By Zhu Jingning
As of Monday, the Chinese mythical franchise Ne Zha 2, or Ne Zha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea, has surpassed 13.6 billion yuan ($1.88 billion) in worldwide box office revenue, including presales, securing the eighth spot on the list of the highest-grossing films of all time, and continues to rise.
The film, which narrates the legend of a 3-year-old deity who bravely fights an unfair fate and pursues his own path, features over 300 characters and more than 2,400 shots, with over 1,900 of them being special effects shots. Topping the list of the world’s highest-grossing animated films of all time, the blockbuster credits 138 production companies, including several from Hangzhou.
The scenes inside the tripod in the film were created by Zhejiang Huaguoshan Funtek, a company specializing in cultivating and operating IP in the animation field. To complete this challenge, the company mobilized over 30 elite professionals and spent nearly a year finishing the relevant production. Some special effects shots took up to a month to complete. “We have accumulated significant technical experience in challenging aspects of special effects such as glass shattering, hair, water, and fire, and we fully utilized it this time,” said the project manager.
Guton Animation Studio, a company specializing in 2D animated films, was responsible for designing some of the scene storyboards. The drawn segments primarily focused on the battle inside and outside the tripod, as well as the confrontation with the Dragon King. Through ingenious composition and control of rhythm, 2D animation presented stunning visual effects.
Game Science, the developer of the globally popular game Black Myth: Wukong, is located at Artinno Town, Xihu district, adjacent to Zhejiang Huaguoshan Funtek and Guton Animation Studio. For years, Hangzhou has consistently fostered a fertile environment for innovation and creativity in the development of animation and game enterprises.
In 2005, Hangzhou was the first city in the country to introduce policies and measures supporting the development of the animation and game industries, establishing a special fund of 50 million yuan. In 2022, Hangzhou proposed building an International Animation Hub and Esports City, and allocates nearly 100 million yuan in special funds each year to support related industries.