I Am What I Am

This animation is one of the 2021 movies that raised a hot debate. But in my personal opinion, I am What I am is an awesome Chinese movie.

The story is about a weak teenage boy called A Juan, who's also passionate about lion dancing, a traditional Chinese art performance in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume, takes part in the top lion dance competition for the honor and money and his journey of it.

Some criticized it for the characters' appearance, saying it uglifies Guangdong people; some think the Lion dancing learning is too fast and too unrealistic. Well, those make sense in some way, but hey, it's animation after all(not a documentary), we use exaggerations all the time. As a drama/animation, it's nothing wrong when the director puts the focus on the growth of the character rather than discussing how we learn the traditional lion dancing for like 10 years.

The reasons I like this movie are:

a. This movie chooses to tell a story that we aren't that familiar with, which is rather bold a move in China. In most cases, this usually means a bad box office. But this movie conveys a good concept that a good Chinese animation movie can independently discuss local culture and local stories. It doesn't have to be those big IPs like the Monkey Kind(Sun WuKong) or Nezha(Deity), that it can be recognized and appreciated by the audience even if none of the characters are famous.

B. The first half part of the movie is quite relaxing, you laugh with the boys and you look for a master with them. And you laugh because they are funny, the twists are natural, not deliberately designed.

C. The end part is realistic. After A Juan went won first place in that competition, he is still down to earth and went to Shanghai for work. I especially like the part where he already decided to give up but on seeing the competition he just plucks up the courage and goes back to the game. The struggle is impressive and tense.

Excellent animation! Its whole story, animation technique and the main roles' setting are ranked in the first class. I think it can be ranked in the level of Disney or Pixar. I give this animation 9/10 as it is almost satisfying except for some a little fabricated dialogue lines. Another important merit is this Chinese animation is a realistic one concentrating on the current local Chinese society, without any Chinese legends' background such as Sun Wukong or Ne Zha, which means the comic producers in Chinese more and more independent and powerful.

Some so-called Chinese patriotic audience, trolls actually, said the animation is a humiliation to China because the leading roles have long-small-evil eyes like "The Mandarin" in Marvel Universe. Oh come on! Aren't you too sensitive to ignore the true nature of this passionate movie?

The proper way of defending one's country is to make great achievements with so-called characteristics rather than crying out like a baby or cursing online or accusing that you were humiliated. Characteristics like your appearance are your born nature, nothing good, nothing bad, it is unnecessary to express patriotism or hatred to the country with them, and if others do, just ignore them because this is stupid nonsense. Think about the story of the label "Made in Germany", which was first used to mark the poorly-produced goods from Germany because of their lower quality. However, German people tried their best and later made the label became the mark of best quality. See? Did German cried and accused that was a humiliation to Germany? No, of course not, it can only be useless. Only by hard-working and making higher achievements can you change the way others comment on you and eliminate the so-called "humiliation".

I finally had the chance to sit down and watch I Am What I Am, a Cantonese animated film that has been in my collection for some time. Watching the story of Ah Juan, I couldn't help but see myself in him-a "stubborn dreamer," as described in the Cantonese song by Wan Kwong. Like Ah Juan, I am someone who refuses to give up and persistently chases my dreams.

Ah Juan's Story and My Connection

Ah Juan is a boy from a rural village in Guangdong. Despite going through a heartfelt and inspiring lion dance journey, the film ends with him remaining a struggling worker in the city. This made me reflect: What does striving for success truly mean? Has his hard work really changed his destiny? The material hardships of his life remain, but his dreams and inner strength have become more real and empowering.

This lion dance journey is like a shot of courage. While it doesn't immediately lift him out of poverty, it grants him a force that transcends material limitations-a sense of self-realization and identity. This resonates deeply with my own life. Growing up in a small town in Chongqing, moving north for education, working hard in Guangdong, and now pursuing my dreams in Japan, I see parallels in our stories. While my environment hasn't drastically changed, the growth of my inner strength and determination is something I choose to cultivate.

Competition and Pure Kindness

The competitive scenes in the film feel raw and authentic. Behind the lion dance tournaments lie layers of strategy and rivalry, mirroring the harsh realities of society. However, when Ah Juan challenges the towering pole that symbolizes the pinnacle of the competition, his rivals abandon their competitiveness and genuinely cheer for him. That moment touched me deeply. Though they remain rural kids, their pure goodwill shines through, showcasing the beauty of human nature.

This scene gave me a glimmer of hope for Chinese society. Even though I chose to "run away" and start anew abroad, my love for that land and its culture remains. I still believe in the kindness and hope inherent in our people and traditions.

A Remarkable Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack is another standout feature. A blend of Cantonese, Mandarin, and other dialects, the music perfectly complements the story. The stirring and uplifting melodies amplify the determination of the young lion dancers, adding a rich emotional layer. The music feels like an integral part of the characters, syncing with their heartbeat and dreams, making their aspirations shine even brighter.

Conclusion

I Am What I Am is more than just a story about lion dancing; it's a tale for every dreamer. Even if our circumstances don't change overnight, the struggles we endure bring our lives depth and strength. Like Ah Juan-and like the "stubborn dreamer" I see in myself-I will continue steadfastly on my journey of chasing dreams.

The Music/Songs: There are many original songs composed for this movie, they fit in each scenes very well and resembles the emotion correspondingly. I appreciate those songs even better by reading the lyrics, those words came from down-to-the-earth people's lives and reflects ordinary people's fighting spirit when they denying their destinies.

The screen shots/storyboard: Since this is an anime movie, there are many astonishing scenes with soothing great nature, or powerful actions, or emotional twists of our protagonist's life. I love how these are written down as cut-scenes and directed by the director, and eventually how they are presented in the movie.

Many scenes touched me in the heart.

Traditions, nostalgia and culture: You can get the awe-inspiring scenery from a Chinese traditional village, their life styles in the 90's and the beautiful nature. And you also get the cold and the ruthless from arising big cities where the poor are struggling with lives. These are the common memories of a whole generation.

Tiger dancing is a tradition that comes down from many generations before us but is also fading away with modernization of China. Here you can feel both the passion and sorrow from this transition.

The plot: It's really an easy story, there is no sideways to understand the plot and I think this makes this movie a no-brainer to recommend to anyone who wants to learn a little more about a Chinese tradition and an inspiring story of a child who defies his weakness and stands up as a man.

I think it is totally wrong about the bad review that come from some amateur peoples, who said that the appearance of characters in this film is discriminates against Chinese looks. What's the matter of this world! I mean,how is that possible Chinese discriminate Chinese. It's obviously a disgusting frame!what I hope is that there is no need to criticize others and others 'works,we should focus on the spirit and meaning that author truly desperate to convey.the prejudice we heard should be reconsidered . Don't follow others,follow yourself ,follow the feeling that your heart feel so,that's it. Art is subjective.