The Future of Ninjago

[just2good]

Since its prime, I could tell that Ninjago was going to get more than 3 waves. The amount of marketing LEGO put into it was insane- there was 41 sets of it released in 2011 alone. Though, I didn't really think the spinners sold well (I use to see an almost full inventory of each spinner at Target). I think the last year for it will be in 2013, getting 5-6 waves like Exo-Force, and there will probably only be around 4 spinners released, but more than 4 booster packs (everywhere I go, those are sold it!).

Edited January 7, 2012 by just2good

[Vindicare]

I guess it's different where I live. I was in TRU yesterday and with the exception of Ninjago, bit sets and boosters, they were almost sold out of everything else. I'm talking a few sets of each of the current theme.

I don't mind some Ninjago sets, but as a whole, and the storyline, I think is really dumb. I have the dragon sets and will get the new dragon as well. Maybe the Destinys Bounty as well. I definitely like the figs better in this wave, both Ninja and snakes.

[Hinckley]

And also, Spinner concept is very older than the toy you mentioned.

For example this. This is a spinner. :)

This is not the one currently popular with children. My point is it's making a resurgence in the toy market, ancient it may very well be. It is interesting to see how old it is.

I just don't like it. It is always exciting when Lego debuts a new theme...I just consider this one to be an absolute waste. Lowest common denominator kind of kid stuff.

You've made your opinion more than clear. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but at this point you need to ask yourself why you feel the need to keep re-iterating yours. You don't like it. Good for you. You've learned to express yourself. Perhaps you can move on from this thread now and read about something else you don't like instead...

[LEGOman273]

This is not the one currently popular with children. My point is it's making a resurgence in the toy market, ancient it may very well be. It is interesting to see how old it is.

You've made your opinion more than clear. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but at this point you need to ask yourself why you feel the need to keep re-iterating yours. You don't like it. Good for you. You've learned to express yourself. Perhaps you can move on from this thread now and read about something else you don't like instead...

:laugh:

[Oky]

Well, we already had undead Nazi bikers and now snake people, and since this theme is a perfect example of the utilization of the Rule of Cool, I wouldn't be at all surpirsed to see Ninja Pirate Zombie Robots from Outer Space next. Heck, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised at anything.

I don't think it will last as long as Bionicle, but then again, I never would have expected Bionicle to run as long as it did.

Isn't LEGO kid stuff anyway? Why not make it zany?

I see what you did there.

[Fred Daniel Yam]

Ninjago is a pretty crazy theme and thats what attracts people. Period.

[vexorian]

Ninjago is the stupidest theme in the history of Lego. I would like to pretend it doesn't exist, but that is hard for a couple of reasons.

You are talking about the same company that brought us 4 juniors and Galidor. I mean, they can do much, much worse.

1.) Lego shoves it down my throat. All the new catalogs, etc... feature this lame theme on the cover.

Where are you getting catalogs from? I miss them.

2.) Walk down the Lego aisle at any store and this is all you'll see left.

Lies, all I see is licensed stuff.

Why? Because no self-respecting AFOL or kid with any sense wants this junk.

When a store is full of a product and they get rid of it, then it is because they like the product. Stores like a product when it sells well.

It is like they took all the stupidest parts of their worst past themes and hobbled them together to create something more stupid than stupid.

You calling ninjas and 2009 fantasy the worst past themes?

These lame and uninspired sets,

the entire "spinning ninja concept, are also a rip-off of Tomy/Parker Brothers' SPINJA toys of the late 1980's.

All toys are rip offs.

We're ninjas! We spin! We're stupid!

Yeah, but kids buy them, and the pieces and sets are great.

Please, Lego, back to the drawing board. You discontinue Kingdoms but continue with this waste?

If you want to complain about Kingdoms getting discontinued, it is LOTR to which you should direct your rage.

[Peppermint_M]

Well, it certainly has a future until a lot of kids get their dark age.

Last night as I MOCed in the loft, my younger brother and his two friends. After ten minutes going through all my Ninjago figures, discussing why Nya's face print has been changed for the new wave of sets. Comparing the old ninja clothes to their new ones and the kendo/zx pros and cons over plain old and DX... Then I dug out the few spinners I had and they battled in an old lid I used to use for my Beyblades until his friends had to go home. Taking it in turns for one on one and reading/looking at the cards I have accumalated...

They love it, but there were one or two arguments over the Loss of Power Miners and the fact that Atlantis is over.

I think Ninjago can last as long as the ideas do. I hope it carries on a while, I am loving the parts and prints.

[lightningtiger]

Ninjago is the stupidest theme in the history of Lego.

