A new chapter in the history of Chinese animation unfolds with the release of Ne Zha 2, directed by Yang Yu, which hits cinemas in France on Wednesday, 23 April 2025. The film has already made waves worldwide, becoming the most profitable animated feature of all time with a staggering US$2 billion in global box office earnings—surpassing even Pixar’s Inside Out 2. As Chinese animation gains ground internationally, questions arise: What lies behind this success? And how did Chinese animation evolve to this point?
To understand the phenomenon, we spoke with animation historian Xavier Kawa-Topor, founder of NEF (New Writings in Animation), who sheds light on both the artistic and industrial roots of the medium in China.
Two Pillars of Chinese Animation
According to Kawa-Topor, modern Chinese animation stands on two main pillars. The first is an independent, often underground scene, where innovation thrives away from commercial pressures. “There’s a strand of Chinese animation that is more marginal or even dissident,” he explains, referring to internationally recognised auteurs like Liu Jian, director of Have a Nice Day, which was screened at the Berlin Film Festival. He also mentions artists like Sun Xun, who straddle the worlds of visual art, installation, and animation—figures who have been featured in major exhibitions such as Annecy 2017.
The second, more recent, movement is China’s industrial-scale animation push. Over the past decade, China has ramped up production of large-scale 3D animated films, aiming to dominate the domestic market and expand abroad. These high-budget productions are crafted to rival Hollywood blockbusters, using cutting-edge technology and often drawing on traditional cultural themes.
A Long and Interrupted Legacy
Although its recent boom may seem sudden, China’s animation tradition stretches back nearly a century. “Animation in China has a long and complex history,” says Kawa-Topor. “It began around the time of the Second World War, during the 1930s and 40s, with pioneers like the Wan brothers.”
A true golden age came in the 1950s and 60s, centred around the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. This era brought together a remarkable blend of talents—not trained animators, but painters, calligraphers, and theatre artists—many of whom were self-taught. Drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese art forms, especially folk theatre and opera, they created original films and techniques that were entirely unique to China.
One of the standout figures of this time was Te Wei, celebrated for his poetic, meditative animations. Te Wei developed the distinctive “torn ink-wash” style, a method that mimicked traditional Chinese brush painting in motion. While largely unknown in the West, his influence within China was profound.
During this period, China both adopted established global animation methods and pioneered techniques of its own. However, political and cultural shifts disrupted the industry, and many of these early breakthroughs remained confined within the country’s borders.
A New Era Begins
Now, with films like Ne Zha 2, China is positioning itself as a global force in animation. The film’s massive success isn’t just a win for the Chinese box office—it signals the arrival of a new creative power on the international stage. It also reflects a broader ambition: to develop an animation style that honours Chinese heritage while competing on a global scale.
As more audiences around the world discover Chinese animated films, the hope is that the richness of its legacy and the innovation of its present will continue to gain recognition beyond its borders. Whether through poetic artistry or blockbuster spectacle, Chinese animation is carving out a space that is uniquely its own.
