Audience watch Ne Zha 2 at a cinema in Guiyang, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on 1 March (XINHUA) 

Since its release on 29 January, the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 has been making history. It entered the list of the all-time global box office top 10 only 20 days later, with ticket sales surpassing 15 billion yuan ($2.07 billion). IMDb, a global movie review platform, gave it an 8.2 rating as of 11 March, underscoring its broad appeal. 

“It not only showcases the strong power of Chinese animation after its rise, but also demonstrates the infinite possibilities of traditional Chinese mythology in the modern context,” an IMDb review reads. On Reddit, a user commented, “Chinese historical/fantasy/cultural films are second to none in storytelling. Their mix of fantasy with martial arts and religion is peak entertainment.” On various social media platforms, Ne Zha 2 is trending, described as “visually stunning” and “emotionally powerful.” 

Roots of success 

The story of Ne Zha, a folk religion deity in China, has been adapted for the silver screen many times, including the 1979 sensation Ne Zha Conquers the Dragon King, which established the most classic image of Ne Zha in people’s minds. The new edition owes its success to the earlier films that introduced Western audiences to traditional Chinese cultural elements and whetted their appetite for more. 

Ne Zha 2 presents a diversity of Chinese cultural elements, ranging from Buddhism, Taoism, and traditional Chinese art to mythology and history. The Sanxingdui culture, a major Bronze Age culture excavated in south-west China that possessed extremely sophisticated smelting technology and created uniquely designed artefacts, has made a major contribution to Ne Zha 2. The Barrier Beasts in the film, who defend the boundary, are inspired by the bronze heads found in the Sanxingdui Ruins with a gold mask and bulging eyes. 

According to Yang Yu, also known as Jiaozi, director of the film, whether Chinese films can become international hits hinges on “whether the script, the story and its characters can move audiences worldwide.” Ne Zha, the boy hero’s rebellious spirit, which drives him to fight powerful dictators and destiny, has a strong universal appeal, making an old story resonate with the universal topics of identity recognition, pursuit of social justice, and resilience. “Ne Zha’s struggle mirrors my own battles against prejudice,” a US viewer told Xinhua. 

A poster of the animated feature Ne Zha 2 is pictured at a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, on 6 February (XINHUA) 

Visual feast  

The cherry on top is undoubtedly the stunning visual effects, a sector once dominated by Hollywood. Yang, a former pharmacy student-turned-animation producer, established a reputation as a perfectionist, creating a stunning visual feast aided by the high-tech that shocked the entire film industry. 

Over 130 animation studios chipped in with nearly 10,000 special effect elements, showing the impressive progress of China’s animation industry. “The film showcases the collaborative power of China’s creative ecosystem and heralds an upgrade in both the film industry and its aesthetic standards,” observed Chen Xuguang, director of the Institute of Film, Television and Theatre at Peking University. 

The popularity of Ne Zha 2 is reminiscent of the immense craze for the video game “Black Myth: Wukong, which too is an inventive packaging of Chinese cultural elements such as traditional architecture, sculpture, murals and myths, knit together with high technology. The success of Black Myth: Wukong even turned several scenic spots in north China’s Shanxi Province, the prototypes of many scenes for the video game, into hot tourist destinations. 

Ne Zha 2 and Black Myth: Wukong, together with other Chinese films like Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force or The Investiture of the Gods, aroused global interest in Chinese art and culture. Those masterworks accentuate the enduring appeal of the ancient culture and the potential for Chinese stories to captivate global audiences.