Ni Hao, Kai-Lan

''Ni Hao, Kai-Lan'' is an American animated children's television series produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. It began as a series of three interstitial shorts on Nick Jr. called ''Downward Doghouse''. The first full episode was initially set to premiere on October 22, 2007 on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block in the United States, but was delayed to February 7, 2008 to coincide with Chinese New Year.

''Ni Hao, Kai-Lan'' is based on the childhood memories of the show's creator, Karen Chau, who grew up in a bicultural Chinese-American household. "Ni hao" (你好 ''nǐ hǎo'') means "Hello" in Mandarin, and Kai-Lan (凯兰 ''kǎi lán'') is the Chinese name Chau was given at birth, which was later anglicized to Karen.

The first two seasons had 20 episodes each. The third season consisted of a two-part series finale. Sascha Paladino was the head writer and developer for the show.

This series was released on Paramount+ (at the time CBS All Access) on January 19, 2021, until it was removed on December 22, 2024, due to licensing contracts.

Premise

The series follows the adventures of Kai-Lan, a 6-year-old Chinese-American girl; and her group of talking anthropomorphic animal companions, Rintoo, a yellow 6-year-old Bengal tiger; Tolee, a gray 5-year-old koala; Lulu, a light pink 5-year-old rhinoceros; and Hoho, a white 3-year-old monkey. Each episode is based around a series of events during Kai-Lan's day, along with obstacles that she and her friends are forced to overcome (with "assistance" from the viewing audience) relating to riddles, playing games, and working together. Common rituals may involve Kai-Lan resolving conflicts with her friends when they feel negative emotions. To help them, Kai-Lan has the audience help her figure out why they are having difficult situations. Usually, once Kai-Lan's friends discover their actions are wrong, they usually apologize and promise to work together better. The audience is generally presented with two musical sing-alongs where Kai-Lan sings about what must be done to overcome her and her friends' challenges. The episode always ends with Kai-Lan successfully helping her friends and everyone gets along. At the end of all episodes, Kai-Lan thanks the viewer for helping her and adds, "You're a really great friend", saying this again in Chinese in season 2 before saying "You make my heart feel super happy!" and then saying goodbye. Later, she also said "You make my heart feel super happy!", saying this again in Chinese in season 2 before saying goodbye. In the season 1 finale, it is stated that they all live in California.

Other aspects generally featured in episodes are 11 minutes of interactivity, a target word that is repeated multiple times, a few words of Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, and Kai-Lan saying, "You make my heart feel super happy" at the end of each episode, before saying goodbye. Later installments added Kai-lan saying this phrase in Mandarin after she said it in English: 你讓我好開心 (''nǐ ràng wǒ hǎo kāi xīn''). ''Ni Hao, Kai-Lan'' introduces its viewers to the Mandarin Chinese language, along with elements of Chinese culture and values, and intergenerational families (e.g., Kai-Lan and her relationship with Ye-Ye).

Episodes

Characters

Main

*Kai-Lan (voiced by Jade Lianna Peters) is a playful and adventurous 6-year-old Chinese-American girl and the host of the show with a big heart. During the show, she and her friends have to solve problems that come up during their daily lives. Kai-Lan speaks both English and Mandarin Chinese. She can also translate the languages. She loves dinosaurs and hearts and she plays tambourine in her music group.
*Ye-Ye (voiced by Clem Cheung (English dialogue) and Ben Wang (Chinese dialogue)) is Kai-Lan's playful, thoughtful, and caring paternal grandfather legal guardian. He was born in Hong Kong and passed on his traditions to his granddaughter. He also provides Kai-Lan with gentle guidance, leading her to find her own answers, at her own pace. He can play the tuba with surprises coming out of it like bubbles and confetti. He also enjoys picking apples and making dumplings for Kai-Lan and all her animal friends. He's known to pop out of places unexpectedly, but his friends are always happy about it.
*Rintoo (voiced by Jack Samson) is a rambunctious and energetic yellow 6-year-old front lisp-accented Bengal tiger. Sometimes, Rintoo acts before he thinks and problems in the show happen to him more. Even if he's with Hoho most of the time like for favorites and problems, his actual best friend is Tolee besides Kai-Lan. He loves dragons and race cars and in Kai-Lan's music group, he plays xylophone.
*Tolee (voiced by Khamani Griffin) is a 5-year-old gray koala who loves pandas and fruit. He is intelligent and always thinks before he acts and sometimes worries too much, but he never lets that stop him from having a great time with his friends. Kai-Lan and her friends can always rely on him for good ideas. Tolee also has a stuffed panda he affectionately named Pandy, and Tolee loves Pandy so much that he cannot imagine being without him. He is the vocalist in Kai-Lan's music group and if he plays a musical instrument, he'll play guitar.
*Hoho (voiced by Angie Wu) is an energetic 3-year-old white monkey and is the smallest and youngest of Kai-Lan's friends which makes him go first in activities. He is very hyperactive and bounces a lot, and whenever he does it, a spring sound can be heard, so he can often be found jumping on his friends' heads. He's full of boundless energy and nothing makes him happier than being the center of attention and sometimes because he's so young, he isn't a good listener that much. Hoho likes bananas, monkeys, and stars and he plays them as the resident DJ in Kai-Lan's music group. He can't always control his emotions and can sometimes have a fiery temper when he doesn't get his way, so he sometimes needs help with them. He is very cute, adorable, bouncy, and loves playing.
*Lulu (voiced by Beverly Duan) is a sweet and intelligent 5-year-old light pink rhinoceros. She has a red balloon tied around her horn that helps her fly. Lulu is always seen as being there to help her friends. Her musical instrument is a piano or a keyboard. Her favorite fruit is lychee. She likes balloons, tea parties, dancing, playing house, dressing up like a fairy, and more. She is very nice, energetic, and sweet.
*Mr. Sun is one of the main characters in the series. In the beginning of every episode, he is found sleeping. Kai-Lan tickles him so she can start her day. After that, he sometimes bursts out sun fuzzies which are miniature versions of him and they tickle Kai-Lan. At night, he's called Mr. Moon and has moon fuzzies. He plays a French horn like at the beginning of "Tolee's Rhyme Time" as Kai-Lan plays her tambourine and some ladybugs play a pipa.
*In one corner of Kai-Lan's backyard is a teeming mini-metropolis of ants called Ant City who deliver mail and build things. San San (voiced by Zachary Gordon) is their leader along with his two right-hand ants, Bubu (voiced by Luke Mantiquez) and Fufu (voiced by Kyla Rae Kowaleswski).

