Creativity and innovation drive Chinese animation industry

When Japanese filmmaker Miyazaki Hayao and his longtime collaborator Toshio Suzuki visited Shanghai Animation Film Studio 40 years ago, they were impressed by the poetic Chinese ink-wash animation "Baby Tadpoles Look for Their Mother." The studio's rich history has inspired generations of animators.

In the final installment of our cultural column "Lights, Camera," we will highlight Chinese animation's extraordinary achievements and breakthroughs from 2017 to the present, a thriving business with a total output value of 300 billion yuan (US$41.5 billion).

The Chinese animation industry is also exploring new business models. Successful animated films and series have inspired spin-offs in the form of games, costumes, stationery, toys, and even theme parks.

Animation has also grown in importance in the content landscapes of major streaming providers. iQiyi, Tencent, and Bilibili generate a variety of animation styles to provide audiences with a cutting-edge audio-visual experience.

According to Bilibili, its users spent over 700 million hours last year viewing Chinese animations, with each viewer watching an average of 10 domestic animated programs. More than 57 percent of the platform's Chinese animation viewers are under 23 years old.

Li Ni, Bilibili's vice chairman and COO, stated that animation has become a significant component of young people's social lives, disrupting the old methods of video and live streaming.

"Viewers of original Chinese animation are becoming younger and more diverse," Li noted. "They have an open and inclusive attitude and a higher acceptance of high-quality and innovative content."

Since 2018, Bilibili has developed and distributed over 70 original Chinese animated works on platforms such as Netflix, Sony Music Solutions, and YouTube. More than 300 animation authorization projects, including "Link Click," "The Hundred Demons Scroll," and "No Doubt in Us," have been completed. The platform's revenue from domestic animated works has surpassed 2 billion yuan.

Bilibili plans to boost its investment in original animation material over the next three years. It has also partnered with 11 colleges in China to develop a program that provides resources and financial assistance for the creators' 100 or so promising works.

It is also collaborating with Shanghai Animation Film Studio and Shanghai Film Infinity to create a new season and an animated film adaptation of the popular Chinese animation series "Yao-Chinese Folktales."

Last year, the Chinese fantasy animated short film collection "Yao-Chinese Folktales," produced by Bilibili and Shanghai Animation Film Studio, sparked many young people's interest in traditional Chinese culture and arts.

The series' innovative adaptations of Chinese classic stories resulted in 290 million views and over 18,000 fan creations on Bilibili. The series will be developed into a complete franchise and cultural IP.

Bilibili will also collaborate with Japan's biggest TV network, Fuji Television, to launch "B8station," a channel dedicated to airing Bilibili-produced Chinese animation to global viewers. "Link Click," one of the most successful Chinese animations among worldwide audiences, will also have a Japanese remake.

"Scissor Seven" is another successful example of Chinese animation produced during this period.

The first and second seasons of the Shanghai-produced animated series were dubbed for an international audience on Netflix in 2020, making it the first original Chinese cartoon series to be shown on the American streaming site.

The series' four seasons have received widespread acclaim from foreign viewers for its engaging plot, entertaining characters, and rich Chinese cultural components.

Several successful Chinese animated feature films have appeared in recent years. Jiao Zi's "Ne Zha" (2019) was another box office success, following the 2015 film "Monkey King: Hero Is Back."

The animated fantasy picture, based on the Chinese mythological character Ne Zha, set a China box office record for animated features with about 5 billion yuan. This record is still held, and the second and third highest-grossing animated films in China are "Legend of Deification" (2020) and "Chang An" (2023).

Many well-received Chinese animated films have reached a global audience through international distribution. Many overseas fans are attracted by the beauty and richness of Chinese culture and folklore.

The rapid industrialization of China's film industry has aided in the development of high-quality animations with distinct visual styles and screenplay that will captivate audiences across the world.

GKIDS Films distributed "White Snake" as the first Chinese animated film in 2019. Three years later, it acquired North American rights to "New Gods: Yang Jian," another successful film by Chinese CG firm Light Chaser Animation.

