Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja is an American animated television series, created and executive produced by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas. It is produced by Titmouse, Inc., and Boulder Media Limited. The series premiered on September 17, 2012 on Disney XD.

Plot
A town called Norrisville has been protected by a ninja for 800 years. But what the citizens of Norrisville don't know is that a new ninja is selected every four years. Every ninja starts out as a freshman and when the ninja graduates they pass down the ninja suit. 9th grade teenager, Randy Cunningham, is the next ninja. Randy is bummed, however, that he can't tell anyone. So instead of telling his best friend, Howard, that he's the ninja, he comes to the school for a "meet and greet", not knowing that an evil sorcerer is planning to destroy the ninja.

Main Characters

 * Randy Cunningham (voiced by Ben Schwartz) - A 9th grade kid and the main protagonist of the series who is chosen to be the next ninja. He and his friend Howard love video games as seen in the series preview. Randy sometimes thinks of himself as a ladies' man. Randy tries to find out new things about the ninja suit by reading a book that came with it called "The Ninja-Nomicon". Randy is also in a band with his best friend Howard Weinerman called "30 Seconds to Math" a parody of the band "30 seconds to Mars", in which he plays the keytar. Randy is lazy, doesn't always demonstrate good judgment, and he tends to ignore the good advice of the Ninja-Nomicon, leading him to frequently misuse his powers and weapons. However, he also has an ability to solve riddles, an affinity for science and a willingness to fix his mistakes.


 * Howard Wienerman (voiced by Andrew Caldwell) - Randy's best friend, who always call him by his last name. He is a big fan of the ninja in the first episode until he finds out that Randy is the ninja. Howard is secretly insecure about his "dainty" hands. Howard can be very selfish, but treasures his friendship with Randy. The Ninja-Nomicon has told Randy that friendship is a burden the ninja must not have, but Randy is determined to continue being both the ninja and Howard's best friend. Also, in the episode "Stanks Like Teen Spirit", it is shown that Howard is extremely good at chess, even beating a so-called "Unbeatable Robot".

Villains

 * The Sorcerer (voiced by Tim Curry) - The primary antagonist of the series. The Sorcerer is the evil one that wants to destroy the ninja. This one-time master of the dark arts was sealed beneath the Earth 800 years ago by the last survivor of Norisu Nine (a family of ninjas that fought the Sorcerer). But in the present-day, Norrisvile High School was built over his burial ground and he has reawakened. In order to escape, the Sorcerer needs to create chaos to build his power within the Chaos Pearls that he wears on him. He does this by creating and releasing a gas that can turn the most vulnerable people in school into rampaging monsters (referred to as "Stankifying"). The only way to reverse this transformation is by doing something massively distracting to the victim, such as destroying something the victim greatly cherishes or reuniting them with someone they love or care about. If he creates enough chaos, he could break free from his prison, destroy the Ninja, and rip the world to shreds. Hannibal McFist has allied with the Sorcerer to cause chaos in exchange that the Sorcerer gives Hannibal McFist the ability of his choosing. During his time in his prison, the Sorcerer started socializing with a rat. In "Raiders of the Lost Nomicon," Randy finally meets the Sorcerer in McFist's tower. It is shown that he has limited influence in the outside world by using a kind of red stank to attack Randy. The influence appear to be limited to McDist's corporate office.


 * Hannibal McFist (voiced by John DiMaggio) - The secondary antagonist of the series. Hannibal McFist is the owner and CEO of McFist Industries which makes or owns just about everything like McFist Tunes, McFist Limousine, McFillings, McCedes, McShorties, McSterminator, McSquiddies, McTighties, McTops, McHoodles, McFistios, McKicks, McFizzles, and McSkinnies. But the world is not enough for McFist. The one thing he wants more than anything is a super power. So he made a deal: if McFist helps the Sorcerer break out of his hole of a prison, the Sorcerer will reward McFist with the super-human ability of his choosing. Hannibal McFist has a robotic right arm which has its own brain. In "Last Stall On the Left", it is shown McFist doesn't always have complete control over his mechanic arm. Before discovering his true nature, McFist was actually Randy's hero due to loving all the stuff his industries make.


 * Willem Viceroy III (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) - Often just called Viceroy, he is a mad scientist but rather refined madman responsible for all of the bizarre robots attacking Randy. As McFist’s chief scientist, Viceroy doesn't really care about money or power. He just wants everyone to appreciate his genius. In "Monster Dump," it is revealed that Viceroy now keeps a pet amoeba named Nicholas. He was also a classmate to Jerry Driscoll and ratted him out to the police about his device causing his arrest.
 * Robo-Apes (voiced by John DiMaggio) - Robotic gorillas created by Willem Viceroy that that are often unleashed by Hannibal McFist to attack the Ninja.


