Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Voice of Fox

Hu Li is a poor but talented high school boy. He is a “ghost” singer/songwriter for the popular and narcissistic boy idol Kong Que, who is very handsome but can barely sing. Hu always wears a fox mask to hide his large facial scar caused by a traffic accident. He also uses a screen name “Mr. Fox” to publish his music online. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Comic

Episode Summary: Hu Li is a typical, unassuming young man. He holds down several odd-jobs to scrape by and watches those with fame and fortune from afar. But Hu Li has some interesting secrets. He’s a talented singer and songwriter who posts his creations online under a fox-masked pseudonym. He’s also the voice of a popular idol, the attractive Kong Que – a man with a pretty face but without the talent to go along with it.

Kong Que and Hu Li have an arrangement – Hu Li provides the live vocals for Kon Que, and together they create the perfect idol. A clause in Hu Li’s contracts is that no one can find out the nature of this secret, but after receiving a mysterious email one night, Hu Li realizes that someone is watching his every move.

Impressions: As another of Crunchyroll’s weirdly-timed acquisitions (it would be nice if contracts were finalized earlier in the broadcast cycle, though this is hardly the worst example… or maybe I just need to pay closer attention), I almost managed to miss this series. That would have been a shame, because for all its awkward run-time and middling production values, its first episode introduces the seed of an interesting conflict.

The very set-up might seem to be a stretch to some folks, but to me the fact that some musical acts are manufactured is a familiar bit of pop-culture drama. From Milli Vanilli to C+C Music Factory, my childhood is dotted with controversies surrounding uncredited (or under-credited) vocals in very famous, popular songs. There are some genres of music where image is just as important as talent; having a great singing voice might not be enough for a producer or agent to overlook one’s homely appearance. However I might feel about the justice of this, it’s unfortunately a fact of the system we’ve established for ourselves.

Voice of Fox seems poised to critique that system, though perhaps in a manner without much finesse. Hu Li is scrappy, hardworking, and likable – a relateable character to the majority of us who don’t have the kind of talent to make it in the entertainment industry. His counterpart, the attractive and arrogant Kong Que, is the opposite, and representative of the type of image many of us have in our minds of those with fame and wealth. It’s clear that we’re meant to root for the working-class hero, even though both characters have something to lose if their secret is discovered.

Hu Li may be the de facto “hero,” and his situation definitely seems to be the more interesting one. Even though he hasn’t made his way as a singer the traditional way, his inherent talent and some internet savvy have helped him to carve out his own niche. He’s managed to garner a following, even if his fans may never see his face (or, unfortunately, be willing and/or able to offer up financial compensation for his work). He exists in the space that I see a lot of artists navigate; he works hard “under the table,” making meager money through unofficial means and gaining some isolated fandom recognition, but may never be one of the lucky few hired to a permanent, stable contract. Because his position is so legally-tenuous, his employers see little need to actually pay him well for his services, either. I find this to be very perceptive on the part of the show’s creators, and hope that this is explored further.

Unlike some Chinese co-productions, the animation in this series is pretty serviceable, which is a relief for my eyes. To be honest, my only major criticism of the intro episode is its run-time. I went back and forth between slotting this into my upcoming short-form anime round-up, but even at 13 minutes per episode this series has more of a narrative arc than the majority of the other shorts, so that didn’t seem appropriate. On the other hand, I feel like the shorter episodes don’t leave a lot of time for story elements to “settle” before the narrative has started to move again. This episode manages to feel rushed even though it touches on the points necessary to establish the plot arc. It’s a bit reminiscent of Tweeny Witches which I absolutely loved, but which is admittedly paced a bit oddly due to the fact that each “episode” is actually two shorter episodes crammed together into a half-hour segment.

I can’t tell whether or not this series will attempt to comment on the state of the music industry, class issues, or other more serious subjects that crop up briefly during this episode, or whether it may just turn out to be the story of two rivals attempting to make their way within an unjust system. I think there’s the potential for both and either could result in a satisfying story. I just worry that the narrative will become too chopped-up by the strange quarter-hour run time and leave an unsatisfying and unfinished impression.

Pros: There’s the suggestion of many interesting topics to cover. The protagonist actually has something to lose if things turn out poorly.

Cons: The short run-time makes the episode feel a bit rushed.

Grade: B-