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Ni Hao, Kai-lan
Ni-hao-kai-lan-tv-show-mainImage.jpg
Genre Animated series
Format Children's television series
Created by Karen Chau
Developed by Mary Harrington
Karen Chau
Judy Rothman
Sascha Paladino
Written by Sascha Paladino (Head Writer)
Bradley Zweig (Staff Writer)
Starring Jade-Lianna Peters
Clem Cheung
Ben Wang
Jack Samson
Khamani Griffin
Angie Wu
Beverly Duan
Terence Hardy
Hsiang Lo
Theme music composer Matt Mahaffey
Opening theme Theme Song composed by Matt Mahaffey
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
Chinese
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 32 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Mary Harrington
Running time 24 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel Nick Jr.
Original run February 7, 2008 (2008-02-07) – present
External links
Official website

Ni Hao, Kai-lan (你好, 凯兰) (Hello, Kai-lan) is a children's television show, which premiered on Nickelodeon on February 7, 2008 and on Noggin (now Nick Jr.) on February 2, 2009.

The show can also be seen in Canada on Treehouse TV and in the United States on Nick Jr.. Since November 2009 the show is also on Nickelodeon in Israel.

This show is a former programming of Nick Jr. 2 on 2009.

Contents

Premise

Ni Hao, Kai-lan introduces its viewers to the Mandarin Chinese language, along with elements of Chinese culture and values, multiculturalism (through the diverse backgrounds of Kai-lan's friends), and intergenerational families (e.g., Kai-lan and her relationship with Ye Ye). Ni Hao, Kai-lan also helps to support social and emotional development for preschoolers through cause and effect problem solving. This includes helping Hoho learn to be patient, helping Rintoo calm down because he's too mad, and helping Tolee to take responsibility for his actions.

Episodes generally feature:

  • Breaking the fourth wall
  • 11 minutes of interactivity[1]
  • A target word that is repeated multiple times[2]
  • A few words of Mandarin Chinese vocabulary
  • One or more of Kai-lan's friends having a negative emotional response to some action or activity (problem)
  • Kai-lan thinking out loud (observation)
  • Cause-and-effect problem solving
  • Before saying good-bye (at the end of each episode), Kai-lan says, "You make my heart feel super happy."

Main characters

Kai-lan Chow

Kai-lan Chow is a playful, adventurous 6-year old 1st grader with a big heart. She speaks both English and Mandarin Chinese, and she is super excited to share her language, her culture, and her playtime with her animal friends and the viewers at home. Kai-lan is a natural leader but she is also thoughtful and caring with a gift for helping her friends when they really need her. Her favorite animal is a dinosaur and in her music group, she plays her tambourine. Kai-lan is often referred to as the "Chinese Dora" because they have animal friends and share a foreign language to kids. This however may be an inaccurate comparison because the premise of the two shows are not altogether entirely similar.

Voiced by Jade-Lianna Peters

YeYe

YeYe (Mandarin word for "paternal grandfather") is Kai-lan's playful, thoughtful and caring paternal grandpa. He was born in China and lovingly passes on his exciting traditions to his granddaughter. He provides Kai-lan with gentle guidance, leading her to find her own answers, at her own pace. (Kai-lan's parents and other grandparents are not known.). He can play the tuba.

Voiced by Clem Cheung (English) and Ben Wang (Mandarin)

Rintoo

Rintoo is a smart, competitive, impulsive and conceited five-year-old tiger and one of Kai-lan's best friends who loves dragons and racing race cars. He even shares a special roaring handshake (only in the introduction video and in earlier episodes) with Kai-lan: "tiger-tiger roar!" He has a thirst for adventure and thrills and often pounces headlong into the action without giving it much thought. But underneath the bravado, he's a sweet caring tiger who looks out for his friends. In Kai-Lan's music group, he plays the xylophone. He is especially close to Tolee and Hoho, but in Sports Day, he hurts their feelings by boasting. He usually says "Ooh! Ooh!" before he talks.

Voiced by Jack Samson

Tolee

Tolee is a five-year-old koala that loves pandas and fruit(especially apples, bananas, and pineapples). He is intelligent and always thinks before he acts and sometimes worries too much, but he never lets that stop him from having a great time with his friends. Kai-lan and her friends can always rely on him for good ideas. He is the vocalist in Ka-lan's music group. His love for pandas culminated in the two part episode "Kai-Lan's Great Trip to China" when the group traveled to China to meet a whole family of Pandas' including baby Xiao Xi Gua (Little Watermelon).

