Film Name: 81号农场之保卫麦咭 / Farm House 81
After a spectacular two-minute 2D opening animation, three chicks appear. The film lavishly depicts their morning routine—much like Wallace’s elaborate wake-up sequence in “Wallace & Gromit.” Another five minutes or so pass before McDuck makes a brief cameo appearance. This sequence inevitably creates a strong illusion that McDuck is merely a supporting character, with the three chicks being the true protagonists.
Under this illusion, I effortlessly deduced the reason behind it. As a joint production between Golden Eagle Cartoon Channel and Hippo Animation, Golden Eagle naturally wanted to promote its mascot, Mai Ji, while Hippo Animation wasn’t keen on simply doing someone else’s bidding and wanted to push its own characters. So, while the three chicks and Mai Ji appeared to be collaborating on the surface, they were actually engaged in a covert battle—a battle for screen time and exposure. The most amusing part? This rivalry unfolds under the guise of “protecting Mai Ji.”
Frankly, during the 50 minutes between the opening animation and the final battle, I was in a state of “mild stupor”—or, to put it plainly, I was nodding off. The film simply didn’t tell a story that captured my interest, and the sense of crisis established in the opening animation wasn’t carried through. What I hoped to see was McDuck facing a crisis—physical, mental, or concerning his freedom—and his friends rallying to save him. I wanted to witness how McDuck, as an outsider, built friendships with the farm’s locals, what emotional conflicts arose, and how they were ultimately resolved…
But none of that happened. McGuy remained safe throughout. Not only did he cruise freely around town in his quirky little car, but his emotional state remained remarkably stable. He faced no crises of trust, affection, or capability; he wasn’t captured by villains; and the final showdown was effortlessly resolved thanks to his precognitive powers. The so-called destructive vulture merely skirted the edges, never posing a true ultimate challenge to the protagonist. It even appeared solitary and distinctly weak. In contrast to McGee’s leisurely demeanor, the other farm residents seemed far from idle. Their sheer numbers suggested an intent to overwhelm by force, seemingly designed to diminish McGee’s screen time.
I’m not sure if I missed some crucial plot points during my “mild blackout”—like why it’s called Farm 81, where that odd name came from, or if it holds any special significance. If I really did miss that, it’d be a real shame. But the sliver of awareness I retained tells me there was no such information. Or rather, the film didn’t delve into that aspect at all, focusing instead on action gimmicks like “Boonie Bears.” In my daze, all I could see were extras—batches upon batches of minor characters squandering screen time.
Clearly, the three chicks triumphed in their silent battle with McDuck. They were given richer personalities, more lines, and greater screen presence—even securing the crucial first appearance and opening scene. We know their longing to fly, but we don’t know what McGeese yearns for. We recognize their three distinct personalities—especially Egg’s cuteness and Little Treasure’s leadership—but McGeese’s character remains undefined. Even his adult-like voice feels jarringly out of place; it should have belonged to an adorable or quirky alien sprite!
Of course, if we expand the silent battle between the three chicks and Mai Ji into the silent battle between He Ma Animation’s Xu Ke and Golden Eagle Cartoon’s Lei Ying, we can’t say Xu Ke won. We must reflect on how films for a TV station mascot should be made, when product placement should be introduced, how to integrate it without making it feel forced, and whether such collaborations truly achieve the original goal of mutual benefit.
Please specify：Anime Phone Cases » Farm House 81 2013 Animation Film Review: The Secret Battle Between Mai Ji and the Chick