Storyline
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), 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", characters who have elemental powers.
The series began with the ninja team being formed and trained by their ancient master Sensei Wu in the fictional martial art 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 introduced the four original ninja characters named Kai, Cole, Jay and Zane and Kai's sister Nya who becomes a ninja later. The character Lloyd Garmadon was introduced in the first season, titled Rise of the Snakes.
The series incorporates a detailed fictional lore, which is woven into the storyline using character dialogue and flashbacks. The lore mainly focuses on the history of the First Spinjitzu Master and his creation of the island of Ninjago:
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.
— Season 8, Episode 3, The Oni and the Dragon
See Also
Lego Ninjago: Tales from the Monastery of Spinjitzu
Lego Ninjago: Dragons Rising
Sound Effects Used
NOTE: Cartoon sound effects are barely used in this TV series.
- Hollywoodedge, Baby Crying Slowly PE144001 (Used for all babies when young Lloyd steals their candy in "Never Trust a Snake".)
- Hollywoodedge, Bird Hawk Single Scre PE020801/Hollywoodedge, Hawk Screech Single AT082901
- Hollywoodedge, Bottle Rocket 1 Picco PE098401 (Heard once in "Return of the Overlord".)
- Hollywoodedge, Cat Domestic Meow Ang AT010501 (Heard once in "Double Trouble".)
- Hollywoodedge, Cats Fighting Loud Sc PE917007/Cats Two Angry YowlsD PE022601 (Heard in the Wildbrain Episodes only.)
- Hollywoodedge, Crash Metal Shatter PE110201
- Hollywoodedge, Crowd Med Shock PE961301/Hollywoodedge, Crowd Reaction Shock PE142501 (Heard once in "Weapons of Destiny", "The Invitation", "Questing For Quests", "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back", and "Ninjago City vs. Ninja".)
- Hollywoodedge, Electricity Arcing 3 PE200301
- Hollywoodedge, Fanfare Ta Da CRT044001 (Heard once in "Once Bitten, Twice Shy".)
- Hollywoodedge, Gusts Heavy Cold Wind PE031601/Whistling Wind Stead PE033301
- Hollywoodedge, Medium Crowd AdultsY PE142901
- Hollywoodedge, Medium Exterior Crow PE140401 (Heard often in "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" and once in "Queen of the Munce".)
- Hollywoodedge, Medium Exterior Crow PE140501 (Heard often in "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" and once in "The Speedway Five-Billion".)
- Hollywoodedge, Quick Swish By Wligh CRT053907/Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHIZZ - QUICK ZING 02
- Hollywoodedge, Truck Air Horn Numero PE270701 (Heard twice in "Codename: Arcturus".)
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 5 Man InsaneT PE134601 (Used for the Postman in "Shintaro".)
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 2 Woman Singl PE133601 (Heard once in "Christofern".)
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 7 Woman Three PE134101 (1st scream only; heard in "Questing for Quests".)
- Hollywoodedge, Several Rapid Swish CRT054101
- Hollywoodedge, Whistle Human Finger PE139801
- Sound Ideas, APPLAUSE, CHEERING - INDOOR: LARGE CONVENTION CROWD, AUDIENCE (Heard once in "Brave But Foolish".)
- Sound Ideas, BUZZER, GAME SHOW - GAME SHOW BUZZER: SHORT
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, HIT - BIG ANVIL HIT (Heard once in "How to Build a Dragon".)
- Sound Ideas, CHEERING, CROWD - OUTDOOR: SMALL GROUP, AUDIENCE
- Sound Ideas, CROWD, PANIC - TEEN PANIC CROWD
- Sound Ideas, CROWD, SCREAM - SMALL STUDIO AUDIENCE: FRIGHTENED SCREAM
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRONIC - MAGICAL ZAP 01
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - BRAKE DRUM AND BULB HORN HIT (Heard once in "Return of the Overlord".)
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, CRY - ONE YEAR OLD CHILD: CRYING IN BEDROOM (Heard Once in "Cursed World, Part II")
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, SCREAM - SCREAM: FEMALE, HORROR 02
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, WHISTLE - CALLING WHISTLE 01 (Heard once in "Farewell the Sea" and "Quittin' Time!".)
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, WHISTLE - CALLING WHISTLE 02 (Heard once in "The Forgotten Element" and "Quittin' Time!".)
- Sound Ideas, SPACE, MOTOR - SPACE MOTOR, MALFUNCTIONING (Heard once in "Double Trouble" when the Evil Ninja start up the Ultrasonic Raider.)
- Sound Ideas, STEREO, TURNTABLE - NEEDLE SCRATCHING RECORD, RECORD PLAYER 02 (Heard in "Child's Play" and "Questing for Quests".)
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK WHISTLE ZIP OUT, HIGH (Heard once in "Return of the Overlord".)
- Wilhelm Scream (Heard in the WilFilm Episodes only.)