Mantis Kid

Mantis Kid is a 2005 anime-influenced action fantasy film produced by Nelvana and 20th Century Fox Animation and Distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Dianne Houston and Nelvana founder, Michael Hirsh and written by Laurent de Brunhoff, Fiona Reid and Seth Rogen. The film revolves around a 10-year old Mantis nymph superhero named Mantis Kid and the story on how he defended Oak City. He also has a younger sister who appears to be a rather useful sidekick named Larva Girl and two parents (who are real Superheroes) named Butterfly Woman and Mantis Man. The group attempt to save Oak City from an evil alien emperor named "Big Bad Bessie".

Mantis Kid made it's debut on September 6, 2005 and mostly got positive reception from the critics. It was also a box-office success as it costed $63 Million to produce and grossed $343 Million. The film later got a TV series in 2006 (by HiT Entertainment, which handled the Claymation scenes of the movie) as well as several video games on seventh and eighth generation consoles and a TV special for Qubo. Mantis Kid is also known for being Fox's last major movie to be animated with a hand-drawn artstyle (though it also used CGI, stop-motion, puppetry and actual anime animations as well).

Plot
The movie begins with Mantis Kid, who's just a newborn nymph, witnessing destruction before his eyes only for his parents to save him from an alien's deadly laser beam. Shortly afterwards, his heroic parents, Butterfly Woman and Mantis Man (who were 30 at the time) underwent a severe fight against the unwanted guest. The alien fled and he was carried to safety. Two years in the future, Butterfly Woman, who now has an egg to take care of, told Mantis Man that he has to train his son, who's now two for battle when he gets old. Later that day, the egg hatches into a beautiful baby girl named "Larva Girl". But as soon as she was born, the alien returned, this time with a deadly army! They demanded to take Mantis Boy and Larva Girl from them. But they refused to proceed. When the duo proceeded to attack, the aliens fled once again.

Back on their home planet, they told their queen, Big Bad Bessie, that two insect adults prevented them from ruling earth. The queen wanted to help so she wanted to make an indestructible demotion ray that can send any town to any demotion that she desires to send it. It took her eight years to produce the weapon and she tested out with an asteroid. When she arrived to oak city, she smashed Butterfly Woman and Mantis Man in the head and holding them hostage. Mantis Kid and Larva Girl felt upset and decided to battle them. But as soon as they attempted to battle her, she sent the entire town into a CGI world. During the process, the duo, who are now 10 and 8, confront their first foes, fish-like monsters named Carpingtons. After the CGI beasts died out, she then sends them to the anime world. Where they battle their second foe, a 16-headed dragon known as the Iron Hydra.

The Hydra was rather tough for them, and the queen was pleased. Though eventually Larva Girl discovers it's weakness, water. Following the beast's defeat, they attacked Big Bad Bessie again and she sends them to the Stop-motion world. Where they discover a cave and go in. As soon as they entered the cave, they were attacked by an evil Jewel monster. The Jewel monster, made from diamonds proceeds to attack first, resulting in Mantis Kid getting hurt. So Larva Girl handled the monster herself.

Among the monster's defeat, it was revealed that Big Bad Bessie hid their parents deep in the cave. So the two enter the large mines and fight more monsters. As soon as they reached near the core of the Stop-motion world, the duo rescued their parents after a giant lava monster emerges and the four use teamwork to fight him. After the monster's defeat, Big Bad Bessie returns and sends them to their last place, the Puppetry world. Where they get attacked by Muppet-like creatures known as Zuppets. The Zuppets were described as small, but vicious and powerful creatures that must be defeated as a team. After the Zuppet's defeat, they return back to the main world and duel it out against Big Bad Bessie.

After Big Bad Bessie's defeat, she returns as a giant CGI blob of goo and demands the four to surrender. During the intense battle, the Carpingtons, Iron Hydra, the Jewel Beast and the Zuppets all returned and joined the Insect Squad in this intense battle. When Mantis Kid discovers the Ray gun, he grabs it and zaps it right at Big Bad Bessie, sending her to the Puppetry World. Where she'll be forever tormented by the Zuppets.