‘Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld’ is Echo Wu’s love letter to her childhood

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As a writer and animator myself, I find it truly inspiring to see a fellow artist like Evelyn Wang, the creator of “Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld“, making waves in Hollywood with her unique and original vision. It’s not every day that someone with such a rich cultural background and personal experiences manages to bring their ideas to life on such a grand scale.

Echo Wu was around 5 or 6 years old when she told her parents she wanted to be a cartoonist.

During that period, her understanding of cartooning was rooted in its traditional form, such as those found in magazines or comic books. Yet, she held a deep affection for animation too, referencing Pixar movies, “Sailor Moon” anime, and even the series about Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, among her childhood viewing preferences.

During a recent chat, Wu shared, “What we watched together was something that didn’t require English fluency from my parents at the time. It was like storytelling without language barriers in our household. Shows like ‘Tom and Jerry’ could be enjoyed regardless of subtitles, as the narrative was clear to us all.

It’s only natural that Wu’s debut series, titled “Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld,” is one which the creator and showrunner refers to as “a tribute to my childhood.” At the moment, this animated show is available on Netflix. The story revolves around Jentry (whose voice belongs to Ali Wong and who also holds an executive producer role), a high school student who discovers on her 16th birthday that the demon king of the underworld has targeted her because of the extraordinary powers she’s been trying to hide since her childhood.

In a confrontation with one of the minions of the demon king, Jentry gets whisked away by her great-aunt Gugu, who is a demon hunter, back to her small-town home in Texas. Here, she must balance ordinary teenage challenges such as managing high school life, and more complex ones like mastering her abilities, fighting off demons, and uncovering hidden family truths.

Wu expresses that she aimed to create a program that would merge various aspects she’s passionate about. The production encompasses horror elements as well as action scenes, yet it also incorporates young adult romance.

For a teenager like Jentry, possessing superpowers that let her fight off demons is not quite something to celebrate. High school and the idea of not fitting in is much more terrifying for her than any supernatural monster.

The series is based “in high school as it’s a setting where fear is constant,” explains sWu. “You’re afraid of your feelings, you’re afraid of making mistakes and feeling humiliated… For Jentry, conversing with a boy is more terrifying than having to conquer the mogwai ruler of the underworld.

A significant portion of the character Jentry, as Wu describes, is shaped by her personal experiences and character traits – to such an extent that at times it became challenging to separate professional studio notes from a personal connection with the character (Wu expresses, “I find myself advocating for her”).

Similarly to Wu, who hails from a town near Dallas, Texas (specifically Carrollton), Jentry’s hometown shares a similar architectural and neighborhood aesthetic. Moreover, some of the furniture in Gugu’s house is reminiscent of pieces found in Wu’s parents’ home.

As Hollywood studios and streamers scale back on original animation projects, particularly new ideas, “Jentry” now finds a less bustling environment. Many animated shows in various stages of production have been abandoned or taken off streaming platforms as companies look to reduce expenses. This cautious industry climate has led studios to favor established properties for reboots and revivals instead.

According to Wu, the intention behind this show has always been to appear unique and offer a fresh perspective. I’m hoping it will stimulate even more innovative thoughts as they navigate the demanding challenges of the creative and production phases, which can be likened to a rigorous test (the ringer) and a tough arena (the thunderdome).

Despite having obtained a degree in computer animation, “Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld” is her inaugural Hollywood undertaking. She admits that leading her first production without any previous experience from other series, and consequently missing out on the anticipation of seeing something she created being unveiled to the public, was a daunting prospect.

In this initial performance, Wu explains it was more like trial-and-error. He feels as if he’d found some secret shortcuts in a game, starting at an advanced level, and rushing through it. This current situation leaves him exposed because the project is deeply connected to his own childhood memories, and viewers might not understand that this wasn’t created overnight by some automated process.

Wu started pitching the show in 2020, but she can trace some of the ideas that eventually evolved into “Jentry” back to when she moved to Los Angeles in 2017.

One sunny afternoon, as I strolled along, a thought struck me like a bolt: “I’ve got to create something around the intriguing jiangshi, the Chinese hopping vampire.” These creatures, with their unique charm and mystique, are underused in popular culture despite their cool factor.

The idea eventually gave rise to the creation of Ed (Bowen Yang), a jiangshi who manages to enter Jentry’s life, transforming into her supernatural companion and closest friend. Before developing this character into the popular social media personality viewers encounter in the series, Wu pondered over several factors, such as how a jiangshi could have made it to Texas initially and what reasons might have driven him to do so.

Wu shares that initially, the concept was about a jiangshi (Chinese vampire) shipping himself from the Chinese underworld to America, chasing after the American dream of becoming a terrifying monster. Despite changes in the story’s mood and presentation as Wu refined the script, she emphasizes that comedy in the character of Ed never deviated from this core idea.

Initially envisioned as a light-hearted animated family comedy, I found myself drawn to delve deeper into the weightier topics that “Jentry” encompasses as time went on during the pandemic. These themes range from grappling with intergenerational wounds to navigating challenging familial expectations.

Consequently, Jentry’s growing-up tale is enriched with layers of complexity. The romantic triangle in the series isn’t solely about Jentry picking a suitor, but rather explores her perception of her supernatural abilities and her bond with them. The villains in the show aren’t merely the demons Jentry fights against, but also the individuals near to her, illustrating how their decisions have shaped her journey.

Wu remarks that what she finds most intriguing about ‘Jentry’ is the struggle with complex relationships within the family and personal identity, as well as self-identity.

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2024-12-06 02:33