Ne Zha 2: The ancient philosophies behind China's animated blockbuster

Underpinning the action-packed visuals is a bold reimagining of Chinese traditional mythology and cultural history.

- Yanyan Hong

On the surface, Ne Zha 2: The Sea's Fury (2025), a sequel to the 2019 Chinese blockbuster Nezha: Birth Of The Demon Child, is a high-octane, action-packed and visually stunning animated spectacle, full of hilarious moments and thrilling fight scenes.

But beneath all that, it is something much deeper: a bold reimagining of Chinese traditional mythology, cultural history and philosophies.

Unlike Hollywood's classic hero's journey, Ne Zha 2 is rooted in Chinese thought, weaving together ideas from Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Legalism and more.

Through the story of a baby-faced warrior god who battles demons, it channels centuries of Chinese tradition into something refreshing, relevant and undeniably global.

The film's success speaks for itself. Directed by Yang Yu (aka Jiao Zi), Ne Zha 2 has shattered multiple global box office records, pulling in more than US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) in China in just one week.

It has entered the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time, and become the highest-grossing animated film - outperforming Inside Out 2 (2024).

But what makes Ne Zha 2 so compelling beyond its visual spectacle? At its heart, it is an inspiring story about identity, free will, self-determination and rebellion - ideas that resonate far beyond China.

A CHILD HERO FORGED IN MYTH AND PHILOSOPHY

Ne Zha is a rebellious deity in traditional Chinese folklore - a boy born with immense superpower, who defies both divine and social expectations.

Most people who know of Ne Zha will trace his legend back to Fengshen Yanyi, or Investiture Of The Gods, a Ming dynasty novel that blends mythology with historical elements.

Ne Zha's true origins, however, trace back to India.

“Ne Zha” is a shortened transliteration of the Sanskrit Nalakuvara (or