The Alamat Experience (Ang Alamat ng Bayabas) - Judah Palacpac
Today, we're diving into the first episode of "Alamat." But before we jump into the episode itself, let's catch you up on the story. This episode revolves around a greedy king who, quite literally, gobbles up all the food in his kingdom on a daily basis, leaving his subjects starving. People in his realm often go for days without a proper meal, and what little they manage to scrounge up must meet the king's demanding standards. Failure to provide quality food comes with severe consequences. One fateful day, the king issues an order to seize every last bit of food from all the territories under his rule, as the current offerings fail to satisfy his insatiable appetite. Those who dare to defy him face imprisonment in his name. In the protagonist's village, his father tries to hide a single fish when the king arrives. But when the king discovers this small act of defiance, he has the father arrested and thrown into prison.
The main character, however, manages to escape and pleads with the Diwata (or fairy) to help save his father. He eventually infiltrates the castle but is captured by the guards. In a surprisingly anticlimactic twist, the king, who had sentenced the protagonist to execution, ironically dies choking on the very food he stole from his starving subjects. He's buried on a small hill where a tree grows. Years later, the guavas (loosely referred to as such, as they resemble kiwis in the animation) from the tree become ripe and delicious, just like the food that the people gave to the king but never tasted themselves. This serves as a testament to future kings that greed would ultimately lead to their downfall, encouraging them to be more compassionate rulers.
One thing that immediately stands out is the phenomenal animation in "Alamat." It's a visual treat, and even those new to animation can learn a thing or two from this series. The story is well-crafted, and its moral message shines through. The only minor criticism I have is the lack of subtitles for those who don't understand Filipino, but that's a small issue. In conclusion, I believe the story is exceptional. If you're curious, you can watch the episode here:
That's all I have to say for now. Stay firm, blogsketteers!