Kick Back, Whip Around, and Spin!
“Kick Back, Whip Around, and Spin!” LEGOs. Everyone knows those plastic, multi-colored construction toys. They’re so popular, they practically have their own TV/movie genre where they can subtlety bash everyone else and still be entertaining for a variety of audiences. And while the world cried over the fact that The Lego Movie wasn’t deemed ‘Oscarworthy’, Cartoon Network was continuing to air Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu (arguably one of the best LEGO cartoon series). With six completed seasons and a movie in the making, Lego Ninjago has balanced the egos of multiple characters throughout several story arcs, somehow making The Lego Movie look like a jumbled mess of product placement. *** Remember those Saturday mornings when all you did was watch hours of the best cartoons ever created? It was the best part of being a 80s and 90s kid! There was Spongebob Squarepants, Kim Possible, and Dexter’s Laboratory. If that wasn’t good enough, The CW had Transformers, Sonic and Friends, and Pokémon. Parents even indulged in the Boomerang channel and its array of classics: The Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, The Jetsons, and countless others. And now what? It’s 2016 and the cartoon market is non-existent. Children and their parents are stuck with preteen/teen actors and their versions of sitcoms (and romcoms?). Austin & Ally, Jessie, The Thundermans…names that aren’t special like Thundercats and Voltron. You can always watch Archer or Family Guy…if you’re an adult. Or there’s the option of cartoons like Gravity Falls, Harvey Beaks, and Sanjay and Craig that consider stupidity to be the best form of comedy for children. There are a few great cartoon shows available; The Amazing World of Gumball is one, with bright colors for kids and enough reality for the rest of the family to enjoy (just watch “The Parking” episode and you’ll understand). Disney’s Phineas and Ferb had a few decent seasons as well, encouraging children to try new things, play outside, and enjoy their youth. But something that I haven’t been disappointed by is the Lego Ninjago series. *** Every great cartoon has an extraordinary theme song that’s affiliated with it (the iconic “Scooby Doo, Where Are You?”). So when Lego Ninjago decided that every new season would get a fresh spin-off theme song from the original it was even more spectacular. Known as “The Weekend Whip”, the theme song has gone from a rock undertone to techno to an almost archaic nod of metal and Indian-inspired instrumentals. Each version becomes even better than the one preceding it and defines the content of that particular season. The fifth season featured a theme song that was indicative of an eerie Halloween thriller, highlighting the fact that the ninja were battling a ghost army in a fishing town engulfed by fog and set on wooden piers. It’s only the first indicator that this cartoon could be ranked among the best. None of this means anything without the characters and there are a lot of them. There are four main ninjas, though, each with a unique mastery of an elemental power.
As their characters develop throughout the seasons you realize that all of them define a certain part of your own personality. It’s very reminiscent of the fact that viewers like to identify with things they see in popular culture, including cartoon characters.
Cole is the leader of the group, stubborn yet rational. He keeps himself grounded when everything goes wrong, so his power, as the Black Ninja, is Earth. Kai is the hot-head who’s always blindly running toward the fight. He also happens to be the most confident and driven member of the team. It comes as no surprise that he’s the Red Ninja of Fire. Then there’s Jay, the sarcastic Blue Ninja with the power of Lightning. Besides keeping everything light and funny, Jay is a very skilled inventor. And no one can forget Zane, White/Titanium Ninja with Ice mastery. He doesn’t quite fit in because he’s a robot (or a nindroid, as his team calls him), but he’s the smartest member with the biggest ‘heart’ when it comes to protecting others.