Recurring

*Howard (voiced by Khamani Griffin) is an owl who delivers letters and only speaks in hoots.
*Mr. Fluffy (voiced by Austin Chan in "Everybody's Hat Parade" and "The Snowiest Ride", Jeremy Herzig in "Happy Chinese New Year", "Roller Rintoo", "Hoho's Big Flight" and "Ni Hao, Halloween" and Elan Garfias in some episodes from season 2) is a hamster and baker. He has an assistant named Mei Mei (Chinese for "younger sister"). He is voiced by three actors. Note: In "Hoho's Big Flight" he is credited.
*Mei Mei, Chinese for "younger sister", (voiced by Laura Marano) is a shy blue polar bear and is often Mr. Fluffy's assistant and partner.
*Stompy (voiced by Hsiang Lo) is a big, playful blue elephant.
*Gu Nai Nai (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) is Kai-Lan's grandaunt and Ye-Ye's sister.
*Xiao Xi Gua, meaning "little watermelon", (voiced by Olivia Hatton) is a baby panda who loves to eat watermelon.
*The Peeking Mice are little black mice who are often seen playing music. They are voiced by the same actors who voices Kai-Lan’s animal friends (Rintoo, Tolee and Hoho).
*Mr. Hoppy (voiced by E. G. Daily in "Everybody's Hat Parade" and "Wait, Hoho, Wait!" and Kwesi Boakye in "Kai-Lan's Carnival") is a frog who starts as lime green with white eye with black pupils within and speaks in ribbits. Then, he's neon green with black eyes and talks.
*Tong (voiced by Tyler Kohanek) is the leader of the Chinese acrobats.
*The Snails (voiced by assorted members of the cast especially Olivia Fine, Kwesi Boakye, Zachary Gordon, and Brittany Chen) are found in one corner of Kai-Lan's backyard just like the ants.
*The Worms (voiced by assorted members of the cast, especially Olivia Fine, Kwesi Boakye, Zachary Gordon, and Brittany Chen) are found in one corner of Kai-Lan's backyard just like the ants.
*The Monkey King (voiced by Jack Cygan) is a monkey superhero who lives in the sky.
*The Fox King (voiced by James Siang'a) is a fox in The Fox Kingdom.
*Xin Xin (voiced by Terrell Ransom Jr.) is a baby fox in The Fox Kingdom.
*The Foxes are red foxes that live in The Fox Kingdom.
*The Bear Queen (voiced by Lucy Liu) is a bear in The Bear Kingdom.
*Tian Tian (voiced by Olivia Fine) is a baby bear in The Bear Kingdom.
*The Bears are brown bears that live in The Bear Kingdom.

DVD releases

Awards and nominations

Video games

The success of ''Ni Hao, Kai-Lan'' spawned its own video game series, supported by various gaming consoles and platforms:

* ''Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Super Game Day'' ( Wii, PS2) – released, October 26, 2009
*''Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: New Year's Celebration'' ( DS) – released, November 3, 2009

References

Notes

External links

*

Official Website
on nickjr.com ( archived on April 30, 2015)
{{Nick Jr.

2000s American animated television series
2010s American animated television series
2000s Nickelodeon original programming
2010s Nickelodeon original programming
2008 American animated television series debuts
2011 American television series endings
2000s preschool education television series
2010s preschool education television series
American children's animated fantasy television series
American preschool education television series
Chinese American television
American English-language television shows
Nick Jr. original programming
Nickelodeon original programming
Animated television series about children
Animated preschool education television series
Animated television series set in California
American anime-influenced animated television series
Children's television series about talking animals