How Asia's risk-taking animation beat the West

China and Japan might be at loggerheads politically right now, but earlier in 2025, their combined powers broke Hollywood's grip on animation.

- John Lui

The fantasy Ne Zha 2, an adaptation of the folk tale Investiture Of The Gods, roared out of China to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time with its global take of more than US$2 billion (S$2.6 billion). It also took the crowns for being 2025's highest-earning film and the highest-grossing non-English film in history.

In Singapore, it set the record for the highest first-day gross for a Chinese film by taking in around $300,000 upon its March 6 release. It went on to become the Republic's most lucrative Chinese film by passing $6 million at the local box office.

Another Chinese animated film, Nobody, adapted from the fable Journey To The West, came along later in 2025 and became the highest-grossing Chinese 2D animated film of all time, with global earnings of US$225 million.

Some months later, Japanese anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle flexed its box-office muscle by earning more than US$600 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese film globally and one of 2025's top earners in any category.