Ne Zha: The Devilish Dragon Havoc (abbreviated as Ne Zha 2) was powerfully released during this year's Spring Festival film season in China, setting off a "zero negative reviews" upsurge of domestic animated films.
When you enter the cinema to watch
Ne Zha: The Devilish Dragon Havoc (abbreviated as
Ne Zha 2), apart from being captivated by the wonderful plot and stunning special effects, you might also witness a touching scene at the end credits — the names of 138 Chinese animation companies appear. They each brought out their best expertise to contribute to this film. The names of these 138 companies represent a joint endeavor of the Chinese animation industry, similar to the "Thousand Scaled Armor" mentioned in the film. Over the course of five years, more than 4,000 animation professionals came together for this film. Driven by their dedication and love for animation, they presented the audience with an ultimate animated feast.
Jiaozi, the director of the film Ne Zha 2, faced enormous pressure but went all out when directing the film. The scriptwriting took more than two years, and he painstakingly polished the growth and emotions of each character. The special effects production of the film was extremely challenging. S-class special effects scenes like the "Torrent Battle" and "Chentang Pass Flooded" pushed the production team to their limits. Currently, the film has been released in the North American market, and many foreign audiences' praises for the film can be seen online. Even though foreign audiences are relatively unfamiliar with Chinese traditional culture and the story background, they still speak highly of the film. This perhaps indicates that the film itself can offer the same viewing experience to audiences from different cultural backgrounds.
So, what exactly is the protagonist Ne Zha? In terms of cultural background, the image of Ne Zha originated from Indian Buddhism and was localized after being introduced to China during the Sui and
Tang dynasties (581 AD - 907 AD). It went through transformations between Buddhism and Taoism and was further enriched in the Zen Buddhist scriptures of the
Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD) and the
Investiture of the Gods in the
Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD).
Ne Zha 2 incorporates Chinese indigenous Taoist concepts, Confucian "filial piety" culture, and the cosmic view of the Five Elements of Yin and Yang on this basis. The story background of the film is set in the late Shang Dynasty to the early Zhou Dynasty (around 1000 BC) as described in
Investiture of the Gods. Interestingly, many young people in China regard the
Investiture of the Gods IP as something similar to the "Marvel Cinematic Universe" because it also features rich character settings, a unified worldview framework, and a somewhat similar confrontation between good and evil. However, the values in
Investiture of the Gods are more complex and not simply black and white, requiring different perspectives to perceive.
What's quite interesting is that the Ne Zha series of films contains many Sichuan elements. For example, Taiyi Zhenren speaks with a Sichuan-accented Mandarin. Since it is verified that his Taoist temple is the Golden Light Cave on Qianyuan Mountain in Jiangyou, Mianyang, Sichuan, such a setting not only adds a comedic effect but also highlights the regional characteristics. There is also an important minor character in the film — the Barrier Beasts. The design inspiration for the Barrier Beasts in both films comes from the bronze statues with gold masks at the Sanxingdui Ruins and the bronze masks at the Jinsha Site. The figures of the bronze statues from Sanxingdui have been changed to be short, chubby, and round, paired with small round faces and curly elephant trunks, and they are decorated with classic patterns from Sanxingdui bronzes such as cloud-and-thunder patterns and kui dragon patterns. There are many more interesting Sichuan elements, and those who are interested can pay attention to them when watching the film.
In addition, the Hanfu elements in the film are also remarkable. Ne Zha's costume is inspired by the clothing worn by ancient working people and children. Ao Bing's costume is a bold innovation based on
traditional Hanfu, integrating traditional elements such as the right lapel crossing the chest with the standing collar of a Western-style trench coat. Lady Yin's costume has changed
from a curved robe with a wrapped bodice to a straight robe, integrating elements of a general's armor. The costume of the Crane Boy adopts Hanfu elements such as a front-buttoned large-sleeved upper garment and a bustier, exuding an otherworldly air.
Nowadays, Ne Zha 2 from China has been released in the North American market and has received numerous praises from foreign audiences. Despite their relative unfamiliarity with Chinese traditional culture and the story background, the film, with its wonderful plot, stunning visuals, and touching emotions, has successfully bridged the cultural gap, allowing audiences of different skin colors and from different regions to immerse themselves in it and experience the charm of Chinese culture.
