Ninjago (TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ninjago
Original logo of the series until 2019
Genre	Action Adventure Science fantasy Martial arts Superhero
Based on	Lego Ninjago
Developed by	Alex Chilev Martin Mekushin Tommy Andreasen Thomas Kristensen Thomas Sørensen Simon Lucas Nelson LaMonica Menelaos Florides William Stahl Scott Godon-Decoteau Maarten Simons Michael Svane Knap Toby Dutkiewicz Brian Nielsen Lars Danielsen Tommy Kalmar Cerim Manovi Robert May Heidi Rathschau Nielsen Kevin Burke Chris "Doc" Wyatt
Voices of	Jillian Michaels Sam Vincent Vincent Tong Michael Adamthwaite Brent Miller Kirby Morrow Andrew Francis Agung Bagus Gavin Langelo Sabrina Pitre Paul Dobson Kelly Metzger Mark Oliver Travis Turner
Theme music composer	The Fold
Opening theme	"The Weekend Whip" by The Fold (seasons 1–7, 11–13, and 15) "Ninjago Overture" by Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer (seasons 8–10 and The Island–season 14)
Ending theme	"The Weekend Whip" by The Fold (pilot episodes–episode 41, bar episodes 12 & 34) Various music by Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer (episodes 42–209) "Inner Steel" by Ashleigh Ball (episode 210)
Composer(s)	Jay Vincent Michael Kramer
Country of origin	Denmark Canada (seasons 11–15)
Original language(s)	English Danish
No. of seasons	15
No. of episodes	210 (+4 pilot episodes, 1 special and several shorts) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Torsten Jacobsen (pilot episodes–season 9) Erik Wilstrup (seasons 1–10) Dan Hageman (seasons 4–6, and 8–10) Kevin Hageman (seasons 4–6, and 8–10) Irene Sparre (Day of the Departed–season 10) Keith Malone (seasons 10–15) Bragi Schut (seasons 10–15) Jill Wilfert (seasons 10–15) Robert May (seasons 11–15) Tommy Andreasen (seasons 11–15) Josh Scherba (seasons 11–15) Kirsten Newlands (season 11) Amir Nasdarabi (seasons 12–13) Asa Tait (The Island–season 15)
Producer(s)	Erik Wilstrup (pilot episodes) Irene Sparre (seasons 1–6) Louise Barkholt (Day of the Departed–season 10) Tommy Andreasen (Day of the Departed–season 10) Nelson LaMonica (Day of the Departed–season 9) Simon Lucas (Day of the Departed–season 9) Cerim Manovi (seasons 8–9) Robert May (season 10) Vicky Kjaer Jensen (seasons 10–13) Ryan Pears (seasons 11–15) Pamela J Keller (seasons 13–15)
Editor(s)	Sabrina Pitre
Running time	22 minutes (seasons 1–10) 11 minutes (seasons 11–15)
Production company(s)	Wil Film ApS (pilot episodes–season 10) WildBrain Studios (seasons 11–15) The Lego Group
Release
Original network	Cartoon Network (Scandinavian TV channel) (Denmark) Teletoon and YTV (Canada) ABC3 and ABC Me (Australia) Cartoon Network (United States, 2011–2020) Netflix (United States, 2021–2022)
Original release	January 14, 2011 (2011-01-14) – October 1, 2022 (2022-10-01)
Chronology
Related shows	Legends of Chima Nexo Knights Ninjago: Dragons Rising Lego Dreamzzz

Ninjago (also known as Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu) is an animated fantasy superhero TV series. It's made by The Lego Group and is based on the popular Lego Ninjago toys. The show is about six teenage ninja who fight against evil in the fictional world of Ninjago.

The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The main story was written by Kevin and Dan Hageman for the first nine seasons. Later, Bragi Schut took over as the head writer. Many talented voice actors bring the characters to life, including Jillian Michaels, Sam Vincent, Vincent Tong, and Kirby Morrow. The music for the show was created by Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent.

