Ani7ime Studio presents, “Brain Water,” the plot according their Vimeo page:
This is a story about mental pressure. In this story,the kids are constantly forced to bury themselves into their endless homework by those giant monsters behind them. The children’s brains are filled with water that can be heated by tension.If a kid is overstressed,the water in their brain would boil and produce steam,which becomes the food of the greedy monsters and the energy of the whole city. Thus,those poor children repeat their lives day after day, serving as the power plant of their world,spending their childhood in tragic misery……
Though I find the plot a bit tried (though very, very Chinese), the lush set and character design is what sets it apart, for example:
View the full video below:
The animation was created by students at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, and one person called them “China’s future hope for animation.”
6 Comments
Isn’t this a crude takeoff of Monster Inc. where their city lives off of the children’s fear? I can’t see the video – apparently it’s blocked down here in Xiamen…
Mark: Hmmm…. I don’t remember Monster’s Inc well enough sadly, though as I said, the plot wasn’t the most exciting thing for me.
Strange that they themselves posted it on Vimeo… you can see the 10 second trailer on youku here:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XOTYxNDM1OTI=.html
I must say, that animation was amazing!
I disagree with the analogy as I see the animation as a representation of the strict and unweildy government-on-our-backs. As Chinese people are used to the authorative regime under which they’re ruled one could draw a conclusion that the entire animation is a hyperbole for Tenimen Square.
That is, the government’s repression not being able to completely erradicate the freedom of ideas, for which the government of China was innitially unable to react…until things went too far and the tanks rolled in and everyone was forced back to their normal routine.
The last airplane is this animation; the freedom of ideas irrepressable.
but that’s just my opinion.
sybredeth,
interesting analysis! though I would not use T.Square as an analogy because it inflates the meaning far too much, I do see the links with the accepting-defeat mentality that you alluded to.
it was definitely a bit strange for me (being mostly western educated) to watch the triumphant uprising to be quashed towards the end… as well as the general air of acceptance… then again, the general air of acceptance is a very chinese thing sometimes
“Though I find the plot a bit tried (though very, very Chinese),”
This made me laugh, because it’s so true. As a steampunker myself seeking cultural diversity in the subculture, this was a breath of fresh air. Even if the plot is over-used!
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