I started this project on September 30th, 2019. At first, it was nothing but a writing experiment, but like a flower, the ideas began blooming in my head, and I knew a simple writing experiment wouldn’t do it justice. I wanted to tell a personal yet fun story, one where characters can come alive on the page. I started taking the project seriously around the time when Covid-19 first hit, and it has consumed my every thought since then for almost 3 years now. Maybe that doesn’t sound healthy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The structure has been a challenge for me, at first my gut instinct was to get this animated in a simple animatic/storyboard fashion, but that did not pan out. Then I tried a simple audiobook/radio play approach, though I still want to follow through with that format, our recording sessions made me realize that the story as it was at the time, was all over the place and the detail that I wanted the narrations to bring to life simply wasn’t there to a good enough degree, because I didn’t put in the effort I think the story deserves. Luckily now, I have been blessed enough by people like Eva, and of course, my active writing partner MLPNinjago Studios, to get the feedback the story needs and to help it move forward. Once everything is properly written and out there, we will proceed with the audiobook/radio play format.

Ninjago has had a huge influence on my life, if it weren’t for this show and Avatar the Last Airbender shaping me at a young age, IDK where I’d be right now. Being creative has always been my passion, so using the creative world of Ninjago as a backdrop for my stories and antics has been a blessing.

Oh, definitely. The last thing I want this series to be is a rehash of everything that came before, I don’t want to do season 1 again, I wanna provide something new.

I believe that fans of all ages can enjoy this story. We will NOT be crossing any dark lines, no there will not be any sex, drugs, gore, or swearing of any kind. There will, however, be the odd reference/joke/implication, but nothing big – those are very passing and will leave no lasting impact. When it comes to blood in general, you may get the occasional bloody nose, but that’s about it.

One thing I wanted to do is delve into my love of the Horror and Suspense genre, but as stated, I will not be going for anything big. I wanted to bring in the tension of horror, for example in a scene, you may get the “There’s something in there with them” kinda feeling, or a vibe that something just isn’t quite right about a character, a properly intimidating villain or that running from the monster sort of feeling. Though I brought up horror as an example, we aren’t looking for anything pants browningly scary, but rather the tension, suspense, and intimidation of something that’s not quite right, something you can’t put your finger on.

One thing I wanted to do is delve into my love of the Horror and Suspense genre, but as stated, I will not be going for anything big. I wanted to bring in the tension of horror, for example in a scene, you may get the “There’s something in there with them” kinda feeling, or a vibe that something just isn’t quite right about a character, a properly intimidating villain or that running from the monster sort of feeling. Though I brought up horror as an example, we aren’t looking for anything pants browningly scary, but rather the tension, suspense, and intimidation of something that’s not quite right, something you can’t put your finger on.

The themes have evolved since I began, as I mentioned it was nothing but a writing experiment at first. It now includes themes of discovering who you are and overcoming the shadow of those who came before, the whole series sort of embodies this, going over what it’s like when you’re held back and forced to not be able to be who you are. It goes over things such as

• Never being able to discover yourself
• Wondering where there is room for you to be you when you have the pressure to live up to legends
• How Hate and Anger poison us, turning us into someone we’re not
• What it’s like to have nervousness and terrible anxiety hold us back
• When we’re forced to do something that goes against who we are on a morale level

The Aesthetics for this current Season are, to put it simply, spirals and flowers. I cannot for the life of me remember where this initial idea came from to do a season based around voids, I just know that’s how it was supposed to be. Flowers do have more significance, with symbolism and a connection to our Villain.

That’s the plan! I have so many Ideas to explore. Whether it be exploring my love of cultures like Mesoamerican or Egyptian, or letting my love of history influence my writing in (hopefully) interesting ways. I want to expand the world of Ninjago in new and intriguing ways. I’m hoping to make stories that people will enjoy, going into deep moral messages, and varying themes while still being a fun and cohesive ride.

Ninjago NextGen – Heirs of the Masters is a fan project. No one can accomplish such a great venture alone – like the ninja, we are stronger as a team. And we don’t intend to quit! It’s incredible how creative the team is, and their artwork never ceases to amaze me. I’d like to point out that this is strictly a non-profit project for everyone. All team members are working pro bono to further the project and contribute with their creations on a purely voluntary basis. We are very proud of what we have achieved. If you are interested and motivated to support us in bringing the story to life, I invite you to message me on Twitter (@NinjagoGen), Instagram (ninjago_hotm) or Discord! To learn more about the project, visit us on the Ninjago Fan Website www.keepers-of-spinjitzu.com. And if you would like to support our cause, you can do so very easily by leaving a small donation on our Ko-fi (ko-fi.com/wonder2906).