The Storm

Animation will always be my first love, but the past few years Japan has been slacking, and the US is still doing the same thing they've been doing for the past three decades. It's a good thing then that China rose to the occasion and presented itself as a worthy challenger. Busifan's The Storm [Da Yu] is another fine example that China is able to marry stylistic and technical excellence with folklore-infused original fantasy material, setting them apart from the rest of the animation industry. All the more tragic that man of their films keep flying under the radar.

Even though I hardly deep dive into specific niches or industries nowadays, I do keep my feelers out to find films that stand out from the norm. As such, I was disappointed to learn Busifan has been around for a while already. It's disheartening to see how dismissive the West is of Chinese cinema, apart from the usual arthouse fare and the odd mega blockbuster there's a worrying lack of visibility. A film like The Storm should be received with the proper fanfare, especially in a climate where something like Flow manages to win prizes, but that just isn't happening.

Maybe even more worrying is that one of the film's biggest strengths is often seen as a clear weakness. The Storm is a fantasy film that doesn't rely on recognizable folklore or franchise familiarity. I read that Chinese folklore was an influence, but it's not the popular snake demons and fox fairies you're used to seeing in the live-action counterparts. The Storm offers up a wholly original setting and universe, which is what every fantasy film should aspire to do. But apparently that makes the plot difficult to follow and the story too complex. Originality is considered a hurdle, a hurdle that requires too much focus and energy to overcome.

Mantou is a young orphan who is found floating on the river. Daguzi, a poor man, is the one who rescues him, and together they roam the lands, hoping for a stroke of good fortune. Daguzi is chasing a mythical boat that is supposed to house a tremendous treasure. The downside is that there are monsters on board, and that nobody has seen the boat for years. But it's due to appear again soon, and Daguzi is ready to claim the treasure. He's unaware that there is a much bigger event about to take place, and that the boat only plays a small part in what's about to happen.

China's newfound wealth is a godsend for directors. The Storm has all the hallmarks of an indie production, but looking at the quality of the animation, it's obvious that they had a hefty budget to play around with. The backgrounds are lush, the mesh of 2D and 3D animation is immaculate, and the animation is fluid and precise. There's a bit of a disconnect between the detail of the characters and the backgrounds, with the characters looking a tad clean and simplistic, but that didn't bother me for long. Bright colors, imaginative designs and some neat special effects all add to a visual experience that is glorious and unique to the world of animation.

What surprised me more was the beautiful score. I feel Chinese cinema often fails to recognize the power of a distinctive score that leads rather than supports. And while much of the music here still has a rather classic Chinese feel, a real effort has been made to leverage the score to create a more fantastical overall experience. There's a bit more whimsy and adventure in the arrangements and selection of instruments that drives the feeling of wonder while exploring the film's lovely universe. The Chinese dub is on point too. If the film ever makes it to the West I'm sure it'll come with an English dub, and per usual, I'm going to advise against supporting such atrocities.

If you're familiar with Chinese legends and folklore, you'll probably pick up on some of the influences and origins, but there are also many elements that felt alien and otherworldly. So yeah, you're going to need to pay attention to figure out who is who and how everything's connected. But in the end, this is still a fairly simple good guys vs bad guys narrative, where you can safely root for an agreeable lead. It's not a complex or convoluted film, and anyone with a basic interest in narrative media should have the skills to follow along just fine.

In a world that puts too much value on familiarity and is actively punishing creativity and originality in search of efficiency and easy gratification, a film like Busifan's The Storm needs to be celebrated. The stunning animation, the inspiring score and the unbridled creativity help establish a magical and exciting world that breathes new life into classic themes. In a way I'm delighted there's more Busifan to explore, at the same time, I'm disappointed that his work seems to be passing by without much hype or international awareness. A film like this deserves better.