You all have heard or know Netflix right? I mean who doesn't nowadays (especially during these quarantine times). But have you heard of the new series "Trese"? No? Yes? Maybe? Well let me tell you more about it in this article as we unravel one of the newest animated series production by Netflix, and why it's giving goosebumps and ultimate pride and representation to all Filipino artists out there.
Netflix (And people like you) have had a long history of getting into Philippine content. We all can remember back in 2013 when they started giving us shows like "I'm Fried Rice" and "To Our Friends". But, even with the growing popularity of shows like these, they are still not able to catch the same level of popularity as a show like "Trese" has now:
Why? Simple answer: because there's no representation.
Yes, we had, "Barangay 143", "Hayop Ka!" and other shows that had potential but were never embraced that much.
And I'm not saying that it's because of the lack of representation that these shows turned out the way they did, but it could have definitely affected them, and based on their productions and formats, we could see it clearly.
So here we are all, waiting for a show like this to come out.
Something that tells our own stories.
"Trese" is one of those shows that tell our own stories. And not just any stories: unique ones at best.
Originally a horror/crime comic series by writer Budjette Tan and artist Kajo Baldisimo. It tells the story of Alexandra Trese, a detective who deals with crimes of supernatural origin. We are talking about, first-hand Filipino folklore and urban legends ("Tyanak", "Tikbalang", "Nuno", you know what I mean).
So growing up with these stories, where our uncles and aunts would scare us while our parents were away from work or something alike, this is something really worth a watch.
The panels are made up of a grid with a title and a picture in black and white. It's not your usual art and storytelling method that you see in a normal comic book. But it is your typical or "realistic" representation (at least, I would say so) for a Philippine cartoon. Tagline: "Where nightmares have teeth, and the living craves for blood".
Also, another unique similarity in our stories is that we are given a plotline that is clearly our own and which represents our nation/culture in a way we haven't known yet (speaking from memory).
Now this all might seem like a big deal that we have not gotten a show like this yet. But it's really not. We are given shows like this every once in a while. But, sometimes, the story arcs are either impossible to adapt to the Philippines, or it is too plain because of the culture and origin of the show (or both). For example, take "Big Hero 6" because of its connection with Japanese culture. On the other hand, take "The Fruit of Grisaia: The Langrisser Series" because of its relation with the Japanese culture.
But what of "Trese", though? Just another one of the many Filipino-made shows that have been shopped around before. There is luck involved: the developer has hired Filipino voices, but we still need to wait. Now, I am quite curious to see why this has happened. I mean, we have great talent, actors, and artists to begin with.
The show itself is a work of art, with quality animation and visuals, and the most important thing is being able to connect with the characters. In "The Chronicles Of Narnia", I could only enjoy the story and the fantasy world so much because of the portrayal of the main characters. I found myself relating with them more as characters than as the main character. In "Trese" too, I found myself relating better to the characters than as the main characters.
I would say this series concept and animation will most likely be embraced not just by the locals but also the whole world. Of course, it is pretty much given for Filipinos to check it out and appreciate it more, since this is something that came from our roots (References, roots, character build-up, and design, etc.), but for some parts of the world, this is a new blend of horror and action animation for them.
In my opinion, most of my uncles are animators and artists. So I had the privilege to swim to the eternal stash of comic books growing up, from the rarest to the common ones. I remember I snatch one home a copy of a Spiderman comic book. Back then I don't remember the comic number, the title, or anything that would give me an idea of its rarity, but all I can remember is that it is on a very well sealed pack, with a hard front and back cover (not the same as its pages) and it's on holographic... Soooooooo... when I go back to this memory I know I did something very wrong back then hahaha! (Until now, they didn't know it was me who took it lol). I was a kid, cut me some slack haha! Going back...
I can somehow look at "Trese" with almost the same storyline and concept of "Constantine" where similarities are there but of course with a different variation or a touch of originality as well. But anyway, we'll never know, as the comic progress and support continues, the series would also be more unique and may progress differently just like "The Walking Dead" (Comics and Series are way off and independently served)
In Conclusion:
It tells us that we're capable of telling stories. And what's more, that we are capable of something greater too.
That's why it makes me feel proud and awed at the same time that we have gotten this show.
That, we are capable of creating something wonderful just like that. I am so happy and very much proud that we have these artists, production, and all its members that continuously advances to greater heights to achieve great goals and grounds not just for themselves but for the country they represent.
So I would love to see what more can this show bring. I know it really surprised me and brought up a wide range of emotions in me, and I really hope for more. As we anticipate this series this coming June 11, 2021, as an animated series produced by Netflix, with another one-of-a-kind Filipino-American Jay Oliva as executive director.
You can check other Filipino made animation here as well:
https://thesmartlocal.com/philippines/filipino-anime/
Check out Trese's Official Trailer here:
