead of reason, causing him to be hotheaded, cocky, and rash. He also has a strong sense of responsibility towards his friends. Kai is the older brother of Nya and son of Ray and Maya. His love interest is Skylor Chen.
*
Cole
Cole may refer to:
Plants
* Cole crops of the genus ''Brassica'', especially cabbage, kale, or rape (rapeseed).
People
* Cole (given name), people with the given name Cole
* Cole (surname), people with the surname Cole
Companies
*Cole Motor ...
(voiced by
Kirby Morrow
Kirby Robert Morrow (1973 – November 18, 2020) was a Canadian actor, comedian and writer. In animation, he was known as the voice of Miroku from ''InuYasha'', its four movies, and '' Inuyasha: The Final Act'', Van Fanel from the Ocean dub o ...
from the pilot episodes–Season 14 and
Andrew Francis
Andrew Michael Scott Francis is a Canadian actor. He has appeared in many television shows and films including '' My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'' as Shining Armor, '' MegaMan NT Warrior'' as MegaMan.EXE, '' Hero 108'' as Lin Chung, '' L ...
in Season 15) is the grounded and solid black ninja and Elemental Master of Earth. He frequently wields a
scythe
A scythe ( ) is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor m ...
and, in recent seasons, a
war hammer
A war hammer (French: ''martel-de-fer'', "iron hammer") is a weapon that was used by both foot soldiers and cavalry. It is a very old weapon and gave its name, owing to its constant use, to Judah Maccabee, a 2nd-century BC Jewish rebel, and to Ch ...
. His elemental power grants him limited earth manipulation and
super strength
Superhuman strength is a superpower commonly invoked in fiction and other literary works such as mythology. A fictionalized representation of the phenomenon of hysterical strength, it is the power to exert force and lift weights beyond what is ph ...
. Described as the original leader of the ninja, he is loyal to his friends and family and has a special love for food, especially cake. He is the son of Lou, a member of a barbershop quartet, and Lilly, the previous Elemental Master of Earth.
*
Jay Walker (born Jay Gordon) (voiced by
Michael Adamthwaite
Michael David Adamthwaite (born September 1, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He is credited with providing the voice for many characters in various anime series. He is also known for portraying the Jaffa Herak in the science fiction television series ...
) is the blue ninja and Elemental Master of Lightning. He frequently wields
nunchucks
is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person wh ...
and more recently, a
kusarigama
A is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a ''kama'' (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle or billhook) on a kusari-fundo – a type of metal chain (''kusari'') with a heavy iron weight (''fundo'') at the end. The ''kusarigama'' is said ...
. His elemental power grants him limited electricity manipulation. He is also a skilled mechanic and is technologically savvy. Jay is inventive and quick-witted, often using comedy to alleviate stressful situations. He is easily excitable and prone to freaking out when in crises but, like the other ninja, is intensely loyal to his friends, especially his girlfriend Nya. He is the son of Cliff Gordon and the previous Elemental Master of Lightning, but was adopted and raised by Ed and Edna Walker.
*
Zane (voiced by
Brent Miller) is the white/titanium ninja and Elemental Master of Ice. He frequently wields three-pointed
shuriken
A ''shuriken'' ( ja, 手裏剣; literally: "hidden hand blade") is a Japanese concealed weapon that was used as a hidden dagger or metsubushi to distract or misdirect.
They are also known as throwing stars, or ninja stars, although they were ...
and, more recently, a
bow and arrow
The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles ( arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was comm ...
. His elemental power grants him limited cryokinesis. Zane is intelligent and calculating, often providing intel to the ninja when required. Initially, he lacks normal social skills, such as a sense of humour, but it is later revealed that Zane is secretly an
android (or "nindroid"), a fact unknown to both the ninja and Zane himself. Though he is still logical and matter-of-fact by nature, his brotherhood with the other ninja has enabled him to develop more human characteristics. He is the son/creation of Dr. Julien.
*
Nya (voiced by
Kelly Metzger
Kelly Jane Metzger (born February 25, 1980) is a Canadian voice and theater actress.
Life and career
After making her debut in the title role of '' Anne of Green Gables'', she performed on the stage with several Vancouver-based theatrical compani ...
) is the grey/blue ninja, Elemental Master of Water and the original Samurai X. She frequently wields a
sword
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
and, more recently, a
trident
A trident is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm.
The trident is the weapon of Poseidon, or Neptune, the God of the Sea in classical mythology. The trident may occasionally be held by other marine ...
. In early seasons she wears red as Samurai X and later, dark red. Since the release of ''
The Lego Ninjago Movie
''The Lego Ninjago Movie'' is a 2017 computer-animated martial arts comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, RatPac Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Lin Pictures, Lord Miller Productions, and Vertigo Entertainment, and distributed by Wa ...
'', she has primarily been depicted in gunmetal grey. Her elemental power grants her limited hydrokinesis. Although she is not an original member of the ninja team, Nya joins when her skills as the Elemental Master of Water are needed to defeat the ghosts and the Preeminent in Season 5. Tough and determined, she refuses to let anyone tell her what to do. Though she can sometimes be stubborn, Nya cares about her friends and family, often making the most mature decisions of the group and serving as emotional support. As a skilled mechanic, she often constructs vehicles for the other ninja. Nya is Kai's younger sister and the daughter of Ray and Maya.
*
P.I.X.A.L. (Primary Interactive X-ternal Assistant Life-form) (voiced by Jennifer Hayward) is a female nindroid who makes her debut as an assistant to her creator/father Cyrus Borg in the third season. She joins the ninja team after being influenced by her fellow nindroid Zane. She is disassembled in Season 4, but is then uploaded into Zane's system as an
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech re ...
. In Season 7, she secretly rebuilds herself and becomes the new Samurai X. She often provides technical support to the ninja while serving as Zane's love interest.
*
Sensei/Master Wu (voiced by
Paul Dobson, Caleb Skeris as a baby, Madyx Whiteway as a child) is the wise, ancient master of the ninja who frequently wields his father's staff. He is Lloyd's uncle, younger son of the First Spinjitzu Master and brother to Garmadon. Because of his
Oni
An is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess ...
heritage, Wu has lived for over a thousand years.
*
Lord/Sensei Garmadon (voiced by Mark Oliver, Kai Emmett as a child) is Lloyd's father, Wu's older brother, Misako's estranged husband, and older son of the First Spinjitzu Master. Garmadon is the main antagonist of the pilot episodes and a secondary antagonist in the first two seasons. In Season 2, he is cleansed of evil and becomes a sensei to the ninja. In Season 4, he is sacrificed to the Cursed Realm and resurrected in Season 8 as a being of pure evil. After conquering Ninjago, his reign of terror is finally brought to an end by Lloyd and he is imprisoned in Kryptarium Prison. In Season 10, he is released to help the ninja defeat the Oni, after which he walks free. In Season 15, he reappears to help the Ninja fight the Overlord. Because of his Oni heritage, Garmadon has lived for over a thousand years.
Episodes
Production and development
Concept
In 2009, The Lego Group proposed to make an original
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
about ninja, which focused on four ninja with elemental powers. The Lego Ninjago theme concept originated in the
Lego Ninja theme, which was released by The Lego Group in 1998. This theme was then replaced by Lego Knights in 2000.
In 2011, Lego Ninjago was launched and included some of the concepts from the Lego Ninja theme, such as dragons and fortresses, but also combined this with a modern setting. The ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' television series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen, two Danish film producers.
During the early development of the concept, The Lego Group conducted
ethnographic research
Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...
with children to determine their interests. Cerim Manovi, Senior Design Manager for the theme recalled, "Ninjas crystallised themselves because we were, like: 'What's the greatest hero entry point?' We showed them superheroes, everything – but ninjas just grabbed kids right there".
The Lego Group had been attempting to develop a toy line based on ninjas for several years but a product range had never been successfully developed due to the limitations of the concept. This changed once the idea was developed into a
high concept fantasy theme. Researchers at The Lego Group began testing ideas for enemies and eventually skeletons were chosen as the main antagonists in the storyline, following research conducted with six-year-old boys.
The skeletons were considered to be the perfect adversaries for the ninjas because they looked inherently evil and fantastical. Other initial concepts for the enemies, such as snakes and robots were rejected, but then used later in subsequent seasons of the series. The ninja characters were given different coloured suits and unique elemental powers to make them more interesting and give them individual personalities. The motivation for the ninja characters was initially presented as a fight about obtaining four golden weapons.
The first
concept drawing was created by Tommy Andreasen in late 2009, which depicted five elemental ninjas with their elemental tornadoes and included the word "Spinjago". This would later become the fictional martial art of "Spinjitzu", a combination of the words "spin" and "ninjitsu". Andreasen recalled being called into a meeting on a Friday evening where he created the rough concept sketch of the characters. He then contacted an artist in Canada named Craig Sellars, who painted an internal concept image of the characters over the weekend and sent it back on the following Monday. Andreasen recalled that this was a "linchpin moment" that was the beginning of the concept and the television series.
The Ninjago brand name was a combination of the words "ninja" and "go", which was split from the end of "Lego". The series title was also used as the main ninja battle cry.
Writing
Kevin and Dan Hageman were the screenwriters for the ''Ninjago'' television series from the initial development phase until the ninth season. They became involved in the project after being invited to pitch an early story concept for a Lego-based movie that would eventually be titled ''
The Lego Movie
''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 computer-animated adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, and Dan and Kevin Hageman. Based on the Lego line of construction toys, its story focu ...
''. After making a successful pitch to The Lego Group for the film, the Hageman Brothers were asked to write the story for a 44-minute animated television special based on an original Lego property about ninjas. Initially it was intended to be a one-hour special, but the Hageman Brothers decided that they wanted to make it into a saga similar to a high-end blockbuster movie, "like ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' with ninjas".
They took their inspiration from movies and television shows of the time, including films produced by
Marvel
Marvel may refer to:
Business
* Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company
** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment
** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe
** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics
...
and
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
. Dan Hageman recalled, "We're looking at Star Wars. We're creating a land and there's magic in this land, there's weapons in this land, there's vehicles in this land...we wanted to make something not necessarily that would appeal to children, but that would appeal to us". Kevin Hageman noted that there was a lot of disposable entertainment for children at that time. He explained, "We wanted something that treats the kids intelligently, also emotionally intelligently. They understand drama. Let's give them a story that's going to continue because it's serialised...we thought of it more as one giant movie or a miniseries. I think that really added a lot of depth, a lot of heart, to ''Ninjago'' that you don't see on other shows".
The Hageman Brothers were presented with the basic concepts and characters for the show, such as the ninja, dragons and spinjitzu, but developed the characters' motivations and personalities. They decided that the characters were imperfect and were motivated by their relationships. They also decided that Kai needed to be the main character of the Pilot Episodes because the special was limited to 44 minutes, so they agreed to centre the story around one character, rather than a large ensemble cast, and to give Kai a specific motivation.
For this reason, the Hageman Brothers came up with the character of Nya, the main female character in the story. Kevin Hageman explained, "We wanted this to be a show that boys and girls like, and I wanted strong, young female characters in it - so we created Nya". Tommy Andreasen explained that the character of Nya was employed as an emotional reason for Kai to get involved because, "he didn't want to be a ninja, but his sister was kidnapped by this evil Lord from the underworld".
The character of Lloyd Garmadon was conceived by Dan and Kevin Hageman. Andreasen stated, "The Hagemans came up with the idea of Lloyd, the son of Garmadon. As soon as they introduced that idea, we knew Lloyd was going to be the Green Ninja and we were going to build that mystery up over 10 episodes".
