The much-anticipated animated adaptation of the Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel "The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin is set for online release on December 3.

The announcement from the Chinese online video-sharing platform Bilibili came with a trailer for the animated series.

Liu Cixin shared his thoughts on the forthcoming animation in a video released by China Media Group (CMG) Movie Channel, saying that he considers animation an art form particularly suitable for showcasing the content and aesthetic concept of science fiction.

Worldwide popularity

"The Three-Body Problem," the international bestselling Chinese science-fiction novel, was published in China in 2008. 

It is the first book of a sci-fi trilogy that revolves around physicist Ye Wenjie's contact with the Trisolaran civilization existing in a three-sun system, and the centuries-long clashes that follow between earthlings and the aliens.

The novel has gone on to sell more than 21 million copies domestically. Movie, series, or radio drama adaptations of the critically acclaimed trilogy have then been avidly followed by China's online community.

In January 2022, the final episode of the Chinese audio drama "Three-Body" was released on the online audio-sharing platform Ximalaya to wide applause from internet users.

The novel was first translated into English by Chinese American writer Ken Liu in 2014. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015, making it the first translated version of a book to win the prestigious award.

The novel built an enthusiastic audience in the English-speaking world, with celebrities such as former U.S. President Barack Obama and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg rating it highly.

"It (The Three-Body Problem) was just wildly imaginative, really interesting. It wasn't so much sort of character studies as it was just this sweeping ... The scope of it was immense," said Obama during an interview with the New York Times.

According to Nikkei Asia, the novel also became a phenomenon in its Japanese language version after selling over 110,000 copies in its first few months.

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First trailer for Chinese sci-fi drama 'Three-Body Problem' released

(With input from Xinhua)