The Legend of Hanuman is Surprisingly Good

The Legend of Hanuman is an Indian Animated Series playing on Hotstar Specials and I'm glad to report to you that it's really good. 

I say this because the standards for Indian animation is low in terms of the storytelling. Our creators, artists and animators are extremely talented, but not many focus on the storytelling.

One of the few good animated projects from this country that excels in both story and animation is the Anurag Kashyap directed film Return of Hanuman that mixes comedy and story efficiently while also using the tool of animation to it's advantage to create several comedic and innovative bits of action and character.

Now ever since I saw the trailer, I was anticipating the arrival of this show because Hanuman is my favorite Hindu god since childhood. His muscular physique yet humble nature attracted young viewers. That is why he has had multiple animated cartoons and films.

My worry since I saw the trailer was that this would yet again show us the tale of Ramayan where Hanuman becomes a side character overshadowed by Ram and Ravan (this happened in the Hanuman 2005 movie)

But I'm so glad that in this show, Hanuman stays the centre of attention. He is the protagonist. Ever since he was little, he had various powers that were considered to be dangerous, and therefore his memory regarding these powers were wiped, and he'd be reminded only when it's absolutely necessary.

This show does have the Ramayan plotline at it's core, but we still follow Hanuman and his journey with his friends. The show even fleshes out the side characters of Jambhvan, Angad, Sugreev. 

Jambhvan is the wise one and knows a lot about the universe. But I also love how they crack old jokes about him and how they take it back when he gets in on some of the action. His design with the blue fur and hunchback posture only makes him feel more real and tangible.

And one of my favorite characters of this show is Angad. His tyrannical father (Vaali) was murdered by Ram and his own brother. This is most certainly a traumatic experience for Angad and it makes sense why he'd be bitter towards Hanuman, Ram, Laxman and Sugreev. And I love that over the course of the show, he grows as a character. 

Now there were a few moments where his writing was a bit inconsistent. Sometimes he'd be distasteful towards our heroes, but also be kind to them, it's a little messy. It'd been better if it was a gradual process, but I really appreciate the depth they gave to most of the side characters, when they could've just let them go to waste. 

This show is about Hanuman learning about his powers and that's a great idea. Problem is that he's already so strong, when he's shocked about crushing a rock to pieces, I was like, "He could do that anyway right? Why's he taken aback by this?"

Making him a little weaker over the course of the episodes would've made more sense if you ask me. But it's not a major problem.

Now the animation is the best I've ever seen from India. The textures and little hair and skin details was extremely meticulously done. Some of the impact during fight scenes could've been done better, but still, the rendering of the animation was well done.

There were these moments of 2D artwork being displayed during moments of exposition to make it more interesting as most viewers already know what is being said. It was a creative way pad the runtime without boring the audience.

I also LOVE the character designs. The little details on the face to let us know what they're feeling without even saying a word, to the artwork on the crowns and maces. I personally am a huge fan of Angad's golden gauntlet. It's a perfect of blend of the ancient as well as the futuristic.

Also Shurpanakha's design was probably the coolest. Her face mask design was spectacular and menacing. 

The last few episodes were the weakest in my opinion as the pacing was very slow and draggy. The plot points in these episodes could've been condensed into one and still could've had the same impact. A lot of the scenes were just drawn out to the point of boredom which wasn't great.

But still, one of the main reasons this show works is the characters.

This show could've had full blown out action sequences every 2 minutes, but no. I did have fun with the action sequences, but you know what moments I truly cheered for? The moments of compassion Hanuman shows even to his enemies. 

My personal favorite scene was when Hanuman and Laxman just converse about Ram and how he inspires them in their own different ways and changes their worldview and outlook on life was they walk through the forest. 

I champion the human moments of Honesty, Bravery, Compassion, and the 'Power of Truth.'

Which is why this show can be inspiring for kids as well as teenagers and adults. 

This series takes these well known characters from the Hindu mythology, and expands upon these archetypes to give them real character and motivation. 

It's not perfect, but it's certainly one of the best I've seen from our country. I applaud everyone who has worked on this series for giving us a wonderful show that not only has spellbinding animation, but excels in it's storytelling as well.