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China’s Overdue Animation Explosion Ignited by the Local and Global Success of ’Ne Zha 2’
'Ne Zha 2' has surprisingly dominated the 2025 global box office, but there were hints that Chinese animation was ready for a boom.
In 2024, the franchise crossed the $1 billion mark with its 10th feature, “Boonie Bears: Time Twist.” In 2023, Light Chaser Animation’s historical epic “Chang’An” proved a smash hit, grossing $250 million at the box office, outperforming films from the biggest U.S. and Japanese studios that year. This shift was driven by a combination of factors, including increased investment in the entertainment sector, government support and a burgeoning domestic market, as demonstrated by the popularity of Chinese animation and imported titles from Japan and the U.S. It’s not hard to imagine future artists emulating Chinese styles and stories like many Western studios now draw inspiration from Japanese anime.
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