Shiro Shinobi is a radio broadcaster who provides commentary on pro-bending matches in Republic City. Although a nonbender, he is a popular commentator among players and fans alike. In addition to his job as a pro-bending commentator, he also announced the results of the 174 AG United Republic of Nations election.
History[]
Early life[]
Shiro Shinobi was born in 130 AG. He is a lifelong pro-bending fan who began his career as a reporter by covering triad crimes. Tired of reporting on the darker side of life, he left this job to become the commentator of pro-bending matches.
In 167 AG, Shiro covered one of Toza's final matches, commenting that he had "overstayed his welcome" and was costing the Black Quarry Boar-q-pines the match, as he was the last member standing and on the edge of the ring. However, as the pro-bender roared back, Shiro commented that it was as if Toza had "woken up from a bad dream" and recovered his championship form from ten years earlier. He enthusiastically declared the knockout as Toza finished off his opponents.
170 AG[]
Shiro served as commentator when Korra listened to her first pro-bending match between the Fire Ferrets and the Tigerdillos on the radio from Air Temple Island. Shiro again provided commentary during Korra's debut match, where he remarked that she was a newcomer and that he was not sure she knew what she was doing. Later, when Korra inadvertently revealed herself as the Avatar, an astounded Shiro announced it over the air, which allowed an angered Tenzin to track her down.
Several weeks later, he was excited to announce the return of the annual Pro-bending Tournament to the arena and to be the commentator for the face-off of the sixteen best bending trios he had ever seen.
While watching the championship pro-bending match, he noticed that the White Falls Wolfbats were using illegal moves against the Fire Ferrets without being penalized by the referee. Immediately after, strange electrical flashes were seen throughout the arena, which were later found to be the Equalists defeating members of the audience and the Metalbending Police Force. Shiro announced all the events as they occurred; as he was doing so, a member of the Equalists with an electrified glove entered the booth. Shiro narrated his feelings of terror at the moment, chronologically relaying the actions the Equalist was doing, finally stating that he was "wetting his pants" as he was rendered unconscious via electrical shock. The revolution gave him nightmares for years afterward.
171 AG[]
After the conclusion of the Anti-bending Revolution, Shiro Shinobi returned to the commentator's booth in the Pro-bending Arena. He covered a short match involving the Fire Ferrets, declaring their loss to be the fastest knockout in pro-bending history.
When Bolin returned to the stadium as a spectator, Shiro invited the earthbender up to his booth for a quick interview. With the elimination of the Fire Ferrets for the rest of the season, Shiro inquired what the Ferrets' captain had been up to and if he missed being out in the ring.
Shiro attended the premiere of the finale of The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South at the Pro-bending Arena, reporting as a number of guests arrived, including Bolin and Ginger, whom he referred to as "Republic City's most famous couple", and President Raiko and his wife, Buttercup. He later took his place sitting in the audience to watch the new mover. However, when Bolin began fighting the men that had attempted to kidnap the president atop the pro-bending ring, his usual occupation kicked in, and he began commenting on the fight, noting that Bolin's use of two entire stacks of earth discs would normally be considered illegal. After Bolin managed to knock the final assailant out of the ring and into the pool, Shiro enthusiastically declared it a knockout.
Later, while UnaVaatu was attacking Republic City, a panicked Shiro described the scene as pandemonium, reporting that vines were destroying the city before signing off. After the Dark Avatar's rampage, Shiro returned to his job, commentating on a special charity pro-bending tournament organized to raise funds to repair the damage done to Republic City.
174 AG[]
In 174 AG, Shiro Shinobi announced the results of the United Republic presidential election. He began by discussion the events of the election, including candidate Raiko's decision to flee during the spirit portal crisis while candidate Zhu Li stayed behind to help civilians evacuate. As the results came in, he announced that Zhu Li had won the election with a landslide sixty-eight percent.
Trivia[]
- With the exception of "Welcome to Republic City" and "The Aftermath", Shiro Shinobi speaks during the short recap of the opening sequence in The Legend of Korra in the style of a newsreel, similar to the "Previously on Avatar" opening in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
- The creators chose Shiro for this role given his position as an announcer in the series, using the example of how characters in recaps for anime will narrate while in-character.
- Due to his recaps, the creators have joked that Shiro has more dialogue than any other character in the series besides Korra.
- Shiro is married, as he has mentioned his wife on the air.
- Shiro evidently knows some history, as he compared a fierce pro-bending match to the battle at Wulong Forest.
- The creators planned a scene where Shiro recovered from being shocked to finish his announcer duties, but it was cut out of the show.
- Bryan Konietzko auditioned to voice Shiro Shinobi but ultimately decided not to cast himself.
- When writing the pro-bending scenes for Book One, Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino increased Shiro's initial amount of dialogue to include more play-by-plays of the pro-bending matches, with the creators using their descriptions of the action scene animatics as reference.