Ninjago was produced for over ten years, starting with two pilot episodes in January 2011. These were followed by many seasons, a special, a movie, and a mini-series. The show was first made in Denmark by Wil Film ApS. For its later seasons, production moved to WildBrain Studios in Canada, and the show was renamed Ninjago. The series ended on October 1, 2022.

You could watch Ninjago on Cartoon Network in many countries. In the United States, it moved to Netflix in 2020. A new show called Ninjago: Dragons Rising continues the story and started on June 1, 2023.

The World of Ninjago

The show takes place in the fictional world of Ninjago. This world is inspired by East Asian myths and culture. It mixes old-style buildings and traditional clothes with modern cities like Ninjago City. You'll see skyscrapers, cool vehicles, and futuristic technology.

The story follows six teenage ninja. They are also known as "Elemental Masters" because they have special powers based on elements.

The Ninja Team

The ninja team is trained by their wise master, Sensei Wu. They learn a special martial art called "Spinjitzu," which is their main fighting style. Their home base is a flying ship called "Destiny's Bounty."

The first four ninja introduced were Kai, Cole, Jay, and Zane. Kai's sister, Nya, also joined them. The main character, Lloyd Garmadon, was introduced in the first season, Rise of the Snakes.

Ninjago's Ancient History

The show has a deep backstory, often told through character talks and flashbacks. It explains how the First Spinjitzu Master created the island of Ninjago.

The story goes:

Long before time had a name, there was the Realm of the Oni and the Dragon...The Dragon had the power to create. The Oni had the power to destroy. Their war was never ending. But a child arrived, born of both worlds. The child understood the power of both. Without one, you could not have the other. But when the Oni and the Dragon fought over which side the child should choose, the child abandoned their world to start a new one called Ninjago.

Meet the Characters

• Lloyd Garmadon (voiced by Jillian Michaels and Sam Vincent) is the Green Ninja. He controls energy and leads the ninja team. Lloyd is the son of Garmadon and Misako, and the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master. He often uses katana swords. Lloyd started as a mischievous kid but grew into a wise and skilled leader.
• Kai (voiced by Vincent Tong) is the red ninja and Master of Fire. He can create fire and resist heat. Kai is very loyal to his friends and family, especially his sister Nya. He can be hotheaded and acts on emotion. He also uses katana swords.
• Jay Walker (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) is the blue ninja and Master of Lightning. He can control electricity and is great with machines. Jay is funny and quick-witted, often using jokes to lighten tough situations. He uses nunchucks or a kusarigama.
• Zane (voiced by Brent Miller) is the white/titanium ninja and Master of Ice. He can create ice. Zane is very smart and logical. He later finds out he is an android called a "Nindroid." He uses three-pointed shuriken or a bow and arrow.
• Cole (voiced by Kirby Morrow and Andrew Francis) is the black ninja and Master of Earth. He can control earth and has super strength. Cole was the original leader of the ninja and loves food, especially cake. He uses a scythe or a war hammer.
• Nya (voiced by Kelly Metzger) is the light blue ninja and Master of Water. She can control water. Nya is Kai's younger sister and also the original Samurai X. She is tough, determined, and often builds vehicles for the team. She uses a sword or a trident.
• P.I.X.A.L. (voiced by Jennifer Hayward) is a female nindroid. She helps the ninja with technical support and becomes the new Samurai X. She is also Zane's love interest.
• Sensei/Master Wu (voiced by Paul Dobson) is the wise, ancient master of the ninja. He is Lloyd's uncle and Garmadon's younger brother. Wu has lived for thousands of years due to his Oni heritage.
• Lord/Sensei Garmadon (voiced by Mark Oliver) is Lloyd's father and Wu's older brother. He starts as a main villain but later becomes good and helps the ninja. Like Wu, he has lived for thousands of years because of his Oni heritage.

