A town called Norrisville has been protected by aninja for 800 years, but what the citizens of Norrisville do not know is that a new ninja is selected every four years. Randy Cunningham, a teenage boy who is a freshman at Norrisville High School, is the next ninja. Now, Randy must protect Norrisville from the evil plans of the Sorcerer, his ally Hannibal McFist, and Hannibal's assistant Willem Viceroy.[2][6]
Randall "Randy" Cunningham / Ninja (voiced byBen Schwartz[2][6]) – A Norrisville High freshman who was chosen to be the "Ninja", a mystic warrior who protects the school and the city from any danger that threatens the safety of people. Randy is depicted as being lazy yet outgoing and humorous, displaying a witty sense of humor, but he also strives to do what is right no matter what while going through the typical day-to-day life of a teenager.
Howard Herschel (voiced byAndrew Caldwell[2][6]) – Howard is Randy's overweight, rude, and troublesomeJewish-American best friend and the only one who knows his secret identity as the Ninja.
The Sorcerer (voiced byTim Curry[2][6] in season 1,Ben Cross in season 2) – An 800-year-old master of the dark arts who is determined to destroy his nemesis, the Ninja. At the beginning of the 13th century, the Sorcerer was imprisoned in a hole that is now located beneath Norrisville High School. The Sorcerer's main weapon is "stank", a magical ability that he uses to temporarily turn people into monsters.
Hannibal McFist (voiced byJohn DiMaggio[2][6]) – The owner andCEO of McFist Industries and the Ninja's archenemy. While everyone in Norrisville views McFist as a benevolent businessman, he has secretly made a deal to help the Sorcerer destroy the Ninja in exchange for the power of McFist's choosing. When Stankified by the Sorcerer, he becomes a large blue crab-like monster with long hair and his brain becomes a sentient red claw.
Willem Viceroy III (voiced byKevin Michael Richardson[2][6]) – Viceroy is a scientist that works at McFist Industries and is responsible for all robots that attack the Ninja.
Krackenstein (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) – A Frankenstein-like robot with six arms who is the first robot to be shown in the series.
Punkbots (voiced byBilly Idol in season 1 andRobin Atkin Downes in season 2) – Three robots created to rouse the McSatchlé Store as part of their latest plan to destroy the ninja. The Punkbots appear in the second season as the rulers of Scrap City.
Ninja-bot – A robot version of the ninja who has the same abilities as the ninja.
Steve Riley – A robot who disguised itself as one of Flackville High School's chess players. He was programmed with every chess move ever played and single-handedly defeated the whole Norrisville High Chess Team.
Franz Nukid (voiced byCarlos Alazraqui) – A robot created to infiltrate the school and learn the Ninja's identity.
Slaying Mantis – A roboticmantis who is sent to attack the ninja during his vacation.
Rhinosaurus – A roboticrhinoceros who can release gas and summons anyone's worst nightmare.
Robo-Elves – Roboticelves who serves as security guards in the Christmas Party of McFist.
Robo-Snowman – A roboticsnowman who is used to destroy the ninja in the Christmas Party.
Jerry Driscoll (voiced byAndy Dick) – Mrs. Driscoll's deceased mad scientist husband, who spent his time building doomsday devices that could destroy the world and the universe when he was alive. Driscoll now carries his skeleton around at all times.
The Disciplinarian (voiced byAndy Richter) – Thetour guide for Detention Island. He hates cheating and will go out of his way to try to kill cheaters if they are on his island.
Mac Antfee (voiced byDavid Koechner) – A former Ninja who operated in the 1980s and was stripped of the ninja suit after being "condemned for conduct unbecoming of a ninja".
Man-Gong – Mac Antfee's right-hand man.
Catfish Booray (voiced byJim Cummings) – A psychotic Cajun swamp man who lives in the swamp behind the school.
The Sorceress (voiced byJennifer Tilly) – The Sorcerer's girlfriend. Like the Sorcerer, she can use the "stank" ability as well.
Evil Julian (voiced byDee Bradley Baker) – Evil Julian is an evil version of Julian who was created when Julian came in contact with one of the Sorcerer's Power Balls.
Brawn Brickwall (voiced byMatt Berry) – A famous author, hunter, and adventurer from Norrisville.
Todd Principal/PAL (voiced byPaul Reubens) – A program created by the Norrisville high school board to ensure the kids to behave in class.
Queen Gabnidine (voiced byJon Lovitz) – The Queen of the Intraterrestrials from The Evil Mantle-Dwellers. She has the odd verbal tic of ending nearly all her sentences with a long drawn-out, "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?" She is just a made up person by Howard.
Whoopee 2 (voiced byBill Hader) – An evil version of Whoopee who is built by Viceroy replacing the original.
NomiRandy (voiced byBen Schwartz) – An alternate Randy created by the Nomicon to teach him a lesson about balance.
Halloweenja – The Ninja's suit infused with power, who can turn anything to horrors.