The Hageman Brothers eventually left the show after nine seasons when Bragi Schut took over as writer. Kevin Hageman asked Bragi Schut to become involved in the series due to his background of working in film. Despite not having any prior knowledge of ''Ninjago'', Schut became familiar with the story and continued it with the same approach as the Hageman Brothers, ensuring that it included "a combination of humour, heart and adventure".
On 8 September 2022, Bragi Schut, the lead writer of the original series from the tenth to the fifteenth season, confirmed he will not be working on the new series on Twitter by stating that ''Crystallized'' was his last season.
Animation and format
The first ten seasons were produced in Copenhagen, Denmark, by the animation studio Wil Film ApS. Erik Wilstrup, the CEO of Wil Film, first became aware of the project in October 2009 when The Lego Group was exploring ways to create branded entertainment using animation. Wilstrup and his team proposed a variety of animation styles before agreeing that
computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images may ...
(CGI) was the best option. Wilstrup elaborated further on the production of the series by describing Wil Film as "a spider in the middle of a wide web and a responsible driver of it all". He explained, "Specifically we have a team of designers in Berlin, while the voice recordings sit with BLT in Canada. The score is produced by Jam Hollywood in Los Angeles, the animation is done at GDC in China and all
preproduction,
storyboard
A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding process, i ...
ing,
blocking, post-sound, on-line and
grading is done in our studio in Copenhagen."
The production was relocated to
WildBrain Studios
WildBrain Studios is the in-house television studio arm of Canadian entertainment company WildBrain based in Vancouver which was established in 2016 as DHX Studios.
History
In January 2016, DHX Media announced that they would be building a 6 ...
in Canada for the last five seasons. This marked the use of new animation styles, including
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
-style 2D animation, as a way to experiment with the storyline and add new creativity to the show. With the release of ''Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu'', the run-time for the show was revised from 22 minutes to 11 minutes. This was a particular cause of concern with fans of the show. Tommy Andreasen commented on the 11-minute format by stating, "it was a way for the broadcasters to make it easier to programme". He has also remarked on the positive nature of the new runtime, stating, "Once you're working with 11 minutes it's not just the same idea stretched over two 11s. Now it's a new idea in every episode, and it really makes you risky and fresh - and able to tell stories very efficiently...If there's something I would like ''Ninjago'' TV show to be, it's this creative playground, where you should never know exactly what you can expect".
Character design
Following the initial concept sketch created by Tommy Andreasen in late 2009, concept artwork depicting the main ninja characters was created in 2010, with a character drawing of Lloyd and sketches to summarise the first two ''Ninjago'' seasons. In addition, sketches of Nya were first produced by Tim Ainley, depicting the character as a
samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
, followed by character, model and part designs.
In the eighth season, the appearances of Lloyd and the ninja were noticeably different from their appearances in previous seasons. ''Sons of Garmadon'' implemented a new phase for the ninjas' designs, which were now based on the designs of their movie counterparts in ''
The Lego Ninjago Movie
''The Lego Ninjago Movie'' is a 2017 computer-animated martial arts comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, RatPac Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Lin Pictures, Lord Miller Productions, and Vertigo Entertainment, and distributed by Wa ...
''.
The design change aimed to help new fans of the movie transition to the television series. The start of the season marked updated appearances for each of the main characters, including changes to their hair and faces, and these new appearances have continued to be used throughout subsequent seasons. Although Lloyd looks almost identical to his movie design, he was given a new voice actor
Sam Vincent
James Samuel Vincent (born May 18, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
Vincent won the State of Michigan "Mr. Basketball" award in 1981, the first year the award was given. He attended Lansing's Eastern High Sch ...
, who took over the role from Jillian Michaels, while the other ninja retained their original voice actors. Design Manager, Michael Svane Knap explained that these changes were inspired by the movie in terms of the detail level. He commented, "We pulled in some of the character designs from the movie into the TV show afterwards. That was born of wanting to get more uniqueness to the characters. Something that added a lot of character to these ninja that we didn't have before were the hairstyles for them, so we managed to create something that was completely unique for ''Ninjago'' with how the characters looked".
Music
The title sequences for seasons 1–7, 11-13, and 15 feature ''The Weekend Whip'', a song performed by
The Fold
The Fold is an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States. The Fold formed in 2005, and promptly began work on their album '' This Too Shall Pass'' for Tooth & Nail Records. They have released four full-length studio albums ...
, which is the show's official theme song. ''The Weekend Whip'' was remixed each season to reflect the theme. Seasons 8-10 and ''The Island''-season 14 feature music by composers Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent, with ''Ninjago Overture'' as the main theme.
Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer
scored the soundtrack for the series since the beginning of the show. Michael Kramer had previously created a martial arts track that Vincent and Kramer decided was perfect for the show and this music piece ''Ninjago Overture'' was chosen as the main theme for the show. Although they were initially hired to write some original music for the characters, they decided to score the entire pilot special.
The music plays a significant role in the storytelling, particularly in terms of helping viewers to distinguish between the heroes and villains. Kramer explained that there were ground rules that were established from the beginning of the show, stating, "One thing that we try to stick to, not always but generally speaking, is that bad guys usually have more
bowed instruments
Bowed string instruments are a subcategory of string instruments that are played by a bow rubbing the strings. The bow rubbing the string causes vibration which the instrument emits as sound.
