Film Name: 金龟子 / The Ladybug
The most symbolic scene in the film is how the scarab beetle rescues the insects trapped in various bottles by the little boy. As each bottle shatters on the ground, you feel something within yourself breaking apart too—those very confines that imprison freedom.
I’ve witnessed this act of shattering bottles, or rather, the shattering of inner constraints, once before. In an animated film I greatly admire, titled “Ojiisan no Ranpu,” the protagonist smashes all the kerosene lamps that were holding him back. Insects, too, carry mental shackles that prevent them from moving forward—a timid, weak mindset. They too must bid farewell to these constraints through a ritualistic act.
Unfortunately, “The Ladybug” doesn’t delve into the insects’ psychological barriers as deeply as “Ojiisan no Ranpu” does, so it fails to deliver the maximum catharsis one expects when such barriers are shattered.
Another crucial moment in “The Ladybug” is when the ladybug unties the frog prince’s tongue. If shattering the glass bottle exemplifies the ladybug’s wit and courage, then freeing the trapped frog prince embodies its kindness and sincerity. Though we know that in life, innocence and naivety are but a step apart, and ideals and reality can be worlds apart, we still choose to believe that the ladybug’s kindness will touch those around it—even its natural enemies.
In the film, the beetle itself undergoes little change in character or mindset. The story focuses instead on the transformations wrought in the beetle’s companions—the other insects—by its presence. Dragonfly Brother Water evolves from solitary solitude to caring for others; the bee colony, once too timid to challenge a formidable foe, unites in courageous solidarity for battle. The ripple effect spreads from one insect to two, then to a whole colony. Like a tiny lamp appearing in their indifferent, gray world, the beetle reignites the hope that seemed long extinguished in their eyes.
Unfortunately, the film overly indulges in celebrating the beetle’s positive qualities. Perhaps to align with the real-life image of “Golden Beetle,” it avoids any negative portrayal. Yet a lamp untested by storms cannot radiate its brightest light. Had Golden Beetle not experienced the shattering of his idealistic belief in the Grand Canyon, how could he have steeled his resolve to embark once more on the quest to find it? Had he not recognized his own insignificance and powerlessness, how could he have kindled the courageous light that transcends such limitations?
Thus, the film exists solely for the beetle’s sake. It portrays a lovable, pot-bellied child who naively believes in beauty and strives for it. While this innocence is commendable, it hardly merits encouragement. Without more turbulent experiences, deeper blows, and a relentlessly forged motivation to seek, it would scarcely be remembered.
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