Invincible Iron Man (2007)

Invincible Iron Man was released one year before the theatrical release of the MCU's Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr.. It is important to point the time of the release as the animated movie took all its references from the comic book storylines for it's source material.
The film achieved an audience score of 46%, on rotten tomatoes, as it was largely panned by the collective of critics who reviewed the movie. As it was given a rating of PG-13 and has been classified as an action adventure animation with elements of science fiction and fantasy.  Upon reading the main points of  most critics, their summations tended to recycle a similar sets of patterns .
The animation  felt rushed as it left audience unimpressed, those who enjoyed the animation felt it  was merely satisfactory. Devote fans were upset as it became clear it was a story that was not a derivative of the comic character's origin, but an else-worlds story. There was a lot of plot points, so those with a short attention span could quickly and easily lose interest. Which leads to the decision for placing an alternate opening sequence on the Blue-ray. The removal

L-R Tony, Rhodey, and Pepper

which explains the history of the Mandarin, the elementals, and the entire backstory along with motivations behind claiming the mystical rings.  This decision of watching the movie without the backstory just presents an unforeseen threat without any stakes, or understanding of the dangers.  The flipside of that decision to not separate that backstory would lead to a very lengthy, trotting story that slows momentum to when we finally meet Tony and Rhodes. As the audience would then be subjected to an equal amount of more exposition before we see Tony suit up in his armor; a full hour into the movie.

Li Mei

The animation was written by  Greg Johnson, and directed by Patrick Archibald, Frank Paur, and Jay Oliva; all four men worked together again on the Doctor Strange animated movie which was released in the same year of 2007.  This would support the criticism of  both audiences and critics who had viewed the movie.  To start it can take an average of  up to 24 months or longer to produce a feature length animation from concept to its release.  So its understandable that over lapping of production time and energy (on Dr. Strange & Iron Man) has transpired during the creative controls of the movie.  It was also spotted in the Doctor Strange movie  that there was a side character that bore a striking resemblance to the Character of Li Mei, whose role is pivotal in the telling of the invincible Iron Man story. Yet in actuality had no connection to each other.
The Plot:  Li Mei and her father are the heads of an extremist militant group dedicated to the prevention of the rise of the Mandarin, their cause conflicts with Stark industries latest business venture.  As Tony Stark final comes to China to aid his friend and company attaché James Rhodes, Stark's convoy is attacked; and a recently captured. It is here another captive  Dr. Hope Yinsen saves Tony's life.
The work Stark industries have brought fourth, has started a chain of events foretold in forgotten scrolls of the coming of the Mandarin and his cataclysmic prophecy.  This prophecy is a glaring sore point in the animated movie for purists of the comic book; In addition that the Mandarin when in possession of his rings could control the dragon Fing Fang Foom as what they believed the creature to be just a giant Dragon. Fing Fang Foom is in fact an alien from Asgard,  which has now been re-written as one of the elemental spirits working for Mandarin. Also,  the actual five elements of the Chinese Zodiac are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. This  animation deposits the demon elementals to be Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Air and Fing Fang Foom.
Finally, Tony's father is alive and well and continues to work for Stark Industries.