Despite the numerous specialist studies devoted to t ...
and good guys usually have more
wind instrument
A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube) in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at or near the end of the resonator. The pitc ...
s. The idea of friction being more bowed or struck instruments". The music is also used to underpin the drama in the show. Kramer remarked on this stating, "These characters are real for us. That allows us as composers to really dive deep into that drama. And I mean, it gets really heavy - especially in Season 10 with the Oni - it got really dark, really dramatic". The soundtrack incorporates a wide variety of traditional musical instruments from around the world, which were carefully chosen to illustrate each character or land in which the season is set. Jay Vincent commented that, "because ''Ninjago'' is set in this vast universe, we get to respectfully but enjoyably explore other cultures of the world that we might not be familiar with".
The Fold became involved in the show through Jam, a music production company in Copenhagen. The producers wanted to include modern concepts within the show, so they were looking for a catchy
pop song
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
. After being initially approached by Michael Kramer, The Fold came up with ''The Weekend Whip'', which was designed to be listened to outside the context of the show and was described as "the dance that the ninja do on the weekend when they are off". The demo was included in the pilot season and recorded in studio a year later.
In January 2021, The Lego Group released a soundtrack video on YouTube titled ''Ninjago: A Musical Journey,'' which celebrates the music of the show in four parts. The complete ''Ninjago: A Musical Journey'' ''(2011–2020)'' video was released on the Lego YouTube channel on 6 June 2021, comprising 2.5 hours of music and images.
Release
Launch
The Lego Group launched ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' in January 2011 with the release of two 22-minute animated specials that aired on Cartoon Network in January and March. These
pilots
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
introduced the main characters and the Ninjago universe to its target audience. Following the success of the pilots, The Lego Group announced the release of the first season on 23 March 2011, titled ''
Rise of the Snakes
''Rise of the Snakes'' (also titled ''Rise of the Serpentine'' on DVD release) is the first season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was ...
'', which aired at the end of 2011 and consists of 13 episodes. The series continued to be written by
Dan and Kevin Hageman. Jill Wilfert, Vice President of licensing & entertainment at The Lego Group commented, "We're thrilled to be working with Wil Film and Kevin and Dan Hageman to add yet another dimension of story and engagement to our newest original property".
Suspension and continuation
The ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' series and accompanying product line had originally been planned as a three-year project. The conclusion of the second season titled ''
Legacy of the Green Ninja
''Legacy of the Green Ninja'' is the second season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. ...
'' emphasized the end of the show in its season finale, with the character of Lloyd becoming the "Golden Ninja" and defeating the main antagonist, the Overlord, in an epic battle of light and darkness. However, due to the incredible sales performance of the Lego Ninjago product line, the series was continued. Senior Creative Director Simon Lucas recalled the company's decision to extend the series, stating, "we had six weeks to say what we would do with ''Ninjago''. How do you bring it back? We had the final battle in the story. Immediately I connected with Kevin and Dan Hageman, and we just agreed that this world we'd created, the characters and the story had so much more to give. We actually struggled to filter ideas, because we had so many". The continuation of the series allowed the writers to open up their ideas about what the theme could be. It also pushed them to change the ''Ninjago'' series each year, which contributed to the success of the show. Kevin Hageman opined, "If we just kept doing the original theme and just had different adventures... ''Ninjago'' would not still be here today. I think it's truly here because the restrictions forced us and Lego to keep redesigning and rethinking ''Ninjago'' and it kept becoming this beautiful big universe where anything is possible".
Broadcast
In the United States, the two pilot episodes of ''
Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'', later split into four episodes total, were shown on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
on January 14, 2011. They were released in Europe on January 24, 2011. The pilot episodes follow the four original ninja as Sensei Wu brings them together to defeat the evil Lord Garmadon. Due to the popularity of the pilot episodes, the first season was launched from 2 December 2011 to April 2012 alongside a new line of sets marketed as "Rise of the Snakes". The pilot episodes were released on DVD in March 2011, and the first season became available on DVD in
Region 1 on June 26, 2012.
The series as a whole has an estimated budget of
kr 37 million (approximately £4.6 million or US$6.7 million).
Season 1, ''
Rise of the Snakes
''Rise of the Snakes'' (also titled ''Rise of the Serpentine'' on DVD release) is the first season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was ...
'' follows the four original ninja as they battle the Serpentine, unlock their "true potential", and attempt to discover the identity of the fabled Green Ninja. The first five episodes of season 1 aired in Canada on November 25 and the first two in the United States on December 2. The season once again aired in Canada and the United States from January 11, 2012 to April 11, 2012.
Season 2, ''
Legacy of the Green Ninja
''Legacy of the Green Ninja'' is the second season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. ...
'' premiered on July 18, 2012, to an audience of 2.8 million. Season 2 focuses on Lloyd, as he trains to become the Green Ninja in preparation for the final battle, where he will have to face and defeat his father.
Season 3, ''
Rebooted
''Rebooted'' is the third season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The season aired f ...
'' premiered on January 29, 2014. Season 3 focuses on Zane as he and the other Ninja fight to defeat an ancient evil reborn as a new, technological threat. In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on 21 July 2014 on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
.
Season 4, ''
Tournament of Elements'' premiered on February 23, 2015 in North America and Great Britain on Cartoon Network. Season 4 follows the ninja as they travel to a mysterious island to fight in the Tournament of Elements and search for a missing Zane.
Season 5, ''
Possession
Possession may refer to:
Law
* Dependent territory, an area of land over which another country exercises sovereignty, but which does not have the full right of participation in that country's governance
* Drug possession, a crime
* Ownership
* ...
'' premiered on June 27, 2015 in the United States. The Lego Group released the trailer for the fifth season on June 8, 2015 . Season 5 focuses on Nya training to become the Master of Water while the other ninja battle Wu's first student, a vengeful ghost who has possessed Lloyd.
Season 6, ''
Skybound'' was released on June 8, 2016. It focuses on Jay as he and the ninja try to prevent Nadakhan the Djinn and his Sky Pirates from terraforming Ninjago into a new Kingdom of Djinjago.
