As I was feeling nostalgic about past entertainment, one film suddenly came to mind and it was called "Firebreather". It's an animated adaptation of a comic series that premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010 which combined superhero antics with giant monster fun. Plot: The war between humans and kaiju ended thanks to the union of kind-hearted Margaret and dragon-like king Belloc, resulting in not only a truce but a hybrid child named Duncan. Duncan tries his best to fit into his new school despite his unusual traits, becoming almost an outcast but managing to make some friends as well. His peaceful life, however, gets interrupted when his dad Belloc shows up wanting him to be the heir to the throne, which causes other kaiju to attack the kid for the right to succeed their king. With tensions between the two races already tense, Duncan struggles to retain his humanity while fighting off the giant-sized foes.
For a film made for TV, the animation is actually praiseworthy with nice fluid movements with maybe one or two slight errors. Character designs look basic from a distance, but a closer look reveals minute details such as Duncan's scales. The fire effects, an essential part of the character, are especially beautiful to look at. The hero's beast form is awesome and the kaiju sport unique designs that make them stand out from other film giants like Godzilla, not to mention the animation really emphasizes their massive size. The action scenes, supported by appropriate rock music in the background, are fantastic, taking advantage of the difference in scale between characters and are not afraid to get a little brutal once in a while (seriously, quite a few people die). The characters are good for the most part with distinct motivations+backstories and are played by great voice actors; Duncan is a good protagonist being a guy trying to figure out how he fits in the world (which I can relate), his mother Margaret is loving and doesn't take crap from anyone, and father Belloc is tough and strict but ultimately does care for his family. The rest of the cast are fine by comparison. Some characters do have dilemmas that make for some interesting and well-done drama. If I have one noteworthy criticism it's that there are a couple of subplots/details that don't really go anywhere and it does feature a few high school clichés (which take a minority of the film).
It would seem that this movie came out too early and faded into obscurity, otherwise with both superhero and kaiju films now in fashion, this movie would most likely get greater recognition and perhaps spawn a larger franchise. I think it would have made a great TV series, but perhaps a remake may reignite Firebreather's spark. Bottom line, this is an entertaining, underrated film and I feel that it deserves more praise.
