LEGO NINJAGO 10th anniversary: How the theme almost disappeared
Posted by Huw,
Every couple of weeks we'll be highlighting an article in the current Blocks Magazine. First up is one from issue 75 that celebrates the 10th anniversary of NINJAGO:
Blocks magazine reveals how LEGO NINJAGO went beyond its intended three-year run to sit alongside City and Star Wars as a mainstay – and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Not many LEGO themes make it to 10 years. Many original LEGO ranges are ‘in and out’ themes, intended to pop up one year and then be replaced by the hot new thing the next. By 2011 though, the LEGO design team had landed on the concept of ‘big bang’ themes. Those story driven themes were intended to arrive one year with an epic opening, continue into an explosive second year and then wrap up in the third year.
That was certainly the case with LEGO NINJAGO. In 2013, it seemed to all be over with ‘the Final Battle’. The original plan was reversed thanks to impressive sales. Senior Creative Director Simon Lucas recalls when he found out the theme would continue: ‘I went to one of our big presentation meetings that we have up in the conference room. I got set a challenge by my leadership team at the time.
‘It was Will Thorogood, who was the Creative Lead on NINJAGO from year one. He said, “we'd like you to look after NINJAGO”. I was working with Nelson LaMonica, who was the Marketing Lead, and we had six weeks to say what we would do with NINJAGO. How do you bring it back?’
That must have been a busy six weeks.
In an exclusive feature that looks at how the theme came to be, how it evolved into something that could last and what impact it has had on its fans, Blocks magazine Issue 75 celebrates the 10th anniversary of the action-adventure theme by getting the inside story from the people who have made it happen, illustrated with never-before-seen artwork.
You can subscribe to the magazine, and buy the current issue, at blocksmag.com.
117 likes
42 comments on this article
Just subscribed because of the new lockdown, I won’t be able to buy individual issues. Expecting mine shortly.
Everything that starts has and end but wow, I raise a toast of LEGO to you Ninjago.
Great theme, I mean who doesn't like Chinese and Japanese architecture!
Lego made back in 2017 a life insurance for this theme with the modular buildings/city line... Not mentioning the other awesome sets! I believe there's a Ninjago district in every Lego city nowadays, so many good parts, colors and inspiring building techniques!
Counting the final seconds for the official announcement of the great 71741, can't wait!
I'm glad that the marketing people listened to customer sales and continued the theme rather than always trying to change to something new just for the sake of change. I now regret not getting more movie sets such as City Docks 70657 as very hard to find and expensive.
In contrast, I wished themes like Dino 2012, Monster Fighters, Pharaoh's Quest etc had a second or even third year.
Seeing as 71741 is due to launch to VIPs on Thursday next week, surely we must get an official announcement very soon
Although with DPD delays and shops being shut, we in the UK won’t be getting it any time soon!
The clincher for this being a core theme has to be the Oriental style buildings.
There are also thousands of possible small vehicles for the "pocket money" market.
Western countries have always had a market for such oriental things, just look at antique pottery and furniture.
The Western market wanted the oriental Lego as something slightly different to the standard Western buildings from the City, Creator and Modular lines.
Also the Expanding market for luxury goods in China and Asia must have been a strong reason to keep Ninjago alive.
We have also seen some fantastic buildings from the Ninjago line.
The Fire Temple, The Temple of Light, Garmadon's Dark Fortress, Battle for Ninjago City, Temple of Airjutsu, Ninjago City and Ninjago City Docks to name a few. There are still more that can be made and eventually redesigned with newer lego bricks and building techniques.
The choice to include some printed "ricepaper" panels in the sets was inspired.
With stickered panels the attraction would be less, for some collectors.
Good luck Ninjago, here is wishing another set of fabulous buildings are made.
Maybe in a few years Master Wu will be replaced by Master Zane , who will teach Ninjutsu to the young Ninjago offspring of Nya, Cole, Kai, Jay, and Lloyd ?
Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song.
Do not discount the power of a good theme song! It also had a clear line between good and evil. That’s one reason Chima failed.
Remember Chima? Of course you don’t! It was the awful post-modern version of the heroic legends reflected by the toys and stories I previously mentioned.
Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago.
@Roccomediatay said:
"Great theme, I mean who doesn't like Chinese and Japanese architecture!"