A Halloween special titled ''
Day of the Departed'' was released on October 29, 2016, featuring the return of many of the series' past villains. The special focuses on Cole, who is slowing fading from existence.
Season 7, ''
Hands of Time'' was released in May 2017. The plot focuses on Kai, Nya and their parents, with the main villains being the Elemental Masters of Time (Acronix and Krux) and their army of Vermillion Warriors, who are trying to rewrite history.
Season 8, ''
Sons of Garmadon
''Sons of Garmadon'' is the eighth season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The seaso ...
'' was released April 16, 2018 in the United States. It follows the ninja as they try to prevent a criminal organization called the Sons of Garmadon (SoG) from resurrecting Garmadon using the three Oni Masks. The season introduced character redesigns to make the main characters resemble their ''
The Lego Ninjago Movie
''The Lego Ninjago Movie'' is a 2017 computer-animated martial arts comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, RatPac Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Lin Pictures, Lord Miller Productions, and Vertigo Entertainment, and distributed by Wa ...
'' counterparts.
Season 9, ''
Hunted'' premiered on June 30, 2018 in Australia. The season follows Lloyd and the Resistance fighting to take back New Ninjago City, while the other ninja try to escape from the First Realm.
Season 10, ''
March of the Oni
''March of the Oni'' is the tenth season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The season ...
'' premiered on April 19, 2019. It follows Garmadon and the ninja as they try to stop a demonic force of darkness called the Oni from destroying Ninjago and the sixteen realms. It featured only four episodes and is the shortest season to date.
Season 11, ''
Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu'', premiered on June 22, 2019. It follows the ninja as they come face to face with an enemy from Wu's past, then try to rescue Zane from a dark and mysterious Ice Emperor. The season saw the introduction of an 11-minute episode format and a new, more stylized animation style. It was split into two fifteen episodes parts, The Fire Chapter and The Ice Chapter.
Season 12, ''
Prime Empire
''Prime Empire'' is the twelfth season of the animated ''Ninjago (TV series), Ninjago'' television series (titled ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' before the eleventh season). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The se ...
'' premiered on July 19, 2020 in the United States. It focuses on Jay as he and the ninja enter the video game Prime Empire to face the misunderstood Unagami.
Season 13'',
Master of the Mountain'' premiered on September 16, 2020 in the United States. It focuses on Cole as he and the ninja journey to the distant mountains of Shintaro, unaware of the sinister secrets that lie in the cavernous dungeons below.
A four-episode miniseries titled ''
The Island'' premiered on February 27, 2021 in France, and on March 7, 2021 in Canada. It follows the ninja as they embark on a rescue mission to a mysterious and uncharted island.
Season 14, ''
Seabound'' premiered on April 4, 2021 in Canada on Teletoon. In the United States, the episodes have not yet aired on Cartoon Network, however the LEGO channel on YouTube currently has the episodes. Seabound was also released on November 19, 2021 on Netflix. Its plot centres around the water ninja, Nya, after she loses control over her elemental powers and journeys into the oceans surrounding the island of Ninjago.
Season 15, ''
Crystalized'' premiered on the official Lego
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel on May 20, 2022 in North America. The season involves the ninja encountering a new group of ninja and being locked up in Kryptarium Prison alongside their old enemies.
Future
In 2022, the ''Ninjago'' team announced at
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
that a new series will make its debut in 2023 for the
Lego Ninjago
Lego Ninjago is a List of Lego themes, Lego theme that was created in 2011 and a flagship brand of The Lego Group. It is the first theme to be based on ninja since the discontinuation of the Lego Ninja theme in 2000. Whilst it retains some elemen ...
brand. On 10 October 2022, Tommy Andreasen announced the end of his involvement with the series in a letter posted on Twitter.
Home media
Reception
Critical reception
''Ninjago'' has received largely favourable reviews from critics. Reviewer Lien Murakami for
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. gave the Pilot season a three out of five star rating, describing it as "exciting and funny" and noting that "the ninja characters learn lessons of patience and teamwork from their wise sensei". However, the review also opined that the show "is essentially an extended advertisement for the Lego Ninjago toy line". Melissa Camacho for Common Sense Media gave ''Tournament of Element''s a three-star rating and commented on the "positive messages" and "character strengths" in the series stating, "Lessons about loyalty, loss, sacrifice, and teamwork are emphasized throughout." ''Possession'' also received a three-star rating from Common Sense Media, and reviewer Melissa Camacho commented, "loyalty, teamwork and sacrifice are common themes, making this a solid choice for action lovers. The loss of a loved one also is a central theme in this series installment." Dave Trumbore for
Collider
A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators.
Colliders are used as a research tool in particle ...
commented on ''Skybound'', giving the show a four-star rating and stating that it is "a fun romp through the mythology in the modern era that emphasizes teamwork, cooperation, and loyalty throughout, all while providing a highly entertaining and action-packed series".
''Skybound'' also received a three-star rating from Common Sense Media, which noted that the season, "contains some positive messages about friendship, patience, loyalty, and gender equality." Common Sense Media gave ''Hands of Time'' a three-star rating, with Melissa Camacho commenting that the season had good messages, fantasy violence and, "some fun moments, especially when the teens banter with one another. But central to the show is their effort to help Ninjago, a well as their master, by using their powers accordingly." Camacho also gave ''Hunted'' a three-star rating and commented, "they're a loyal team and do what they believe is right in order to ensure that good triumphs over evil. If you're a Lego Ninjago fan, ''Hunted'' won't disappoint." Barry Hertz for
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
commented, "''Ninjago'' is a 10-season-long commercial for one of the world's most expensive toy-lines. Yet, its crass existence is consistently and miraculously outweighed by the imagination of and creative powers behind the long-running series. ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' should be terrible, but it is instead one of the more enjoyably complex and mythology-heavy series out there - no matter whether you're the babysitter or the babysat."
