In the Year of the Snake, the animated film 'Ne Zha: The Demon Child Conquers the Dragon King' burst onto the scene, sparking a global Ne Zha craze. The film has grossed over RMB 15.9 billion at the box office, topping the global chart for animated films and ranking fifth in the all-time global box office history, marking a significant milestone for Chinese and world cinema.

At the event unveiling the 'Top Ten Cultural Developments in Sichuan 2025', Su Yi, Animation Director at Chengdu Coco Cartoon Co., Ltd., spoke on behalf of the team, sharing the creative journey behind this cultural phenomenon. He noted that the increasingly favorable environment for animated filmmaking in recent years owes much to audience receptiveness and strong support from various sectors.

Su emphasized that Coco Cartoon was born in Sichuan, where a rich cultural heritage and a well-developed industrial ecosystem have provided the team with an efficient and dynamic creative environment, attracting numerous young animators to establish their careers there.

The film's distinctive 'Sichuan DNA' has become central to its unique appeal. For instance, the character Taiyi Zhenren speaks in Sichuan-accented Mandarin, and the boundary guardians are inspired by the ancient Sanxingdui civilization—both drawing directly from Sichuan's abundant historical and cultural resources. The vibrant, everyday atmosphere of local cities also ensures the storytelling remains grounded in real life and resonant with audiences.

"Sichuan boasts a complete production chain, enabling many stages of filmmaking to be efficiently completed locally, significantly boosting productivity," Su said, adding that the positive synergy between regional culture and industrial ecology is a crucial foundation for 'Made-in-Sichuan' animation to reach global audiences.

From Eastern mythology to the global silver screen, 'Ne Zha: The Demon Child Conquers the Dragon King' represents not only a cinematic triumph but also a powerful affirmation of cultural confidence and creative vision—stories rooted in local soil are the most moving, and works embodying the spirit of the times naturally transcend borders.

Su stated that the team will continue to base itself in Sichuan, dedicating itself to creating more works that carry Chinese culture and resonate with global audiences. "We believe stories from Sichuan will be seen by the world in even more compelling ways."

With light and shadow as the vessel and culture as the sail, an animation legend born in Sichuan is now sailing toward a broader ocean of shared human spirit.

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】