That's the catch for me as well. I don't give a penny about those vehicles, mechs and whatever other gadgets. But the Temple of Airjitzu, Ninjago City + Docks and Destiny's Bounty are absolutely marvellous gems of Lego Design.
Man, I really love Ninjago. from me getting the two $10 sets of the pilot wave when I was five, to me now still trying to get all the cool ones and even getting some I missed out on when I was younger, (like 70728), it has always been so cool to me. I don't know what I'd do if it only lasted 3 years, I really don't.
It's so interesting to me how this was the one ordinary wacky action theme that became a permanent mainstay. LEGO planned for two other themes to follow in Ninjago's steps before pulling them, and the standard action themes still have a very standard runtime. Not that I dislike Ninjago at all. I love its environments and mythologically-influenced characters, but it's just interesting that we haven't seen a success like it since, and there must be some combination that made this idea more appealing *to its target audience of children* than Chima or Nexo Knights.
One of the first big sets I bought after coming out of my dark ages was Temple of Airjitzu. I didn't even know what Ninjago was or meant, nor did I care. I simply saw an awesome set and am happy to this day that I decided to get it. Many awesome Ninjago sets have entered my collection since then.
What an amazing theme, even if you, like me, are not even interested in the background story.
I for one am mainly into these sets because of the Asian background. Two of my favorite games on my Commodore 64 were Bruce Lee and The Last Ninja, both of which feel very much like Ninjago to me.
@peterlmorris said:
"Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song...
...Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago. "
That is kind of why I keep pointing out that Ninjago seems to have learned the lessons of Bionicle to heart, Ninjago understood the value of a unique setting and memorable characters like Bionicle had done before (other than the obvious lack of a theme song, but Bionicle did have plenty of great music scores in its run all the same). Bionicle was always an interesting case since its system was different from standard Lego System but it caught on and remained popular as long as its setting and characters were relevant (and when G2 tried to dumb down the story Bionicle promptly crashed and burned as a result without a strong story foundation).
While I have never been a big Ninjago fan (I was outside the target demographic at the age of 16 going on 17 when the theme launched), I have to salute it for embracing a core story element premise that Bionicle embraced. Judging by how much my younger cousins have enjoyed Ninjago its clear the theme succeeded in inviting its fans to engage with the story. It is certainly curious to watch Nexo Knights, Chima, Monkey Kid, and Hidden Side all embrace the story path now to various degrees of success... I would personally say Hidden Side was the most interesting post-Ninjago post-Bionicle attempt due to its horror/Lovecraft-lite in a Cajun setting, but with the theme lasting only two years it seems I might be on the minority in that opinion.
Sadly I find the magazine kinda hard to get ahold of since I’m in the states and in college. Kinda gotta watch my spending.
Anyway, hoo boy I remember when this line first seemed to be cancelled. A friend of mine in middle school loves Ninjago, and it felt weird that it just... ended. I don’t know, something about it just had a larger sense of scale and adventure to it. It had everything. Bad guys, ninjas, a large world, and plenty of space for us to fill in the gaps with our own characters/favorite characters.
I also remember Chima’s launch was met with... well... let’s just say Ninjago fans weren’t happy those Thundercats-wannabes took their new favorite line from them. I’m saying this as someone who liked Chima, but that animosity between both fans’ themes never went away.
As for it’s legacy, I always say Ninjago is the successor to Bionicle. It’s got a pretty big world with a surprising amount to it, plenty of characters, and just enough leeway in the setting for creativity.
(My personal favorite character is Pixal by the way!)
@xboxtravis7992 said:
" @peterlmorris said:
"Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song...
...Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago. "
That is kind of why I keep pointing out that Ninjago seems to have learned the lessons of Bionicle to heart, Ninjago understood the value of a unique setting and memorable characters like Bionicle had done before (other than the obvious lack of a theme song, but Bionicle did have plenty of great music scores in its run all the same). Bionicle was always an interesting case since its system was different from standard Lego System but it caught on and remained popular as long as its setting and characters were relevant (and when G2 tried to dumb down the story Bionicle promptly crashed and burned as a result without a strong story foundation).
