Kung Fu Panda 2 has been gobbling money all over China, with a 605 million yuan ($93.6 million) box office haul in the Middle Kingdom. Hollywood once again proves that it is the goose that lays the golden eggs. However, the China-made animation Legend of A Rabbit hit the cinemas last Sunday (July 10), reminding Hollywood to keep an eye on the screen because this rabbit is looking to hit Po right in his plush face. 

This film tells the story of a rabbit named Tu’er, a peddler selling cake who witnessed a master from a Wushu Center being framed and killed. The master gave Tu’er a token and told him to give it to his daughter. Tu’er keeps his promise and becomes a swordsman. Directed by Sun Lijun, director of the Animation School at Beijing Film Academy, and produced by a strong team of more than 300 professionals, this animation is a spark to light the way of Chinese animation in Sun’s eyes. 

From viewing the trailer, lots of netizens are criticizing this film for copying Kung Fu Panda, saying the rabbit is as fat as Po, is also in the food service industry and charts a similar journey from humble underling to world savior. Net-pal Hexieshengshi compared the two posters online, one from Kung Fu Panda and one from Legend of A Rabbit, pointing out that even the latter’s poster is a copycat of the Hollywood animation. Taiyanglinghun said that from image to action design, “all reminds me of Kung Fu Panda”. These remarks anger Sun, “This idea [of making this animation] came in March 2008,” Sun said, “so it’s earlier than Kung Fu Panda, but when that film was shown, we thought about giving up our idea since the production of Kung Fu Panda was so good. But we all agreed to meet the challenge.” 

Sun also argued, “Every tree and every blade of grass [in China], every building and kung fu is ours, who copies who? If we do copy, then why did over 60 countries buy our film by watching only a trailer? Are they all fools?” Sun continued, “We should not attack our own film just because we can do as good as Hollywood, we should be proud. We have added Chinese traditional virtues and integrity to this film which Kung Fu Panda doesn’t possess. Besides, Tu (the rabbit) is also one of the Chinese zodiac.” 

“We made Tu’er a fat rabbit because people love fat animals for they are cuter than slim ones, we combined Tu Yer and Fan Wei (Chinese well-known comedians) to create the image of Tu’er,” Sun said, “just like piggy Bajie in the TV drama Journey to the West. As for the panda in our film, it is not a panda but a dressed up polar bear.” 
Among the first group of people who went to Hong Kong to learn the 3D technology in 1991, Sun thinks that China’s 3D effects occupy a place in the top-grade level in the world. “What we used in this film is called hair 3D, 3D technique that can present the slightest hair on the animal’s skin, and we understand our culture better than them.”

Since December 1980, when the Japanese animation Astro Boy was introduced to China, China has watched animation from Japan and America; thus, to some extent, this has blocked China’s animation. The Chinese animation industry focuses on making cartoons for children. “A healthy industrial chain should cover audiences of all ages,” Sun said, “If Chinese animation wants to form an industry, they need to be mature.”

Zhao Bandi, the artist who is well-known for his boycott of Kung fu Panda said that he will support this China-produced animation. “I think now Chinese people have fallen into the habit of watching American films, thinking they are superb. It’s hard to let them get rid of it, we should let them fall into the habit of watching Chinese films and I think this habit can be cultivated. Why don’t we start with Legend of A Rabbit? I will buy tickets for my assistant and friends.”

In order to make this film a box office hit, Sun invited tai chi master Jing Jianjun to be the fight choreographer, “we want to make a film that suitable for children to watch, thus, we don’t have blood scenes and no one dies in this film,” Sun said. 

According to Sun, the hair 3D requires a long production period. “I guess nowadays, people have prejudice over Chinese animation, thinking it’s low-cost, low-quality and full of meaningless or na?ve plots. What we want to prove through this film is we, Chinese, can also produce an animation as good as Hollywood.”

Hoping to gain a box office of 150 million yuan ($23 million), Sun thinks to reach this target, cinemas and audiences should contribute. “We have only 10 days of screening and there are many American films on at the same time, so the competition is very fierce,” Sun said. “The stars in this film are volunteers and our investor mortgaged his house, we hope the audience can support Chinese animation.” 

Yu Zhongchun, a young librarian who plans to watch Legend of A Rabbit and watched Kung fu Panda 2 is concerned this China-made film may embarrass China, after all this nationalistic chest-beating: “the 3D effects of Kung fu Panda 2 were really good and I guess the effects in this film will be a far cry from that standard.” 

Guan Rongpu, a woman who works with a hotel said although her son thinks this rabbit is ugly, she will take him to watch it as long as she has time. “I think since the target audience is children, if the film company wants to open the market, they should dispatch some souvenirs for them such as pens or toys to attract them.”

So far, Legend of A Rabbit has been requested by 60 countries, according to Sun, and they are still negotiating with Japan and America. “We are negotiating with Mike Tyson [former world heavyweight boxing champion] and it’s possible that we could have him on the team for the American dubbed version of this film,” claimed Sun.

Kung fu Rabbit? Legend of a Panda? 

1. Tu’er and Po are both fat and both work in food production, Tu’er makes fried cake and Po makes noodles. 
2. Tu’er and Po begin with a humble identity then grow to become super heroes
3. Chinese cultural elements abound in both movies. Kung Fu Panda uses paper-cutting and Sichuan scenery, Legend of A Rabbit uses Tianjin scenery, temple fairs, traditional Chinese opera, diabolo and kites.
4. Posters: Legend of A Rabbit and Kung Fu Panda both have a dark bear-shaped animal in the background and similar motifs