Wie bereits in unserer Jahresvorschau kurz erwähnt, erwartet uns 2016 ein Animationsepos aus dem Reich der Mitte. Höchste Zeit für uns, das vielversprechende Projekt etwas näher vorzustellen. Und nach der Devise “ein Trailer sagt mehr als 1000 Worte” lassen wir am besten Bewegtbilder sprechen. Denn die sechsminütige Vorschau hat es in sich.
Der Trailer bietet eine bunte Mischung diversester Einflüsse. Von Akira Kurosawas “Die sieben Samurai und “Ran” über Studio Ghibli (insbesondere Meister Miyazaki), Peter Jacksons “Herr der Ringe” Trilogie und zahlreicher Eastern Elementen, vermitteln die Bilder im Zusammenschnitt ein zwar noch recht wirrer aber spektakulären Eindruck. Die 2D-Animationen des Films sollen dabei von gerade mal zwei (!) Animatoren (Li Wei und Pei Fei) umgesetzt worden sein.
Inhaltlich basiert der Film auf einer chinesischen Geschichte aus dem 16. Jahrhundert:
Ji Chang and Jiang Ziya
Jiang Ziya is an apprentice of Yuanshi Tianzun. He leaves his master at the age of 72. He only uses a straight fishhook without bait, three feet above the water, for angling. His neighbours are puzzled by his odd method of fishing. They ask him out of curiosity. Jiang replies, “What I’m angling is not a single fish, but the king and the great many vassals. Only those who really wish to go on the hook will be fished by me.” Jiang Ziya meant that he was waiting for a wise ruler who recognises his talent and needs him.
Some people told Ji Chang about the weird old man and Ji Chang becomes interested in him. One day, Ji Chang pays a visit to Jiang Ziya. Jiang Ziya demands that the duke helps him pull his cart. Ji Chang does so and stops pulling after he moved 800 steps forwards. Jiang Ziya tells the duke that his future kingdom (the Zhou dynasty) will exist for 800 years. Ji Chang wishes to pull the cart for a few more steps but he is too exhausted to move forward. Jiang Ziya becomes the chancellor of Zhou afterwards and assists Ji Chang in building his kingdom. (Wikipedia)
(via)