The futuristic Taiwanese mini-series 2049, currently streaming and airing on various online platforms and local TV channels, has officially announced a new animated spinoff 2049+ Voice of Rebirth. The first Taiwanese animated series to share the same name as its original IP, 2049+ Voice of Rebirth imagines Taiwanese society in the year 2049, exploring potential social issues such as the utilization of artificial intelligence, housing justice, and the application of smart technology in elderly care.
2049+ Voice of Rebirth, an animated spinoff of the live-action 2049 sci-fi franchise, has released its first official teaser trailer. The first Taiwanese animated series to share the same name as its original IP, 2049+ Voice of Rebirth is produced by Xanthus Animation Studio, a multiple Golden Bell Award recipient and a Gold Remi winner at WorldFest Houston, and features a star-studded voice cast headlined by J.C. Lin, Janice Yan, and Wenny Lin. Riding the latest hot topics of artificial intelligence and big data, the story tackles a vision of Taiwan set 30 years in the future, an era where parcel-delivery drones, police cyborgs, and engineering robots are running around everywhere. The highly-anticipated series will explore social issues we may have to face in the future, such as the utilization of AI, housing justice, and the application of smart technology in elderly care.
Xanthus Animation CEO Bruce Yao notes that even though 2049 feels like the future, it’s also the near future. Accordingly, the animation design took the landscapes of our current environment as the foundation, then added in between the new and old urban areas various holographic displays, sensory controls, drones, and green architectural concepts.
Yao said, “We believe robots and so-called big data and databases will become very common in everyday life 30 years from now. In the production of this animation, we transformed these elements to give them more of a sci-fi feel; for instance, making holographic projections tangible, so that AI and big data are presented as a living person in front of you. They become characters to serve humans, like an AI CEO, AI doctor, AI receptionist; even police officers at the police station are all AI, creating a special kind of look.”
The series will demonstrate the impact of big data on human lives, perhaps bringing efficiency and convenience, but it will also show a side lacking in warmth and humanistic care.
2049+ Voice of Rebirth is produced by Xanthus Animation Studio, Taiwan Mobile’s myVideo streaming service, and Greener Grass Production, with original songs produced by HIM International Music Inc.
The story centers around temple youth Wei (voiced by J.C. Lin), who discovers the benefits of being a “nail house” (holdout) when his grandfather urgently needs funds to pay for medical bills. In order to get more money out of property developers, Wei teams up with Rainy (voiced by Janice Yan), a girl opposed to community reconstruction, to apply for historical landmark status for the temple his grandfather left him. From performing traditional religious ceremonies to participating in a global singing and dancing competition, Wei and Rainy’s efforts to enhance the value of the temple capture the attention of the public. As their relationship grows over time, they also find themselves torn between family, friendship, and even love.
The series premieres on myVideo at 10 pm on 4 December 2021 with a new episode released every Saturday.