Xin Shen Bang: Yang Jian

Despite a wildly imaginative modernization, this is surprisingly one of the most faithful portrayals of the character Yang Jian from Investiture of the Gods, a 16th Century Chinese novel. From the character designs to the worldbuilding through meticulously researched historical details, Light Chaser really outdid themselves this time. And with mindblowing visuals that put hollywood to shame, this really is a movie that should be seen on the big screen.

It’s technically the sequel to Nezha Reborn, but you don’t have to watch Nezha before Yang Jian, or even at all, as they are not connected (yet). However, as the New Gods cinematic universe expands, both ... Nezha and Yang Jian's significance will increase, and they are a pretty good introduction into lore of Chinese legends. Investiture also shares canon with Journey to the West and Lotus Lantern, so there may be crossovers.

Mythological beasts straight out of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, quotes from ancient Chinese poets and philosophers, archaic calligraphy and cultural relics, real life locations with historical significance and legendary isles in the divine realm, all help tell this story through a distinctly Chinese lens.

The animation is cutting edge. Each character’s body language is unique, and subtle muscle movements like when Yang Jian clenched his jaw really gave the character depth of emotion. Attention to the smallest details like the different textures of the fabrics and the intricate patterns woven into them breathed life into the most mundane aspects.

The cinematography also produced some of the most stunning scenes in Chinese animation history - Chenxiang walking through the curtains at Duyue Pool and the colossal monuments of the gods at Mount Hua elicit visceral feelings.

Props to the animators for finally depicting an accurate Erlang. I was so sick of seeing the countless TV adaptations slapping a stylized sticker on the actors’ foreheads and calling it a “third eye”. That’s bullshit, they look nothing like an eye. I don’t understand why these modern dramas insist on portraying him this way. So it was great to see him back with a realistic third eye.

Personally, I don’t have much to fault about the movie, but I can see how the 2+ hour duration can be taxing on some. Yang Jian is a movie that demands attention because it is a story that spans millennia. This is a character steeped in over 3000 years of history, so it would’ve been almost impossible to condense it into a single movie, and they had to add the plot of the Lotus Lantern on top of it. It might be a bit too ambitious for the studio, but that shouldn't be a concern for casual viewers.

I would’ve liked to see the story focus on the titular character all the way through instead of Chenxiang, as during the second half of the movie it just felt like Yang Jian had taken a back seat. There is hope for the sequel though, and I’m interested in how the studio would bring the story from the Jin Dynasty to modern day after the timeskip.