Netflix’s Jentry Chau vs the Underworld marks the debut of creator Echo Wu, a personal and ambitious animated series inspired by her childhood. Featuring Ali Wong as the voice of Jentry, the show blends teen drama, action, and supernatural elements, following a high schooler’s journey to master her powers, fight demons, and uncover family secrets.
Wu describes the show as “a love letter to my childhood,” drawing heavily from her upbringing in Dallas, Texas. The furniture in Jentry’s great-aunt Gugu’s home mirrors pieces from Wu’s own parents’ house, and the show’s tone and setting reflect Wu’s personal experiences of feeling out of place during her teenage years. Jentry’s fear of high school, Wu says, mirrors the character’s greater terror of navigating relationships and personal identity, making high school scarier for her than battling supernatural monsters.
The series introduces audiences to Ed, a jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampire) turned aspiring social media star, voiced by Bowen Yang. Wu wanted to spotlight the underused jiangshi in pop culture, crafting a backstory where Ed ships himself from the Chinese underworld to Texas in pursuit of the American dream.
Though the show began as an animated family comedy, the pandemic shifted Wu’s focus toward exploring heavier themes like intergenerational trauma, familial expectations, and identity struggles. These themes add depth to Jentry’s coming-of-age story, where her love triangle isn’t just about romance but also her relationship with her powers and heritage.
The production of Jentry Chau vs the Underworld was a trial by fire for Wu, who spearheaded the series without prior experience on Hollywood projects. Pitching the idea in 2020, she navigated the challenges of creating an original show during a time when animation projects faced cutbacks and risk-averse decision-making in the industry.
Despite the challenges, Wu hopes her series inspires more original ideas in animation. As she puts it, Jentry Chau vs the Underworld offers viewers not just a unique story but also an authentic reflection of her cultural heritage and personal journey. With its blend of humor, action, and heartfelt themes, the series invites audiences to explore a richly imagined supernatural world while connecting with universal experiences of identity and belonging.
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