The legend about a female demon who can take the form of a snake and the mortal man who falls in love with her has been part of China’s ancient mythology for centuries. This particular tale is one of the “China’s Four Great Folktales” and has changed over time: first, a horror cautionary tale of good vs. evil and later as a popular romance between star-crossed lovers whose forbidden relationship contradicts laws of nature.

Adapted many times in Chinese cinema, an early entry of this legend dates back to 1939 (The Legend of White Snake). The most recent addition to the canon is the animated movie produced by Light Chaser Animation, a rising studio that aspires to become a major producer for animated films in China, and there is enough appeal here to transcend borders.

Blanca (voiced by Zhang Zhe, in the original Mandarin version) is a white snake demon who can assume the human form of a beautiful woman. She was sent by her Snake Master, another female demon, to kill a sorcerer-king responsible for the slaughter of snakes in the village under his command. Blanca failed in her mission, and she has ended up back in the same village, but without her memory. Here, becoming a snake-catcher is fundamental to sustaining families and paying tribute to the ruler. Enthralled by her beauty and ignorant about her origin, villager Xuan (Yang Tianxiang) takes care of her, eager to help in the recovery of her memory. He’s not a conventional snake catcher, though. His secret aspiration is to become a doctor.

Blanca, Xuan, and his dog Dudou return to the place where the young man found her, hoping they will find a clue to her identity. Along the way, the dog slips and almost falls off a cliff, if Blanca hadn’t saved him with magical powers, to everyone’s surprise, including hers. (The canine speaks with a human voice at some point, thanks, again, to Blanca’s powers.) Later, they find a jade hairpin that enhances her powers—she can now fly and attack opponents. Meanwhile, Blanca and Xuan get closer to each other and fall in love. Unfortunately, she is not just a demon but one whose original form is the reptile that Xuan’s village hunts.

In addition, her sister, Verta (Tang Xiaoxi), also a snake demon, appears to remind Blanca of the mission she must complete. (Verta has the “Death Scorch” curse, which will burn her alive if she doesn’t fulfill the promise of bringing her sister back to her calling in three days.) But what can a human like Xuan do to counteract the natural laws that forbid him to mate with a demon? There is a painful solution that includes a poignant sacrifice in one of the best moments of the movie.

White Snake tells an intense and captivating love story, with many sleek sequences of action and fantasy. The fights involving magical powers, the demoniac transformations, and the visits to menacing places offer rich background imagery while deepening Blanca’s and Xuan’s evolution. Secondary characters, such as the skillful fighter Verta or Dudou, who sacrifices his tail to aid Xuan, are as engaging as the central couple. All these elements provide a deliciously complex story that doesn’t outsmart anyone who wants to appreciate an eye-catching animated film with commercial aspirations.

It should be noted that White Snake may require adult supervision on account of some sexually suggestive scenes. In spite of that, this is the kind of young adult entertainment that should be more frequent among animated features, which are often made for children.

The love story of Blanca and Xuan has a formula to charm audiences of all ages. This is a triumph for Light Chaser, proving that you achieve a fresh success if you go back respectfully to old myths and tales.