The Legend of Hei is a beautiful and heartfelt Chinese animated film directed by Zhang Ping, better known by the pen name MTJJ, released in China in 2019. It is available for purchase on Blu-ray and DVD. in 2021 and premieres on Crunchyroll in 2019. Spring of 2023. The Legend of Hei is a prequel to a flash animated film first created by MTJJ in 2011, and later adapted into a novel graphics in 2015.
The Legend of Hei is about Luo Xiao-Hei, a cat spirit who is forced to roam the world when his native forest is destroyed by humans. After being saved by another spirit named Fengxi, Xiao-Hei returns with him to meet a group of like-minded creatures. However, their shelter is soon attacked by a powerful human named Wuxian, who eventually takes Xiao-Hei with him on his travels. Although initially trying to escape from Wuxian, Xiao-Hei soon discovers there is much more to learn about humans. As Fengxi and his team pursue Wuxian and Xiao-Hei, the latter must make a decision as to who he will side with.
The Legend of Hei is actually a prequel
As mentioned earlier, The Legend of Hei is a prequel developed for The Legend of Luo Xiao-Hei animated series, the animated series based on the series, which has 40 episodes to date and focuses on the story of Luo Xiao-Hei then. He was injured while stealing an artifact. He is saved by a young girl named Luo Xiaobai and the two become good friends and start adventuring together.
The Legend of Hei Takes Place In A Beautiful World That Needs Balance
Like the Studio Ghibli films, The Legend of Hei presents a fantasy world filled with nature and wonder, while combining it with modern elements. Thematically, it revolves around larger themes around nature and environmentalism, especially regarding lost souls forced from their homes due to human intervention. The core dilemma of this film is presented in the struggle for coexistence between humanity and the souls of this world. In the modern world, souls have been pushed out by humans from the life they know, and forced to adapt or hide. Like everything, it doesn’t feel like balance or coexistence.
Due to the destruction brought about by humans in the past, Fengxi views humanity with a certain bitterness, leading him to carry out a plan that involves stealing Luo Xiao-Hei’s unique ability. Although he never initially intended to hurt Xiao-Hei, his desire to achieve his goal drives him to the point of being willing to kill his own kind in order to succeed. In the end, he showed remorse for his actions. The bond built between Xiao-Hei and his human mentor, Wuxian, is the beginning of a bridge aimed at bridging the gap between humans and souls. With an adorable 2D animation style and interesting character designs that will instantly captivate viewers, The Legend of Hei is a must-see for anime lovers everywhere.
The Legend of Hei is available for purchase on DVD and Blu-ray, and can also be streamed in English or the original Chinese dub on Crunchyroll.