Zuori Qing Kong

I will try my best to keep this spoiler free ^^. As you may already be able to tell from my score. I really enjoyed this film. Being a new wave of 'Chinese' produced anime, from studios, I have never heard of. This film was a very fun and interesting watch, I found myself watching this weeks before my exam, in need of procrastination (not a good thing). Only to be left astounded with the breathtaking animation-at times. And the beautifully composed characters and story plot. Overall I will be splitting this review into 5 sections, for simplicity's sake.

One - Story. This story was ... beautifully written, set in a high school where students find themselves unsure of their future, and their future envisioned by some of their parents. Like most Chinese films I have seen prior. Instead, this was incredible with its new modern ideas and takes on a stressful time period for some. It leaves one with a moral, and some to think back on, to reflect. Which I believe differentiates the best of movies from the worse.

Two - Art. At times the art was spectacular with truly jaw-dropping moments, with amazing CGI to plain out garbage moments, but be not discouraged and strive on as it will not affect the plot in any shape or form. Be aware that at some moments it feels rather rushed and rough. But what sticks is the amazing views, the amazing character designs and the amazing detail put in at just the right moments. Overall for the artworks you either love it or hate, because of the incontinence from the producers or you will love it for the scenes that do deserve praise.

Three - Soundtrack. Early in the film, to my surprise, I had realised they were using ANOTHER animes opening, being Slam Dunk I am unaware for any other instances thus will remain neutral on this. Nevertheless, the soundtrack was not out of this world, (Grammy Nominatible) but rather simple and sweet, with good moments every now and again. However, to no one's surprise, I must mention the Chinese Dubbing as this show was made in China. On other reviews, I saw people say they hated it just for that one reason, or they could not get hooked because of the unfamiliarity. I find these claims flat out stupid and hypocritic coming from the very same people who mouth on about how 'subs are better than dubs!'. Almost funny to an extent, I must although include my reason for bias if any. Of the fact that I am not of Chinese descent but have been taught a few Chinese words here and there so it was refreshing to understand some words properly instead of just 'NANI or ONIICHAN'. The voice acting is not really well and must be praised.

Four - Characters. The characters are composed and put together really well, with story elements of the MC tracing from his past to the present, even leaving one with a really great ending. The four main leads to this show are portrayed really well.

Overall - I think this show is a must watch for people pursuing something to make them think, or reflect back on about their life or think towards the future and what they truly like and want to pursue. In the end I think that people should not feel discouraged from the Chinese Studio and Chinese Voice Acting, instead should stay open-minded for something refreshing.
Thanks for reading, and I sincerely hope you give this one a try! ;)
TRY YOUR BEST!!!

Disclaimer: I am not Chinese, nor am I very familiar with the culture, so there were undoubtedly some subtle cultural things I missed while watching this film.

Overall: 7/10
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I decided I wanted to find some Chinese anime to watch to learn more about the culture and language. I rated this movie a 7, but that's still a massive compliment compared to most other Chinese shows I've seen. It's overall pretty good and wouldn't be out of place as a Japanese anime movie, aside from the language obviously.

Story (no spoilers): 7/10
This is the story of a small group of friends ... as they are finishing high school and seeking what they want to do with their futures. The story really emphasizes following your own dreams and not just doing what your parents or teachers want you to do, which is relatable to pretty much everyone but, I'm sure, doubly so for Chinese viewers. The film seems to take inspiration from Makoto Shinkai's works, especially "5 Centimeters per Second". If you enjoy that sort of sad, introspective storytelling, I think you'll enjoy this.

Art: 8/10
I stated above that the film seems to take inspiration from Makoto Shinkai, and that is also very evident in the film's art style. It is a gorgeous film. Any frame could make a good wallpaper. It really looks like Shinkai's films in that way. Unfortunately, while the frames look good on their own, the animation itself leaves a lot to be desired. It's not horrible by any means, but it gives the impression that most of the budget went to making still frames and the animation between them was a bit of an afterthought. If it weren't for that, I'd probably give the art a 10/10.

Sound: 6/10
There are a few vocal tracks throughout the film. I don't really understand Mandarin, but the songs were nice to listen to anyway. The voice acting was hit-or-miss. The main characters were mostly good, but some of the side characters' VAs sounded completely disinterested. Again, I should stress that I don't understand the language or culture so I could have just misinterpreted the characters' intonation and such.

Characters: 8/10
I was surprised by how much development some of the characters got in such a short amount of time. Almost every character seemed layered and thought-out, and the main characters especially are likable and believable. I found myself getting really invested in their story. I also really appreciated that several characters, including side characters, had scenes focusing entirely on them. In that way, I think the film balances its development well. I think this is probably the strongest aspect of the movie.

Enjoyment: 8/10
I greatly enjoyed this film and would gladly watch it again. My score here would be higher, but I think it's a little too slow in the first half.

Overall, I'd highly recommend giving this a watch if you're a fan of Shinkai's stuff (or others like it).

Chinese animation can be strange, or maybe the right word is unnatural, in intervals. Regardless of the specific interpretations, their attention to movement is rough, so much so that otherwise passable production qualities pale in comparison. It's not a matter of resembling realism, but the frame-by-frame continuity needs a purpose, something that's missing in Zuori Qing Kong. The motion of a character's upper body alongside their expressions is imperative in relaxed atmospheres, and hyperactive blinking on lifeless faces doesn't quite sell the scenario. Despite these jarring displays, the film has an aesthetic, a sense of visual direction hoisting up the weaker components. It's usually confined ... to scattered metaphorical sequences of either imagination or inspiration, but the art distinguishes itself like we've begun watching a different film, not always a positive per se. And compounding upon its existing faults, the technical merits are all but none. Drastic jumps in quality often serve as proof of studio talent, yet simultaneously they can easily overshadow what the audience had grown accustomed to.

Yijian Gong, the original creator, is seemingly a huge fan of the Slam Dunk manga, incorporating numerous references into the background. There's a short scene early on where the two male leads play a pick-up game of 2v2, and the first Slam Dunk opening song accompanies some of the replicated cuts, which is the highlight of my viewing experience. The story is typical tropey material, bittersweet adolescent romances, and cloudy futures. Gong manufactures the feeling of nostalgia, almost telegraphing it through the initial indication of a flashback. In some ways, it's treading the safe route, satisfied in lightly touching on social criticisms of the Chinese academic cesspool of expectations. The characters are caricatures of love triangle dynamics, an imitation of more substantial relationship writing. Profoundly silly melodrama with self-referential subplots; at best, Zuori Qing Kong is a nod to the manga scene of a different country.