Chulyen, a Crow’s tale

Chulyen is a creature that is half human, half crow and whose merciless eyes reveal an arrogant character. The story is set in northern lands with forests and lakes, where the Aurora spreads across the night sky. When Chulyen sets its eyes on a kayak ridden by a giant, it follows the dictates of its interest and steals the boat, but soon the spirits are in pursuit… Chulyen is a fictional creature that appears in the traditions of Northern Native America, and this work was produced according to the original story. A dark intense world is generated through a monotone depiction mixing simple yet occasionally violent drawing and live action, combined with distinctive audio effects.

Using a synthesis of relentless drawing and live-action, the absurd story of Chulyen, the evil crow spirit and its pursuit by three shamans in a landscape close to the North Pole unfolds like a nightmare, emitting ominous power while steeped in mystery. Filled with malicious intent and brimming eerie purity, the complex and mysterious expressions of the characters linger in the subconscious. Through an animated production, the attempt to depict the darker inner world of an ecosystem of lakes and woods that are the subject of North American mythology is fresh and compelling. Unknown possibilities can be felt in the unrefined impressions it leaves. (YAMAMURA Koji)