SINGAPORE: In traditional Chinese folklore, he has been portrayed as a mischievous child deity, a tragic hero who would sacrifice himself to save his family and country.
Now he has been reimagined in a new animated retelling – a modern punk protagonist and patron saint for misfits in society, a trope that has strongly resonated with new generations of young Chinese moviegoers.
“There might be a similarity between Nezha and me. We both care about how other people see us,” said Yang Chenxi, a 17-year-old student from the city of Huzhou who has watched Ne Zha 2 five times already.
This new animated version was “different from the typical storyline” of a historic Chinese figure, Yang told the China Daily newspaper.
Online, many have gushed about the character’s quirks and traits: a fiery temper with a stubborn personality, who also possesses sensitivity deep down and shows “filial piety and kindness”.
“I hope I can also become like Ne Zha, the kind of person who is capable and strong … and dares to stand up for himself,” said Qi Zai, a user on the popular Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu.
“The different iterations of Ne Zha have watched me grow up,” said another Xiaohongshu user named Kaycee. “I hope that I will be able to ‘meet’ Ne Zha again in the next milestone in my life.”
The character’s animated transformation is “in line with spiritual aspirations of today’s youths and their determination to fight against labels”, said research fellow Sui Chuan at China’s Xiamen University of Technology.
“This kind of modification breaks the character’s “sacredness” myth, enabling it to resonate with the audience,” she told China Daily.
On other Chinese social media platforms like the microblogging site Sina Weibo, excited fans continue to generate discussion about the film, hoping its success in China can be replicated globally.
There is also no shortage of Ne Zha praise in Chinese media, with glowing reviews of the film’s success and championing of Chinese patriotism and culture.
