The Guardian

Having seen Busifan's The Storm just a few weeks earlier, I jumped at the chance to watch The Guardian [Da Hu Fa], his first feature film. Quality animation is hard to come by these days, especially when sticking to feature films. My expectations were quite high, despite realizing that the overall quality might be a little lower, if only because of budgetary reasons. And sure enough, The Storm is the better of the two films, but that doesn't mean The Guardian isn't worth your time. The quality is already there, just in slightly smaller doses.

To see this film was partly crowd-funded was both endearing and soul-crushing. On the one hand, it's lovely to see that audiences are willing to invest in people with vision and talent, on the other hand, how can it be that the industry itself isn't doing more to get people like Busifan to the top. He's a poster child for China's current animation industry, which is banking on original and creative fantasy lore to set itself apart from its Japanese neighbors and overseas competition. A guy like Busifan should be fostered by its own industry, rather than have to beg for money from audiences directly.

The Guardian is very much in line with other outstanding Chinese animated films of recent times (think Deep Sea or Big Fish Begonia). It's an adventure film that threads into the fantastical, by mixing more traditional Chinese folklore and cultural elements with a dose of unfiltered creativity. As such, it doesn't feel like a collection of overly familiar elements mixed together, but something novel and exciting to explore through the eyes of the director. There isn't enough of that these days, with too many studios and directors sticking with familiarity. This is particularly damning for a genre that isn't restricted by reality.

A little guardian is entering an unexplored world. He is looking for his prince, who fled the kingdom after a falling out with the king. The guardian soon discovers that the inhabitants of this world are apathetic mutes who don't appear to be helpful when asked for guidance. But then he notices one of them is wearing a piece of clothing from his prince. Before he can get to him, others appear and chase after the guy. The guardian has no other choice but to step in. And by doing so, he gets himself involved in a nefarious scheme concocted by the ruler of this country.

The visuals aren't up to par with more recent peers, but that isn't too surprising for a decade-old animated film that partly relied on crowdfunding to get made. Also, Chinese animation has quickly risen to the absolute top of its medium, so it would be crazy to expect The Guardian to compete with more recent outings head-on. The character designs are somewhat limited and there aren't many individual moments that jump out, which is where Busifan shows his limitations. But that doesn't mean the film looks bad. The quality of the animation is more than solid, the background art is beautiful, and the fantastical designs are inspired. The visuals help establish a unique and magnetic mood that draws the audience in, so no major complaints there.

The score is quite traditional, a mix of classic Chinese sounds and epic fantasy tunes. It is effective, though, without taking up too much space or demanding too much attention. The sound effects are decidedly more atmospheric and bring some darker vibes to The Guardian. I tend to prefer something with a bit more character, but for all intents and purposes, the score is perfectly serviceable. And so was the original Chinese dub. I didn't find an English one, which I guess is one of the few perks of an animated film not getting little to no international recognition. All the voices were distinct and fitting, lending that extra bit of authenticity to the film.

The film starts when our little guardian arrives in a foreign land, which is a simple but perfect setup for a fantasy adventure. The audience is allowed to explore this new world with the main character, discovering everything in real time. The lore isn't too complex, but as not everything is explained right away, it pays to be extra attentive during the first half. After that, the core story kicks in and things are much easier to keep track of. Busifan doesn't take too many chances with the story (apart from it being a nice allegory), but that's not what this film is about in the first place.

Looking back now, it's a small miracle The Guardian came to be, and that Busifan delivered such a high-quality film. At the same time, it highlights the many amazing directors who'll never get their chance to make their masterpieces because of a corporate lack of adventure. All the more reason to celebrate this film. The wondrous sense of exploration, the original lore and the stylish visuals and emotive score are exactly what I need from this type of fantasy adventure. Busifan is an enormous talent and foes what few others manage nowadays: deliver original fantasy work.