While I have never been a big Ninjago fan (I was outside the target demographic at the age of 16 going on 17 when the theme launched), I have to salute it for embracing a core story element premise that Bionicle embraced. Judging by how much my younger cousins have enjoyed Ninjago its clear the theme succeeded in inviting its fans to engage with the story. It is certainly curious to watch Nexo Knights, Chima, Monkey Kid, and Hidden Side all embrace the story path now to various degrees of success... I would personally say Hidden Side was the most interesting post-Ninjago post-Bionicle attempt due to its horror/Lovecraft-lite in a Cajun setting, but with the theme lasting only two years it seems I might be on the minority in that opinion."
I’d say Hidden Side, Chima, and Nexo Knights had their attention focused in the wrong places for that kind of story element to click. Hidden Side focuses a little too much on the app, Chima may have banked on the vehicles too much rather than fleshing out the setting, and Nexo Knights really didn’t use it’s premise to it’s fullest potential.
Nexo Knights stings the most because I love the premise! Taking fantastical elements and mixing them into science fiction is already a thing, so making a kid-friendly version of that could bring about all sorts of adventure. I think they should’ve taken a note from Final Fantasy in terms of combining modern/futuristic tech and fantastical elements on how to go about it.
@xboxtravis7992 : never underestimate customers like myself who just buy the sets because they look cool or offer a great building experience. I have never seen one single second of any Ninjago movie or TV series, nor do I know anyone who has. The theme is strong enough to carry even without any connection to a show or movie.
Why Nexo Knights failed: an extremely repetitive storyline.
Anyone know what's happening with Cole? Is he getting a new voice?
@PixelTheDragon said:
"
I’d say Hidden Side, Chima, and Nexo Knights had their attention focused in the wrong places for that kind of story element to click. Hidden Side focuses a little too much on the app, Chima may have banked on the vehicles too much rather than fleshing out the setting, and Nexo Knights really didn’t use it’s premise to it’s fullest potential.
"
Oh yes definitely. I bought a few Hidden Side sets because they were impressive sets (again I am kind of out of the age range of engaging with the story now, but I know it was there). I have messed around with the app a bit, bit it was not engaging enough for me to really stick to it. I think the boxart on Hidden Side was also a mess, I know Lego wanted to engage with showing the app function and maybe experiment with a new art style... but by not showing clearly what was inside the box I think it turned off a lot of casual buyers who would have adored the sets had they had their hands on them. Even as an adult fan who spends way to much time on sites like Brickset, I struggled to identify Hidden Side sets I wanted on the store shelves because the box art was just so darn busy.
@peterlmorris said:
"Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song.
Do not discount the power of a good theme song! It also had a clear line between good and evil. That’s one reason Chima failed.
Remember Chima? Of course you don’t! It was the awful post-modern version of the heroic legends reflected by the toys and stories I previously mentioned.
Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago. "
You are totally right about the theme song. I would disagree about the movie though. It was a great movie, especially if you understand the 70's style Bruce Lee martial arts films. The box office may not have been as big as expected and it probably should have done more of an origin story, but we love the movie in my house.
My kids grew up on Ninjago. They were sad to hear it was going to end when Chima showed up, ecstatic when it ended up sticking around, and now as TFOLs are buying many of the legacy sets for nostalgia value. Their latest challenge is now scheming how to come up with the money for the new Ninjago City Gardens after seeing that it comes with Zane's memorial.
Ah... Ninjago. Besides Star Wars this has to be my favorite theme, and it's definitely my favorite unlicensed theme. I'm so happy they continued the show/sets. Even the change in animation couldn't ruin it for me. (That being said I need to catch up on episodes.) Legacy was genius too. I couldn't afford the sets that came out when I was a kid but now they're back and some are arguably better than before. Congratulations on 10 years, Ninjago.
The nice thing about Ninjago for the LEGO group is that it's not tied to an external license. They have complete authority over the direction of every aspect of the theme. This has historically contributed to the downfall of previous IP themes (just reading the comments above, especially G2 Bionicle), so it will be interesting to see how long they can keep the theme fresh without losing touch with its roots. The Legacy sets are brilliant, so that has them covered for at least another year, but on top of that our 2021 sets have an "Islander" aesthetic for the current story. Add in the City Gardens that we have all seen in the magazine and this year is shaping up to be another winner for the Ninja.
@Darth_Dee said:
" @peterlmorris said:
"Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song.
Do not discount the power of a good theme song! It also had a clear line between good and evil. That’s one reason Chima failed.
Remember Chima? Of course you don’t! It was the awful post-modern version of the heroic legends reflected by the toys and stories I previously mentioned.
Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago. "
You are totally right about the theme song. I would disagree about the movie though. It was a great movie, especially if you understand the 70's style Bruce Lee martial arts films. The box office may not have been as big as expected and it probably should have done more of an origin story, but we love the movie in my house.
My kids grew up on Ninjago. They were sad to hear it was going to end when Chima showed up, ecstatic when it ended up sticking around, and now as TFOLs are buying many of the legacy sets for nostalgia value. Their latest challenge is now scheming how to come up with the money for the new Ninjago City Gardens after seeing that it comes with Zane's memorial."
Oh don’t get me wrong - I like the move and so do my kids. But it had a disappointing box office run. I haven’t tried to find DVD/Bluray numbers. Maybe it had strong sales there.
I definitely member when it almost disappeared. And man did I fight my butt off to make sure it didn't. And I wasn't the only one.
It's just too bad the Oni Season was only 4 Episodes....
The shows now is nice but, giving Netflix mayhem lol. Cause every THREE episodes, you have to restart the Play Button.
But I am definitely glad it is here. And DEFINITELY looking forward to that Gardens Set.
@peterlmorris said:
"Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song.
Do not discount the power of a good theme song! It also had a clear line between good and evil. That’s one reason Chima failed.
Remember Chima? Of course you don’t! It was the awful post-modern version of the heroic legends reflected by the toys and stories I previously mentioned.
Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago. "
Do not forget to whom you owe your magazine gifts and airjitzu activated with a spiral cord.
I must be Chima's attorney, because I loved and I love it.
@Roccomediatay said:
"Great theme, I mean who doesn't like Chinese and Japanese architecture!"
For me, it's not so much the architecture (though I can see the appeal), nor is it the stories (I have seen some of the cartoons and the 'Ninjago Movie' and enjoyed them, but am not heavily invested in the characters). To my mind, it's some of the minifigures, and the dragon mechs that can be easily modded to organic dragons rather than machines. 70612 has to rate as one of the best brick-built creatures LEGO has ever produced.
^ LEGO is from Denmark, not Germany. ^
It's tough to discuss an article you can't even read, but wasn't there also a fan petition that ran after it was made known that the theme was ending? Lots of themes sell really well. Most of those themes eventually conclude, and the people who bought them move on to other stuff. It's rare that the fans stage a protest when this happens.
@Venunder:
It's not _a_ thing that made Ninjago so popular. If it was just one thing, it probably would have made it three years (maybe not) and then retired as planned.
@jalc_45:
It sounds like this magazine offered US subscriptions from the first issue, though it took a few months to find its way to the shelves of Barnes & Noble.
@AustinPowers:
70751 came out in 2015, two years after Ninjago officially concluded, so it's only the fact that they decided to continue that gave you the opportunity to buy that set.
@peterlmorris:
@xboxtravis7992:
The first thing that sparked interest was images of new Ninja minifigs (specifically a blue Ninja, which had never been done before). Ninja was a very short-lived sub-theme of Castle, and fans of that theme were expecting something along the same lines. Things turned out a little different. Some of the things that I believe helped drive the theme's popularity included, yes, the Asian architecture that @Venunder mentioned (though the early sets were very simplistic in that regard). But it also had crazy vehicles, bizarre villains, a game mechanic that felt reminiscent of Beyblades (very popular at the time), and yeah, it borrowed a bit from Bionicle. It took a few years to get there, but eventually you'd have six core characters who were each master of one element. The major difference there is that instead of reinventing the construction system every year or two, they settled for coming up with new action elements to replace the original spinners. That was one major failing with the Bionicle theme. The scale of the characters increased quite a bit over the course of the theme, and the components would be completely replaced on a yearly basis.
And there was a TV show. There was a time when it was illegal in the US to make a TV show based on a toy line, because the show was seen as advertising for the toys (which, I mean...). It was, however, legal to launch the show first, and make toys based on it (even if you'd had them waiting in the wings the whole time). Eventually someone realized how stupid that was, and that restriction was lifted. Still, a tie-in show could make or break the toy line. In this case, Ninjago was really well done, while the Chima and Nexo Knights shows fell flat. In the entire history of the theme, I don't think I've built anything larger than a polybag set (though I've bought several for parts and minifigs), while I've tried to watch the entire series and own a lot of the early stuff on DVD.
