Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu

I love the Ninjago series, because it has so many different factors that work in its favour: the characters are unique and relatable, the plots are exciting and engaging, the script can be funny at times, and the graphics are pretty good. My favourite thing about the series is how it immerses you in the world of Lego Ninjago, and you feel yourself drawn into it so that you want to watch more and see how it develops. I recommend it for kids and adults alike!

Almost all of the "professional" critics gave this an unfair score because they didn't see it as anything past a toy commercial. That is wrong, you must see it as a show, and nothing else, in order to rate it. And of course Lego's main reason of making the series is to promote the sets so that they can get attention. But if that was so (it is only a toy commercial), then why is there such attention to detail that one might argue that there is too much detail?

Ninjago's story starts out basic, but as the show progresses, the plot starts to get very interesting, just like any other show. It combines interesting topics with Japanese and Chinese culture, so it isn't the same thing you've seen a million times. Characters are different, with unique drives and personalities.

A strong point for Ninjago is it's graphics. If you can, watch it in HD, and the details I was talking about will keep someone who is uneasy staying (Especially the spirits season). The characters are not shiny, as is assumed since they are minifigures, rather certain parts of the suits worn are (armor, badges, gold and silver decorations). It is the best looking 3D show on Cartoon Network. Also, the show might be based on the Lego sets, but the show itself actually has no Lego to be seen besides the characters.

The show is suitable for anyone apparently 7 and older, but there is still some uneasy moments, death, and light blood as well as small to large scratches are visible on characters (but it's almost unnoticeable).

On the topic of toy commercials, yes there are certain sets that can be seen in the show, but not all of them. For example, the largest Lego set in the season 5 wave is a huge temple, yet it is not seen in the show at all.

All in all, Ninjago is a brilliant show that honestly deserves no less than a 7/10, as anything less is most likely someone who has harshly branded the show as a giant toy commercial that is only watchable by kids.

My kids started watching this and I found myself getting sucked in. The characters and plot have a depth to them that even an adult can enjoy. Great show!

Yes, I know. It's a LEGO show. About ninjas. It's a toy commercial. The storyline blatantly takes ideas from every story you've ever heard before. It's for kids, and though I'm a kid at heart, I'm not anywhere near Ninjago's target age range. And yet, Ninjago is one of my favorite TV shows. I first discovered it while babysitting a group of young children. But after a couple of episodes, the kids I was taking care of wanted to watch another show, and well...I wanted to watch more of Ninjago. After that, I was hooked. And not only me. I've introduced it to other friends and family members, from young kids to people in their twenties. And funny thing is...we've all enjoyed watching this show as a bit of a guilty pleasure. Because Ninjago, despite being so full of clichés and one giant LEGO commercial, is ridiculously fun.

This could have been, and should have been, a terrible show. But everyone involved in the show's production does such a fantastic job of turning Ninjago into something worthwhile, especially considering that they're making a show so that LEGO can sell toys. The animation is great. It look beautiful, and the world of Ninjago is vibrantly brought to life. It's colorful, and it only improves. The voice acting is also fantastic. A couple of the voice actors, (E.g. Vincent Tong and Kirby Morrow) I was already familiar with. But everyone in this series does a wonderful job creating memorable characters, and the voice actors contribute greatly to that. The best thing about them is that their performances never veer into 'shrill and annoying' territory. The actors do a wonderful job with what they are given. I assume that they don't record their lines together, but the chemistry between them feels so real, I could swear that they did. Skales, Pythor, Wu, Garmadon, Lloyd, Nya, Dareth...every voice is unique and enjoyable. The music in this series is AMAZING. It was one of the first aspects of this show that intrigued me. Mike Kramer and Jay Vincent have given Ninjago the care you would expect to find in a cinematic film score. Don't believe me? Go and look at Ninjago's Overture soundtrack. Or the Falcon Chase Theme. Or the theme for the Temple of Light. They're gorgeous pieces of music. The Fold also do a great job with the show's opening song, The Weekend Whip. These are all great elements, but The Hageman brothers are the anchor for this show. Somehow, they've managed to write a classic story, one we've seen hundreds of times before, and and still make it feel fresh and exciting. The characters they've created are great. The four ninja are different and each enjoyable. Our heroes are relatable, and flawed, but still admirable. Their friendship and camaraderie is genuine, and never feels forced. The character development each of them go through is impressive for a children's show. The humor in the show is usually great. I actually think that Ninjago is one of the most quotable shows I can think of, and some lines are just pure gold. The writers do a great job of winking to the audience at the right times. There are a couple references to pop culture, ala My Little Pony. Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Back to the Future, for example, are all alluded to in certain episodes. But the writers are very good at neither hitting us over the head with irony, or taking themselves too seriously. They know when to admit that the series is a bit of a joke, and when to treat their plot and characters with the respect they deserve. That's not an easy balance to attain, and I think the fact that they manage to pull it off...in a LEGO show no less, is a pleasant surprise.

All in all, Ninjago succeeds in being something that can appeal to both kids and adults. I can't think of anything more to say about it, really. The production quality is high, the show is great, and it teaches kids some lessons without pandering to the lowest age group. It's a very smart, entertaining, and always fun show that will make your inner child smile.

So far, we've been surprised by how well done this series is. Being a toy-selling series, we honestly were expecting the kind of shows we saw advertising toys when we were young: pointless, poorly written, and cheesy beyond belief. As adults, we actually ENJOY watching this series, and seeing what happens! Since it is geared to children (I would say about ages 8- 12), some of the plot "twists" are actually fairly obvious for an adult, but still interesting.

The ideas about devotion, loyalty, and accepting differences have also been really useful in our household, where we have been able to have effective discussions about autism, disability, and ability based on these characters and their adventures. We have also been able to discuss social interactions and ways to think about others in ways that can be hard to broach with this middle-elementary age: that people who seem to be friends may not be, that bullies have their own issues, and ideas of including others and finding your own talents when others don't include you. There are lots of other good, complex issues of relationships presented here, in terms this age group can grasp and see.

We actually find ourselves wishing there were MORE toys associated with this series, not less. And unfortunately, many of the figures are exclusively available through the larger, very expensive Lego sets (do keep in mind this series is intended to sell you toys!)