We're ninjas! We spin! We're stupid!

Real mature.

A point this person made about see sets left on the shelves might have something to do with too many choices for toys and not enough money to go around...trust me that's why I couldn't buy Diagon Alley.

By the sounds of this character he hasn't been around Lego long enough to remember a particular theme starting with the letter G eh ?

I don't think I have ever read such a negative post in my time here on EB, so sad.

Kids are still trying to find and buy the first series of spinners, I've had to steer parents to shops that still carry all the spinners. This theme will go the distance, just look at Power Rangers and the Turtle's still going after how many years....as long as Transformers etc., eh ?

[SoupOrFishOil]

I see what you did there.

It wasn't intentional, it just sort of happend

I'm sure that this theme has at least a year left, I just hope that they go about this green ninja thing right-it could make or break the theme, like how Jayko suddenly being named kind in KKII ruined the story for me when I was younger.

Pirates wouldn't be as unexpected as snakes or even skeletons would be too me, how long has that Pirates vs. Ninjas concept been around? But still, I think it would suit the theme and I can't tell what vehciles they would have. Boats? Motorcycles? But you know, it could always be the return of the skullkin with a new leader. That would especially make sense if Garmadon is converted back to the good side as they could be looking for revenge on him, or maybe that could be the storyline where he temporarilly teams up with the ninja (like the rumors said this year was going to be).

Anyway, even if next year doesn't bring Pirates, I'm sure it will be something fun and zany.

I just thought of something, if there are pirates, will they wear boots over their peg legs?

[Flipz]

But you know, it could always be the return of the skullkin with a new leader. That would especially make sense if Garmadon is converted back to the good side as they could be looking for revenge on him, or maybe that could be the storyline where he temporarilly teams up with the ninja (like the rumors said this year was going to be).

My earlier post got buried, didn't it. Lego Universe already established that Garmadon will return to command the Skullkin army, and that he will NOT turn to good. The LU models for Ninjago stuff look really cool, so I don't see why, with some modification, they couldn't be used to make that wave of sets.

[Aanchir]

It wasn't intentional, it just sort of happend

I'm sure that this theme has at least a year left, I just hope that they go about this green ninja thing right-it could make or break the theme, like how Jayko suddenly being named kind in KKII ruined the story for me when I was younger.

Personally, I liked Jayko becoming king-- for me it made it feel like the story was dynamic rather than keeping the status quo the same every year. What bummed me out was that the new characters in 2006 KKII didn't get explained in such depth as the previous ones. We had known "Jayko the Quick", "Rascus the Clever", "Santis the Strong", and "Danju the Wise" for so long. Kentis and Adric's character traits weren't explained as thoroughly, and being a part of a smaller team they had fewer character foils to bring out those principle strengths and weaknesses that characterized the previous main characters. The same applies for the Rogue Knights, who, although deeper than the nameless, dronelike Shadow Knights, still ended up feeling like generic bad guys.

This page by an illustrator for the theme makes the 2006 story a lot easier to appreciate in retrospect.

Pirates wouldn't be as unexpected as snakes or even skeletons would be too me, how long has that Pirates vs. Ninjas concept been around? But still, I think it would suit the theme and I can't tell what vehciles they would have. Boats? Motorcycles? But you know, it could always be the return of the skullkin with a new leader. That would especially make sense if Garmadon is converted back to the good side as they could be looking for revenge on him, or maybe that could be the storyline where he temporarilly teams up with the ninja (like the rumors said this year was going to be).

Personally, I think pirates would be kind of cool as villains, but I don't know if they could be diverse enough to be the villains for a full wave-- especially since the Ninja got their "ship" in this wave so a full one-year seafaring adventure might not be an option. Since Pirates vs. Ninja, if it is in fact a legit episode title, is only given to one episode, I think it's more likely that whatever antagonists there are in the next wave include maybe a few characters who are "pirate-like", and the whole year won't be based around that conflict.

[SpyFlops]

Ninjago happens to be my favorite theme... Maybe it's because I'm so susceptible to the "Rule of Cool."

[vexorian]

NinjaGo is likely becoming my secondary theme this year (with HF being the primary). It is just about the only non-licensed system theme besides City that has any hopes of appearing in the retailer aisles and has a couple of good set designs. (Non-licensed and good set designs already makes the theme a lot better than most of what happened in the latest years, besides Atlantis and SP3, that is).

[SoupOrFishOil]

My earlier post got buried, didn't it. Lego Universe already established that Garmadon will return to command the Skullkin army, and that he will NOT turn to good. The LU models for Ninjago stuff look really cool, so I don't see why, with some modification, they couldn't be used to make that wave of sets.

