In six weeks on the big screen through Sept. 10, the animated film “Ne Zha” generated 4.8 billion yuan ($6.8 billion) in box-office sales, making it the second-highest grossing film in China so far and marking an impressive milestone for China’s home-grown animated films.

But to most Chinese, the rebellious, fearsome boy depicted in the movie isn’t exactly the protection deity they would expect based on the well-known folk hero on which he is based. But that hasn’t stopped the unconventionally adapted movie from becoming a booming success.

Off the big screen, Chinese audiences’ enthusiasm for domestic animated series has also heated up following the launch on major internet platforms of several popular shows such as “Mo Dao Zu Shi,” an animated fantasy.

The wave of successful productions led by “Ne Zha” is fueling expectations that the long-awaited takeoff of China’s domestic animation industry is approaching. Investors and market players have been betting on a boom since 2015 as private equity investment funds poured into the animation sector.

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Contact editor Matthew Walsh (matthewwalsh@caixin.com)

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