@PixelTheDragon:
Chima could have gone somewhere, but the show didn't help. What looked like an epic war between factions was quickly defused into a simple misunderstanding. Subsequent years tried to reintroduce true villains, but you can't chase after people who gave up on the theme. You need to keep them interested from the start.
@Darth_Dee:
It really wasn't a great Ninjago movie, though. The TV series had been long-established with a loyal fanbase. We didn't like the movie because it felt like they completely ignored everything that came before and tried to reinvent the story. People who didn't like the show in the first place probably wrote off the movie as being more of the same. There's a reason it had the lowest box office of the four LEGO movies produced by WB.
@PurpleDave said:
"It's tough to discuss an article you can't even read, but wasn't there also a fan petition that ran after it was made known that the theme was ending? Lots of themes sell really well. Most of those themes eventually conclude, and the people who bought them move on to other stuff. It's rare that the fans stage a protest when this happens."
There were definitely petitions (and independent phone calls and emails from fans and parents) but I think the most key factor wasn't either of those so much as more and more sales results coming in. Up until then, Lego was largely used to themes (especially "big bang" themes with a major upfront promotional investment) making a big initial impact before slowly and steadily declining in popularity. Their development pipeline was largely based on that sort of expectation, with Lego having a "replacement" for Ninjago ready after its initially planned three year run. But what ended up happening was Ninjago starting off popular and then surging even HIGHER in popularity in year two, once the TV series had gotten a full run. So Lego was forced to adapt their plans in 2013 from an abridged "final battle" wave to the announcement of a continuation of the theme being planned for the subsequent year.
If the theme had dropped off in popularity and sales over time the way it had been expected to, I doubt any number of pleading emails or petitions would have been enough for Lego to pull an about-face on their long-term plans like that. The fact that it not only defied those expectations early on but has continued to do so for all these years have made it a massive exception among Lego themes of that sort.
@PurpleDave said:
" @AustinPowers:
70751 came out in 2015, two years after Ninjago officially concluded, so it's only the fact that they decided to continue that gave you the opportunity to buy that set."
Like I said, I have no idea of the story behind the theme, nor do I care one bit. If this set wouldn't have been released I would not have gotten it. Simple as that.
I am happy about the sets that I bought from this theme and I wouldn't mind buying some more in the future if they happen to appeal to me. If it doesn't happen though it won't be the end of the world for me either.
It's like with the excellent Chinese New Year sets. I have no idea about the backstory, nor do I have to care. But I appreciate the sets and the effort LEGO puts into them.
In five years time, who knows what new and successful themes we might have.
I know I often criticize TLG or seem overly negative, but that is only when I am really disappointed with something they throw out and expect us to love it no matter what.
Generally I try to keep an open mind, and I am still sometimes very positively surprised by what ingenious things they come up with.
@Fcboettcher_gmail_com said:
" @Roccomediatay said:
"Great theme, I mean who doesn't like Chinese and Japanese architecture!"
That's the catch for me as well. I don't give a penny about those vehicles, mechs and whatever other gadgets. But the Temple of Airjitzu, Ninjago City + Docks and Destiny's Bounty are absolutely marvellous gems of Lego Design."
100% agree. The main reason of the Ninjago theme's success has been eliciting interest in kids, adolescents, and AFOLs alike. I've been attracted mainly by the architectural texture, my daughter loves the stories and the minifigs, my nephews like the mechs, and there you go.
@dingbat591:
That's what I was alluding to in my previous post. One thing alone is not enough to get everyone interested. But one thing for me, something else for you, and a third thing for someone else means they've just tripled their fanbase without changing the number of sets they develop. And as long as they can satisfy all those interests, the theme can thrive.
One interesting thing to note is that, if you compare the early sets with those that came later, the theme has generally improved over time. Set designers got better accustomed to their subject matter, and figured out new techniques to recreate various details. It does make you wonder if a theme that fizzled out in the first year or two might have had better legs if they just skipped the first few years of releases and only started to roll them out after they'd had a chance to really figure out what does and does not work with each theme.
If only Nexo Knights had leaned more into the Castle side of things. The Knight mini figs were amazing and I’m so glad I bought them all at the time. If Castle comes back the Nexo Knights will be my protagonists.