 * Jerry Driscoll (voiced by Andy Dick) - Mrs. Driscoll's deceased husband whose skeleton she carries around with her at all times. In "Dawn of Driscoll," Randy accidentally brought his skeleton back to life. Its revealed that he is a mad scientist and arguably the most dangerous villain in the show as he spent his time building doomsday devices that could destroy the world and the universe. He hates Viceroy who got him imprisoned and stole the spot of Valedictorian at Mad Scientist University. The only thing he loves more than destruction is his wife.


 * Mac Antfee (voiced by David Koechner) - He was the ninja of the 1980s but was "condemned for conduct unbecoming of a ninja" and stripped of the ninja suit. He first appeared in a flashback in the Nomicon in "Stank'd to the Future" which revealed that he opted to lock a stankified student named Dickie in the cafeteria freezer so he wouldn't miss a dance. Whether or not this was the act that got him stripped of his ninja mask was unknown. Since losing the suit, he opened up a ninja camp that teaches kids to win via cheating and dirty tricks. He also believes himself to be the one worthy of being the ninja and has dedicated his life to reclaiming the mask. He is shown to have some fighting skills, though no where near the level of the ninja, and has trained numerous red suited students to serve as grunts, with one heavyset student also serving as his personal gong (much to the student's discomfort). After being defeated by Randy, he escaped on a speedboat with the student he uses as a gong, vowing revenge.

Other characters

 * Heidi Weinerman (voiced by Cassie Scerbo) - Howard’s older sister, and the host of "Norrisville High's #1 Me-Cast: Heidi@School!" She’s tall, beautiful, popular and on the cutting edge of pretty much everything. In "30 Seconds to Math" she is shown to be a fairly talented singer. She often gets Randy's name wrong, constantly calling him every other name that rhymes with Randy except Randy itself.


 * Theresa Fowler (voiced by Sarah Hyland) - A Norrisville High student who has an interest in baton twirling. She has shown an indication that she might have a crush on Randy as seen in "Night of the Living McFizzles" and "Der Monster Klub".


 * Debbie Kang (voiced by Piper Curda) - A Straight A student who has an obsession for Mexican death bears thinking them as "very cute" and can get over-excited when hearing about them. She can also speak fluent Spanish thanks to a hypnotising CD.


 * Bashford "Bash" Johnson (voiced by Dave Wittenberg) - A school bully and McFist’s stepson, the Norrisville High Crushin’ Carp quarterback, and a Grade-A jerk who thinks he’s the king of the school. What Bash lacks in intelligence, he makes up for in fists.


 * Principal Slimovitz (voiced by Jim Rash) - The principal of Norrisville High School. A recurring theme that happens in episodes that he appears in is that his car is always destroyed by Randy as "The Ninja" when he fights monsters and robots at school. After school, he acts like a baby cowboy, wearing nothing but a ten gallon hat, training pants, and a holster. When this news was revealed by Howard on Heidi's show and the students laughed at Principal Slimovitz, he said, "After school is ME time!"


 * Marlene Driscoll (voiced by Megan Mullally) - Randy and Howard's 9th grade science teacher who's smart, but out there and is often seen talking with her husband Jerry Driscoll's skeleton with bad ventriloquism.


 * Coach Green (voiced by John Oliver) - Randy and Howard's eccentric and insane gym teacher.


 * Mr. Bannister (voiced by Neil Flynn) - Randy and Howard's loud English teacher.


 * Miss Mary Elizabeth Zingwald (voiced by Annie Potts) - The poetry teacher at Norrisville High School with long ankle-length hair. In "Stank to the Future," she once went out with a student named Dickie (who was Stankified by the Sorcerer and left in the freezer by Mac Antfee). When Dickie is Stankified a second time, Randy had her presence Un-Stankify Dickie (which also got him caught up to his adult age) and the two of them were reunited.


 * S. Ward Smith (voiced by John Witherspoon) - The blind metal shop teacher at Norrisville High School. He is actually the swordsmith for the ninja, making the ninja's weapons.


 * Stevens - The trombone player in the school's marching band, he always wears sunglasses and hardly talks except when he plays the sour tone on his trombone which he has on him even when out of band uniform. In "The Tale of the Golden Doctor's Note", he always gets out of gym, because he has a doctor's note.


 * Julian (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - A Gothic Student who is seen wearing a purple top hat, a purple suit and sports vampiric features such as teeth. He speaks sometimes in Old English or in third person, even monologues of gothic rituals. He seems to admire death and torture, even his hat, but when he was in danger, he revealed that he was lying. Like a stereotypical goth, he can be seen popping out in any site mostly in dark areas to spook the people. He also does a flamboyant creepy giggle at times when excited. Howard thinks of him as a freak. Whenever he is Stankified by the Sorcerer, he is transformed into a spider-like monster.