Beauregarde "Bucky" O'Brien (voiced byScott Menville[2][6]) – A wimpy and often bullied, unpopular student of Norrisville High who is a member of the school's marching band, in which he plays the triangle. He always makes jokes or comebacks, followed up with a "Zing!". Howard doesn't like him yet Randy enjoys his company. Bucky is shown to be vulnerable enough to be turned into a purple fish-like monster with long eyes by the Sorcerer constantly.
Bashford "Bash" Johnson (voiced byDave Wittenberg[2][6]) – A school bully who is the Norrisville High football team's "Crushin' Carp"quarterback as well as being McFist's stepson. When Stankified by the Sorcerer, he is transformed into a yellow monster with large arms.
Heidi Herschel (voiced byCassie Scerbo[2][6]) – Howard's atttactive, stylish, and popular older sister and the host of "Heidi@School!", an online gossip report that focuses on current events in both Norrisville High School and in Norrisville. Heidi is generally depicted as the school'squeen bee due to her high social status and her self-important, egotistical attitude, hence why Howard often enjoys messing with her. When Stankified by the Sorceress, she is transformed into a blue dog-like creature.
Theresa Fowler (voiced bySarah Hyland) – A shy, clumsy, and unpopular Norrisville High student who also has a crush on Randy, who appears to like her as well. When she is Stankified by the Sorcerer, she is transformed into a green plant-like monster.
Debbie Patterson (voiced byPiper Curda) – An intelligent and hardworking straight-A student who is an aspiringjournalist, serving as the chief writer for the Norrisville High School'sschool newspaper, but has a bossy personality and shares has a rivalry with Heidi. Debbie is also best friends with Theresa, sharing many of the same girly interests as her, although she doesn't get along with Randy and Howard despite Theresa's insistance. She is among the few people aside from Howard who knows Randy is the Ninja. When Debbie is Stankified by the Sorcerer, she is transformed into a porcupine-like monster.
Principal Irving Slimovitz (voiced byJim Rash[2][6]) – The nervous yet optimistic principal of Norrisville High School. When he was stankified by the Sorcerer, Irving turns into a tiger-like creature.
Marcie McFist (voiced byApril Stewart) – The perky yet easily annoyed wife of Hannibal McFist and mother of Bash Johnson.
Doug (voiced by Scott Thomas) – A Norrisville High student. When Stankified by the Sorcerer, he becomes a carp-like monster.
Flute Girl (voiced byGrey DeLisle[2][6]) – Nerdy girl who plays the flute in the Norrisville High marching band. She has been stankified into three different forms: the first one was a two-headed one-legged monster (when combined with Stevens), the second was aTyrannosaurus-like creature, and the third was a purple dog-like creature.
Rachel (voiced byLaura Marano) – The clarinet player in the Norrisville High marching band. When Stankified by the Sorcerer, Rachel is transformed into an enormous cat monster.
Stevens – The trombone player in the Norrisville High marching band, he always wears sunglasses and hardly talks. When he was Stankified by the Sorcerer, he combined with Flute Girl to form a two-headed one-legged monster.
Julian (voiced byDee Bradley Baker) – Agoth student who is seen wearing a purpletop hat, a purple suit, and sports vampiric features such as false fangs. Whenever he is Stankified by the Sorcerer, he is transformed into a spider-like monster.
Coach Green (voiced byJohn Oliver[2][6]) – Randy and Howard's insane gym teacher as well as Norrisville High's "Wave Slayers"water ski team coach.
Morgan Belding (voiced byKari Wahlgren) – The leader of Norrisville High's "Dancing Fish"dance squad, Morgan is a popular girl with apunk-inspired look, a snarky attitude and a smug voice. Later episodes reveal that Howard has an unrequited crush on her, as opposed to Theresa's crush on Randy. When Morgan's entire group (except herself) is stankified by the Sorcerer, they turn into multicolored shark-like creatures. When Stankified by the Sorceress, she is transformed into a green dog-like creature.
S. Thomas Smith (voiced byJohn Witherspoon in season 1 andGary Anthony Williams in season 2) – The blind metal shop teacher at Norrisville High School and swordsmith.
Mrs. Marlene Driscoll (voiced byMegan Mullally[2][6]) – Randy and Howard'sscience teacher. She keeps the bones of her dead husband and likes to talk through him like a ventriloquist dummy.
Pradeep (voiced byParvesh Cheena) – AnIndian-American student who plays the French horn in the Norrisville High marching band. When he is Stankified by the Sorcerer, he is transformed into a green monster.
Mr. Bannister (voiced byNeil Flynn[2][6]) – Randy and Howard's strict English teacher at Norrisville High who particularly does not like Howard (and vice-versa).
Ms. Crabapple (voiced byGrey DeLisle) – The strict and militantmusic teacher and coach of the Norrisville High marching band.