I don't recall seeing it, so it might of been buried. I don't play LU so I wouldn't know if it's been accurate before, but based on your post, I'll guess that it has.

Personally, I liked Jayko becoming king-- for me it made it feel like the story was dynamic rather than keeping the status quo the same every year. What bummed me out was that the new characters in 2006 KKII didn't get explained in such depth as the previous ones. We had known "Jayko the Quick", "Rascus the Clever", "Santis the Strong", and "Danju the Wise" for so long. Kentis and Adric's character traits weren't explained as thoroughly, and being a part of a smaller team they had fewer character foils to bring out those principle strengths and weaknesses that characterized the previous main characters. The same applies for the Rogue Knights, who, although deeper than the nameless, dronelike Shadow Knights, still ended up feeling like generic bad guys.

This page by an illustrator for the theme makes the 2006 story a lot easier to appreciate in retrospect.

It wasn't so much Jayko being kind, I just found it completely unexpected and the other three knights were just suddenly dropped as characters. In retrospect, I think that if they took a more Hero Factory approach with alternating characters, it wouldn't of been so bad, but that's just my opinion.

[M'Kyuun]

Personally, the first wave of ninjago didn't grab me. I wasn't into the spinners (however, I fully realize these are for kids and they do like that sort of play), storyline, or really even the sets. These new sets, however, have definitely grabbed my attention. I got the Rattlecopter and Jay's Storm Fighter for Christmas (b/c my wife is awesome), and both are striking to me buildwise, swooshable, and just look neat. At first, the snake aesthetic of the vehicles was kinda silly to me...but from an imagination standpoint, they're cool sets and very well executed. Kudos to the designer of the Rattlecopter...one of the neatest sets I've built in quite awhile. I'm looking forward to getting the Destiny's Bounty...very steampunkish, and very cool.

In keeping with the topic, while I don't follow the Ninjago story, I would hope they continue to make the enemies of the Ninjas something imaginary. Pirates seem too ordinary after evil skeletons and snake people. Something insectile, with insect people and their corresponding vehicles would be cool, as well as a modern nod to the old Insectoids theme. Just my two cents.

[zewy623]

Hey how about spinners that aren't cheap chinese plastic? that would be a good start.

[Dharkan]

Hey how about spinners that aren't cheap chinese plastic? that would be a good start.

They are not chinese in Snake wave.

[zewy623]

Well I haven't seen any snake wave spinners yet, so I didn't know. But thats a really GOOD thing.

[JWSLegoMaster]

I think I heard something about one more wave for 2013 titled "Ninjas vs. Pirates", but nothing more than that.

From what I've experienced of the theme, I feel that while Ninjago certainly has been huge success and I can see it lasting for at least another year (after 2012), I'm not entirely sure what other directions it can go in.

Bluebeard, out-

Pirates vs. Ninjas? Sounds like Lego Universe to me. I do like that idea though, make 2 battle packs, Ninja and Pirate, then have a Junk and a Galleon. Yea I like that!

[horizon]

Hey how about spinners that aren't cheap chinese plastic? that would be a good start.

They are not chinese in Snake wave.

gtfo. There is nothing, I repeat nothing wrong with the chinese build spinners from the first waves. NOTHING. They are GOOD quality. Just like ALL OTHER chinese items in the Ninjago releases.

[zewy623]

@horizon

Have you seen the spinner figs next to the regular figs, and tested them? The regular figs have a much nicer mold for everything, better painting, and stronger plastic, not to mention that they do stand on studs better and they hold weapons tighter. And chinese plastic IS inferior to the plastic lego uses, and the chinese use cheaper materials so that proves that its cheaper plastic.

[Siegfried]

gtfo. There is nothing, I repeat nothing wrong with the chinese build spinners from the first waves. NOTHING. They are GOOD quality. Just like ALL OTHER chinese items in the Ninjago releases.

Don't "discuss" like that. This is your first and last warning.

Manners and Serious Topics: Don't be offensive to other members. We like Eurobricks to be a friendly place to discuss LEGO and won't allow posts that are intended to offend or attack.

[Jedi master Brick]

I am pesonally not a fan of Ninjago but if it sells well it could last for a few more years. Just a side note, Star wars city and creater are the only current themes that have been around for more than 3 years* so I think it will last longer than the average theme

*This may or may not be accurate

Edited January 8, 2012 by Jedi master Brick

[brickmack]

Not a big fan of the Ninjago sets, but I hope it does continue for a while longer. Lots of interesting parts and figures. The Pirates thing sounds interesting though, I might get some of those if they actually do come out.