 * Bucky Hensletter (voiced by Scott Menville) - A student who always get bullied by Bash and plays the triangle. He is shown to be vulnerable enough to be turned into a monster by the Sorcerer constantly. He has a crush on Flute Girl and even wrote a song for her. Bucky is a sort of recurring character as he's always shown in nearly every episode. He seems to love his triangle so much that he breaks out into a one man band and does a "triangle solo".


 * Flute Girl (voiced by Grey DeLisle) - Nerdy girl who plays the flute in the schools marching band. She is shown not to share the same feelings as Bucky does for her, though she does seem to be his friend.


 * Brent (voiced by Jason Earles) - A student at Norrisville High School who is the protege of S. Ward Smith. When Brent believed that S. Ward Smith was going to replaced him with Howard, the Sorcerer Stankified him into a goblin-like creature.


 * Dave (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui) - An accordion player at Norrisville High School.


 * Morgan (voiced by Kari Wahlgren) - The leader of "Dancing Fish", Morgan is a dancer with a sassy attitude and a smug voice.


 * Marci McFist (voiced by April Stewart) - The wife of Hannibal McFist and mother of Bashford Johnson. Though she is aware that her husband does supervillain-based activities, she is blissfully unaware that her son is the biggest bully in school even when she and Hannibal are often called in by Principal Slimovitz.


 * Buttermaker (voiced by Sterling Knight) - A jock at Norrisville High School who is the captain of the "Wave Slayers" water ski team.


 * Juggo (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - A student at Norrisville High School who dresses like a clown every day. His known talent is juggling while on a unicycle.


 * Jacques (voiced by Charile Skanker) - A foreign exchange student from France. He becomes a monster after The Ninja humiliates him in front of the school.


 * Mick - A football player on Norrisville High School's football team who is Bash Johnson's friend.


 * Dickie (voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait) - In 1985, Dickie was Stankified by the Sorcerer after mistakingly believing that his girlfriend had stood him up. Unfortunately for him, the ninja at the time was Mac Antfee, who locked Dickie in the freezer instead of fighting and freeing him so that he wouldn't miss prom. Inadvertently released by Randy, Dickie was De-Stankified only to discover he had been frozen for over twenty five years. Believing he had lost his beloved "Tawny" forever, he became depressed and was quickly Re-Stankified by the Sorcerer. But Randy managed to reunite him with Miss Zingwald. This magically freed him from the stank and aged him to how old he should have been by that point, allowing him to live happily with his love.


 * Gene Levine - An exterminator that helps Viceroy dispose of some unwanted created monster blobs.

Principal voice actors

 * Ben Schwartz - Randy Cunningham
 * Andrew Caldwell - Howard Weinerman
 * Tim Curry - Sorcerer
 * John DiMaggio - Hannibal McFist
 * Kevin Michael Richardson - Willem Viceroy III
 * Sarah Hyland - Theresa Fowler
 * Scott Menville - Bucky
 * Megan Mullally - Mrs. Marilyn Driscoll
 * John Oliver - Coach Green
 * Jim Rash - Principal Slimovitz
 * Neil Flynn - Mr. Bannister
 * Cassie Scerbo - Heidi Weinerman
 * Dave Wittenberg - Bash Johnson

Additional voices

 * Carlos Alazraqui - French Car Driver, Dave
 * Dee Bradley Baker - Julian, Juggo
 * Corey Burton -
 * Piper Curda - Debby Kang
 * Grey DeLisle - Band Instructor, Flute Girl
 * Andy Dick - Jerry Driscoll
 * Jason Earles - Brent
 * Jed Elinoff -
 * Jeff Bennett -
 * JB Blanc -
 * Keith Ferguson -
 * Bobcat Goldthwait - Dickie
 * Kim Mai Guest -
 * Sarah Hyland - Theressa Flower
 * Sterling Knight - Buttermaker
 * David Koechner - Mac Antfee
 * Biz Markie - Tiny Tim, Rudd Rhymez
 * Rob Paulsen - Jacques
 * Annie Potts - Miss Mary Elizabeth Zingwald
 * Sam Riegel -
 * Judy Reyes - Senora Jorge
 * April Stewart - Marci McFist
 * Fred Tatasciore - Janitor
 * Scott Thomas -
 * Kari Wahlgren - Morgan
 * John Witherspoon - S. Ward Smith

Crew

 * Jed Elinoff - Writer
 * Ginny McSwain - Voice Director
 * Scott Thomas - Writer
 * Jhonen Vasquez - Character Designer

Broadcast
A sneak preview of Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja aired on Disney XD in the United States on August 13, 2012. The official US premiere was on September 17, 2012. Disney XD Canada premiered the series on September 29, 2012. The series premiered on October 4, 2012 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and on Disney Channel Australia & New Zealand on December 10, 2012.