For me, this story matters as an attempt at a genre that is very rare in China: a homegrown urban fantasy romance in animation. The heroine, Liu Yang, has a free, mischievous spirit but carries a family curse: every other day she turns into an animal, and every transformation causes no small trouble. The hero, Ke Da, comes through every trial and in the end they fall in love. The story aims to be fresh, healing and imaginative. It combines urban romance with fantasy elements and localises them, finding a new lane that few Chinese animations have taken; its free-ranging fantasy elements are well suited to animation.
Ke Da, a young drifter in Beijing, falls in love with Liu Yang, a free-spirited, lovable girl full of whimsical ideas, and discovers that she carries an ancient curse: every other day she turns into an animal, any animal. Ke Da does not back away; instead he takes on the job of looking after her. The strange animals Liu Yang turns into cause Ke Da no end of disasters. She has been a lobster, a sea turtle, a zebra, a giraffe and even a crocodile, and once she was a rhino running wild down Gulou Street at midnight. But Ke Da is happy to share these adventures with her, and their relationship warms along the way. Then, at the moment of their final confession, a misunderstanding arises. Liu Yang runs off alone, heartbroken, turns into a whale and is stranded in Shichahai, and Ke Da will do anything to save her...
Genre:
Romance, FantasyScreenwriter:
Lu HelaiLu Helai: Graduated from the Department of Dramatic Literature, Beijing Film Academy. The feature project Noble Fist was selected for the annual film programme of the project market of the 13th FIRST International Film Festival Xining; the feature project Yesterday Once More was selected for the Pingyao Film Project of the 4th Pingyao International Film Festival.
Ke Da, a young drifter in Beijing, falls in love with Liu Yang, a free-spirited, lovable girl full of whimsical ideas, and discovers that she carries an ancient curse: every other day she turns into an animal, any animal. What follows is a funny, healing, endearing and touching fantasy love story.