On August 17th, Russian cinemas will screen “Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening” – the first full-length film about the legendary animated universe from Thomas Astruc, who contributed to the creation of “Totally Spies!”, “W.I.T.C.H.”, and “Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.” After 8 years of waiting and more than a hundred episodes of the series, fans will finally witness the first meeting of their favorite characters and their transformation into brave superheroes, ready time and again to save the world.
The Tale of Marinette: A Heroine’s Journey
The story of Marinette Dupain-Cheng isn’t new: a perfectly ordinary girl whose only superpower is getting into trouble suddenly finds herself chosen by a magical being named Tikki, capable of bestowing extraordinary power upon a person. Donning a mask and a polka-dot suit, she transforms into the fearless and agile Ladybug. Now, nothing can faze her: neither school bullies nor villains who are constantly trying to raze Paris – or even the entire world – to the ground. Soon, it turns out that Marinette won’t be fighting enemies alone: her classmate Adrien Agreste, whom she (not so) secretly loves, also receives superpowers.
Still from the animated film “Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening”
The first adventures aren’t easy for the kids: they have to get used to their newfound abilities and each other. Constant squabbles don’t prevent them from being excellent partners and coming to the rescue in time: “stronger together” becomes their motto. In the guise of Ladybug and Cat Noir, the teenagers unite against Hawk Moth – a villain driven mad by grief, who plans to use the power of other superheroes’ magical talismans to plunge the world into chaos and resurrect his wife. To achieve his goal, he uses puppets: his victims are the offended and irritated – under the influence of special charms, they transform into supervillains.
Still from the animated film “Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening”
Parisian Charm and Superhero Antics
The plot of “Ladybug & Cat Noir” is quite simple: the predictability of the plot twists is smoothed out by the charm of the characters, colorful animation, musical numbers, and, of course, Parisian charm. The creators don’t take themselves too seriously: that’s probably why the Quantic animated universe has won the love of viewers of all ages. Just look at the adversaries the main characters have to face: an embittered mime, a gargoyle that escaped from the walls of Notre Dame, or a living croissant the size of Godzilla. The scene in which Adrien (aka Cat Noir), suffering from unrequited feelings, listens to George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” and argues with his magical assistant Plagg is also hilarious. However, from time to time, the cartoon changes its tone from playful to more serious: when the characters face anxiety, the loss of loved ones, and the vicissitudes of first love.
Still from the animated film “Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening”
A Love Square for the Ages
Legends circulate even beyond the Quantic universe about the love square within it. Ladybug and Cat Noir lead double lives and don’t know each other’s real names, which causes confusion that stretched for several seasons. Fortunately, in the new film, everything turns out to be much simpler – this, of course, breaks the space-time connection of the film with the series, but allows new viewers to delve into the story without much difficulty.
A Heartwarming Tale
Despite its simplicity and naivety, “Ladybug & Cat Noir” remains a touching story about first love, finding oneself, and overcoming fears for the sake of a great goal. For adult fans, it allows them to reminisce about their youth, and for children, it provides role models. Apparently, this story is destined to bring joy for a long time to come – at the end of the film, viewers are given an unambiguous hint of a continuation of the story. Hawk Moth, beware!