Ratings
The ''Ninjago'' series achieved immediate success with its target audience and maintained strong ratings from its initial launch. The Pilot Episodes, which were released on Cartoon Network, were the highest rated program with boys in their time slot across multiple airings.
The first season of ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' achieved the top position on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 pm with children aged 2–11 and 9-14. The Season 2 premiere scored the top telecast of the day with children aged 2–11, boys aged 2–11, boys aged 6–11 and boys aged 9–14 and ranked the highest in its time period among children aged 6–11 and children aged 9–14. It also increased average ratings from between 124% and 184% compared to the same time period for the first-season premiere in the previous year. The total number of viewers increased by 30%. The third season averaged a triple digit viewer increase with children and boys, with the January 2014 release ranking as the top telecast of the year with boys aged 2–11 and boys aged 6–11. In 2015, the fourth season titled ''Tournament of Elements'' maintained its popularity by achieving the top position for telecast of the day among boys aged 2–11 and aged 6–11, and the top position in its time period among children aged 2–11, children aged 6–11 and all boys. With the release of Season 5: ''Possession'', the show achieved rank 22 in the top 100 Monday cable originals on 29 June 2015 with 2.05 million viewers. The release of Season 6: ''Skybound'' achieved the rank of 28 in the top 150 original cable telecast for 24 March 2016 with 0.98 million viewers. The release of Season 7: ''The Hands of Time'' achieved the rank of 77 in the top 150 Monday cable originals on 15 May 2017 with 0.73 million viewers. The release of Season 8: ''Sons of Garmadon'' achieved the rank of 109 in the top 150 Monday cable originals on 16 April 2018 with 0.50 million viewers. On 11 August 2018, Season 9: ''Hunted Part 1'' was ranked at 84 in the top 150 original cable telecasts with 0.45 million viewers. Season 9: ''Hunted Part 2'' achieved a rank of 67 on 18 August 2018 with 0.50 million viewers. On 19 April 2019, Season 10: ''March of the Oni'' ranked at position 86 with 0.44 million viewers. ''Ninjago:Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu'' ranked at position 81 on 22 June 2019 with 0.31 million viewers. ''Prime Empire'' ranked at 83 on 19 July 2020 with 0.28 million viewers. On 13 September 2020, the release of ''Master of the Mountain'' achieved a rank of 89 in the top 150 original cable telecasts with 0.18 million viewers.
Awards and nominations
The ''Ninjago'' series has been nominated for and won several awards. In 2012, the director Peter Hausner was nominated in the category of "Directing in a Television Production" at the
Annie Awards
The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in cinema and television. Originally desig ...
. The show was also nominated at the
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (formerly the International Advertising Festival) is a global event for those working in creative communications, advertising, and related fields. It is considered the largest gathering of the ...
in 2012 in the category of "Branded Entertainment, Best Fictional Program, series or film". In 2012, the composers Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent were nominated at the
BMI Film & TV Music Awards, which they won. They were also winners at the 2016 BMI Film & TV Music Awards. In 2015, Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent were nominated at the Annie Awards for "Outstanding Achievement in Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production". In 2016, the show was nominated for a
Kids' Choice Awards in the category of "Favorite Cartoon". In 2018, it received a nomination for "Best Sound Design: Television Programme" at the Music + Sound Awards. In 2020, Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent were nominated for "Outstanding Music Direction and Composition" at the
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
s.
In 2020, ''Ninjago'' received two nominations in the Animation Program or Series category of the
Leo Awards
The Leo Awards are the awards program for the British Columbia film and television industry. Held each May or June in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the Leo Awards were founded by the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of British C ...
for Art Direction and Sound. In 2021, the series received four nominations in the Animation Series category of the Leo Awards for Art Direction, Direction, Sound and Voice Performance, resulting in Kenny Ng winning Best Art Direction for ''Superstar Rockin' Jay''. In 2022, ''Ninjago'' received four nominations in the Animation series category of the Leo Awards, including program, direction for ''The Turn of the Tide'', art direction for ''Nyad'' and sound for ''Assault on Ninjago City''.
Themes and analysis
Light and dark
One of the most dominant aspects of the ''Ninjago'' series is the theme of duality, or
light and dark
The contrast (vision), contrast of white and black (light and darkness, day and night) has a long tradition of metaphorical usage, traceable to the Ancient Near East, and explicitly in the Pythagoreanism, Pythagorean ''Table of Opposites''.
In ...
(with reference to the
yin and yang
Yin and yang ( and ) is a Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the c ...
). In the fictional realm of Ninjago, the two main elements are creation and destruction, which are the definition of good and evil, and are shown to either create life or destroy it. The main characters that have been depicted wielding this power are Master Wu, who represents creation and Lord Garmadon who represents destruction, being the direct descendants of the First Spinjitzu Master, the legendary fictional creator of Ninjago. Many villains throughout the series have been defined by darkness and destruction, most prominently the Oni, while the main character Lloyd Garmadon has been associated with light, particularly when he was shown to have achieved his "Golden Power" in the second season.
Teamwork
The importance of teamwork has also been a fundamental aspect that runs through the series. Senior Designer Christopher Stamp commented, "The characters are flawed and individually they are not complete, but as a team they complete each other. You follow the characters' development, it allows a form of natural evolution so as you go through the stories. The example I always come back to is when Cole questions if he is really important to the team, would the team still exist if he wasn't there? That led us to introduce ghosts to the world of Ninjago, what if he's a ghost? Then we realize when he actually becomes invisible, the team doesn't function the same way without him."
True potential
The series presents recurring moral lessons beneath the story that are intended to be absorbed by the viewers. In particular, the main character Master Wu has been depicted repeatedly placing emphasis on overcoming the internal obstacles that can hold a person back from achieving greatness. This theme was also illustrated by the main ninja characters conquering their personal obstacles and achieving their "true potential". Tommy Kalmaar, Story and Entertainment Manager commented, "Beneath the icons of dragons and ninjas there's this compelling full narrative around kids gaining confidence, finding their inner voice, learning something new about themselves, realizing something, and suddenly they can do more."
