IN recent years China’s animated-film industry has released several hit films based on classic Chinese tales, such as “Monkey King: Hero Is Back” in 2015, “Big Fish & Begonia” in 2016, and “White Snake” in 2019.

Ne Zha, a legendary anti-authority figure as well-known in China as the Monkey King, is the subject of the latest feature, which officially opened in cinemas in China on Friday. Grossing 400 million yuan (US$58m) in the domestic box office in the first two days, the film is expected by industry insiders to become the first summer blockbuster to surpass the 2-billion-yuan mark.

“Ne Zha” has earned rave reviews and is rated higher than “Monkey King: Hero Is Back.” It is also China’s first 3-D animated feature film released in IMAX format.

Since July 13, previews of the film have taken more than 140 million yuan at the box office and the film has a score of 8.8 points out of 10 on China’s popular filming rating site Douban.

It took Yang Yu (Jiaozi), the film’s director and screenwriter, two years to refine the script of “Ne Zha,” and the film was in production for three years. It is the most complex animated production ever made in China.

The film has more than 1,300 special effects shots, and it took over 20 Chinese special-effects studios, employing more than 1,600 people, to realize the film’s fairy tale setting, the mysterious Dragon King’s palace, and a stunning fight between fire and water. One spectacular scene alone took two months to complete.

The film is loosely based on the Chinese novel “Investiture of the Gods.” In the novel Ne Zha is born during the Shang Dynasty (circa 1600-1050 B.C.) and is famous for fighting against the Dragon King. The third son of garrison commander General Li Jing, he can never please his father and eventually commits suicide.

Yang, 39, made up his mind to produce an animated film on the theme of breaking stereotypes and reversing fate. Yang chose as his vehicle Ne Zha.

This not the first film to make Ne Zha its protagonist. This year is the 40th anniversary of the release of China’s first widescreen color animation, “Prince Ne Zha’s Triumph Against the Dragon King” in 1979. One of the best films produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio, it was the first Chinese animated film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

In the previous film, Ne Zha was known for his fight against patriarchy and autocracy. In Yang’s film he is fighting prejudice: Ne Zha is hated, feared and shunned as the reincarnation of a devil. But Ne Zha believes his fate is not predetermined and that he can choose to be a demon or a god. Another character that plucks the heart string of Chinese parents is Ne Zha’s father, who does everything for his son and loves him unconditionally.

Before “Ne Zha,” the director’s short animated film “See Through” won more than 20 domestic and overseas awards. (SD-Agencies)