Mick (voiced byJohn DiMaggio) – A football player on Norrisville High School's football team who is Bash Johnson's best friend.
Juggo (voiced byDee Bradley Baker) – A student at Norrisville High School who dresses like a clown every day. His known talent is juggling while on a unicycle. When he is Stankified by the Sorcerer, he is transformed into a four-armed clown monster with long eyes and sharp teeth.
Dave (voiced byCarlos Alazraqui) – An accordion player at Norrisville High School and one of Randy's friends. When he is Stankified by the Sorcerer, he is transformed into a thin blue humanoid monster with accordion-like arms.
Mort Herschel (voiced byRichard Kind) – The father of Howard and Heidi Herschel who works at McFist Industries.
Gene Levine (voiced byJohn DiMaggio) – An exterminator who helps Viceroy dispose of a few unwanted monster blob creations. He also worked as a Shopkeeper, Builder, and a Home Mover
Dickie (voiced byBobcat Goldthwait) – In 1985, Dickie was Stankified by the Sorcerer after mistakenly believing that his girlfriend had stood him up.
Ms. Mary Elizabeth "Tawny" Zingwald (voiced byAnnie Potts) – The poetry teacher at Norrisville High School with ankle-length hair.
Jacques (voiced byRob Paulsen) – A foreign exchange student from France. He becomes a monkey-like monster after The Ninja humiliates him in front of the school enough for the Sorcerer to Stankify him.
Buttermaker (voiced bySterling Knight) – A jock at Norrisville High School who is the captain of the Wave Slayers. When he is Stankified by the Sorcerer, he becomes an olive green aquatic monster with four arms and four legs.
Brent (voiced byJason Earles) – A student at Norrisville High School who is the protege of S. Thomas Smith and one of Randy's friends. When Stankified by the Sorcerer, he becomes a goblin-like monster in samurai armor.
Pitch Kickham (voiced bySimon Pegg) – A superstar soccer player.
Terry McFist (voiced bySteve Zahn) – Hannibal McFist'shippie big brother and the true heir to McFist Industries.
Stanley Bagel (voiced byGilbert Gottfried) – Stanley is a student who served as a background character for most of the show.
First Ninja (voiced byJoel McHale) – The first ninja was the last ninja from the Norisu Nine who became the first Norrisville Ninja and trapped the Sorcerer underground.
Sinjin Knightfire (voiced byNat Faxon) – Sinjin Knightfire is a magician and the owner of the Magic Funporium. When Stankified by the Sorcerer, he becomes a magician-themed monster.
Jason Myers (voiced byRobert Englund) – Also known as Mudfart, Jason Myers was a student at Norrisville High in 1993.
Rudd Rhymez (voiced byDavid Alan Grier) – A Rapper and Leader of his Posse at Norrisville.
Tiny Timmy Scratch-It (voiced byBiz Markie) – The DJ of the Rapper Rudd Rhymez and a member of his posse.
Plop-Plop (voiced byAdam Pally) – The Esquire of the First Ninja and the Guardian of the Sorcerer Ball.
Levander Hart (voiced byDanny Pudi) – A Norrisville student and was a member of the 30 Seconds to Math. He got stanked after hearing Randy and Howard kicking him out of the group and suddenly became a rock star by himself.
The Kev (voiced byPauly Shore) – The owner of Club Kev, a resort in Lake LaRusso.
Charlie Cluckers (voiced byChris Parnell) – The founder, owner, and operator of the food chain Charlie Clucker's Chicken.
PJ McFlubbusters Manager (voiced byJohn O'Hurley) – White-haired, wheelchair-bound and wears a blue tuxedo.
Ninja of '05 (voiced byPatrick Warburton) – Muscular guy and Ninja of 2005.
The Creep (voiced byBruce Campbell) – Messenger who delivers the Ninjanomicon and Ninja-Mask to whoever is chosen to be the Ninja.
Dr. Sam (voiced byBill Hader) – A pediatrician who takes care of Randy.
Rorg (voiced byRob Riggle) – The protagonist of the television seriesRorg: A Hero of the Past. Rorg is a parody ofHe-Man andLion-O.
A preview ofRandy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja aired onDisney XD August 13, 2012. The official premiere was on September 17, 2012.Disney XD premiered the series on September 29, 2012, in Canada. The series premiered on October 4, 2012, onDisney XD in the UK and Ireland. It premiered in Australia on December 10, 2012, onDisney Channel and on April 10, 2014, onDisney XD.
Emily Ashby ofCommon Sense Media gave the show 2 out of 5 stars; writing that "Violence isn't bloody and typically doesn't result in human injury, it won't have an upsetting effect on tweens." She also said that "There's a mild sexual tone to some of the content, including some innuendo and partial rear nudity on guys and revealing clothing on female characters." But she claims that "The series touches on relevant social issues like status and striving to fit in, so there's a fair amount of content you can talk about with your tweens afterward."[9]