Influence and legacy
From its launch in 2011, the ''Ninjago'' series achieved continued popularity amongst its target audience, who are mainly primary aged children and teenagers, but it also gained a dedicated fan community. The ''Ninjago'' writers ensured that children are able to relate to the main characters by making them teenage heroes, and this made them consistently popular characters. In 2017, Christopher Stamp, Senior Designer at The Lego Group, noted that Lloyd and the ninja are relatable to children due to their inherent flaws, stating, "What is the main thing that has caught kids’ attention? Why is it so relatable? I have thought about it a lot. For me personally, it has got to be the characters. None of the characters are perfect, they are all flawed and I think that is something everyone can relate to."
From 2011 to 2022, the ''Ninjago'' series included storylines that aimed to teach about the importance of friendship, inclusivity and confidence.
In 2017, Lego design manager, Michael Svane Knap commented, "It’s always important to develop good characters that engage with the kids and encourage them to watch. The story that we have been telling from the beginning has been focused on family, collaboration and emotions and these are the keystone for telling a good ''Ninjago'' story". The ''Ninjago'' series was in continuous production for over a decade, resulting in many children having grown up following the series and developing into adult fans. Knap remarked, "Some have grown up with Lego Ninjago and are now expressing their gratitude and telling us how they have learned lifelong skills".
On 5 February 2019, Ernie Estrella for ''Syfy Wire'' remarked that, "''Ninjago'' is one of Lego's long running, home-grown franchises, and is arguably its most successful one."
Tenth anniversary
On 14 January 2021, the ''Ninjago'' series celebrated its tenth anniversary. This milestone reflected the continued popularity of the show amongst its audience. Tommy Andreasen, Senior Manager and co-creator explained, "Originally, the Ninjago theme was supposed to end after season 2 in 2012. It just shows an incredible commitment from our fans that we are still going strong 10 years later". In April 2021 a three-hour documentary produced by four ''Ninjago'' fans was released on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, titled ''Ninjago - Ten Years of Spinjitzu: A Documentary''. It recounts ten years of the series and features interviews with Tommy Andreasen, the Hageman Brothers and various voice actors from the show. In June 2021, The Fold released a song titled ''Ten for Ninjago'' to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the show.
Merchandise
The ''Ninjago'' TV series was launched to coincide with the release of its product line,
Lego Ninjago
Lego Ninjago is a List of Lego themes, Lego theme that was created in 2011 and a flagship brand of The Lego Group. It is the first theme to be based on ninja since the discontinuation of the Lego Ninja theme in 2000. Whilst it retains some elemen ...
in January 2011. In its first year, 17 Lego construction toy sets from the product line were released. After that, ''Ninjago''-themed playsets were released each year to correspond with each season of the TV series.
Mini-movies
Several mini-movies have been produced alongside the ''Ninjago'' television series, which provide additional information about the characters.
''Pilot Episode Mini-movies'' - six short films that take place immediately after the Pilot Season, released in 2011
''Chen Mini-movies'' - five mini-movies that focus on Master Chen and his chair from Season 4, released in 2015
''Tall Tales'' - six mini-movies that focus on the Sky Pirates of Season 6, released in 2016
''Wu's Teas'' - a collection of 20 ''Ninjago'' shorts that focus on Master Wu's tea shop, released in 2017
''Happy Birthday To You!'' - a one-minute ''Ninjago'' short, released on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
on 14 September 2017
''Ninjago: Decoded'' - a mini-series of ten episodes which takes place between Season 7 and Season 8, released on 27 November 2017
''Tales from the Monastery of Spinjitzu'' - six ''Ninjago: Legacy'' films from the
Lego
Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
website that take place between Season 9 and Season 10, released 19 December 2018
''Prime Empire shorts'' - six ''Ninjago'' shorts that provide additional background information about Season 12, released in 2020
''Ninjago: Reimagined'' - five ''Ninjago Legacy'' shorts in different animation styles released in 2021 alongside the series' 10th anniversary
''The Virtues of Spinjitzu'' - six ''Ninjago'' shorts in which Master Wu teaches the ninja about the six fundamental virtues of Spinjitzu, released in 2022.
Film adaptation
Lloyd Garmadon and the main ninja characters are the protagonists of ''
The Lego Ninjago Movie
''The Lego Ninjago Movie'' is a 2017 computer-animated martial arts comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, RatPac Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Lin Pictures, Lord Miller Productions, and Vertigo Entertainment, and distributed by Wa ...
'', which was released in 2017. Although the plot is not directly related to the ''Ninjago'' television series, Lloyd retains his role as the Green Ninja and leader of the secret ninja force.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
announced the development of an animated film based on the ''Ninjago'' television series on 17 September 2013. The film was directed by
Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher and Bob Logan and produced by
Dan Lin
Dan Lin (; born April 8, 1973) is a Taiwanese-American film producer. He is the founder and CEO of Rideback (formerly Lin Pictures until 2018), a film and television production company that he formed in 2008 that has a first-look deal at Uni ...
,
Roy Lee
Roy Lee (born March 23, 1969) is an American film producer. Lee's production company, Vertigo Entertainment, has a first-look deal with Warner Bros.
Early life
Lee was born in 1969 at Wyckoff Heights Hospital, in Brooklyn, New York, to Korean p ...
,
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Philip Lord (born 12 July 1975) and Christopher Miller (born 23 September 1975) are an American filmmaking duo. After a meeting at Dartmouth College, they are known for creating the adult animated sitcom ''Clone High'' (2002–2003), directing an ...
