| Creator: | Christy Hui |
| Developer: | Brandon Sawyer |
| Composer: | Kevin Manthei |
| Country: | United States |
| Num Seasons: | 3 |
| Num Episodes: | 52 |
| List Episodes: | List of Xiaolin Showdown episodes |
| Executive Producer: | Sander Schwartz |
| Editor: | Rob DeSales |
| Runtime: | 21–22 minutes |
| Company: | Warner Bros. Animation |
| Network: | The WB (Kids' WB) |
| Related: | Xiaolin Chronicles |
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.
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]
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.
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.
See main article: List of Xiaolin Showdown episodes.
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.
The series was followed by Xiaolin Chronicles, which premiered on August 26, 2013. Prior to the series' announcement, Tara Strong, Grey DeLisle, and creator Christy Hui hinted at its production.[9] [10] [11]
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]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 31st Annie Awards | Outstanding Character Design in an Animated Television Production | Matt Danner for Xiaolin Showdown | [13] | |
| 31st Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Sound Editing — Live Action and Animation | Tom Syslo, Timothy J. Borquez, Eric Freeman, Mark A. Keatts, Mark Keefer, Kerry Brody | [14] | ||
| 2005 | 32nd Daytime Emmy Awards | [15] | |||
| 52nd Annual Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing in Television: Animated | Dreamscape | [16] | ||
| 2006 | 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Sound Editing — Live Action and Animation | [17] | ||
| 2007 | 34th Daytime Emmy Awards | [18] |
Warner Bros. released a two-disc Season 1 DVD on February 20, 2007. 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. On April 11, 2017, Season 3 was also given a manufacture-on-demand release.
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.
Wizards of the Coast released a now out-of-print trading card game based on the series in 2005.[19]
Konami developed a Xiaolin Showdown video game that was released on November 14, 2006, for PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, and Nintendo DS.
On September 14, 2013, a successor series,[20] 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.
