Supah Ninjas, Nickelodeon’s first TV show to star Asian-American teen lead Ryan Potter

Jessica Ng on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 10:15PM

These days, ninjas might seem so overrated, but we all still are somehow attracted to the mysterious ways of these silent warriors. Let’s put that element into a TV show and cast some Asians. Those residing in America, particularly the U.S., have you watched a Western-produced show with an Asian lead? To be more specific, an Asian-American lead? More than often, we see Asians as side characters, a source of comical relief. Not this time. Not in Nickelodeon’s action-comedy TV series, “Supah Ninjas.”

Here is a short synopsis that Nick’s official site provides about the show which started airing earlier this year in April: “Mike Fukanaga thought dealing with his jokester best friend, Owen Reynolds and trying to win the heart of his long time crush Amanda Mckay would be the biggest challenges in high school. Boy was he wrong. When Mike discovers that he comes from a long line of ninjas, he’s ushered into the exciting world of crime-fighting, butt-kicking, and villain-battling. Mike & Owen team up as “Supah Ninjas” and begin training with Mike’s grandpa a.k.a “Hologramps.” Too bad it’s not as easy as it sounds — between dealing with drama at school and fighting super villains, these Supah Ninjas are in for one tough battle.”

Below are descriptions of the main characters in the show:

Mike Fukanaga (lead character), played by Ryan Potter: Quiet and a little shy, having never quite realized his potential. But his world is turned upside down when he discovers a secret underground dojo, where a hologram of his Grandpa awaits to train him in the ways of the Ninja. Mike discovers he is the latest in a long family line of Ninjas, and ultimately learns about leadership, friendship, and romance while saving Empire City from villains.

Owen Reynolds, played by Carlos Knight: Mike’s best friend and sidekick since the third grade. Whether duking it out with a bully in the cafeteria or fighting side-by-side against a mega-villain, Owen is there for Mike. He may be the class clown, but don’t write Owen off just as a comedian — this Supah Ninja has a few tricks up his sleeves.

Amanda Mckay, played by Gracie Dzienny: She’s smart, athletic, and popular. But underneath, she’s a girl who wants adventure, and is not afraid of a good fight. With nerves of steel and a solid roundhouse kick, Amanda is out to prove that looks can be deceiving and this is one cheerleader you don’t wanna mess with.

Grandpa — a.k.a “Hologramps”, played by George Takei: The sensei of the Supah Ninjas and Mike’s grandfather. A hologram carrying the family ninja legacy, he guides the Supah Ninjas and trains them in an underground high-tech dojo. He acts as the spiritual leader of the team, and is the heart of this group.

So the title and some of the story line (or a lot of it) might sound cliche, but when something’s cliche, many more people can relate to it. This reminds me a bit of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” mixed with other various themes for some reason. But interesting thing is, “Supah Ninjas” was created by Leo Chu *pause for effect*, along with Eric S. Garcia. That being said, there is direct Asian influence on the show.

So you can match names with faces, below features all who were just mentioned.

From left: George Takei (Grandfather); Eric Garcia, executive producer/creator; Gracie Dzienny (Amanda); Carlos Knight (Owen); Ryan Potter (Mike) and Leo Chu, executive producer/creator.

Watch “Supah Ninjas” on Saturdays 8:30 EST/7:30 Central Time, only on Nickelodeon.

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