Film Name: 麦兜·饭宝奇兵 / McDull·Rise of The Rice Cooker / Rise of The Rice Cooker
This was the first time I felt sleepy while watching a McDull movie.
I had high hopes that this down-to-earth animation, known for its portrayal of ordinary life and family bonds, would introduce an otherworldly monster to present a fresh “conflict + healing” narrative. Instead, it delivered a “conflict-healing” world.
It’s not that the rice cooker concept itself is flawed. This most ordinary household item becoming a heroic robot savior perfectly illustrates how the simplest things in life can be extraordinary, and how the most ordinary people can create miracles. With its all-encompassing power, the rice cooker can transform anything into delicious food and energy. The idea of a tiny rice cooker birthing a grand miracle was genuinely promising.
Yet the design of this rice cooker struggles to inspire affection. Beyond its slightly cute ability to flip pages with its eyes, it lacks WALL-E’s endearing charm or Big Hero 6’s warmth. It falls light-years short of Doraemon’s intelligent robot appeal, making it hardly a consumable character. The gag about it gaining power by eating its own rice balls offers a touch of humor but lacks depth. Ultimately, it lacks autonomy. Its actions aren’t driven by independent judgment, robbing it of the emotional resonance that could have been embedded within the machine.
The main antagonist, Butt Monster, is equally unappealing from start to finish. It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to buy a plush toy version of this character, despite its seemingly simple design. Devoid of personality, it fails to inspire either admiration or the desire to own it. In other words, it offers little in the way of consumer-friendly interactivity.
Crucially, Pee-Pee Monster remains merely a monster from an Ultraman-style plot, never developing complex emotional ties with humans. It’s just a destructive demon with nothing to protect. It doesn’t even share a special story with McDull. Its presence clashes with the idyllic scenes from McDull’s previous adventures, blurring the moving narrative of McDull’s mother working tirelessly to make fish balls to support her son’s inventions.
Though the film still radiates a signature McDull melancholy. For instance, it presents an open-ended conclusion for Rice Ball—whether he lives happily on the monster planet or becomes space debris. This tension between warmth and coldness reflects the director’s contemplation of beautiful ideals versus harsh reality. Yet this sorrow struggles to compensate for the healing lost in the monster-fighting narrative.
The film also retains its signature McDull humor. Whether it’s the portrayal of the U.S. president who only knows how to exclaim “Oh my gosh!”, the satire of Japanese Ultraman-style superheroes, or the design where superheroes and robots are repeatedly spanked by monsters like children, these moments elicit knowing chuckles. Yet this humor struggles to compensate for the loss of McDull’s down-to-earth authenticity stemming from his departure from home.
McDuck becomes a hero not because he truly is one. Nor does he become heartwarming inspiration because he’s some kind of savior.
Please specify：Anime Phone Cases » McDull·Rise of The Rice Cooker 2016 Animation Film Review:I never imagined McDull would become a savior.