. The original writers for the ''Ninjago'' television series, Dan and Kevin Hageman were also writers for the film. ''The Lego Ninjago Movie'' premiered on 16 September 2017 and the cast included
Dave Franco
David John Franco (born June 12, 1985) is an American actor. He began his career with small roles in films such as ''Superbad'' (2007) and '' Charlie St. Cloud'' (2010). Following a starring role in the ninth season of the comedy series '' Scru ...
as Lloyd,
Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
as Master Wu and
Justin Theroux
Justin Paul Theroux (; born August 10, 1971) is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained recognition for his work with director David Lynch in the mystery film ''Mulholland Drive'' (2001) and the thriller film ''Inland Empire'' (2006). He also ...
as Lord Garmadon. The plot involves the main ninja characters battling against the main antagonist of the film, the evil warlord Lord Garmadon.
Other media
In addition to the ''Ninjago'' television series and ''The Lego Ninjago Movie'', the ninja characters have appeared in magazines, video games, colouring books, graphic novels, children's books and theme park attractions.
Theme park attractions
The ninja and Master Wu appear in an interactive theme park ride called ''Lego Ninjago The Ride'' at Legoland.
Lloyd, the ninja and Master Wu appear in a 4D short animated film entitled ''
Lego Ninjago: Master of the 4th Dimension,'' released in
Legoland
Legoland (, trademark in uppercase as LEGOLAND) is a chain of family theme parks focusing on the construction toy system Lego. They are not fully owned by The Lego Group itself; rather, they are owned and operated by the British theme park com ...
on 18 January 2018. The film can be experienced by visitors in all Legoland theme parks except Legoland New York. The plot focuses on Master Wu teaching the ninja a lesson about the Scroll of the 4th Dimension, which affects gravity and organised matter.
Publications
Since the beginning of 2012, a 36-page ''Lego Ninjago Magazine'' has been released in the UK and the Netherlands every month. It contains a comic strip as well as various facts, puzzles, posters, competitions and other activities. Each edition also includes a free Lego gift which is often a
minifigure
A Lego minifigure, commonly referred to as a minifig, is a small plastic articulated figurine produced by Danish toy manufacturer The Lego Group. They were first produced in 1978 and have been a success, with over 4 billion produced worldwide a ...
of Lloyd, one of the ninja, or a villain from the series.
Various accompanying books to the series have been produced that feature Lloyd and the ninja. A total of 12 graphic novels have been published, written by
Greg Farshtey
Gregory Todd Farshtey (born July 14, 1965) is an American writer, best known for his work on the Bionicle series of novels (2003–2010), the Bionicle comics (2001–2010), and the Ninjago graphic novel series.
Literary career
Gregory Todd F ...
.
Video games and apps
The ninja appear as playable characters in a wide variety of video games and mobile games, including ''
Lego Battles: Ninjago'' (2011),
Lego Universe (2011), ''Lego Ninjago: Nindroids'' (2014), ''Lego Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin'' (2015), ''Lego Ninjago: Tournament'' (2015), ''
Lego Dimensions
''Lego Dimensions'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform crossover video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox One and Xbox 360. It fo ...
'' (2015), ''
Lego Worlds
''Lego Worlds'' is a Lego-themed sandbox game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game allows players to build constructions in a 3D procedurally generated world. A beta version of the g ...
'' (2017), ''
The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game'' (2017), ''
Lego Brawls
''Lego Brawls'' is a family-friendly fighting game developed and published by Lego Games in partnership with American studio Red Games Co., and is being distributed in physical format for consoles by Bandai Namco Entertainment. ''LEGO Brawls' ...
'' (2019) and ''
Lego Legacy: Heroes Unboxed'' (2020).
Online media
On 24 August 2020, The Lego Group released a short film on the Lego YouTube channel titled ''Lego Ninjago Explained - Everything You Need to Know about Lego Ninjago''. The film offers a humorous account of the series in the style of ''
Honest Trailers
Screen Junkies is an online movie magazine and YouTube channel, owned and operated by Fandom, that focuses primarily on movies and television. Screen Junkies produce numerous shows now spread across two YouTube channels, including ''The Screen J ...
''.
On 28 May 2021,
Lego Life launched the first episode of ''Ninja Vlogs'', a video series aimed at children aged six to 12 years old. The vlog was hosted by the ''Ninjago'' characters Jay and Nya and was the first time that The Lego Group used
motion capture
Motion capture (sometimes referred as mo-cap or mocap, for short) is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robo ...
and
real-time rendering
Real-time computer graphics or real-time rendering is the sub-field of computer graphics focused on producing and analyzing images in real time. The term can refer to anything from rendering an application's graphical user interface ( GUI) to ...
in media content.
See also
*
The Lego Ninjago Movie (Lego theme)
*
The Fold
The Fold is an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States. The Fold formed in 2005, and promptly began work on their album '' This Too Shall Pass'' for Tooth & Nail Records. They have released four full-length studio albums ...
References
External links
*
Ninjagoat Lego.com
*
*
{{Lego
Masters of Spinjitzu
2010s Canadian animated television series
2020s Canadian animated television series
2010s Danish television series
2020s Danish television series
2011 Canadian television series debuts
2011 Danish television series debuts
2022 Canadian television series endings
Canadian children's animated action television series
Canadian children's animated adventure television series
Canadian children's animated comic science fiction television series
Canadian children's animated science fantasy television series
Canadian children's animated drama television series
Canadian children's animated superhero television series
Danish children's animated comic science fiction television series
Danish children's animated science fantasy television series
Danish children's animated action television series
Danish children's animated adventure television series
Danish children's animated drama television series
Danish children's animated superhero television series
Anime-influenced Western animated television series
Animated television series about teenagers
English-language television shows
Cartoon Network original programming
Canadian computer-animated television series
Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu
Martial arts television series
Television series set on fictional islands