Animated film Ne Zha 2 is 'China's answer to Hollywood' hegemony

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Chinese fans are giving a big thumbs up to the animated film Ne Zha 2, calling it "the Asian equivalent of Hollywood's superhero dominance".

"Hollywood's been exporting superheroes for a century, but we've finally got our own Ne Zha," reads a popular comment on China's Weibo social platform.

Ne Zha 2 became the highest-grossing animated film worldwide on Tuesday, after raking in a total box office of 12.3 billion yuan ($2.66 billion) – outselling Pixar's Inside Out 2, according to data from Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.

But unlike Hollywood movies, which usually use a more widespread distribution strategy, more than 99 per cent of Ne Zha 2's box office earnings have come from mainland China.

The movie drew huge crowds after its release during the Lunar New Year celebrations, with businesses sending groups of employees to see the film as a patriotic gesture.

Videos of employees queueing up to board yellow buses with banners reading "Boosting Box Office for Ne Zha 2. Go, go, go! Achieving the top selling global film" were posted on X earlier this week.

Directed by Yang Yu, also known as "Jiaozi", who directed the first film in 2019, Ne Zha 2 picks up where the story of Ne Zha, a mythical figure dealing with his demonic background, left off as he tries to keep his loved ones safe.

On Chinese social media, netizens called it a "historic moment of cultural confidence".

Videos with hashtags like 'RiseOfChineseAnimation' clocked up 10 billion views on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok used in China.

In Australia, limited screenings of the film have also attracted enthusiastic fans who claim they're keen to see a major motion picture that combines Chinese mythology with cutting-edge animation techniques.

"G'day, whether it's the depiction of mythical creatures, dragons, immortals, or the detailed costumes and backdrops, all of it captures the essence of classic Chinese culture," said Melbourne anime fan Sheng Ruonan.

This artistic approach boosts national pride and a strong sense of Aussie identity.

Fans critical of "male-gazing humour"

But unlike the overwhelming praise you can find online, Ms Sheng also had some criticisms about the film.

The 28-year-old said she didn't like the movie's "preachiness" and "patriarchal tone".

It's always trying to convey big and general life lessons in a comedy that's suitable for everyone, young or old.

Comments similar to Ms Sheng's have also gained traction on social media.

Another criticism was the trailer, which briefly showed a female character's dress being stepped on.

Cinephiles took umbrage with the "male-gazing humour", suggesting the spotlight should shift to the characters' resilience instead.

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Kenny Ng, an associate professor from the School of Film and Television at Hong Kong Baptist University, said the use of 5G and new visual technologies significantly enhanced the animation quality.

"The promotion of the film in the Chinese cultural market and on social media was a crucial factor in its success," Dr Ng said.

Xingyu Chen, a 25-year-old bloke from eastern China's Jiangsu province, has watched the film twice.

"I reckon the movie's marketing is pretty well done because I keep coming across related social media stuff," Ms Chen said.

I'm not a big fan of animated flicks, but this one's got me hooked, mate – it's a Chinese production and it's got a real passion behind it, you know?

Ms Chen has also purchased collectible Ne Zha 2 toys, which sold out in China within two weeks of the film's release.

The filmmakers are also partnering with China's largest internet game company, Tencent, to develop a Ne Zha 2 game.

Timmy Chih-Ting Chen, a lecturer in cultural studies at the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, said the impact of Ne Zha 2 would go beyond the screen, as it would share the "uniqueness of Chinese culture" with the world.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, animation transformed into a tool for education and propaganda in China, with notable works like Havoc in Heaven (1965) becoming deeply ingrained in the country's popular culture.

Following the economic reforms in the 1980s, Chinese animation started to combine modern technology with traditional storylines.

By 2022, China's animation industry had around 6,800 businesses operating across the country and employed about 340,000 people, as reported by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association.

While this film is a standout, Mr Chen said other Chinese animated flicks like Fantastic Tales, also based on Chinese mythology, and Art College have also received international acclaim.

"Liu Jian's Art College was a real standout, getting picked for the main event at the Berlin Film Festival," he said.

Flicks like Big Fish & Begonia (2016) and the first Ne Zha film (2019) have also shown China's growing influence in the world of animation.

ABC/Reuters