Calabash Brothers (Chinese: 葫芦兄弟 also known as 葫芦娃 in Chinese) is a Chinese animation TV series produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio. It is also referred to as “Bottle Gourd Brothers”, “Hulu Brothers” and “Seven Brothers”.
Seven Brothers
Big Brother (Red): Has super-strength and is able to grow to immense proportions at will. He is a headstrong individual, albeit slightly gullible. Attempting to storm the spirits’ fortress, he fell into an illusion trap laid by the spirits, and was imprisoned for most of the series. Being the eldest, he is referred to as the “big” brother, which is also fitting with his abilities.
Second Brother (Orange): Has enhanced hearing and sight. He is the wittiest of his brothers, often coming up with effective strategies against enemy forces. He fell victim to the spirits’ enchanted mirror, and was blinded for part of the series. He also partially lost his hearing, but was able to recover it along with his sight. He was able to use his recovered abilities and quick thinking to work with his Sixth Brother in a plan to free all the brothers that were trapped in the fortress.
Third Brother (Yellow): Has invulnerability. He is a fearless individual, but is also the most impulsive (so much so he left the vine before he was ready to transform). Like his eldest brother, he attempted to storm the fortress, but his over-confidence allowed him to be trapped by an enchanted Urumi. Before capture, he successfully shattered the enchanted mirror, thus preventing the spirits from spying on the Calabash Mountains anymore.
Fourth Brother (Green): Able to create and control fire and lightning at will. Although he does not require a source to draw fire or lightning from, he is particularly sensitive to the cold, which causes him to become drowsy and fall asleep. The spirits’ gave him a special “cooling” wine that put him to sleep before freezing him in a block of ice. The Fourth and Fifth brothers transformed one right after the other, and as a result are closer to one another.
Fifth Brother (Cyan): Able to create and control water at will. While he has a higher tolerance against fire, his ability to create water is limited, and he at times requires to draw from an external source. His affinity with water gave him a taste for wine, and the spirits’ were able to trap him when he became drunk. The Fourth and Fifth brothers transformed one right after the other, and as a result are closer to one another.
Sixth Brother (Blue): Is able to become invisible and sometimes incorporeal, enabling him to escape even when he has been caught. He is the most mischievous of his brothers, and enjoys using his powers to wreak havoc within the spirits’ fortress. Being invisible, he was able to steal an artifact from the spirits to release his captured brothers. Due to the time the Second Brother spent with his younger brothers while recovering, the two of them are closer to one another, and the older sometimes scolds the younger for sidetracking on his tasks to have fun.
Little Brother (Purple): Although lacking any powers of his own, the youngest brother possesses a magical gourd which is able to draw anything he wishes into its center. He is also able to use it to manipulate the emotions of others. He is the most affectionate and trusting of his brothers, even willing to hand over his gourd when asked. He was brainwashed by the spirits to serve them, and used his magical gourd to draw his brothers into its center; the spirits then took the gourd from him and drew him in as well. He was able to recover his senses in the final episode, and reclaimed his gourd to trap the spirits.
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