Over the years, the studio has recreated a few classic stories from old Chinese mythology and folklore to better suit modern audiences.

When "New Gods: Yang Jian" was released in the Chinese mainland in August 2022, it outperformed Hollywood's "Minions: The Rise of Gru" at the box office. After significant advances in plot and visuals, more and more Chinese animated films can compete with foreign blockbusters.

The film's director, Zhao Ji, claimed that traditional Chinese culture serves as inspiration for the scenes, costumes, and props in the film. The crew's journey to Crescent Moon Lake and several grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, allowed them to envisage and show a god-centered world as an oasis in the desert.

A dance scene was inspired by Flying Apsaras imagery from a fresco at the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and ancient Chinese poet Cao Zhi's poem "The Ode to the Goddess of the River Luo."

A gigantic and magical tai chi scroll in the film exemplifies the beauty of Chinese watercolor painting. In addition to distinguishing characteristics of Chinese culture, the film depicts modern punk-style scenes and has a score that combines rock, jazz, and traditional Chinese instruments.

Chinese animation has overcome technological obstacles and bottlenecks to deliver stunning graphics. Chinese animators and producers are excited about technical advancements that will lead to new genre enhancements.

Sun Zhonghuai, Tencent's vice president, said that technology and art are essential to a streaming platform with a vibrant creative ecosystem.

Tencent Video has a dedicated department for researching and developing AIGC technology. Sun believed using new technologies would free animators from monotonous and basic tasks, allowing them to become pure artistic producers. It can also significantly cut costs and enable animators to create more inventive works.

Earlier this year, China's first AI-generated animated series, "Poems of Timeless Acclaim," premiered on CGTN. Using China's independent AIGC technology, China Media Group's series retells exquisite and time-honored Chinese poems and verses through visually appealing animation.

It has released multilingual versions overseas on platforms in Germany, Italy, and Brazil.

Additionally, iQiyi is increasing its investment in the animation sector, which is now considered more than just a source of entertainment for kids and teens.

iQiyi officials recognized that animation has the potential to carry more profound cultural meanings. They are therefore broadening the subjects to include sci-fi, martial arts, humor, and adventure.

Its first self-produced sci-fi animated series, "A Chronicle of Wind and Fire," was a tremendous success last year. The series depicts the conflict between humans and robotic rebels in an unknown world.

The production team referenced various kinds of insects, and the art team reimagined them to reflect extraterrestrial species' unique designs.

The series has 4,300 photos, with an average of one shot every 2 seconds. This is the first Chinese animation to use realistic character designs, weapon designs, fighting scenes, and human-extraterrestrial interactions. It mimics the space animals' living conditions as closely as possible.

Popular iQiyi animations are likely to become original cultural IPs with a complete franchise of comics, toys, digital collectibles, and games. Jin Hezai's popular web novel "Wukong" is currently being animated.

Some international animated films also wowed Chinese fans with their unique and in-depth stories and visually appealing moments. "Coco" (2017), "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018), "Suzume" (2022), and "The Boy and the Heron" (2023) turned out to be hits.

Professor Chen Zhihong, a veteran animation director and professor at Shanghai University's Shanghai Film Academy, stated that since 2017, an increasing number of local animation works have garnered international accolades and acclaim. In the current era, Chinese animators continue to experiment with local styles.

"After overcoming technical difficulties, Chinese filmmakers emphasize the originality of animation and its integration with traditional Chinese cultural elements, while using a modern perspective to interpret and present the story in a new way," said Chen. "Content is always the core of the animation industry."

In Chen's opinion, technological innovation is one of the most crucial driving elements behind the continued development of international animation. Technological improvements and developments make international animation more realistic in visual effects, providing audiences with new viewing experiences. Meanwhile, content creators are placing more emphasis on studying and delving deeper into human nature.

"The gap between China and some foreign countries in terms of animation technology is undoubtedly narrowing," said Chen. "With the continuous development of artificial intelligence technology, Chinese animation can use it to create a differentiated path of content innovation and technological development and create more new original works with distinct Chinese cultural characteristics."