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Mabel Lui

Since its release on January 29, the Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 has shattered box office records.
In just over two weeks, the blockbuster has surpassed US$1.35 billion in ticket sales, making it not only the highest-grossing film in China, but also the fourth highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Ne Zha 2 is now beginning to reach audiences outside mainland China – its limited release starts in the United States on February 14, and it will soon hit Hong Kong cinemas.
What is the film about, and what are the reasons behind its astonishing success? Here are five things you need to know about Ne Zha 2.

1. Who is Ne Zha?
Ne Zha is a spunky, demonic child with superpowers first seen in the 2019 film Ne Zha.
Like Ne Zha 2, the original movie was directed by Yang Yu, better known as Jiaozi. It tells the story of how Ne Zha – who is based on a protective deity in several Chinese religions – was born as the reincarnation of a great demon.


Though initially unaware of his true nature and the fact that he is only destined to live for three years, Ne Zha resolves to fight against his fate and saves his village with his powers. He then lives on as a spirit.
In the sequel Ne Zha realises he must restore cosmic order after it is disrupted.
He subsequently teams up with Ao Bing – his friend-turned-foe-turned-friend from the first film – to defend his home from the Dragon King of the Four Seas and his army of sea creatures.

2. Why Ne Zha 2 is so popular
Ne Zha 2 has been able to combine Chinese folklore – its plot is based on the 16th century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods – with a contemporary sensibility, making it resonate with Chinese cinema-goers of all ages.
Ne Zha’s righteousness and dedication to his village embodies age-old Chinese values, but his rebelliousness and pursuit of self-worth brings the character into the 21st century.
The film features other traditional Chinese elements, such as the characters’ clothing and music played on the suona, an ancient wind instrument.
Critics have praised the film’s cutting-edge visual effects, which show how Chinese animation has evolved.
Until now, the most successful animated films about traditional Chinese culture have been made by American studios – think Kung Fu Panda or Mulan; the success of Ne Zha 2 reflects the changing dynamics of the film industry.
3. Why not everyone loves it
While a smash hit at the box office, it is clear that not everybody who has seen Ne Zha 2 loves it. One commentator on Chinese social media platform RedNote said in a video:
“I’m not sure if it’s because of the 3D effects, which can make audiences sleepy, or because of its plot, but it didn’t really touch me. I felt like the plot was a bit scattered and couldn’t hold me, and so I fell asleep.
“A lot of it is forced sentimentality … like when Ne Zha’s mom shows up, and asked for a hug before leaving – I felt like that didn’t have anything to do with the plot.”

Another commenter claimed the first Ne Zha was better than Ne Zha 2, and that the latter had too many forced jokes.
Yet another social media user wrote: “The biggest problem with Chinese movies is that they are fake, too sentimental and have some so-called educational significance. It is impossible to reach new heights by making movies with this kind of thinking.”
That said, the vast majority of viewers have enjoyed Ne Zha 2; it currently holds a 99 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85 per cent rating on the equivalent Chinese website, Douban.
4. Who is the director of Ne Zha 2?
Jiaozi – the nickname means “dumpling” in Chinese – was born in Luzhou, in China’s Sichuan province, in 1980. He attended the West China School of Pharmacy at Sichuan University. Back then, he planned to pursue a career in the medical field.
He realised he was not passionate about pharmacy, and taught himself to use the animation software Maya. After graduation he dedicated himself to animation and spent three years and eight months improving his skills.

His parents stood by him during this time – even though he was not earning any income – and when his father died, he and his mother lived off her pension, which was only 1,000 yuan a month.
Things improved in 2009, when Jiao Zi’s 16-minute-long animated short film See Through won 30 domestic and international awards, among them the Berlin International Film Festival’s special jury prize for shorts.
He then spent six years working on Ne Zha, his first full-length feature, but only secured financing for the project in 2015. When it was released in 2019, it became the highest-grossing animated film in China.
5. Will there be a Ne Zha 3?
Though there has been no formal announcement regarding a third film in the Ne Zha series, Jiao Zi has spoken about plans for Ne Zha 3.
He emphasised his team is focused on delivering high-quality animation and a strong story that will stand the test of time, so he is not in a rush to meet any deadlines for the next film.
He also said he is in the animation industry for the long haul, and has never set strict time limits for any of his past works. We might have to wait several years for more details about Ne Zha 3.


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5 things to know about Ne Zha 2, including why the Chinese animated film is so popular

A still from Ne Zha 2. The Chinese animated film has made over US$1.35 billion at the box office in only a couple of weeks. Photo: AFP

A poster for Ne Zha 2 at a cinema in Shenyang, in China’s Liaoning province. The film is the highest-grossing in the country. Photo: Xinhua

Characters from the Ne Zha movie available on toy shop chain Pop Mart’s online store. Photo: Simon Song

A promotional poster for Ne Zha 2 outside production company Enlight Media’s headquarters in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Yang Yu, director of Ne Zha and Ne Zha 2. Photo: SCMP composite/YouTube/IMDb

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Choi Woo-shik as Ko Gyeom in a still from Melo Movie. Photo: Ko Nam-hi/Netflix

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Lee Jun-young as Ko Gyeom’s friend Hong Si-jun in a still from Melo Movie. Photo: Ko Nam-hi/Netflix

Jeon So-nee as Ko Gyeom’s friend Son Ju-a in a still from Melo Movie. Photo: Ko Nam-hi/Netflix

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Faye Wong pictured at Hong Kong Stadium in 1994. Photo: SCMP

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Faye Wong performs on stage in Xiamen, southern China, in 2012. Photo: Visual China Group via Getty Images

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