Episodes and Seasons

Ninjago has many seasons, each with its own exciting story:

• Pilot episodes (2011): Introduce the first four ninja and Sensei Wu as they fight Lord Garmadon.
• Season 1: Rise of the Snakes (2011-2012): The ninja battle the Serpentine and search for the Green Ninja.
• Season 2: Legacy of the Green Ninja (2012): Lloyd trains to become the Green Ninja and faces his father in a big battle.
• Season 3: Rebooted (2014): The ninja fight a new, tech-based enemy.
• Season 4: Tournament of Elements (2015): The ninja go to a mysterious island to find Zane and compete in a tournament.
• Season 5: Possession (2015): Nya learns to control her water powers while the ninja fight a vengeful ghost.
• Season 6: Skybound (2016): Jay and the ninja try to stop a Djinn from changing Ninjago.
• Special: Day of the Departed (2016): A Halloween special where past villains return.
• Season 7: Hands of Time (2017): Kai and Nya deal with time-controlling villains.
• Season 8: Sons of Garmadon (2018): The ninja try to stop a criminal group from bringing back Garmadon. The characters' looks were updated to match The Lego Ninjago Movie.
• Season 9: Hunted (2018): Lloyd fights to take back New Ninjago City while the others are trapped in another realm.
• Season 10: March of the Oni (2019): Garmadon and the ninja team up to stop a dark force called the Oni. This was the shortest season.
• Season 11: Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu (2019): The ninja face an enemy from Wu's past and try to save Zane. Episodes became 11 minutes long.
• Season 12: Prime Empire (2020): Jay and the ninja enter a video game called Prime Empire.
• Season 13: Master of the Mountain (2020): Cole and the ninja explore the mountains of Shintaro.
• Miniseries: The Island (2021): The ninja go on a rescue mission to a mysterious island.
• Season 14: Seabound (2021): Nya struggles with her powers and explores the ocean.
• Season 15: Crystalized (2022): The ninja meet new ninja and end up in Kryptarium Prison.

How Ninjago Was Made

The Idea Behind Ninjago

In 2009, The Lego Group wanted to create a new story about ninja with elemental powers. This idea came from an older Lego Ninja toy line from 1998. In 2011, Lego Ninjago launched, mixing old ninja ideas with a modern setting. Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen created the TV series.

Lego did research with kids to see what they liked. Ninjas were a big hit! They also found that skeletons were perfect bad guys for the ninjas. Other ideas for enemies, like snakes and robots, were used in later seasons. The ninja characters got different colored suits and unique elemental powers to make them special.

Tommy Andreasen drew the first idea for the characters in late 2009. He called it "Spinjago," which later became "Spinjitzu" – a mix of "spin" and "ninjitsu." The name "Ninjago" itself combines "ninja" and "go" from "Lego."

Writing the Story

Kevin and Dan Hageman wrote the Ninjago TV series for the first nine seasons. They wanted the show to be like a big movie, similar to Star Wars but with ninjas. They took inspiration from Marvel movies and Steven Spielberg.

They wanted to create a show that treated kids smartly and emotionally. They made the story continue from episode to episode, like one long movie. This added a lot of depth to Ninjago.

The Hagemans were given the basic ninja ideas but developed their personalities. They made the characters imperfect and driven by their relationships. Kai was chosen as the main character for the first episodes. They also created Nya to give Kai a strong reason to get involved, as his sister was kidnapped.

The idea for Lloyd Garmadon, Garmadon's son, came from Dan and Kevin Hageman. As soon as they thought of him, everyone knew Lloyd would be the Green Ninja.

After nine seasons, Bragi Schut took over as writer. He continued the show with the same mix of humor, heart, and adventure.

Animation and Style

The first ten seasons were made in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Wil Film ApS. They decided to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) for the animation. Wil Film worked with teams all over the world, from Berlin to China, to create the show.

For the last five seasons, production moved to WildBrain Studios in Canada. This brought new animation styles, including anime-style 2D animation. Starting with Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu, episodes became 11 minutes long instead of 22. This change allowed for new ideas in each episode, making the storytelling more efficient.

