Xiaolin Showdown is an American animated television series that aired on Kids' WB and was created by Christy Hui. Set in a world where martial arts battles and Eastern magic are commonplace, the series follows Omi, Raimundo, Kimiko, and Clay, four young Xiaolin warriors in training who, alongside their dragon companion Dojo, battle the Heylin forces of evil, especially series antagonists Jack Spicer, Wuya, and Chase Young.[1] The Xiaolin warriors set to accomplish this by protecting Shen Gong Wu, a set of ancient artifacts that have great magical powers, from villains who could use them to conquer the world. Typical episodes revolve around a specific Shen Gong Wu and the resulting race on both sides to find it. Episodes often climax with one good and one evil character challenging one another to a magical duel called a Xiaolin Showdown for possession of the artifact.
Originally premiering on the Kids' WB block of programming on The WB on November 1, 2003, the series ran for 3 seasons with 52 episodes before its conclusion on May 13, 2006. The series aired in both reruns and second runs on Cartoon Network from 2006 to 2007. It was also confirmed to soon be airing on MeTV Toons. Xiaolin Showdown was a ratings hit for Kids' WB and led to the licensing of spin-off media including DVD releases, a trading card game, and a video game. The series won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2005 and was nominated for three additional Daytime Emmy Awards, one Annie Award, and one Golden Reel Award.
A follow-up series, Xiaolin Chronicles, previewed on August 26, 2013, on Disney XD and began its long-term run on September 14 the same year.[2] The show aired for twenty episodes from August 26, 2013, to March 6, 2014, on Disney XD, leaving the last six episodes unaired in the United States until July 1, 2015, when Chronicles was made available to watch on Netflix.
Plot
Season one
Four young monks – Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay – are forced into cooperation at the Xiaolin Temple after learning they are chosen to become Xiaolin Dragons. They become friends and work together traveling the world in search for Shen Gong Wu, mystical objects with powers that balance the forces of good and evil. Along the way, they must battle wannabe evil boy genius Jack Spicer, and the evil Heylin sorceress Wuya, whom Jack inadvertently frees from a 1500-year imprisonment in a puzzle box. Through thievery, Spicer gains enough Shen Gong Wu to form Mala Mala Jong, an ancient monster that Wuya uses to help her gain control of the world. Raimundo defies orders and fights the monster, causing the remaining monks to fight and defend the remaining Shen Gong Wu in the Temple's possession. All the monks, except for Raimundo, are promoted to Xiaolin Apprentices.[3] Angered, Raimundo joins the Heylin and helps Wuya regain her human form.[4]
Season two
Omi travels back in time and receives a second puzzle box from Dashi. With no way back to the future, he freezes himself using the Orb of Tornami. In the present time, Omi breaks free of the ice with the puzzle box in hand. Raimundo decides that his rightful place belongs in the Xiaolin Temple with his friends and temporarily traps Wuya in the new puzzle box. After returning to the Temple, the monks continue their search for the Shen Gong Wu. Eventually, Raimundo is promoted to Xiaolin Apprentice.
Afterwards, the monks are introduced to Xiaolin monk-turned-evil villain Chase Young. Chase takes an interest in Omi and becomes determined to manipulate him into joining the Heylin. When Master Fung is trapped in the Ying-Yang World, Omi asks for help from Chase. He succeeds in rescuing Fung; however, upon leaving the Ying-Yang world, his bad chi takes over and he joins the Heylin. Chase succeeds in restoring Wuya to her human form, though he takes her powers. The remaining monks soon learn that Chase had sent Fung into the Ying-Yang World knowing the events that would unfold afterwards, including Omi joining his side.
Season three
Raimundo, Kimiko and Clay travel to the Ying-Yang World to retrieve Omi's good chi and return him to the Xiaolin side. After gaining Omi back, the monks are promoted to Wudai Warriors. They are then introduced to Hannibal Roy Bean, a demon from the Ying-Yang World who is responsible for turning Chase Young to the Heylin side.
Toward the end of their journey, Master Fung tells the monks that they have one final quest before the team's leader, the Shoku Warrior, will be revealed. Omi decides that he will stop Hannibal from turning Chase to the Heylin side. He ends up freezing himself to travel to the future and find the Sands of Time. Through time travel, he succeeds by switching the Lao Mang Long Soup with pea soup. However, when he returns to his present time, he learns that his actions have made things worse: instead of Chase joining the Heylin side, it is Chase's former friend, Master Monk Guan, who Hannibal turns evil. The monks and Chase are captured by Hannibal, Wuya, and the evil Guan; Chase sacrifices his good self to save the monks and give them the opportunity to fight and return everything to the way it was. The monks succeed, and the timeline is fixed.
In the end, Raimundo is revealed as the Shoku Warrior. The series concludes with every villain attacking the temple, and the Wudai Warriors led by Raimundo proceeding to counterattack.
Characters
The main characters riding Dojo, clockwise from bottom: Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay.
Main characters
Omi (voiced by Tara Strong) is the Xiaolin Dragon of Water. He can be selfish and boastful, but has a big heart and is always happy to make new friends. Having been raised in the monastery, he is naïve about the outside world.
Kimiko Tohomiko (とほみこ きみこ, Tohomiko Kimiko, voiced by Grey DeLisle) is the Xiaolin Dragon of Fire. She has a short temper, but has the potential to be extremely focused and ignore outer, annoying distractions. This is evidenced when she wields the Tangle Web Comb, which is said to require great concentration.
