The carefully crafted characters and relatable storytelling in the Chinese animated sensation "Ne Zha 2" can resonate across cultures and strike a chord with cinemagoers all around the world, according to a Chinese animation expert.
The film has shattered numerous box office records since it was released during the Chinese New Year and on Tuesday dethroned Disney's 2024 picture "Inside Out 2" to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.
As the long-awaited sequel to the 2019 animated adventure "Ne Zha", the new movie draws inspiration from a mythological tale dating back to China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) period, showcasing cutting-edge special effects which demonstrate the creativity of China's movie industry and highlight the country's cultural charm.
Wang Lei, dean of the School of Animation and Digital Arts under the Communication University of China, believes that the thoughtfully created characters in the production are a big part of the film's success.
"The film is very meticulous in its character development. 'Ne Zha 2' actually has a lot of characters, but even the minor ones are not just casually thrown in. They are not portrayed as stereotypical just because they are animated roles -- there is a story behind every one of them. The film is truly crafted with great care, and has been well created with commercial filmmaking techniques of the [animation] genre, to tell its story," he said.
A large production crew of over 4,000 members from 138 Chinese companies worked together over the past five years to create the visually-impressive blockbuster, but Wang stressed that it is the film's story that strikes a chord with global audiences.
"When storytelling is done with sincerity and simplicity, it can resonate across cultures and people can all relate to it. This film demonstrates cultural confidence, and its creators have tried to craft a well-told story from a fundamental storytelling perspective. Whether it be Chinese or international audiences, I believe they can all feel this essence," said Wang.
"Me Zha 2" has enjoyed unprecedented success since its release on the Chinese mainland on Jan 29, becoming the first film to earn over one-billion-U.S.-dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.
Relatable storyline, well-developed characters helps "Ne Zha 2" resonate with audiences: expert
The price of aluminum, a key industrial metal used in automotive manufacturing, construction and packaging, has been climbing as production cuts in the Gulf region, logistical constraints and Iranian attacks on two regional producers over the weekend tightened supply.
On March 31, the benchmark London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month price for aluminum rose to 3,535 U.S. dollars per metric ton, a year-on-year increase of around 40 percent.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that they launched missile and drone strikes on aluminum plants in Bahrain and the UAE that are linked to the U.S. military and aerospace industries, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian steel factories.
Emirates Global Aluminium issued a statement saying that its Al Taweela site in the Khalifa Economic Zone in Abu Dhabi was severely damaged after Iranian strikes, with some employees injured.
Aluminum Bahrain confirmed in a statement on Sunday that some of its facilities were struck by Iranian attacks, resulting in injuries to two employees.
The two aluminum plants have a combined annual output of 3.2 million tons, more than half of the approximately 6 million tons of aluminum produced every year by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.
The region is a key source of aluminum supply, accounting for about 9 percent of global production.
Goldman Sachs on Tuesday raised its LME aluminum price forecast from 3,200 U.S. dollars to 3,450 U.S. dollars per ton for the second quarter of 2026 after the attacks on the facilities.
Goldman Sachs also predicted a global primary aluminum market supply deficit of 570,000 tons in 2026, a sharp turnaround from its previous forecast of a 550,000-ton surplus.
Analysts point out that the aluminum market is currently facing multiple shocks, with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz disrupted, aluminum production facilities in the Gulf damaged or even shut down, and production in other parts of the world currently limited.
The impact will also spread to downstream enterprises in the coming months, with higher-cost aluminum alloys, primarily used in the aerospace, automotive, and construction industries, facing the most constrained supply, analysts said.
The Gulf region has long been a significant source of these high-end products, particularly for the European market, and also supplies manufacturers in the United States.
Aluminum prices climb as effects of Middle East tensions spread through global economy
