Xiaolin Showdown Introduction

Xiaolin Showdown

The main characters riding Dojo, clockwise from bottom: Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay. 

The main characters riding Dojo, clockwise from bottom: Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay.

Format Animated television series

Created by          Christy Hui

Warner Bros. Animation

Starring                Tara Strong

Grey DeLisle

Tom Kenny

Jeff Bennett

Danny Cooksey

Wayne Knight

Maurice LaMarche

Susan Silo

Jason Marsden

Country of origin             United States

No. of seasons  3

No. of episodes                52 (List of episodes)

Production

Executive producer(s)   Bill Motz (season 1)

Bob Roth (season 1)

David Silverman (season 2)

Stephen Sustarsic (seasons 2–3)

Producer(s)        Christy Hui

Running time    22 minutes

Production company(s)                Warner Bros. Animation

Broadcast

Original channel              Kids' WB!

Original run        November 1, 2003 – May 13, 2006

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 four young warriors in training that battle the forces of evil. They do this by protecting Shen Gong Wu (ancient artifacts that have great magical powers) from villains that would use them to conquer the world.

Originally airing on the Kids WB! block of programming on WB Network in 2003, the series ran for 3 seasons and 52 episodes. Typical episodes revolve around a specific Shen Gong Wu being revealed which results in both sides racing to find it. Episodes usually reach a head when one good and one evil character must challenge each other to a magical duel called a Xiaolin Showdown for possession of the artifact.

Development

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 was developed by Warner Bros. Animation.  The first episode of Xiaolin Showdown was developed over three years following its conception 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", and this is evident in her work. Xiaolin Showdown shows subtle influences of Eastern art, action, and philosophy but also includes very Western characters and humor.

Following the success of its first season a second twenty-four episode season was ordered and a third after that resulting in 3 seasons and 52 episodes. The show has ended and despite heavy promotion in other media, including Postopia, a trading card game, and a video game, Warner Bros have not shown any signs of releasing the second and third seasons on DVD.

Actress Tara Strong strongly hinted via Twitter that new episodes are being produced, which was confirmed by fellow series star Grey DeLisle when she appeared on the March 9, 2012 episode of actor Rob Paulsen's podcast.  and by series creator Christy Hui, in herFacebook account.

Plot

Season One

Four young monks – Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo, and Clay – are forced into cooperation at the Xiaolin Temple after learning they are the Chosen Ones, monks chosen to become Xiaolin Dragons. At first things are difficult, but soon they become friends and are able to work together to search for Shen Gong Wu. Along the way, they must battle the bumbling Jack Spicer, "evil boy genius," and the Heylin ghost-witch Wuya, who Jack accidentally freed from a 1500 year imprisonment in a puzzle box. Through thievery, Spicer eventually possesses 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 due to their bravery. Enraged and humiliated, Raimundo joins the Heylin side as Wuya's new assistant and helps her regain her human form.

Season Two

Omi travels back in time and receives a second puzzle box from Grand Master Dashi, the Xiaolin monk who initially trapped Wuya. However, with no way back to the future, he freezes himself using the Orb of Tornami. In the present time, the frozen Omi – buried underneath Wuya's palace for 1500 years – breaks free of the ice with the puzzle box in hand. Raimundo, repulsed by the Heylin side, decides that his rightful place belongs in the Xiaolin Temple and traps Wuya in the new puzzle box. After returning to the Temple, the monks continue the search for Shen Gong Wu. Eventually, Master Fung promotes Raimundo to Xiaolin Apprentice along with the others (at first he refused, saying he wasn't ready). After this, the monks are introduced to Xiaolin monk-turned-evil villain Chase Young. Chase takes an interest in Omi and becomes determined to manipulate the young monk's mind into joining the Heylin side. When Master Fung becomes trapped in the Ying-Yang world, Omi asks for help from Chase; he succeeds in rescuing Master Fung, but upon leaving the Ying-Yang world, his bad chi takes over and he joins the Heylin side. Chase restores Wuya to her human form, though he takes her powers. The remaining monks soon learn that Chase had sent Master Fung into the Ying-Yang world knowing the events that would unfold afterwards, including Omi joining his side.

Season Three

The monks, Dojo, and Jack Spicer (who left his bad chi and turned good after exiting the Ying-Yang world) travel to the Ying-Yang world to retrieve Omi's good chi and return him to the Xiaolin side, however Jack Spicer ends up leaving his good chi and reverts to a villain. After returning Omi's good chi to him and gaining him back, the monks are promoted yet again to Wudai Warriors. They are then introduced to Hannibal Roy Bean, an evil villain who lives in the Ying-Yang world and was responsible for turning Chase Young evil. Toward the end of their journey, Master Fung tells the monks that they have one final quest before the Shoku Warrior will be revealed. Omi decides that he will stop Hannibal Bean from turning Chase to the Heylin Side; he ends up freezing himself in order to travel to the future to find the Sands of Time, and through time travel, he succeeds. 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 Master Monk Guan whom Hannibal Bean turns evil. The monks and Chase are captured by Hannibal Bean, 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. At the end of the series, Raimundo, who willingly attempted to turn evil for his comrades as well as succeeding the final Xiaolin Showdown, is revealed as the team leader, also known as Shoku Warrior. The series conclude with every villain attacking the temple, and the Wudai Warriors led by the Shoku Warrior proceed to counterattack.

Characters

Xiaolin Showdown features a large cast, many of whom only appear in one episode and occasionally return for cameos or for single episodes later in the series. While supporting characters are often one dimensional and serve an immediate purpose in the episode in which they appear, main characters are often well developed with strengths and flaws that become present as the series progresses.

Awards

Daytime Emmy Awards

Year	Category	Season	Result
2004	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing — Live Action and Animation	1st (Episodes 1–6)	Nominated
2005	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing — Live Action and Animation	1st (Ep. 7–13)& 2nd (Ep. 1–11)	Won
2006	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing — Live Action and Animation	2nd (Ep. 12–26) & 3rd (Ep. 1–8)	Nominated
2007	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing — Live Action and Animation	3rd (Episodes 9–13)	Nominated

Annie Awards

Year	Category	Season	Result
2004	Outstanding Character Design in an Animated Television Production	1st(Episodes 1–6)	Nominated

Other

Xiaolin Showdown was also nominated for two Golden Reel Awards.

Critical reception

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.

In other media

Games

Main article: Xiaolin Showdown (video game)

Konami developed a Xiaolin Showdown video game, that was released on November 10, 2006 for PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, and Nintendo DS.

In addition, Wizards of the Coast released a trading card game based on the series.

DVD release

A Season One DVD has been released. It is a 2-disc set, and has special features on disc 2, but the only features are trailers for other shows and movies.

This is a complete list of Xiaolin Showdown episodes. Xiaolin Showdown is an animated television series that originally aired between November 1, 2003 and May 13, 2006 in the United States. The episodes are listed in order of their production number with the date that they originally aired on Kids' WB.