The animated blockbuster "Nezha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea" revolving around the traditional Chinese culture has captured great attention and has been seen as an envoy promoting and reviving Chinese culture.
"Nezha," loosely based on the tale of a mythological figure of the same name from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel "Fengshen Yanyi," or "The Investiture of the Gods," was directed by Yang Yu, a medical school graduate-turned animator and director who goes by the nickname Jiaozi.
In the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2019 animated blockbuster "Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child", Nezha's teacher is faced with the tall task of reconstructing the bodies of Nezha and Ao Bing, the son of the Dragon King.
According to the creative team, the design of some characters and scenes is not only full of imagination, but also closely integrated with traditional Chinese culture.
In the scene where sea monsters besiege Chen Tang Pass, the team meticulously designed the numerous monster characters, ensuring that each not only embodies its racial characteristics and unique abilities but also reflects the distinctive expressions of traditional Chinese culture.
"The weapons of the demonic beasts are designed to align with their inherent attributes. For example, the Octopus General's sword is curved, because its tentacles are relatively soft," explained Liu Wenzhang, producer of the animated film.
"They are the generals, but they have been imprisoned at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years, and their splendid armors have all become tattered. Many traditional Chinese items are designed with curves, so I incorporated a lot of curves into the clothing and armor of the shark commander. Even its teeth, unlike Western designs that typically feature sharp and straight edges, are gracefully curved, reflecting a unique expression of Eastern culture," said Shen Wei, character designer behind the animated film.
In addition to the character design, the creative team also revealed the design of underwater palace of the Dragon King of the East Sea.
"The design of the Dragon Palace is structured into three levels. The upper layer is the ruins of the Dragon Palace, the middle level serves as the habitat for the dragons, and the deepest level is the underwater purgatory where the sea monsters are imprisoned. These are key creative components that we hold in high regard," explained Liu.
After a five-year preparation period, the sequel was completed by more than 4,000 staff members from over 100 teams both at home and abroad. With over 1,900 special effects shots, the film offers audience a visual feast and demonstrates the great capabilities of Chinese animation.
"I've always been telling my team that every work should be treated as if it were our final one. We can't waste the opportunity. We must give it our all to achieve the best effect and present it to the audience. Only after you've crossed this mountain and look back, will you realize it wasn't that difficult. Everyone's capabilities have grown, and in the next work, we'll challenge our new limits again," stated Yang Yu, the film's director.
The first "Nezha" generated an impressive 5 billion yuan (about 695 million U.S. dollars) at the box office, while also winning numerous accolades.
This year, the second installment surpassed 3.3 billion yuan (about 458 million U.S. dollars) in just six days.
Chinese animated film "Ne Zha" focuses on traditional culture
