Besides being adapted from a beloved Chinese webcomic calledUnder One Person,which was written by author Dong Man Tang in 2015 (which was also later made into a Chinese/Japanese anime titledHitori no Shita: The Outcastabout a year later), the newly released live-action retelling calledI Am Nobodythat Tencent Animation and Comics have produced is a refreshingblend of martial arts, mystical sorcery, and multi-tiered humor.
One of the most satisfying surprises for American audiences is that the twenty-seven episode first season is officially available on YouTube for free with built-in subtitles. It is always refreshing to see productions from different countries have a chance to shine in the American entertainment world. Even though there is enough magical lore, epic fight scenes, and emotional arcs featured inI Am Nobodyto capture your attention, one other aspect within this fantasy drama must be discussed.
Does anyone remember Aki Ross, the female heroine who was supposed to be the first widely implemented, computer-made actress in2001’s Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within?While thatvideo-game-themed moviebombed and Ross was never heard from again,I Am Nobodyhas decided to step foot onto the same path, but this time with a fully fleshed out, unique AI-generated actress that appears in the latter parts ofI Am Nobody. She ultimately becomes the answer to the mystery revolving around where one of the protagonists retrieves their classified information.
But unlike the failed technological experiment that took place over twenty years ago in a science fiction film, did the current AI endeavor end up bringing acclaim and praise to one of the highest-grossing multimedia companies in China? Or was the digital actress created just for a publicity stunt who didn’t add anything to the must-watch series? Let’s take a dive into this Tencent-produced series and find out.
I Am Nobody Mixes Superpowers With Martial Arts
I Am Nobodyis about a young man named Zhang Chu Lan who was not only solely raised by his grandfather but also has amazing superpowers, which he chooses to hide. With dangerous events escalating and the mystery of his grandfather’s death looming over him, Zhang is forced to step into a new world with others who also have abilities (called Outsiders). Emphasizing an honorable sense of fighting and empathetic motives behind every character, the first season sees our main hero befriend Feng Bao Bao (a woman who is missing her memories), master his grandfather’s unique techniques of Martial Arts, and participate in a tournament that will have life-altering consequences.
During all of this, Zhang is pursued by different groups that want to utilize his skills. One of these factions (which he joined) is the NDT Express. While they are just a shipping depot in the public eye, they also serve as a defense line against the Outsiders, who have evil plans in mind for the rest of the world. While this corporation is naturally wealthy, both Zhang and Feng are surprised to see that one of the leaders they become familiar with inside this institution secretly corresponds with an advanced type of sentient being through the glasses that he wears.
13 Best Movies About Sentient Artificial Intelligence
Some people love Artificial Intelligence (or A.I.), and some are terrified of it. These movies use sentient A.I. to tell great, timeless stories.
Was the AI Inclusion Just a Publicity Stunt?
Shown as perky but highly intelligent, Er Zhuang is a female humanoid who is a digital manifestation of a critically injured woman kept alive downstairs in the NDT Express warehouse. In the real world and outside the scope of the show’s universe, the character Er Zhaung isbrought to life by an AI actressnamed Lili Ziren,according to IMDb. While she has no other credentials under her name yet, the webpage hints thatI Am Nobodywill not be her last appearance. While fans of the show have exclaimed that AI stars (Lili Ziren included) are the next best thing and that they cannot be told apart from humans on the screen, this instance of AI being put to work on the small screen was just not that impressive.
While Lili Ziren’s implementation worked well story-wise as she is put into the role of a computer-generated and life-like hologram that mimics human beings at best, the AI actress has a minor role that won’t satisfy those looking for anything visually revolutionary. As aforementioned, the first season ofI Am Nobodyran for twenty-seven episodes. Ziren is only in two episodes (three, if you count her voiceover). She walks, talks, and sits. Her bubbly personality is a noticeable and nice juxtaposition to Feng Bao Bao’s emotional void. There is no argument to make in that regard; Ziren holds herself well as one of themost human-like artificial intelligence. The problem here was that her character’s execution was poor.
If AI Can Replace Writers, Stars, EFX, and Stuntpeople, How Long Until It Replaces Film Studios?
Don’t get too cocky, movie producers. You’re next.
I Am Nobody Has So Much to Offer
Tencent was smart when using eyeglasses as a plot device to show her to the audience. If the featured character is not wearing those specific glasses, Ziren is not seen. We can only imagine how much it must have cost in the budget to have a constantly moving, life-like piece of artificial intelligence.
In a show about the customs and intricacies of martial arts, Ziren doesn’t fight either. She was used more so as a plot device to not only bring the protagonists closer to the antagonist but also give clarity to the hero and the audience about what it’s like to have physical freedom. Regarding the entertainment buzz this artificial being is currently making, it’s obviously a step toward something potentially exciting, as some VFX artists believeAI will always be part of Hollywood. But it will ultimately be forgettable when compared to everything else that this show has to offer. All the characters have gripping arcs, the villains are not one-dimensional, and the story always has you on the edge of your seat.
I Am Nobodyundoubtedly brings a new sense of intrigue and curiosity into the world of entertainment. The topic of AI-generated individuals having a place inthese rewatchable Chinese dramas(and the rest of cinema) is a worthwhile conversation today. While some are concerned that Ziren looks too much like a real-life Chinese actress who goes by the name of Angelababy, there is hopefully no need for concern.I Am Nobodyshows that AI innovation is plunging into yet another paradigm of human-led industries, but human-inspired computer creations won’t replace human actors anytime soon.
