Shiro Shinobi

"URN"

- It's a knockout! What a wingdinger of a hat trick, folks! Mako pulls off the upset of the season, winning the match for the Fire Ferrets!

Shiro Shinobi is a radio broadcaster who provides commentary on pro-bending matches over the radio in Republic City. Although he is a non-bender, he is a popular commentator among players and fans alike.

History
Shiro is a lifelong pro-bending fan who began his career as a reporter by covering triad crimes. Tired of reporting on this darker side of life, he left this job to become the commentator of pro-bending matches.

He 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. He was also present during Korra's debut match, where he remarked that she was a newcomer and that he wasn't sure she knew what she was doing. Later, when Korra inadvertently revealed herself as the Avatar, Shiro announced it over the air, which allowed 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, later found to be the Equalists defeating members of the audience and the Metalbending Police Force left and right. 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, stating that he was "wetting his pants". He was then rendered unconscious via electrical shock.

Trivia

 * With the exception of "The Aftermath" and pilot, Shiro Shinobi speaks during the shortened version 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.
 * Shiro is a fairly common Japanese name, frequently meaning "fourth child", though it can be written with a number of kanji and can also be translated to English as the color white. Shinobi (忍び) is a noun for "spy" or "thief", though it can can also used to describe the act of stealing away into one's home at night; it can also be a direct Japanese translation for ninja.
 * Shiro is known to be married, as he has mentioned his wife on-air.
 * Shiro evidently knows some history, as he compared a fierce pro-bending match to the Battle at Wulong Forest.