❘ Published: 2023-05-25T15:31:28
❘ Updated: 2023-05-25T15:31:35
Disney+ has a new series: American Born Chinese, but what is it about, who is in it, and is the show worth watching?
Disney+ has been releasing a ton of new shows lately, all in different genres, from The Mandalorian and Muppets Mayhem to A Small Light.
Now, the streaming platform has dove into another TV genre: a coming-of-age fantasy series, titled American Born Chinese.
But what is American Born Chinese all about? Worth seeing? Well, she reads on to find out.
The article continues after the announcement.
What is Chinese born in America about?
American Born Chinese, based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, is a fantasy-action comedy series that tells the story of Jin Wang, a Chinese-American teenager, who finds himself embroiled in a battle between Chinese mythological gods. The series touches on themes of the diaspora and generational differences, and is inspired by the 16th century Chinese classic novel, Journey To the West.
Watch the trailer below:
According to the official Disney+ synopsis: “Based on Gene Luen Yang’s groundbreaking graphic novel that chronicles the trials and tribulations of an ordinary American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god. This is the story of a young man’s battle for his own identity, told through family, comedy and action-packed Kung Fu.”
The article continues after the announcement.
The series just arrived on Disney+ yesterday, May 24, 2023. The show went down entirely, which means you can watch all eight episodes, each of which is 30-40 minutes long.
Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on esports, gaming, and more.
American-Born Chinese Cast: Who’s In It?
The cast of American Born Chinese features many prolific Asian actors and even reunites the main cast of the hit movie Everything Everywhere All At Once. This list of actors includes but is not limited to:
- Michelle Yeoh as Guanyin
- Ke Huy Quan as Freddy Wong
- Daniel Wu as Sun Wukong
- Ben Wang as Jin Wang
- Yeo Yann Yann as Christine Wang
- Chin Han as Simon Wang
- Jim Liu as Wei Chen
- Sydney Taylor as Amelia
- Stephanie Hsu as Shiji Niangniang
- Poppy Liu as Princess Iron Fan
Many of the series’ episodes are directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who also directed (and will direct) the Marvel movies Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
The article continues after the announcement.
Is American-born Chinese worth watching?
American Born Chinese has only been around for a short time so far, but the series has already received a lot of praise. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a critic score of 94% and an audience score of 85%.
As Empire describes it, “A coming-of-age story, with some fantasy-infused martial arts thrown in for good measure, American Born Chinese is an entertaining ride, with a refreshing take on cultural identity that never feels like a lesson.”
However, according to The Guardian, the regular coming-of-age events outshine the fantasy elements of the show. “In its final act, the different threads of the narrative are intertwined effectively, but culminate in the kind of unimaginative superheroes shooting things at each other that ends most Marvel movies and is less exciting than the riveting Jins search. join and be accepted by his high school football team,” they wrote.
The article continues after the announcement.
American Born Chinese is currently available to stream on Disney+. For more Disney+ content, click here.
