In 2006, a Chinese studio created Blazing Teens, a show about teens who use magic yo-yos to fight evil. Almost a decade later, in 2015, Hasbro acquired the licensing rights to the franchise and created the animated series called Blazing Team: Masters of Yo Kwon Do.
Yes, yo kwon do. Seriously.
It premiered on November 13, 2015 and is currently hosted by Discovery Family.
Blazing Team provides examples of:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Subverted in "Yo-Tomatic for the People". The robot actually worked fine until it was exposed to yo kwon do energy.
- Animesque: Due to being an Eastern/Western co-production, Blazing Team's art style is also a mixture of both.
- Battle in the Rain: One occurs in "Lightning Strikes" when Maddie and Johnny face off with each other.
- Beach Episode: "Muscle Beach".
- Big Bad: Belloc of season 1. Until he becomes The Atoner for season 2.
- Yao Long of season 2.
- Cain and Abel: Maddie is a member of the Blazing Team while her brother Johnny joins the Order of Anarchy. This leads to a standoff between them in "Lightning Strikes".
- Same for Vikki and Yao Long; the latter holds a grudge against her for choosing to embrace the light and train with Lao Shi.
- Cool Old Guy: The mentor of the Blazing Team, Lao Shi.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Scarpetti, who has no problem having his goons shake down business owners to convince them to sell out to him.
- The Corrupter: Belloc plays this role, seeking out vulnerable individuals to create his own group to battle the Blazing Team.
- Dark Is Evil
- The Dragon: Johnny to Belloc's Big Bad.
- Combined with a Face–Heel Turn.
- Driven by Envy: His envy of Scott's fame and recognition is one of the reasons why Johnny joins up with Belloc.
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Averted. The efforts of the Blazing Team are well known for the most part and is even televised at some points. They even have their own fanclub, though one member becomes an antagonist.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Johnny is not keen on the idea of hurting his sister, even though they are now enemies.
- Evil Former Friend: Johnny and Otto.
- Evil Mentor: Belloc to Johnny and the rest of the Order of Anarchy.
- Evil Plan: Belloc has one, to unite the shards of the dark half of the Nexus. And he succeeds.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Belloc wears a mask that has a built-in voice modulator that deepens his voice with a British accent.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: As a rule, pretty much anyone who comes into contact with one of the darkness infused stones.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Yao Long, the voice inside Belloc AKA Dr. Henry Shaw's yo-yo, who has been manipulating him through the first season.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: The Blazing Team temporarily become these in "A Blazing Scheme" when Jane uses social media to discredit them.
- Improbable Weapon User: Both the Blazing Team and the Order of Anarchy use yo-yos to do battle.
- It's All About Me: One of the causes of Johnny's Face–Heel Turn.
- Killer Yoyo: Don't forget that they're magic too.
- Kung-Fu Wizard: Technically everyone who practices yo kwon do.
- Light Is Good
- Light Is Not Good: Anyone who comes into contact with a light shard.
- Loony Fan: Otto. Not only does he hack into the Blazing Team's social media, but he also goes through their trash, sells stuff they've touched online and puts their personal information on his fan page. He doesn't even seem to grasp the idea that the Blazing Team might not want their personal information public.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: Yao Long is revealed to be Vikki's brother.
- Malevolent Masked Men: In season 1, Belloc wears a mask to hide his identity, who is Dr. Henry Shaw.
- Noble Bird of Prey: Scott's yo kwon do spirit, the eagle.
- Order Versus Chaos: With light representing order and darkness representing chaos.
- Our Dragons Are Different: Lao Shi's yo kwon do spirit is an eastern dragon. Two dragons are also in the show's logo.
- Our Zombies Are Different: In season 2, whenever a dark entity touches someone, that person is turned into a mindless slave.
- Panthera Awesome: Parker and Belloc's yo kwon do spirits, tiger and lion, respectively.
- Personality Powers: These are given to those infected by the shards, such as Super-Speed to a track runner.
- Police Are Useless: Despite the darkness running amok in Union City and the Blazing Team and the Order of Anarchy fighting, there doesn't seem to be a single police officer in sight.
- Pro Wrestling Episode: "Strong Like Wilson".
- Really 700 Years Old: Lao Shi and Vikki (real name Julli Tangi) have been around for 2,000 years thanks to their pure light yo kwan do energy.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: Belloc's outfit consists of this. So does his yo kwon do lion spirit.
- The Rival: Johnny to Scott.
- Quickly becomes a case of Rival Turned Evil. Though strangely enough, he seems to target Parker the most.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Yao Long, the series' real Big Bad, has been trapped in his yo-yo for centuries. He is released once the shards to the dark half of the Nexus are returned.
- Sealed Good in a Can: Lao Shi becomes trapped in his yo-yo in the first season finale. Parker is convinced he can free him. And he eventually does, with the help of Vikki.
- Snakes Are Sinister: Johnny's yo kwon do spirit, the cobra.
- Super-Speed: The power given to Scott's friend, Chase, when he is infected with the darkness of one of the shards.
- Synchronous Episodes: "Three the Hard Way" has Maddie, Scott and Wilson go with Dr. Shaw to close the Dark Realm rifts, while "It Takes Two" has Parker and Vikki go to the Nexus to free Lao Shi from the Light Realm.
- Weather Manipulation: One of the powers granted by one of dark shards.
- Would Hurt a Child: Belloc and his followers have no qualms about hurting the Blazing Team, with Belloc even willing to leave Parker to die alone in a cave.
