Honestly, it’s hard to look back at 2013 without thinking about the massive gamble LEGO took with a world built on Chi orbs and anthropomorphic animal tribes. When the Legends of Chima TV show first hit Cartoon Network, it wasn't just another cartoon. It was a calculated, multi-million dollar replacement for Ninjago. LEGO actually thought they were going to sunset their ninja theme and move everyone over to the floating island of Mount Cavora. Obviously, that’s not what happened, but the show carved out a bizarre, beautiful, and sometimes frustrating legacy that people still argue about on Reddit and Eurobricks today.
The show was weird.
If you weren't there for the launch, it’s hard to describe the scale. We’re talking about a world where lions, crocodiles, eagles, and wolves fight over "Chi," a powerful blue energy crystal that basically acts like a natural steroid for animals. Produced by M2Entertainment—the same powerhouse behind Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu—the series ran for three seasons, totaling 40 episodes. It was ambitious. It was colorful. And for some fans, it was just too much too fast.
The Weird, Wonderful World of Chima
The Legends of Chima TV show didn't just tell a story; it built an ecosystem. You had Laval, the headstrong prince of the Lion Tribe, and his former best friend Cragger, the Prince of the Crocodiles. Their relationship is basically a Shakespearean tragedy played out with plastic animal heads. Cragger gets "corrupted" by a Chi orb after his parents are lost in the Gorge of Eternal Depth, leading to a massive civil war across the land.
It was heavy stuff for a kids' show.
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The animation style was distinct, too. Unlike the early blocky look of Ninjago, Chima went for a more "organic" CGI approach. The environments felt lush. Mount Cavora, the floating mountain that dripped Chi-infused water into the Sacred Pool, remains one of the most visually interesting concepts LEGO has ever animated. It felt like Avatar meets Thundercats, but with more vehicles that looked like animals.
The Conflict That Defined the Series
Most people remember the first season for the constant back-and-forth between the Lions and Crocodiles. But the show really found its footing—or maybe its strangeness—when it introduced the Outlands and the Fire vs. Ice saga.
Remember the Hunters? Those frozen, prehistoric tribes like the Saber-tooth Tigers and Mammoths? That’s where the Legends of Chima TV show went full high-fantasy. The stakes moved from "stop stealing our glowing blue rocks" to "prevent the entire world from being encased in a permanent ice age." It was a massive tonal shift that some viewers loved and others found a bit exhausting.
Why Fans Keep Coming Back to Chima
Why do we still talk about it? It’s been years since the final episode, "The Wings of Rebirth," aired in late 2014.
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The reason is the world-building. LEGO didn't just make a show; they made a culture. They invented a whole sport called Speedorz that was integral to the plot. They had complex social hierarchies. The Eagle Tribe were intellectuals who lived in the clouds, while the Wolves were a pack-minded, nomadic threat. It felt lived-in.
You also can't ignore the voice acting. Scott Shantz (Laval) and Bill Courage (Cragger) gave these characters a lot more heart than the script sometimes deserved. You genuinely felt the rift in their friendship.
Common Misconceptions About the Show
A lot of people think the Legends of Chima TV show was a failure. It really wasn't. While it didn't kill Ninjago—thankfully—it sold a massive amount of merchandise and maintained solid ratings for its entire run. The "failure" narrative usually comes from the fact that it didn't become a decade-long staple. It was meant to be a three-year "big bang" theme, and it did exactly that. It came, it conquered, and it retired to make room for Nexo Knights.
Another myth is that the show is just for toddlers. If you actually sit down and watch the Fire vs. Ice arc, the themes of sacrifice and environmental balance are surprisingly mature. It’s not The Wire, sure, but it’s got layers.
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The Connection to the Wider LEGO Universe
If you’re a lore nerd, you know Chima isn't just an isolated island. In the Ninjago episode "Curseworld, Part II," we actually see Chima as one of the Sixteen Realms. Morro and Lloyd literally fall through a portal and land in the middle of a Chima battle.
This confirmed that Laval and his friends exist in the same multiverse as the Ninja. It’s a small detail, but it blew the minds of kids everywhere back in 2015. It turned the Legends of Chima TV show from a standalone project into a permanent piece of the LEGO narrative tapestry.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive back into the world of Chima, there are a few things you should know about the current state of the fandom and the show's availability.
- Streaming Options: As of 2026, the Legends of Chima TV show is often found on platforms like Tubi or Amazon Prime, though its availability on Netflix varies by region. It's also frequently available for free (with ads) on LEGO's official YouTube channel or their website.
- The Collector's Market: Because the show was so tied to the sets, certain minifigures have skyrocketed in value. If you have the Fire-Chi versions of the characters or the massive 70146 Flying Phoenix Fire Temple, hang onto them. The "Ice" tribes, particularly the Mammoths, are currently very popular on the secondary market.
- The Digital Legacy: If you want more than just the episodes, look up the "Chima Online" MMO history. It was a short-lived browser game that expanded the lore significantly before being shut down. There are several fan-run wikis that have preserved the quest text and world-building from that game.
- Watch Order: Don't skip the "Mini-Movies." These were short shorts that aired between episodes and often provided crucial context for how the tribes interacted when they weren't at war.
Chima was an era of experimentation. It represented a time when LEGO wasn't afraid to get a little weird with their original IPs. Whether you loved the animal-themed mechs or found the Chi-powered shouting matches annoying, there's no denying that the Legends of Chima TV show left a mark on animation history. It proved that you could build a deep, multi-realm mythology around plastic bricks, a lesson LEGO took to heart for everything they've made since.
To fully appreciate the series today, watch the first three episodes to get the vibe, then skip ahead to the "Triple Header" specials. Those are the episodes where the production team really pushed the CGI limits and the writing matured. If you're looking to buy old sets, focus on the "Legend Beasts" from Season 2; they are affordable, highly poseable, and represent the show's creature design at its absolute peak. For those wanting to track the Ninjago connection, season 5 of Ninjago is your destination. Enjoy the trip back to Cavora.