Film Name: 赛尔号大电影5：雷神崛起 / Seer Movie 5: Rise of Thunder
The rise of the Thunder God means the little Searers no longer hold importance;
The rise of the Thunder God means children now recognize domestic heroes more clearly;
The rise of the Thunder God marks the dawn of one era and the end of another.
It’s time to draw a “warm” conclusion to the Searers series.
Recall when Ray appeared as the ultimate quest target for the young Sailors in Sailor 1, sparking a wave of excitement among all the children in the theater, just like the Sailors themselves. Recall the portrayal of Sailor Xiao Xi’s relationship with his father in Sailor 2, arguably the most moving depiction of family bonds in Chinese animation history. That Sailor series centered on the young Sailors has now bid us farewell forever. Serial Number 3 introduced the Four Great War Gods directly to audiences, while Serial Number 4 built meticulously toward Mu’s debut. By Serial Number 5, after the young Searers made a largely inconsequential cameo appearance, the spotlight shifted entirely to the extraordinary performances of the Hero Alliance.
This film centers on the self-awakening of Ray, the most popular hero in the Selena series, marking the official transition from the “Selena Series” to the “War God Alliance Series.” Remarkably, the heroes’ civilian supporters in the film would rather hire an outsider—a little girl and a dog—than have Xiao Xi and A Tie play those roles. This reveals that even the latter’s sole value has become replaceable.
Xiao Mi transforms into a new hero, joining the League of Heroes’ quintet. It appears to be the sole bridge connecting the little Sails and the League. Yet once it’s recruited by the League, the Sails will only remain in its photo album.
The film cloaks its abandonment of the little heroes in the heartfelt brotherhood Ray discovers during his journey of self-discovery. After all, faced with box office pressures and cutthroat competition, sacrificing the little heroes becomes inevitable. Thus, this “heartwarming” narrative leaves me feeling rather “cold.”
No wonder we call cinema fast-food culture—Serial Evolution truly accelerates. Portraying an ordinary hero like Xiao Xi, making him worthy of admiration, demands intricate storytelling—a meticulously crafted platter. Yet depicting a superpowered hero like Ray, making him revered, is far simpler—a straightforward hamburger. Perhaps audiences’ viewing psychology has no interest in savoring the delicacy of a platter; instead, they have a particular fondness for the straightforward, no-nonsense appeal of a hamburger.
We must accept this market evolution. I also solemnly recommend that the production team implement the final chapter for Sailor, officially transitioning to the War God Alliance project. Let the little Sailors remain in the audience’s memories. Don’t force them into pitiful, token appearances with no meaningful screen time.
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