Character Looks

In Season 8, Lloyd and the ninja's appearances changed. Their new designs were based on how they looked in The Lego Ninjago Movie. This helped new fans of the movie connect with the TV series. Lloyd even got a new voice actor, Sam Vincent. These changes gave the characters more unique looks, especially their hairstyles.

The Music of Ninjago

The theme song for many seasons is "The Weekend Whip" by The Fold. It was remixed each season to fit the new themes. Other seasons featured music by Michael Kramer and Jay Vincent, with "Ninjago Overture" as the main theme.

Jay Vincent and Michael Kramer have created the music for the show since the beginning. They use music to help tell the story and show the difference between heroes and villains. For example, bad guys often have more bowed instruments (like violins), while good guys have more wind instruments (like flutes). The music also uses instruments from different cultures to match the various lands in Ninjago.

The Fold joined the show because producers wanted a catchy pop song. "The Weekend Whip" was designed to be a fun song that could be listened to outside the show.

In 2021, Lego released "Ninjago: A Musical Journey" on YouTube, celebrating ten years of the show's music.

Ninjago's Success

Launch and Popularity

Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu launched in January 2011 with two animated specials on Cartoon Network. These introduced the characters and the Ninjago world. Because the pilots were so popular, Lego decided to make a full first season, Rise of the Snakes.

Why It Kept Going

The Ninjago series and toys were originally planned to end after three years, with Season 2 being the finale. However, the Lego Ninjago toys sold incredibly well. So, Lego decided to continue the series!

This decision allowed the writers to explore many new ideas for the Ninjago world. It also pushed them to change the series every year, which helped it stay popular. If they had kept doing the same thing, Ninjago might not still be around today.

Celebrating 10 Years

On January 14, 2021, Ninjago celebrated its tenth anniversary! This showed how much fans loved the show. Tommy Andreasen, a co-creator, said it proved the amazing dedication of their fans. To celebrate, a three-hour documentary made by fans was released on YouTube, featuring interviews with the creators and voice actors. The band The Fold also released a song called "Ten for Ninjago."

Other Ninjago Adventures

Toys and Merchandise

The Ninjago TV series was launched at the same time as the Lego Ninjago toy line in January 2011. New Lego sets are released every year to go along with each new season of the TV show.

Mini-Movies

Many short films, called mini-movies, have been made to add more to the Ninjago story. These include:

• Pilot season mini-movies (2011): Short films after the first episodes.
• Tall Tales (2016): About the Sky Pirates from Season 6.
• Wu's Teas (2017): A collection of shorts about Master Wu's tea shop.
• Ninjago: Decoded (2017): A mini-series between Season 7 and Season 8.
• Prime Empire Original Shorts: Inside the Game (2020): More background for Season 12.
• Ninjago: Reimagined (2021): Shorts in different animation styles for the 10th anniversary.

The Lego Ninjago Movie

Lloyd Garmadon and the ninja also star in The Lego Ninjago Movie, released in 2017. The movie's story is different from the TV series, but Lloyd is still the Green Ninja and leader. Dave Franco voiced Lloyd, Jackie Chan was Master Wu, and Justin Theroux played Lord Garmadon.

Games and Books

The ninja characters appear in many other forms of media:

• Video games and apps: They are playable characters in games like Lego Battles: Ninjago, Lego Ninjago: Nindroids, The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game, and more.
• Theme park rides: You can find them in interactive rides like Lego Ninjago The Ride at Legoland. There's also a 4D animated film called Lego Ninjago: Master of the 4th Dimension.
• Publications: A Lego Ninjago Magazine is released monthly with comics, puzzles, and free Lego gifts. There are also graphic novels and children's books.
• Online media: Lego has released short films and video series on YouTube, like "Lego Ninjago Explained" and "Ninja Vlogs," which use cool motion capture technology.

In Spanish: Lego Ninjago: Maestros del Spinjitzu para niños

See also

• The Lego Ninjago Movie (Lego theme)
• The Fold