The Legend of Hei
A cat spirit's journey between humans and spirits.
The Legend of Hei (Chinese: 罗小黑战记; pinyin: Luó xiǎohēi zhàn jì; trans. 'The Legend of Luo Xiaohei') is a 2019 animated film that acts as a prequel to the animated series *The Legend of Luo Xiaohei*. The story follows the cat spirit Luo Xiaohei before the events of the series.
After humans destroy his home, Xiaohei, a shapeshifting cat spirit, sets out on a journey to find a new place to live. Along the way, he meets both human allies and other spirits, some of whom share his distrust of humans. When a human named Infinity kidnaps him, Xiaohei is forced to spend time with his captor and begins to question his negative feelings toward humanity, leaving him torn between two sides.
The film features a cast including Shan Xin as Xiao Hei, Liu Mingyue as Infinity, and Hao Xianghai as Storm End. It was released in China on 7 September 2019. A Japanese-dubbed version followed a month later, distributed by Toho Cinemas, and an English dub by Shout! Studios reached the US and Canada in 2021.
A sequel, *The Legend of Hei II*, was released in China on 18 July 2025, followed by releases in Canada and the US on 5 September 2025, and in Japan on 7 November 2025.
- release_date
- 7 September 2019 (China)
- director
- Not specified in source
- country
- China
- language
- Chinese (original); Japanese dub; English dub
- genre
- Animated film
- sequel
- The Legend of Hei II (released 18 July 2025 in China)
Lore & Background
The film follows Xiaohei, a cat spirit who shapeshifts, beginning his wandering journey after his home is destroyed by humans. Searching for a new home, he encounters human allies and other spirits, some of whom share his dislike of humans. He is kidnapped by a human called Infinity, and while spending time with him involuntarily, Xiaohei starts questioning his dislike for humans, leaving him with the dilemma of which side to choose.
Reader's Guide
The Legend of Hei is significant as a prequel that expands the backstory of the cat spirit Luo Xiaohei, setting up the events of the animated series. Its release in China in 2019 was followed by a Japanese-dubbed version distributed by Toho Cinemas a month later, and an English dub by Shout! Studios across the US and Canada in 2021. The film's sequel, The Legend of Hei II, was released on 18 July 2025 in China, with subsequent releases in Canada and the US on 5 September 2025 and in Japan on 7 November 2025, indicating the franchise's growing international reach. The film's legacy lies in its cross-cultural appeal and its role in establishing a broader narrative universe.
Did You Know?
- The film is a prequel to the animated series The Legend of Luo Xiaohei.
- The Japanese-dubbed version was distributed by Toho Cinemas.
- The English dub was released by Shout! Studios across the US and Canada in 2021.
- A sequel, The Legend of Hei II, was released on 18 July 2025 in China.
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