Oh My School!

It really shocked me when the director and his team toured Middle School Attached to Northeast Normal University(MSANNU) in June, which is a high school part of the prototype of the Cha'a No.2 Middle School, and I was a student of the MSANNU.

It was great to see my own school on screen as it brings a striking intellectual property to us. The director team was also very enthusiastic, since they were students in MSANNU themselves some time ago so they can understand the storyline in the movie better. Their kindness made me watch it again at the cinema when it was formally shown to the public.

To the film, it is much more exceeding expectations. The story is simple, but we'll all have a happy time watching it. It reminds me of things happened when I was in middle school, so as others. Children under 12 may not fully enjoy the film, as they haven't attended middle school and cannot understand some of the plots in the film.

Er zhong niu bi!

This is an animated film produced by a small studio located in northeast China. They used to have four seasons online series and spent five years making this film.

It was not expected at first, but proving itself to be a dark horse at the box office constantly. The storyline is about soul exchange between a male student and a female teacher, the subject matter is not new, but the film is very successful in telling story. It really makes you laugh for 91 minutes and also being moved in the end. To be a teacher, a little more tolerance and encouragement for students. To be students, more understanding and support for teachers. Various cultural symbols appears in it, such as Slam Dunk, Saint Seiya, Digital Monster, World of Warcraft, skipping classes for Internet cafes, and going to BBQ or kabab after school, recalls the youth memories of the generation of Chinese students born in the 1980s and 1990s.

At the same time, the film deeply explores the issue of breaking stereotypes. Should the top students be allowed to make mistakes with impunity, while the worst students discriminated against even if they do good things? They just didn't get high scores at exams, didn't meen they don't know how to be a good person and be kind to others! Do less developed countries and regions deserve to be colonized and exploited? They are just not as prominent economically, but they are also part of the human race! Diversity and tolerance are what make the world so beautiful today, aren't they?

Finally, rather than saying Chinese animation is rising, better say that Chinese animation is returning to its rightful place like China's national strength! Definately looking forward to season 5 of the animation and a sequel to the movie, if they decides to make it.

RECOMMEND! We watched the premiere of the film, me and my boyfriend who didn't speak Chinese at all. He didn't really miss any humor in the movie that were story related. The strength I really want to applaud of this movie is it did not get distracted by the actual "identify switch" story trick and used it almost to perfection to carry the story along. It's so rare for movies to successfully portray what school life is like in China, let along understanding Chinese teens. This movie was so genuine and packaged with organic humor. The animation is definitely on par with some of the top ones coming out of Pixar and Disney. Character performance is close to perfect, I'd argue. It is a Chinese story, but it definitely is beyond a "local" story. Many of the school aspects are easy to relate to for people from pretty much anywhere and the main character is such an approachable kid it feels like he lives right in your neighborhood.

Many things that were touched on are universal but when put together, it becomes so true to its core and flavor of this school in the northeast part of China, where people are known to be blunt, funny, and loyal. They would do anything for the people they trust, but also causes that they believe in.