Young deity morphs into box-office champion

Shen Wei, the character designer with a fondness for unusual pets as evidenced by his raising of lizards and snakes, mentions that he was involved in designing most of the new characters, such as the four dragon kings and sea monsters. The most prominent figures include an octopus warrior and a shark fighter.

"The director is caring. He provides text introductions of the characters to help me understand them. If I still can't grasp what he wants to portray on screen, he would either video call me or meet me in person and act out the character," says Shen.

Many moviegoers claim they can empathize with one of the main characters, whether it's Nezha — rebellious yet courageous in following his convictions — or his mother, who provides her son with unconditional love and understanding, enabling him to mature in a unique way.

Lu, from the Communication University of China, says his analysis of the relationship between Nezha and his mother reflects director Yang's bond with his own mother, with this connection imbuing the movie with a powerful and emotional love and highlighting how a family's support can profoundly impact an individual's life.

"What decides a movie's fate is the storytelling. Only a good story can travel beyond borders and resonate with audiences from different cultures," says Lu.

For most Chinese film industry insiders, the overwhelming success of Ne Zha 2 is a strong boost to the once-sluggish market. A month before the film's premiere, 2024 had ended with yearly box-office receipts grossing 42.5 billion yuan, a drop of 22.7 percent compared to 2023.

"Ne Zha 2's popularity is exciting and inspirational, but what the industry should pay more attention to is how we can give other films more screenings to increase diversity and endurance, ensuring the market's long-term development," says Rao from the China Film Critics Association.