American Born Chinese

Adapted from Gene Luen Yang's beloved graphic novel, American Born Chinese presents an inviting blend of heartfelt coming-of-age humor and exhilarating martial-arts action.

The snappy screenplay, acute observations on what it is like to be an Asian American teen in a mostly white school and martial arts action — Berkeley’s Daniel Wu has a great time as the Monkey King — contribute in making this a fast-paced, addictive show.

Despite these many words about self-exploration, “American Born Chinese” remembers to bring the fun. Action sequences — except, and unfortunately, a key one that doesn’t use all of the provided space before cueing the VFX — are permeated with a sense of playfulness.

There are hints now and then — the clean language, the high school party where Jin fills up on… hot dogs — but the show doesn’t suffer for broadening its appeal. After eight episodes, the “normal” moments will stay with viewers long after the final battle.

American Born Chinese is a fun, bold reimagining of the American coming-of-age tale, combined with Chinese mythology and a deservedly award-winning graphic novel. There are lots of moving parts in a short amount of time, but it works in a seriously charming way when all brought together with excellent fight choreography to tie a bow on it.

It’s charming without being treacly, funny and also sensitive—and, like many wuxia films, its action comes with an equal measure of thoughtfulness.

American Born Chinese is an entertaining ride, with a refreshing take on cultural identity that never feels like a lesson.

Based on Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel, “ABC” expands his concept and uses its panels as storyboards for something much greater. It works.

American Born Chinese doesn't always find the right balance between its regular and extraordinary elements, but it sure is a blast to watch it try. [May 2023, p.76]

That push-pull between insecurity and confidence will remain at the heart of American Born Chinese, through all manner of drama, action and fantasy, with wildly entertaining and occasionally touching results.

It's ideal family viewing: Thought-provoking and fun, without one element compromising the other.

"Chinese" has a lot of substance to back up its fancy style, in particular, with Jin's internal battle over assimilating into his largely white American high school or embracing his immigrant parents and Chinese community.

American Born Chinese rises above its faults to become a wholesome TV show that goes beyond stereotypes. It doesn’t necessarily comment on them head-on but it does find a way to address them subtly as Jin strives to find his place in his world.

Is this show a perfectly timed victory lap? Yes. Does it get unwieldy when you’re compressing a centuries-old epic and a high school #StopAsianHate campaign into eight episodes of Disneyfied polish? Of course. But American Born Chinese’s commitment to the juxtaposition makes the show worthy, as uneven as it can be.

While it took a bit of time to get our bearings with regards to what’s going on in the Heavenly Realm, we still enjoyed the first episode of American Born Chinese because of the earthly part of the story, as well as the well-done action sequences.

Even with its flaws, “American Born Chinese” is a very entertaining contemporary update of groundbreaking source material for the family. Fans of the original might miss its edge, but it compensates in solid storytelling, great wuxia action, and star-making turns for Ben Wang and Jimmy Liu.

The show, while enjoyable, falls into the same trap that former Asian-led projects have in the past: It capitalizes off of race as a selling point for Western audiences, perhaps unknowingly relying on the same familiar tropes instead of pushing the boundaries for what these narratives have the potential to be.