Gengshuo Li

The Phantom Pain

A wounded soldier confronts the loss of his right hand and dearest comrade in this 2D animated short. Through a trance-like encounter, he accepts his imperfections and reclaims hope. "The Phantom Pain" is a poetic, atmospheric meditation on trauma, identity, and the power of embracing one’s fractured self.

“The Phantom Pain is a 2D animated short that explores psychological trauma, identity, and healing through visual storytelling. The narrative follows a soldier who loses both his partner and right hand during a mission. In a hallucinatory state while recovering in the hospital, he encounters the soul of his lost partner—who had always appeared masked and faceless, symbolizing his past. This encounter leads him to accept that, although his body is no longer whole, his soul remains intact.The animation uses a combination of contour rotoscope, negative space, and stylized transitions to reflect emotional and mental disorientation. Visual emptiness is deliberately employed to emphasize memory, grief, and inner transformation. The work draws inspiration from anime like In/Spectre, SK8 the Infinity, and the Rainbow Six Siege cinematic universe, merging emotionally expressive styles with the sharp aesthetics of tactical CG.Thematically, the work addresses disability, the fear of physical incompleteness, and the journey of reconciling with one’s past. It asks the viewer to consider where identity truly resides: in appearance, function, or the soul. Ultimately, The Phantom Pain is a meditation on recovery—not from injury alone, but from the loss of self.”