Original Chinese animated IPs capture the world film market
Editor's Note
China has a long and glorious history of animation production. Many outstanding animated features and TV series have influenced generations of people. Now, an increasing number of Chinese animated IPs are targeting global markets. In this column Chinese IP Stories, we will introduce some of the popular IPs that have been hailed, both domestically and overseas.
Many popular Chinese animated IPs are inspired by Chinese folklore, mythology and real-life stories.
Original Chinese animated IPs are gaining increasing popularity worldwide for their stunning visuals, masterful storytelling and rich cultural connotations from ancient Chinese folklore, mythology and real-life stories.
With revenues passing US$1.75 billion, China's highest-grossing film "Ne Zha 2" has surpassed "Frozen 2" and "Inside Out 2," making history at the global box office as the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
The success of "Ne Zha 2" is not a coincidence. It is a reflection of China's flourishing and highly developed film industry.
The animated epic fantasy film has performed beyond expectations, sparking widespread enthusiasm among movie buffs after entering the international market, including North America, Australia and Asia. IMDb has given the film 8.3 out of 10 ratings.
Around 770 theaters in more than 400 North American cities are showing the film in Mandarin version with English subtitles. Since its release in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, it has topped the box office of Chinese language films for nearly 20 years.
China's highest-grossing film "Ne Zha 2" is performing well internationally.
The film has left many foreign viewers in awe, receiving 8.3 out of 10 ratings on IMDb.
"Ne Zha 2" is not the first Chinese animated feature to amaze global anime lovers. In recent years, many Chinese animated franchises such as "White Snake," "New Gods," "Scissor Seven" and "Link Click" have emerged and impressed a big number of domestic and foreign viewers.
These high-quality productions, according to Chen Jin, an analyst from box office tracker Dengta Data, are expanding the audience of the animated genre and bringing a new vitality to the film market. Meanwhile, through the industry's upgrading and technological innovation, Chinese cultural IPs are demonstrating their rising influence and competitiveness in the global market.
On February 19, "Ne Zha 2" surpassed "Frozen 2" and "Inside Out 2," making history at the global box office as the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
In upcoming episodes, we will introduce some other original Chinese animation franchises that have also been hailed by international audiences, as well as the behind-the-scenes stories about their creation.
The "White Snake" film franchise is a joint effort of China's Light Chaser Animation Studios and Warner Bros. to newly interpret the charm and romance of the ancient Chinese legend "The Legend of the White Snake."
The fantasy animated film franchise has three installments and tells the romantic story between Lady White Snake and the young physician Xu Xian from a novel perspective.
To make the characters more realistic and natural, the scenes in the films are first performed by real actors and then presented in animated form. The character animation is very stunning and realistic with delicate facial expressions on them.
The franchise also offers a visual feast of Eastern aesthetics through scenes in the Chinese ink wash painting style, exquisite costumes and elegant movements of characters.
The first and second installments are imagined prequels and sequels to the ancient legend, in order to explore the origin and influence of Lady White Snake's love. Elements of punk rock and motorcycle racing are also incorporated into the scenes of the sequel.
Although "The Legend of the White Snake" has been adapted into various forms of entertainment, the animated franchise expands the narrative boundaries of mythological adaptations and focuses on the emotional growth of White Snake and her sister Green Snake.
On YouTube, many foreign viewers have been impressed by the Chinese culture that beautifully blends with action and romance adventure.
A poster advertises "White Snake," the first installment of a fantasy film series.
"White Snake" (2019)
The first installment of the franchise premiered in competition at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which is renowned for its significant influence on the animation industry.
As the prequel to the well-known touching love tale, the film focuses on the "past lives" of the main characters and how the destinies of Lady White Snake and Xu Xian intertwine.
Animation distributor and producer GKIDS also released the film in United States theaters in both Chinese and a new English-language version. Some foreign viewers noted that it is a graceful Chinese animation film and a lovely piece of Eastern fantasy.
A poster advertises "Green Snake"
Green Snake (2021)
The second installment is a creative sequel to the Chinese folktale, in which Xiao Qing, the Green Snake, spares no effort to rescue her sister from the Leifeng Pagoda. She goes through calamity and growth in a strange city where humans, demons and various creatures fight to survive or dominate.
The film boldly blends intense action and motorcycle racing with the modern cityscape. The setting of the city is very creative. Humans and demons from different timelines fall into the city, which is filled with urban ruins.
However, beneath the city's seemingly Western and modern surface, there are details and traces of traditional Chinese culture. The beasts representing wind, water and fire are all inspired by Chinese mythology.
A poster advertises "White Snake: Afloat"
"White Snake: Afloat" (2024)
The last installment of the franchise is set against the backdrop 500 years after the first installment. Lady White Snake finally finds Xu Xian, the reincarnation of Ah Xuan at the Broken Bridge in Hangzhou.
They hide in the streets and alleys and practice medicine in the human world. They live happy and peaceful lives until the appearance of the monk Fahai, who suppresses Lady White Snake under the Leifeng Pagoda on the banks of the West Lake.
The film with a length of 133 minutes has a crew of about 1,000 people. The film maintains compelling visuals and high-level animation technology to tell a romantic story.
Suggestions from film experts on the spread of Chinese animated IPs
Professor Liu Haibo, a film expert at Shanghai University and president of the Shanghai Film Critics Society, noted that Chinese animated IPs entering the global market should have superb production, an exciting and easy-to-understand story and in-depth touches on universal themes like family, love and friendship.
"The tremendous progress of China's film industry in recent years has enabled Chinese filmmakers to produce world-class special effects in animated movies," Liu added. "If the films target an international audience, an international perspective is required in the design of animated characters and the storylines."
Experts also advise filmmakers to develop film localization strategies for their productions when entering overseas theaters. Subtitle translation and dubbing are important parts of the cultural output. Professionals should rephrase common sayings and idioms in movies based on the cultural background and aesthetic habits of audiences in other countries.
Additionally, filmmakers can also collaborate with international film festivals and film bloggers to interpret the movies' cultural connotations, helping foreign audiences to better understand Chinese culture.
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