Raimundo Pedrosa (voiced by Tom Kenny) is the Xiaolin Dragon of Wind, who originates from Brazil. He is stubborn and self-centered, but is highly protective of his friends. Raimundo is street-smart and the group's self-proclaimed rebel, later becoming the leader of the group.
Clay Bailey (voiced by Jeff Bennett) is a cowboy and the Xiaolin Dragon of Earth. His large size and sensible demeanor belie his good-humored and gentle nature. Clay also has a sister named Jessie who is an outlaw and leader of the Black Vipers.
Dojo Kanojo Cho (voiced by Wayne Knight) is a small Chinese dragon and the Xiaolin warriors' companion who can transform into a full-sized 40-foot dragon.[5]
Jack Spicer (voiced by Danny Cooksey) is a boy genius and inventor who freed Wuya from her prison and aids her in her attempts to conquer the world. Jack has aided the Xiaolin Warriors on occasion, but always winds up back on the evil side.
Wuya (voiced by Susan Silo) is a 1500-year-old Heylin witch who was previously defeated by the original Xiaolin warriors and imprisoned in a magical puzzle box. In the present, Jack Spicer frees Wuya, but she initially lacks a physical form before using several Shen Gong Wu to regain her body.
Chase Young (voiced by Jason Marsden) is a member of the Heylin who can transform into a reptilian humanoid and commands an army of werecats. He was previously corrupted when Hannibal Roy Bean convinced him to drink the Lao Mang Long Soup in return for eternal youth.
Master Monk Guan (關, voiced by Jeff Bennett) is a legendary tai chi master who wields the Spear of Guan and trains the Xialin Warriors in combat.
Grandmaster Dashi (大師, voiced by Tom Kenny) is an ancient Xiaolin monk who imprisoned Wuya in a puzzle box 1,500 years prior.
Cheng Yin (成荫, voiced by Scott Menville) is the original Xiaolin Dragon of Water, who helped defeat Wuya 1,500 years prior.
Xiang Quen (香泉, voiced by Kim Mai Guest) is the original Xiaolin Dragon of Fire, who helped defeat Wuya 1,500 years prior.
Qin Fu (秦福, voiced by John Stephenson) is the original Xiaolin Dragon of Wind, who helped defeat Wuya 1,500 years prior.
Zheng Li Kai (郑李凯, voiced by Michael Gough) is the original Xiaolin Dragon of Earth, who helped defeat Wuya 1,500 years prior.
Hannibal Roy Bean (voiced by Tom Kenny) is a bean-shaped demon with a southern accent who spends his time plotting evil and world domination. He occasionally wears robotic armor to appear more intimidating.
Gigi (voiced by Jeff Bennett) is a living flower who can transform others into plants.
Chameleon-Bot is Jack Spicer's greatest robot creation.
Raksha (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) is a living snowman who was created after Jack Spicer's Dude-Bot discarded the Heart of Jong into a snowy chasm.
Dyris (voiced by Grey DeLisle) is a mermaid who assumes a monstrous form outside water.
The Sapphire Dragon is a dragon-like Shen Gong Wu that can transform others into obedient sapphire minions. Following its first appearance in "Night of the Sapphire Dragon", it returns in "Dream Stalker", where Hannibal Roy Bean infuses it with the Shadow of Fear and sends it to attack Raimundo in his dreams.
Xiaolin Showdown was created by Christy Hui and co-produced by executive producer Sander Schwartz, supervising producer Eric Radomski and producers Bill Motz and Bob Roth and composed by Kevin Manthei, it was additionally developed by Warner Bros. Animation.[6] The first episode of Xiaolin Showdown was developed over three years following its conception,[7] and premiered November 1, 2003.
Series creator Christy Hui has stated that despite the growing popularity of anime in the United States, she preferred to create a show that was a "fusion of Eastern and Western culture". Xiaolin Showdown shows subtle influences of Eastern art, action, and philosophy, but also includes very Western characters and humor.[8]Dong Yang Animation Co., LTD, Digital eMation, and Lotto Animation contributed some of the animation for this series.
Following the success of its first season, a 26-episode season 2 was ordered. A third season would follow, resulting in 3 seasons and 52 episodes. The series received promotion in other media, including a trading card game and a video game.
Xiaolin Showdown was a huge hit for the Kids WB network and it ranked at the no.1 position against all other Saturday morning competition mainly between kids aged 6–14.[12]
Warner Bros. released a two-disc Season 1DVD on February 20, 2007.[19] On January 10, 2017, after Amazon acquired the rights to produce home media releases for the series, both a reprint of the Season 1 DVD and a complete Season 2 DVD were released in manufacture-on-demand format.[20][21] On April 11, 2017, Season 3 was also given a manufacture-on-demand release.[22]
All seasons of Xiaolin Showdown as well as the spin-off series Xiaolin Chronicles are available on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes in high definition.
On September 14, 2013, a successor series,[24]Xiaolin Chronicles, premiered. Chronicles features a new ally of the main characters named Ping Pong as they continue their fight against Wuya, Jack Spicer and Chase Young along with a new nemesis named Shadow.
References
↑ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nded.). McFarland & Co. p.928. ISBN978-1476665993.
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