Birdboy: The Forgotten Children 2017

The island, once a thriving fishing community filled with natural beauty, transformed drastically after Birdman, the father of Birdboy, dedicated himself to maintaining the lighthouse that guided local fishing boats. However, the construction of a factory changed everything for the islanders. When a catastrophic explosion occurred at the factory, it led to widespread devastation, wiping out the fish population and converting a large portion of the island into a landfill. In this chaos, Birdman began to mysteriously soar through the skies, carrying a satchel—though the police suspected him of drug trafficking, they would ultimately shoot him down, unaware that his satchel held glowing golden acorns.

As a result of the explosion, a dark, crow-like demon became trapped within Birdboy, forcing him into isolation. To control the demon, he resorted to using drugs from Zachariah, a piglet with a fishing boat and a pet parrot, in addition to “happy pills” pilfered by a young mouse named Dinki from her parents. Although Dinki formed a strong bond with Birdboy, he continuously pushed her away due to the darkness lurking inside him. Compounding his troubles, the police were on the lookout for Birdboy, suspecting him of distributing drugs. Despite being shot multiple times, Birdboy always found refuge in his secret grotto. This magical place was a sanctuary, rich with life, featuring a magnificent tree surrounded by clean waters that still teemed with fish. The tree, nourished by the souls of deceased birds that transformed into healing yellow bugs, allowed Birdboy to mend his wounds. These bugs would eventually retreat to the tree, which produced those luminous golden acorns.

Dinki lived with her rather strict Christian fundamentalist mother and stepfather, who often rebuked her for her rebellious nature. One fateful day, Dinki resolved to actualize her dream of escaping the island. She and her companions, Sandra the rabbit and Little Fox, had been diligently saving up coins to fund a trip to the city, where they heard of opportunities from Little White Mouse’s older brother. In a desperate bid to gather the final amount of money needed, they concocted a plan to rob Zachariah’s home. Unbeknownst to them, Zachariah had also been hoarding money to flee, but he remained behind to care for his drug-affected mother. The addiction took the form of a monstrous spider demon that could grow immensely whenever Zachariah administered drugs. Caught in the act, the children had a fierce confrontation with the spider, but they managed to escape with Zachariah’s savings after weakening the beast. Ultimately, in a moment of desperation, Zachariah crushed the spider, knowing it would mean the end for his mother. In her final moments, she expressed gratitude for liberating her from her suffering, offering a last shred of comfort to Zachariah.

Dinki, Sandra, and Little Fox made their way to the landfill, where they found that Little White Mouse’s brother was still scavenging copper for money. He guided them to Uncle Klauss, a deal-maker in illicit goods. The children wished to secure passage off the island but were only able to procure an oversized inflatable pool toy in the shape of a duck. As they continued through the landfill, they encountered a gang of scavenger rats known as the Forgotten Children. Zachariah’s parrot witnessed their capture and urgently flew to inform Birdboy. Consumed by rage, Birdboy allowed the demon within to take control, transforming him into a massive, fire-breathing raptor. In this fearsome form, he rampaged through the Forgotten Children, destroying both them and their settlement.

Once liberated, Dinki sought Birdboy and found her frightened friend back in his original state. She implored him to join their escape and professed her love. Overwhelmed with joy, Birdboy agreed to guide the children on their inflatable duck from the air. However, a violent storm struck, capsizing the toy, and Birdboy was soon spotted by the police, who fired one last desperate shot. Using his fishing boat, Zachariah rescued the children, only to later return them safely to their homes. Sometime later, while attempting to fish again, Zachariah discovered a gravely weakened Birdboy from the depths of the ocean. In that moment of survival, one of Birdboy’s glowing bugs emerged from his dying breath, gathering a multitude of others. They flew to Dinki’s room, leading her to the secret grotto where she discovered the golden acorns, perhaps holding the key to rejuvenating the dying island.