Jentry Chau vs the Underworld

[Drunk Monk]

Jentry Chau vs the Underworld

Another Asian led show with Ali Wong in an unrecognizable lead, Bowen as a captured jiangshi, plus upcoming appearances by Jimmy O Yang & Lucy Liu.

Watched the first ep - under 30 mins - not sure how many there are, 8 maybe? I liked that it got the yaoguai world right and the Chinese weapons. It was better than expected in that way - the nod to Nezha’s Wind Fire Wheels slapped. I’ll watch more.

[Drunk Monk]

A few more eps in. 

This show has done its research with the yaoguai world. That’s refreshing. It’s nailing its representation of  Chinese myth well.

E2 had Horsehead & Oxhead, the gatekeepers of hell aka Diyu. They’re like Cerberus in their role, or door guardians.

E3 unravels some of the backstory with Jentry’s parents. Lucy Liu voices the mom.

E4 goes to the Alamo (this is set in texass) which just happens to be full or the spirits of the fallen there and they can possess students on their field trip.

E5 is a big reveal on one of Jentry’s suitors (this is a teen drama). And it starts to get a tad creepy with his parents. 

I wouldn’t have recognized Ali. She sounds much different than her stand up (I’ve seen her shows and am not really a fan but follow her more because she’s Asian relevant). Bowen is very distinctive and vacillates from annoying to spot on because his character is an annoying jiangshi who doesn’t hop. 

The animation is simple, not very good. I’m into it for the yaoguai stuff and even learned a new term - nugui (female ghost I think) which refers to female ghosts who weren’t seen in life like in The Ring. 

I’m also into it for the K-pop references. Katseye does the opening theme:


But this is not D00M recommended. It’s not that good, somewhat muddled by the same old teen romance tropes and weak animation in an era when animation is so much better than its ever been. I’d say the only reason to see this is to get an education on the yaoguai world and how mystical qi works within that world. I’ll keep watching tho - it’s becoming a guilty pleasure.

[Drunk Monk]

Another ep in. Watched a short interview with Ali and the main creator Echo Wu. The show had some PhD consultant for the yaoguai & mythology, and it really shows. The reluctant painted skin yaoguai can see qi flow, which just clicked with me just now with the movie Painted Skin where thr mogui could see through victims’ bodies to view their heart & cardio system. http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=1396

I should rewatch Painted Skin. I have fond memories of it, both parts 1 & 2.

[Drunk Monk]

Zhongkui! One of my fav antiheroes of the yaoguai world. I wasn’t bowled over by his interpretation here tho, but glad to see him. There was also a 5 tailed fox. Shoulda been 9. And 2 bakeneko, but they are from the Yokai world. The last 2 eps lost a lot of authenticity cred with me.

[Drunk Monk]

Got to ep 10. This really deserves better animation. There’s some decent storytelling but the animation is lacking. It’s be great in live action - might even be terrifying because the bad animation softens the yaoguai. But some of the netherworld concepts are horrific when you imagine them in cgi. There was a snake spirit, which I always enjoy. But then there was a chimera, and like the bakaneko, I wish they’d just stay within the yaoguai world. Ali & Bowen are doing good.

Some major deaths in e10. Surprisingly heavy. 

3 more to go.

[Drunk Monk]

Seen. There was some good stuff in here in terms of representation and storytelling, plus the K-pop soundtrack slapped, but the animation was weak and that undermined it. It was garish color schemes and crude renderings - I kept thinking this would be a great horror show in live action because what was being represented was ghastly. 

Not D00M recommended.