Mythic Achievement

Released on January 28, Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve, Ne Zha 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 fantasy adventure Ne Zha. Written and directed by 45-year-old Yang Yu, better known by his pseudonym Jiaozi (dumpling), the sequel follows the titular character’s quest to help restore a new form for his friend’s soul, the dragon prince Ao Bing. Together, the two lead millions of chained sea monsters in a battle against the oppressive immortals in heaven.　

Ne Zha 2 has already set multiple box-office records. As of February 23, the film grossed 13.71 billion yuan (US$1.89b) to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time and the eighth highest-grossing film globally, surpassing hits like Inside Out 2 (US$1.69b), Jurassic World (US$1.67b), The Lion King (US$1.66b) and The Avengers (US$1.52b). Domestically, its earnings doubled those of the previous record-holder, the 2021 war epic The Battle at Lake Changjin, which grossed 5.7 billion yuan (US$782m).　

Ne Zha 2 boasts over 1,900 visual effects shots across more than 2,400 total scenes. The film’s production spanned more than five years and involved a team of over 4,000 people, with virtually all of China’s top animation talent contributing to the project.

The film opens with a Daoist deity attempting to reincarnate the souls of Ne Zha and his close friend Ao Bing, as both perished at the end of the previous installment. While Ne Zha is successfully resurrected, Ao Bing’s new body falls apart before his soul can take form. Determined to save his friend, Ne Zha departs for heaven to take on the ascension trials, a series of grueling tests required to attain immortality. Along the way, a new story unfolds, one that explores themes of oppression and resistance, prejudice and self-discovery.　

Both critics and audiences have pointed to Ne Zha 2’s defiant spirit as a key factor in the franchise’s success, challenging the clear-cut moral lessons often found in Chinese animation.　

However, Ne Zha 2 blurs these boundaries, winning acclaim for portraying characters as complex,multi-dimensional individuals with distinct perspectives and motivations.　

At its core, Ne Zha 2 tells the story of outcasts marginalized for being different. Whether labeled as demons or monsters, every major character faces discrimination, inequality and injustice.　

In traditional mythology, as well as in The Investiture of the Gods and past adaptations, Ne Zha has always been depicted as a baby-faced warrior god. Yet, in Yang’s reimagining, he is born a demon child, shunned and bullied by the townspeople. Despite this, he refuses to be defined by fate, believing that he alone has the power to decide whether he becomes a demon or a deity.　

Similarly, Shen Gongbao, a main antagonist in the series, is not merely an ambitious villain but another victim of prejudice. Born to a family of leopards,each gradually achieves human form through self-cultivation and strives for the next step – to become immortals.　

Ne Zha 2 expands on his story, introducing two new characters: his father, Shen Zhengdao, and his younger brother, Shen Xiaobao. Achieving immortality through years of cultivation and discipline is a long-cherished dream for the Shen family. Shen Gongbao ultimately succeeds, but his father and brother continue to struggle. Also, their status as former beasts subjected them to discrimination, pushing them to the brink of survival.　

The film’s intricate storytelling is the result of years of meticulous work. Yang spent two years crafting the screenplay for the first Ne Zha film, followed by three years of production. After its 2019 release, Yang and his team dedicated another five years to Ne Zha 2, again devoting two years to the screenplay and three years to production.　

“I’ve refined the screenplay to the point where not a single word can be removed. Every line matters, and every expression has significance,” Yang told NewsChina.　

While writing, Yang often felt as though the characters had taken on lives of their own, guiding the narrative rather than being dictated by him.　

“If we expanded each character’s storyline, we’d see that they all have rich, vivid and fascinating tales to tell. It was so intriguing for me to feel the pull of the characters when writing the screenplay,” Yang said.

Yang has a deep admiration for martial artists in cinema who have honed real combat skills, such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Instead of relying solely on spell-casting duels, he instead chose to emphasize visceral hand-to-hand combat.　

“Close combat with cold weapons triggers instinctive, primal reactions in the human body. It makes the audience’s pulse race,” Yang told NewsChina. “If we just had characters pointing magic wands at each other, shooting laser beams back and forth, that would be too simplistic.”　

This philosophy is evident in a pivotal 30-second fight scene between Ao Bing and his uncle, Ao Shun, who betrays his entire dragon species. Though brief, this sequence took the production team half a year to complete. Yang rejected over a dozen versions before approving the final cut.　

