Xiaolin Showdown: A Funny Show
Although my wife Theresa likes to credit my 15-year-old son, Eric Jr. for being the one who originally introduced our family to Xiaolin Showdown when it premiered here in the U.S. a couple of years ago, I distinctly remember that it was definitely Mrs. Williams and not my son, who initiated the entire family’s interest in the show. Whomever it was that sparked the family’s interest, we are now regular viewers of the cartoon when we have an opportunity to watch it.
The series focuses on Omi, a young orphaned monk-in-training from the Xiaolin Temple (a name based on the real-life Shaolin Temple), surfer Raimundo Pedrosa from Brazil, high-tech focused, Kimiko Tohomiko from Japan, and cowboy Clay Bailey from Texas, who have been chosen by the Temple’s head monk, Master Fung to become the Xiaolin Dragons and to find and protect the sacred Shen Gong Wu, artifacts that possess great magical powers, from being taken and used by the Heylin (forces of evil), which is represented by the ghost of the ancient witch named Wuya and her young protÃ?©gÃ?©, Jack Spicer, salf-named, evil boy genius.
Before I go any further, let me say that the show – and Omi in particular – produces a laugh a minute as Omi regularly messesses up age-old American cliches and turns them into his own slightly different version before one of his team members usually takes the time to correct their naieve partner.
The use of the Shen Gong Wu artifacts is usually combined with the use of martial arts which evoke internal mystical powers linked to the classical elements that work synergistically with the Shen Gong Wu. The show makes frequent use of Chinese culture and archetypes despite the international setting – the Xiaolin Temple is in China and the origins of most of the Shen Gong Wu all seem to be Chinese.
The focus of the series is on collecting the Shen Gong Wu. They are mystical artifacts that have magical powers, activated by an action of will combined with saying the artifact’s name aloud.
When more than one person grabs a Shen Gong Wu at the same time, a Xiaolin Showdown occurs and each side wagers a Shen Gong Wu that they already own. In some cases, the competitors invoke a Shen Yi Bu Dare, where multiple Shen Gong Wu are wagered. The winner keeps their own Shen Gong Wu that they wagered and wins both the opponent’s Shen Gong Wu and the Shen Gong Wu that the Showdown was fought for. In some cases, when more than two people touch a Shen Gong Wu at once, a different kind of Xiaolin Showdown occurs: the Xiaolin Showdown Trio is a three person free-for-all, a Xiaolin Showdown Tsunami is a two-on-two Showdown, and an Eight-Way Xiaolin Showdown is a four-on-four Showdown.
One can also call for a Cosmic Clash Showdown, allowing the caller to bring more people into the Showdown who didn’t touch the Shen Gong Wu.
The challenge in a Xiaolin Showdown can be anything, but most commonly is some sort of race to the Shen Gong Wu. When the Showdown is called, the world warps around the competitors and bystanders, and the terrain they are on becomes an extreme plain such as a mountain side becoming a field of rock pillars, or a snowfield becoming a large snowboarding course.
Other contests have been games of tag, basketball, or combat. The challenge officially begins after the change, and when both combatants yell “Gong Yi Tanpai!” Then the decided contest starts. When one is victorious, the terrain returns to normal, and the winner gains possession of all of the wagered Shen Gong Wu.
“Gong Yi Tanpai!” is a Chinese way of saying “Ready, Set, Go!”. Tanpai means “showdown” in Chinese, Gong is Chinese for “begin” as to attack, and Yi means “the” in Chinese, so it literally means “Begin the showdown!”
Not only is Xiaolin Showdown one of favorite animated series in the Williams household, but it is also one of the best animated series on all of television. I you don’t believe me, check it our for yourself.
Here are the main chaacters of Xiaolin Showdown.
The Xiaolin Side
Omi: The Xiaolin Dragon of Water, Omi was the first dragon-in-training to train with Master Fung. At times, Omi can be selfish, but when his fellow Xiaolin Dragons are in trouble, he’s always there to help them in time of need. Like Raimundo he joined the Heylin side once. His preferred Shen Gong Wu is the Orb of Tornami, his Wudai Weapon is the Shimo Staff, and his elemental Shen Gong Wu the Kaijin Charm. Having been raised in a monastery, he is naive about the outside world. He’s known to get idiomatic phrases messed up (e.g. “remove the lead” instead of “get the lead out”), but sometimes says them correctly.
