Professionals in the Japanese film industry have noted the rapid development in production technology and market growth of Chinese films, expressing anticipation for more Chinese films released in Japan to boost cultural exchanges.
Chinese animated feature "Ne Zha 2" has shattered multiple box office records -- in China and beyond -- since its release on Chinese New Year, which fell on Jan 29 this year.
By pushing the boundaries of both traditional Chinese aesthetics and modern animation techniques, the film sets a new standard, marking a critical transition in the Chinese animation industry, from "outsourcing" to developing original, world-class technology.
With the film already making splashes in box offices around the world, many are eagerly awaiting its release in Japan. In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Gaku Kaneko, deputy director of planning at the Japanese film distribution company Team Joy, highlighted the remarkable advancements in Chinese animated films, in terms of both production and storytelling.
"The development of Chinese animated film technology is amazing, especially in 3D animated films. The beauty of the scenes has reached a completely new level, including the battle scenes of impressive visual impact. Chinese animated films have achieved tremendous growth in this perspective. Another aspect is the growth of the audience. In other words, the audience is increasingly able to appreciate the excitement of the films. This gives the film industry a clearer direction. Therefore, the improvement of the audience's aesthetic level will promote the film industry, the quality of films will be improved, and the entire film market will grow," he said.
Izumu Miyajima, director of PR and Media for the Japan-China Film Festival Executive Committee, highlighted the cultural and historical learning opportunities that Chinese films provide for Japanese audiences.
"'Ne Zha 1' was screened at China Film Week in 2019. It was very popular at that time. We really hope that we can present 'Ne Zha 2' in this year's Tokyo International Film Festival Chinese Film Week. Not only the 'Ne Zha' series, in 2023, we released '30,000 Miles from Chang'an' in Japan, which is set in the Tang Dynasty of China as the background. After the release, the audience expressed that through such films, they could learn about the culture and history of the Tang Dynasty," she said.
"I think films are a very good platform for communication. It is good that more and more Chinese films are screened in Japan through China Film Week and other events. It gives the Japanese audience a chance to experience the Chinese culture," Miyajima said.
"Ne Zha 2" became the first Chinese film to gross 10 billion yuan (about 1.39 billion U.S. dollars) when its total global earnings, including presales, reached the mark on Thursday evening, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan.
Film distributors eye release of Chinese blockbuster like "Ne Zha 2" in Japan
Film distributors eye release of Chinese blockbuster like "Ne Zha 2" in Japan