“That single scene nearly broke us,” storyboard artist Xie Xiaobin told NewsChina. “Yang Yu disliked long-range combat scenes where rivals just fly around trading blows from a distance,” Xie said. “He wanted intense, close-quarters fighting – punch after punch, hit after hit.”　

For the production team, the most formidable challenge lay in the film’s climactic battle – a colossal confrontation between millions of chained sea monsters and an army of celestial soldiers. Initially, the visual designers assumed they could create about 20 unique sea monster designs and simply replicate them. However, as production progressed, they realized they needed to craft several thousand distinct creatures to achieve the visual richness required for the battle.　

“We tried using small pixelated squares to represent monsters far in the background, but later found that was a bad idea,” said the film’s visual effects director, Du Chunhui. “The resolution difference on a computer screen is way different than on a theater screen, not to mention many people would see it in IMAX and scrutinize every detail.”　

“Audiences today have high expectations. We couldn’t afford to cut corners,” Du added.　

Animating a large-scale battle scene and a fight involving only a few people require unique approaches, which Yang likened to preparing meals for a family compared to an army. “Imagine you’re used to cooking for a family of three – you know how to cook in a well-organized way and satisfy everyone with the food you prepare,” Yang explained. “Then, suddenly, you’re put in charge of a cafeteria feeding thousands.”　

In the final battle sequence, Yang envisioned waves of sea monsters surging forward like an ocean tide. He wanted the spiraling motion to feel organic. At the same time, he insisted that each individual creature remain clearly visible rather than blending into a formless mass.　

To capture this intricate movement and rhythm, Du Chunhui, Xie Xiaobin and their team drew inspiration from nature, studying the way fish swim in schools, how birds move in flocks, how clouds shift over mountains and how light changes at dawn and dusk.

Many fans watched the film multiple times as theaters continue to prioritize it. In early February, media reported that a 30-screen cinema in Hebi, Henan Province was screening it every 10 minutes. On February 3 alone, the cinema scheduled 99 showings. During peak hours, there were screenings every five minutes.　

The film’s popularity sparked widespread online discussions. While its stunning visual effects, top-tier production and compelling storytelling all contributed to its success, audiences and critics alike believe its deeper appeal lies in its resonance with contemporary struggles in Chinese society.　

Many viewers have drawn parallels between Ne Zha 2 and China’s civil service exams. Every year, millions of young people vie for limited government jobs, hoping for stability, but many find themselves investing immense effort with little reward.　

“For me, Shen Gongbao represents those from underprivileged backgrounds who exhaust themselves trying to secure a public-sector job,” wrote Douban user Kong Gu. “Even if they succeed, just as Shen Gongbao passed the ascension trials and became an immortal, they may still face inequality, prejudice and limited opportunities for advancement.”　

“The best part of the Ne Zha series is its emotional depth,” Dai Xi, a Beijing-based cinema manager, told NewsChina. “It seems like a superhero story about deities, spirits and monsters, but essentially it’s a down-to-earth story that everyone can relate to. We can see ourselves, our feelings, emotions, experiences and dilemmas reflected in it. It strikes a chord with so many people in our society. That’s really something.”　

However, the film has not been without controversy. One of the most significant criticisms revolves around the mass slaughter of the people in Chentangguan, the town governed by Ne Zha’s father, Li Jing. In the story, a conspiracy leads to the town’s destruction in a massive fire, killing all its residents. Many viewers felt the film glossed over this tragedy, rather than acknowledging the loss of countless innocent lives.　

“I felt deeply unsettled at the theater when watching the innocent people in Chentangguan killed in the blink of an eye. This is the greatest tragedy in the film, yet its severity is downplayed and shows little regard for the lives of ordinary people,” wrote Weibo user Bird on Walden. Another Weibo user Da Shen commented, “It’s a good film, but it clearly follows an elitist narrative.”　

Criticism aside, the overwhelming response from audiences, animators and industry insiders has been celebratory. Many see Ne Zha 2 as a milestone for Chinese animation, providing a huge boost to the industry.　

According to Huang Gong, the film’s technical director, working on Ne Zha 2 felt like being part of an Olympic team, bringing together China’s top animators to push the boundaries of what was possible.　

“In the past, we admired the breathtaking visual effects created by overseas animation studios and looked up to the world’s top animators,” Huang told NewsChina. “But now, we realize that if we persevere and refuse to give up, we can reach those heights on our own.”