Raimundo Pedrosa: The Xiaolin Dragon of Wind, Raimundo Pedrosa may be stubborn but he’ll do anything to protect his friends. He also knows the Heylin since he joined them twice. His preferred Shen Gong Wu is the Sword of the Storm, his Wudai Weapon is the Blade of the Nebula, and his elemental Shen Gong Wu is the Crest of the Condor. He was named team leader in the episode Time After Time (2).
Kimiko Tohomiko: The Xiaolin Dragon of Fire, Kimiko Tohomiko is the female member of the team. Kimiko is probably the smartest and most techno-savvy member of the team. Kimiko also changes hairstyles and outfits almost every episode. Her preferred Shen Gong Wu is the Star Hanabi, her Wudai Weapon is the Arrow Sparrow, and her elemental Shen Gong Wu is the Cat’s Eye Draco. Not surprisingly, she has the hottest temper (generally at even the slightest provocation).
Clay Bailey: The Xiaolin Dragon of Earth, Clay Bailey is the team muscle and a home-grown Texas cowboy. Clay sometimes speaks in “cowboy slang,” and uses metaphors in about every episode. His large size and sensible demeanor belie his good-humored and gentle nature. His preferred Shen Gong Wu are the Fist of Tebigong and the Third-Arm Sash, his Wudai Weapon is the Big Bang Meteorang, and his elemental Shen Gong Wu is the Longhorn Taurus.
Dojo: A shapeshifting dragon is the Xiaolin warriors’ main mode of transportation and wisdom advisor, Dojo can sense Shen Gong Wu like Wuya. When Dojo is out of commission, the Xiaolin Warriors use an aircraft Shen Gong Wu called the Silver Manta Ray, or the other transport Shen Gong Wu (the Crouching Cougar, the Shen-Ga-Roo, or the Tunnel Armadillo).
Master Fung: The Xiaolin Warrior’s Master, Master Fung can get mortified by his charges’ behavior at times.
The Heylin Side
Jack Spicer: The Xiaolin Warriors’ biggest and most annoying nemesis, Jack Spicer is famous for his robotic engineering, long rants, overuse of the word “evil” and his repetitive self-proclamation of “evil boy genius.” His preferred Shen Gong Wu is the Monkey Staff.
Wuya: A 1,500 year old Heylin witch who inspired Jack to partake in the Shen Gong Wu hunt. After being imprisoned in a puzzle box by Grand Master Dashi for 1,500 years, Wuya’s physical form was destroyed, but when combining the Serpent’s Tail with the Reversing Mirror, Wuya can create a physical form (the Serpent’s Tail turns a person intangible and the Reversing Mirror reverses the effects of another Shen Gong Wu, thus giving her a tangible body). She, like Dojo, has the ability to sense a Shen Gong Wu’s revealing, although she does not need the Scroll of the Shen Gong Wu to determine what it is.
Katnappe: A crafty cat burglar with many Catwoman references, Katnappe has made numerous appearances and als has a large collection of cats in her home, including genetically-modified kittens that she often uses as weapons/henchmen. However, when she does ally herself with the Heylin, she is not exactly trustworthy or loyal.
Tubbimura: Tubbimura is a fat ninja who is surprisingly agile and can manipulate his folds of fat like a gelatinous blob. Tubbimura was hired by Jack to retrieve the Sword of the Storm. Tubbimura occasionally does odd jobs for the Heylin whenever possible.
The Chameleon-Bot: One of Jack Spicer’s robots, the Chameleon-Bot is Jack’s strongest robot and a master of disguise. It is able to take the forms of the Xiaolin Warriors, Master Fung, Jack Spicer, Wuya, and others and is also able to extend its arms and spin his waist. It was originally used to disguise itself as Kimiko so it could steal the Xiaolin’s Shen Gong Wu
Chase Young: Introduced in the second season as a even bigger threat than Jack Spicer, Chase Young controls an armada of warriors (mostly jungle cats) and has the ability to turn into a reptilian creature. Chase rarely uses Shen Gong Wu to battle since he claims it distracts him from honing his martial arts skills. During the second season of the show, he was obsessed with turning Omi to the Heylin side since then he would have enough power to rule the world.
So, now you know all about Xiaolin Showdown – and if you’re looking for a laugh or three, try watching it – I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
