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Thursday, June 07, 2018, 10:33
A killer success
By Wang Kaihao
Thursday, June 07, 2018, 10:33 By Wang Kaihao


Killer Seven was highly rated by fans online and was the only entry from China to make the shortlist of this year's Annecy International Film Festival. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In the past, Chinese animation films have rarely won rave reviews.

So, it was a shock to see a homegrown series nominated for an award at the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France recently.

We used to have 'Chinese-style animation', but then, we lost it. Now, however, it's time for the genre to rediscover its Chinese identity

Zou Shasha, Producer

However, for Killer Seven, a 15-episode animated series which was piloted on April 25 through online streaming media platforms like Youku and Bilibili, it's very much a reality.

It has achieved an impressive 8.8 points out of 10 on film and TV review site, Douban, and is the only Chinese animation to be shortlisted at the where no Chinese production has ever won before.

Among the previous winners in the TV film category are British productions Peppa Pig in 2005 and Shaun the Sheep in 2007.

The winners will be announced on June 16, the final day of this year's festival.

In the offices of Aha Entertainment, a studio hidden among the hustle and bustle of Beijing's Sanlitun area, its producer Zou Shasha, 34, better known in the industry through her English name Aiken, is the force behind this remarkable tale.

"We do have the chance to win, right?" says Zou.

In the comedy series, set in a fictional small city, a young man called Seven, who has lost his memory, is accidentally hired by a shadowy organization as an assassin. He chooses a job as a barber as his cover and, although Seven keeps failing in his assignments, he gradually shakes off the image of a loser and finds his true identity.

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"We don't deliberately put in nods to traditional Chinese culture, but everything that happens on the streets of the small city makes you feel like it's a part of our daily life in China," says Zou.

He Weifeng, 31, director of Killer Seven, who is based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, is a good observer of his neighborhood.

"Not everything in the film is based on my own experiences," he tells China Daily, "but they all come from what I observe and how I feel about life. They're my true emotions."

He adds that the assassin's story is only a "shell".

"I borrow his points of view to express inclusiveness and love," he explains. "I always wonder why completely different types of people can get along with each other. Better understanding and love makes for harmony and peace."

Killer Seven was highly rated by fans online and was the only entry from China to make the shortlist of this year's Annecy International Film Festival. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

He, who grew up watching comedies starring Hong Kong actor, Stephen Chow, confesses that Killer Seven bears some resemblance to Chow's iconic films of the 1990s, which were extremely popular in China.

"I didn't deliberately use the style," he says. "It just came naturally. Chow's approach may have had its time, and will probably not reach those heights again, but while it continues to be a live comedy genres, I will keep following it."

The biggest selling point of the series is probably the creative action scenes, the show's fast pace and the characters' amusing accents, mixing Mandarin and Cantonese.

To obtain the latter, He invited "amateurs" to contribute voices, and an even greater realism and proximity to ordinary people's everyday life. As for He, he himself dubbed Seven's voice.

The director was also surprised that Killer Seven, which started with a "zero fan base," is now being lavished with praise.

TT Film, an influential cinema-centric WeChat public account, says: "If we can see an animation of such high quality each season, it will mark the rise of Chinese animation."

The show also climbed into Bilibili's Top 5 all-time list of Chinese animations and numerous online stores have began selling unlicensed, derivative souvenirs of Killer Seven-usually the sure sign of a cultural zeitgeist.

As a result of its success, Killer Seven may spark greater expectations for future animated productions from the director.

Speaking about the animation film scene in China, Zou says: "We used to have 'Chinese-style animation', but then, we lost it. Now, however, it's time for the genre to rediscover its Chinese identity."

In the 1950s and 60s, Chinese animations had a great reputation in the world; by mixing traditional Chinese paintings into modern animation, those early animators were able to create unconventional visual effects.

However, with the modern, highly-developed entertainment industry, Chinese animations are often criticized for catering only to young children or copying the styles of their counterparts in Japan and the United States.

Responding to the criticism, He says: "I understand these choices because it's risky to create a new style. It's ok to mimic others for learning, but there's nothing to be proud of when you are just learning Japanese or Disney styles well."

He says "Chinese-style animations" should not be restricted to ink painting techniques or other ancient styles.

"And the entry to Annecy means our own, homegrown characters have been recognized by the wider world. We don't have to always mimic others."

Meanwhile, despite the success earned by He, Zou says her studio does not aim to become another Ghibli or Pixar, which often use similar styles in each production-she wants diversity.

"I want to make Aha a studio which brings together the country's most talented animators together and nurtures their passion and their individual styles," she says. "For an animator, it's important to remain inspired."

But she is aware that there can be pitfalls, too. A sudden flood of capital can sometimes be a hazard for pioneers, she says, adding that some Chinese animations in recent years have enjoyed success, but the young filmmakers were easily distracted by enticing offers from tycoons.

"Some promising studios were then torn apart," she says.

He, who started to make this animation with a group of just five people, appreciates Zou's respect for creators.

"I only wanted to make a skit series," he recalls. "But, Aiken made me believe it should be a long-run franchise. It's better for us creators to focus on what we are good at, and leave the rest to be taken care of by someone more professional.

"It would otherwise be impossible for me, an Otaku (a stay-at-home man), to get in touch with the best production teams," He says.

He reveals the second season of Killer Seven is already being prepared, and says Zou also plans to launch a new animation festival in Guangzhou for more animators like He.

Elaborating on her plans, Zou says: "It will be my answer to Annecy.

"If I'm the only player in this game, I cannot get stronger, and all my efforts will have been in vain.

"The industry can only boom when more people join."

Zou started her first company as an expo booth designer in her sophomore year in college. And she later dabbled in different business sectors, ranging from stockbroking to being a big data analyst, until she joined Joy Media, one of the country's major TV comedy content providers.

She left her position as vice-president at Joy Media in 2013, and started Aha Entertainment a year later.

As for her career changes, she says: "Before the age of 30, it's important to expand your horizons as much as you can. Then, when you find an area you're really into, you settle down and stay there for a long time. Animation is something I'd like to work with for the rest of my career."

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Aha Entertainment also produces some live action films.

"In China, animation is usually affiliated to giant film companies," she says. "I want to flip that structure, just like Disney, which owns Marvel."

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn

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