When they’re not in modern metropolis Ninjago, the characters explore multiple areas like an abandoned tower prison in the middle of an unpredictable ocean, a lost city of snake people, and even 16 different realms where people live in the clouds or where time works in reverse. With all these incredible options, it’s hard to believe that the ninja reside in an old, flying pirate ship. As the seasons continue, each member faces extreme changes in their lives that force them to adapt. Indestructible stone army, snake cult stealing elemental powers, ghost trying to resurrect evil lords, and a Djinn (genie) who becomes obsessed with creating his own world using the pieces of an existing one…serious challenges only a team of ninja can overcome. And when they’re not battling and showing off, they’re busy learning important life skills from their sensei, like not procrastinating, appreciating power, and perseverance. Maybe it seems irrelevant to a casual viewer, but the character dynamics often mirror moral development; there’s no better way to instill the value of morals than with relatable LEGO cartoons. But it is still a LEGO series…there has to be some underlying parody. Zane trying to sneak around in pink ninja garb after Kai decided to wash his red garb with Zane’s white one is jab at the ninja stereotype of remaining unseen. The best slight, however, is when the team reveal themselves as ninja to an unsuspecting pirate crew and the captain exclaims “pajama men!” Yes it gets cheesy; that never stopped anyone from enjoying the even cheesier one-liners of the 90s cartoons. It’s simply a method of humor that is safe for general audiences. And don’t forget, The LEGO Group is still trying to sell toys; it’s plausible that the series is just another commercial without the aesthetic of one. But isn’t that what all movies and shows do—sell product based off the material? So can Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu set the new standard? Absolutely. It’s not a 90s cartoon and it doesn’t fit into the new definition of the cartoon genre of no continuity of story arcs. It’s an original cartoon with a “kick back” of good values, “whip around” of memorable characters, and the “spin” fantasy factor only LEGO creativity can provide.
As their characters develop throughout the seasons you realize that all of them define a certain part of your own personality. It’s very reminiscent of the fact that viewers like to identify with things they see in popular culture, including cartoon characters.
Cole is the leader of the group, stubborn yet rational. He keeps himself grounded when everything goes wrong, so his power, as the Black Ninja, is Earth. Kai is the hot-head who’s always blindly running toward the fight. He also happens to be the most confident and driven member of the team. It comes as no surprise that he’s the Red Ninja of Fire. Then there’s Jay, the sarcastic Blue Ninja with the power of Lightning. Besides keeping everything light and funny, Jay is a very skilled inventor. And no one can forget Zane, White/Titanium Ninja with Ice mastery. He doesn’t quite fit in because he’s a robot (or a nindroid, as his team calls him), but he’s the smartest member with the biggest ‘heart’ when it comes to protecting others.
When they’re not in modern metropolis Ninjago, the characters explore multiple areas like an abandoned tower prison in the middle of an unpredictable ocean, a lost city of snake people, and even 16 different realms where people live in the clouds or where time works in reverse. With all these incredible options, it’s hard to believe that the ninja reside in an old, flying pirate ship. As the seasons continue, each member faces extreme changes in their lives that force them to adapt. Indestructible stone army, snake cult stealing elemental powers, ghost trying to resurrect evil lords, and a Djinn (genie) who becomes obsessed with creating his own world using the pieces of an existing one…serious challenges only a team of ninja can overcome. And when they’re not battling and showing off, they’re busy learning important life skills from their sensei, like not procrastinating, appreciating power, and perseverance. Maybe it seems irrelevant to a casual viewer, but the character dynamics often mirror moral development; there’s no better way to instill the value of morals than with relatable LEGO cartoons. But it is still a LEGO series…there has to be some underlying parody. Zane trying to sneak around in pink ninja garb after Kai decided to wash his red garb with Zane’s white one is jab at the ninja stereotype of remaining unseen. The best slight, however, is when the team reveal themselves as ninja to an unsuspecting pirate crew and the captain exclaims “pajama men!” Yes it gets cheesy; that never stopped anyone from enjoying the even cheesier one-liners of the 90s cartoons. It’s simply a method of humor that is safe for general audiences. And don’t forget, The LEGO Group is still trying to sell toys; it’s plausible that the series is just another commercial without the aesthetic of one. But isn’t that what all movies and shows do—sell product based off the material? So can Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu set the new standard? Absolutely. It’s not a 90s cartoon and it doesn’t fit into the new definition of the cartoon genre of no continuity of story arcs. It’s an original cartoon with a “kick back” of good values, “whip around” of memorable characters, and the “spin” fantasy factor only LEGO creativity can provide.
