"Ni hao, Kai-lan" is a new kid's show on Nick Jr. featuring the adventures of Kai-lan, a Chinese American girl and her band of animal friends. It's easy to see the comparisons to Dora the Explorer as Kai-lan interacts with the viewer, even teaching words and phrases in Mandarin Chinese. The mere existence of the show reflects the undeniable growth of Chinese influence on the world and American culture.
After watching the first episode, I can't deny that the show is super super cute, down to the talking koala who wears panda slippers. The art is stunning, the animation is great, and the voices are charming. The only thing that irked me was that the continual pychoanalysis seemed a little over the top. ("Rintoo is emotionally disturbed, we have to help him!!!") The creators say that the show addresses "issues common to preschoolers such as taking turns, disappointment and jealousy and supports an emotional intelligence curriculum highlighting cause and effect thinking in the social/emotional world." Maybe its just me, but it strikes me as a little ironic, since discussing one's personal feelings is not something Chinese people as a whole necessarily embrace as a cultural value.
But in the end, it's good to see Asian American culture being more widely supported and represented in a positive way. The well-intentioned lessons and super cuteness of it all makes me want to watch more of the adventures of Kai-lan and her crazy friends. That, and to buy my own Nick Jr. Ni Hao Kai-lan Tollee Koala plush doll as soon as possible.
"Making of" Video here at Nick Jr. after the commercial.
(First episode also available on iTunes.)
