Ni Hao, Kai-Lan is a 2D-animated Nickelodeon franchise created by Karen Chau for the Nickelodeon Animation Studio as It began as a series of three interstitial shorts on Nick Jr. called Downward Doghouse.[1] The first full episode was initially set to premiere in fall 2007[2] on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block in the United States, but it was delayed to February 7, 2008, coinciding with the first day of the Chinese New Year.[2]
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan is based on childhood memories of the franchise's creator, Karen Chau, who grew up in a bicultural (Chinese-American) household. "Ni hao" (你好 nǐ hǎo) means "Hello" in Mandarin, and Kai-Lan (凯兰 Kǎilán) is the Chinese name Chau was given at birth, which was later anglicized to Karen.
The tv show's 40 episodes over two seasons were produced. Sascha Paladino was the head writer and developer for the show.
Premise[]
The series follows the adventures of Kai-Lan and her group of talking anthropomorphic animal companions. The group consists of Kai-Lan, a 6-year-old Chinese-American girl; Rintoo, the yellow tiger; Tolee, the gray koala; Lulu, the pink rhino; and Hoho, the small white monkey. Each episode is based around a series of events that occur during Kai-Lan's day, along with obstacles that she and her friends are forced to overcome (with "assistance" from the viewing audience) relating to riddles, playing games, and working together. Common rituals may involve Kai-Lan resolving temper tantrums from her friends Rintoo, Lulu, Tolee, or Hoho when they misbehave. To help Rintoo, Tolee, Hoho, and Lulu, Kai-Lan shows them and the audience why they are having difficult situations. Usually, once Rintoo, Tolee, Hoho, and Lulu discover that their actions are wrong, they apologize and promise to work together better. The audience is usually presented with two musical sing-alongs where Kai-Lan sings about what must be done to overcome her and her friends' challenges. The episode always ends with Kai-Lan successfully helping her friends and everyone getting along. In the Season 1 finale, it is stated that they all live in California.
Other aspects generally featured in episodes are breaking the fourth wall, 11 minutes of interactivity,[3] a target word that is repeated multiple times,[4] a few words of Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, and before saying goodbye (at the end of each episode), Kai-lan says, "You make my heart feel super happy!" Later installments added Kai-lan saying this phrase in Mandarin after she said it in English: "Ni rang wo hao kai xin!" Ni Hao, Kai-lan introduces its viewers to the Mandarin Chinese language, along with elements of Chinese culture and values, and intergenerational families (e.g., Kai-lan and her relationship with Ye Ye).
Characters[]
- Main article: List of Ni Hao, Kai-Lan characters
Television Pilot[]
:Main article: Downward Doghouse
Before Ni Hao, Kai-Lan aired, there was a Nick Jr. mini-series called My World. One of the shorts in the series was called Downward Doghouse. My World hasn't resurfaced or appeared again after Nick Jr aired it in around 2004, making this series as a whole lost media. This is the true tv pilot of the Ni Hao, Kai-Lan tv series since the start of 2007.
Television series[]
- Main article: Ni Hao, Kai-Lan (television series)
After finishing the Ni Hao, Kai-Lan tv pilot the Downward Doghouse, The show was premiered in 2008 with The first full episode was initially set to premiere in fall 2007 on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block in the United States, but it was delayed to February 7, 2008, coinciding with the first day of the Chinese New Year.
Television films[]
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Kai Lan's Trip to China[]
- Main article: Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Kai Lan's Trip to China
In this half hour special event, Kai-Lan and her friends visit to China to visit her great aunt and see the naming of a baby panda. Rintoo, Hoho and Tolee got scared to try something new in China, and soon the baby panda is scared to ride a boat for the 1st time as well. He is eventually calmed down by Kai-Lan and her friends, and overcomes Naviphobia. Originally shown as a double-length episode, generally shown as two parts.
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Princess Kai-Lan[]
- Main article: Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Princess Kai-Lan
The plot of the hour-length episode starts when the Monkey King visits Kai-Lan and her friends, he needs their help in a magical place of foxes and bears where the foxes and the bears do not talk to each other because they are not friends. So, Kai-Lan and her friends travel to the land of the Fox Kingdom and the Bear Kingdom to try to get the foxes and bears to talk to each other, but it may prove to be Kai-Lan's greatest challenge yet. And, they figure out what makes the foxes and bears mad. So Kai-Lan gets the Fox King and Bear Queen to talk to each other about what is making them mad, so their friends can help them. Finally, the foxes and bears sing and dance together to become friends and both kingdoms become into one kingdom named "The Kingdom of Friends". It's originally shown as a double-length episode, generally shown as two parts. There is no "Let's Find Out Why" in this episode. These are also the final episodes of season two.
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Journey to the Monkey King Castle[]
- Main article: Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Journey to the Monkey King Castle
The series finale starts with The Monkey King is having a party and Kai-Lan and her friends help him decorate. However as the preparations begin, the gang tries out some of his things, causing a big mess. Kai-Lan and her friends have to find a way to fix their mess before the Monkey King returns.
Related media[]
Video games[]
The success of Ni Hao, Kai-Lan spawned its own video game series, supported by various gaming consoles and platforms:
- Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Super Game Day (Wii) – released, October 26, 2009[5]
- Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Super Game Day (PS2) – released, October 26, 2009[5]
- Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: New Year's Celebration (DS) – released, November 5, 2009[6]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.awn.com/animationworld/ni-hao-kai-lan-tigers-and-dragons-and-mandarin-lessons
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/arts/television/07hale.html
- ↑ Strike, Joe (2007-12-04). "Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Tigers and Dragons and Mandarin Lessons". Animation World Network.
- ↑ Liu, Ed (2008-01-21). "Toon Zone Interviews Nick SVP Teri Weiss About "Ni Hao, Kai-lan"". Toon Zone.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Liu, Jonathan (February 6, 2010). "Have a Super Game Day with Kai-Lan". WIRED.
- ↑ Healy, Christopher (June 19, 2019). "Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: New Year's Celebration". Common Sense Media.
External links[]