Voiced by Khamani Griffin

Hoho

At age 3, Hoho the monkey is the youngest of Kai-lan's friends, so when he participates in activities, he often goes first. He's full of boundless energy and nothing makes him happier than being the center of attention. He can often be found jumping on his friends' heads or playing his turntables as the resident DJ in Kai-Lan's music group.

Voiced by Angie Wu.

Lulu

Lulu is a six-year old pink rhino who floats around by the balloon tied to her horn. She loves to dance and help her friends, playing house and having tea parties. Kai-lan and her friends often call on Lulu for help.

Voiced by Beverly Duan

Mr. Sun

At the start of almost every episode, Kai-lan wakes up Mr. Sun so she can start her day. With the help of the viewer, Mr. Sun rises and showers down smiling sun fuzzies to Kai-Lan and she gets tickled by them. He also knows how to play the French Horn, so Kai-lan and the lady bugs (playing the pi-pa) join him as a little music group at the beginning of Tolee's Rhyme Time and later joins Kai-lan in her friends in the music show.

The Ants

In one corner of Kai-lan's backyard is a teeming mini-metropolis of ants called Ant City. The ants serve very important roles in the community: they deliver mail, they build things, and they love to play with Kai-lan and her friends. San San is their male leader with two right-hand ants Bubu and Fufu.

San San is voiced by Zachary Gordon, Bubu is voiced by Luke Manriquez and Fufu is voiced by Kyla Rae Kowaleski

Other, Grown-Up, and Minor Characters

  • Howard is an owl who first appears in "The Dragonboat Festival." He delivers letters, and only speaks in hoots.
    Voiced by Khamani Griffin
  • Mr. Fluffy is a baker at his own bakery who first appears in "Everybody's Hat Parade." He makes the best cakes, and is assisted by Mei Mei the Polar Bear.
    Mr. Fluffy is currently voiced by Elan Garfias, and Mei Mei is voiced by Brittany Chen.
  • Stompy the Elephant is a big, playful Elephant who first appears in "Safari Pals."
    Voiced by Hsiang Lo
  • Hula ducks who don't speak but dance and quack in episodes.
  • GuNaiNai is Kai-lan's Great Aunt and YeYe's sister. She appears in "Kai-lan's Trip to China."
    Voiced by Ming-Na.
  • Xiao Xi Gua is a baby panda. He appears in "Kai-lan's Trip to China."
  • The Peeking Mice are little, black mice who are often seen playing music.
    Voiced by assorted members of the cast.

Conception

Ni Hao, Kai-lan is based on the childhood memories of the show's creator, Karen Chau, growing up in a bicultural (Chinese-American) household.[1] However, the original concept for the show was a series of two-minute shorts oriented around yoga (a personal interest of Chau's) with the working title, "Downward Doghouse"—a reference to the yoga pose downward facing dog.[2]

International broadcasts

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Strike, Joe (2008-03-24). "Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Tigers and Dragons and Mandarin Lessons". Animation World Network. http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=3588. 
  2. ^ a b Liu, Ed (2008-02-12). "Toon Zone Interviews Nick SVP Teri Weiss About "Ni Hao, Kai-lan"". Toon Zone. http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=21597. 

External links

Nick Jr.
1989–1995
Eureeka's Castle (1989) • Gullah Gullah Island (1994) • Allegra's Window (1994) • Little Bear (1995)
1996–2000
2001–2005
Oswald (2001) • 64 Zoo Lane (2001) • Max & Ruby (2002) • Maisy Mouse (2002) • Oobi (2003) • The Backyardigans (2004) • LazyTown (2004) • Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends (2004) • Blue's Room (2004) • Pinky Dinky Doo (2005) • Go, Diego, Go! (2005) • Jack's Big Music Show (2005)
2006–2010
The Upside Down Show (2006) • Wonder Pets (2006) • Toot & Puddle (2006) • Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! (2006) • Yo Gabba Gabba! (2007) • Ni Hao, Kai-Lan (2008) • Olivia (2009) • The Fresh Beat Band (2009) • Team Umizoomi (2010)
Future
Dino Dan (2010) • Bubble Guppies (2010)
International channels
See also
Nicktoons
1991-1995
1996-2000
2001-2005
The Fairly OddParents · Invader Zim · Action League Now! · ChalkZone · The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius · All Grown Up! · My Life as a Teenage Robot · Danny Phantom · Avatar: The Last Airbender · Catscratch · The X's
2006-2010
Nicktoons channel
Future







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