Yunnan’s traces in Ne Zha 2

In the early spring of 2025, the Chinese animated film Ne Zha: The Demon Boy Making Havoc in the Sea (commonly referred to as Ne Zha 2) has been shattering records in the history of both Chinese and global cinema since its release. Currently, Ne Zha 2 leads the box office for animated films worldwide, boasting an impressive box office total exceeding 15.7 billion yuan and becoming a cultural phenomenon in China.

A young artist paints the profile of Ne Zha and other characters in Kunming city, central Yunnan.

Ne Zha 2 is adapted from the classic Chinese myth Investiture of the Gods. The protagonist, Ne Zha, is a rebellious and mischievous yet kind-hearted three-year-old boy. This sequel continues the storyline of its predecessor, Ne Zha: Birth of the Demon Child, depicting the adventures of Ne Zha and his friend Ao Bing as they face numerous challenges and ultimately grow into heroes who protect the common people.

With the film’s immense success and viral popularity, movie fans across China have eagerly recommended Ne Zha 2 to their friends and family, often forming groups to watch it a second time. In addition, they have begun to explore the various connections between their local regions and the film. Notably, the stories of Yunnan artist Duan Lei and post-90s special effects artist Jin Tao have captured the public’s attention.

Digital artists bring ink-wash style to Ne Zha 2

“I was totally blown away right from the start!”

When Ne Zha in the form of the “Fire Lotus” breaks through the air holding a fire-tipped spear on the big screen, and flowing ink-wash is splashed amidst the surging flames, the audience is instantly immersed in the grand narrative.

“The special effects are out of this world!” On social media, netizens have been lavishly praising the visual feast of Eastern aesthetics presented at the beginning of the film.

 

Duan Lei, vice director of the Yunnan Artists Association’s Committee on Digital Media and Animation Art 

The “highlight moment” that lasts just a few seconds owes its creation to the contribution of Yunnan digital artists.

With his distinctive digital ink-wash creative style and proficiency, in 2022, Duan Lei, a member of the Digital Art Committee of the China Film Art Direction Academy and vice director of the Yunnan Artists Association’s Committee on Digital Media and Animation Art, was sought out by the director team of Ne Zha 2. He was tasked with designing the concept sketches for the film’s opening sequence.

During the three-year creative journey, Duan endured countless rounds of revisions and adjustments. “Take the Fire Lotus scene for example. Although it might only be on the screen for a mere two seconds in the film, I personally revised it over 50 times. At one point, I even began to question my own abilities,” Duan remarked with a tinge of sentiment. Eventually, through continuous coordination and collaboration with other artists, he managed to finalize the concept original image of Ne Zha in the Fire Lotus form, presenting a visually stunning and refreshing effect.

 

An ink-wash scene at the film's beginning 

Moreover, Duan was also responsible for designing 4 posters featuring the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas for the film. “During the creative process, I drew inspiration from the dragon depictions on the Nine-Dragon Wall in the Forbidden City. By positioning the dragons and the characters along the central axis, I aimed to generate a powerful sense of oppression, thereby highlighting the grandeur and allure of the Four Dragon Kings of the Seas,” Duan explained.

Now, witnessing the film’s box office skyrocketing and receiving widespread acclaim from the audience, Duan is truly overjoyed. “I’m extremely thankful that in China, there exists such a team brimming with imagination, remarkable execution capabilities, and a level of seriousness bordering on ‘self-torture.’ It’s an honor for me to be a minute part of this top-tier IP. At present, my aspiration is to leverage digital ink-wash techniques to create an IP that is uniquely from Yunnan. This is a dream that I’m committed to pursuing throughout my entire life,” he exclaimed.

Special effects artists “obsessed” with details

Ne Zha 2 has garnered widespread acclaim from both the audience and professionals alike for its exquisitely crafted animation special effects and stunning visual presentation. This film boasts over 1,900 special effects shots and more than 10,000 special effects elements. Notably, within these special effects, the efforts of a Yunnan-based team are evident. The name of Kunming Xianliti Culture Co Ltd (shortened as “Xianliti”), a small-and-micro enterprise in Yunnan, unobtrusively appears in the list of cooperative companies at the end of the film.

 

Jin Tao, a post-90s artist from Kunming, Yunnan, elaborates on how to make special effects.

Xianliti was established by Jin Tao, a post-90s special effects artist hailing from Kunming, Yunnan. It stands as the first company in Yunnan dedicated to special effects production. Spanning from animations to advertisements, and from animated series to movies, Xianliti’s business scope has been steadily expanding. In its early days, it took part in the special effects production of popular animated series like Perfect World. Moreover, in 2024, it contributed to over 800 special effects shots in the hit drama Moonlight Mystique.

In Ne Zha 2, Xianliti was in charge of over 20 shots involving hair and fabric physical simulation. Their goal was to make the characters’ sleeves in the film flutter in a natural manner while maintaining the detailed wrinkles. Film director Jiaozi has exacting standards when it comes to special effects details. Even the arc of hair fluttering and the direction of fabric wrinkles need to be precise down to the millimeter. For instance, regarding the dynamic calculation of the beard of the Immortal Elder (a key villain in the film), the team received hundreds of suggestions for modification. A shot that would typically be completed in a single day in an ordinary project took as long as three months to perfect in Ne Zha 2.

 

The special effects in Ne Zha 2.

This represents the most fundamental yet patience-trying “needlework” within the film industry chain. The team went through over a hundred iterations. Eventually, they brought to life those minor details that are often overlooked by the audience. Starting from merely handling the single hair and fabric calculation segment in 2022, to being capable of producing special effects shots for multi-dimensional scenes in 2024, Xianliti has experienced rapid growth through its collaboration on Ne Zha 2. Through continuous trials and tribulations, the company and its team have amassed abundant experience. They have staged a comeback, transitioning from being on the “periphery of the industry” to becoming a “well-regarded team.” Currently, Xianliti is well-equipped to handle a TV drama project featuring over 800 special effects shots.

Jin said, “In the realm of special effects shots, there is no such thing as a distinction between large and small. There is only the original intention of respecting details. We are like the magic Xirang earth in mythology. Despite being small, it has the power to fill the sea and form land. Xianliti will persist in upholding its original aspiration, concentrate on the special effects module, and strive to build a top-tier special effects team in Yunnan that can rival the best teams across the nation.”

 

College students take a selfie in front of Ne Zha’s painted profile and other characters in Kunming city, central Yunnan.

Read More: Posing for a picture with Ne Zha

“Stop eating. Here I am to catch you.” Lately, in Xilin Community of Kunming City, a series of mural paintings themed around Ne Zha 2 and spanning an area of over 200 square meters have made a spectacular debut. Children are often seen gathering in front of the mural of the groundhog, a character from the film. With great enthusiasm, they reenact the classic plot from the film and pose for pictures.

“We hope that this mural can infuse more warmth into the community and enable traditional culture to be integrated into everyone's life in a brand-new manner,” said Chen Zheng, the mural designer. Notably, while maintaining the core essence of the original work, the designer ingeniously incorporated local elements. For instance, the Jiaozi in Ne Zha’s mentor Taiyi Zhenren’s bowl were replaced with Yunnan’s characteristic small-pot rice noodles. This creative touch has won extensive acclaim from tourists. Moreover, the height of Ne Zha in the mural was specifically designed to be in a proportion that is ideal for children to take photos, drawing numerous families to come and partake in the experience. As a result, the interactivity and entertainment value of the mural have been further enhanced.

Text by our staff correspondents
Translated by YNTA