@xboxtravis7992 said:
" @PixelTheDragon said:
"
I’d say Hidden Side, Chima, and Nexo Knights had their attention focused in the wrong places for that kind of story element to click. Hidden Side focuses a little too much on the app, Chima may have banked on the vehicles too much rather than fleshing out the setting, and Nexo Knights really didn’t use it’s premise to it’s fullest potential.
"
Oh yes definitely. I bought a few Hidden Side sets because they were impressive sets (again I am kind of out of the age range of engaging with the story now, but I know it was there). I have messed around with the app a bit, bit it was not engaging enough for me to really stick to it. I think the boxart on Hidden Side was also a mess, I know Lego wanted to engage with showing the app function and maybe experiment with a new art style... but by not showing clearly what was inside the box I think it turned off a lot of casual buyers who would have adored the sets had they had their hands on them. Even as an adult fan who spends way to much time on sites like Brickset, I struggled to identify Hidden Side sets I wanted on the store shelves because the box art was just so darn busy. "
I 100% agree with hidden side boxes being terrible. I didn't really pay much attention to the line until this past fall when it was announced they were retiring the theme as a whole. So I poured over every available set to see if there was something of interest for my Halloween display. I was shocked at how amazing the high school was. But it was painful finding proper photos of what the actual set in the box was.
I loved Chima; at the time it came out the premise and animal-inspired figures seemed much more interesting than Ninjago. It was only after Chima ended that I began to appreciate how many of the Ninjago sets still had the elements I had enjoyed in the Chima ones. This had nothing to do with the TV shows, by the way; I never watched either, and the only way I learned about the various characters was by watching their development in the sets.
I think Chima's greatest appeal to me was that it seemed like a reboot of Fabuland with an adventure-plot. Ninjago was more like a reboot of Castle:Ninja, but looking back now, I can see that there were always more reasons to appreciate Ninjago than to enjoy Chima. Simply put, the world-building was better. Ninjago is unquestionably a theme with "legs;" I hope it continues for many years to come!
I completely agree with @peterlmorris; architecture has nothing to do with Ninjago’s success.
High-tech Ninjas with magic powers. Awesome dragons. Cool vehicles and mechs. Great play sets. Excellent supporting cartoon chock-full of relatable heroes, a cornucopia of complex villains, and interesting, likable supporting characters - and a great theme song.
What’s not to like? Seriously, given the funds and the space, I’d collect Ninjago as well as Super Heroes.
I also agree that Ninjago has earned a place in toy pantheon right up there with GIJOE, Transformers, He-Man, Ninja Turtles, and others.
@Pekingduckman said:
"In contrast, I wished themes like Dino 2012, Monster Fighters, Pharaoh's Quest etc had a second or even third year."
Ab-so-lutely! Got myself all of them sets from Monster Fighters, Pharaoh's Quest, Atlantis ànd Alien Conquest on secondhand market. Quite old by now, but great themes with great stories.
@peterlmorris said:
"Architecture? Lol.
Ninjago succeeded for the same reasonStar Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, and the Ninja Turtles before it succeeded. It was a wild idea with great characters, great vehicles, and a catchy theme song.
Do not discount the power of a good theme song! It also had a clear line between good and evil. That’s one reason Chima failed.
Remember Chima? Of course you don’t! It was the awful post-modern version of the heroic legends reflected by the toys and stories I previously mentioned.
Ninjago now sits in the toy pantheon alongside the greats. It’s only real failure was the movie, but there’s a very good reason why that failed: it wasn’t actually Ninjago. "
Damn right. I thought the movie was rubbish, while i love the series. Much greater figures and villains and quests to fulfill ...
Not many LEGO original IPs make it to ten years, but even less that are story driven. Most of the long running themes like Classic or Creator are generic parts, and then you've got things like Fabuland, Friends, and City that have named characters and world building, but no actual plot leaving the stories in the audience's hands.
From what I recall, the only original story driven themes to make it to 10 years are Ninjago and Bionicle. Way to go boys, you've proved that lore is the way to go!
The movie wasn’t horrible; my son and I did enjoy it. However, it is disappointing that it was basically an alternate-reality Ninjago depicted in the movie (the NCU) rather than the main Ninjago continuity.
@GSR_MataNui:
City's named characters have had story behind them. The current batch have their own TV series called LEGO City Adventures, while Chase McCain had two LEGO City Undercover video games. Beyond those, I'm not aware of any minifigs that have appeared in the City line that have had names listed on the box.
@VBaskin2010:
Not since WWII turned around...