Ne Zha 2's shockwaves: What China and Africa can gain from their traditional cultures

Recently, China has made global headlines with groundbreaking achievements. From DeepSeek's strides in artificial intelligence to Ne Zha 2's cultural success, the country is shaping the future in both technology and entertainment. What does the success of Ne Zha 2 reflect about China's growing cultural confidence and its ability to tell its own stories? And as Africa also boasts rich and diverse cultures, what can be done to transform local African stories into successful productions with universal appeal?

1.      The Secrets of Ne Zha's Success: High-quality narrative structure, cultural confidence, top-tier animation, effective marketing strategies, and exploration of timely themes—elements that deeply resonated with global audiences.

2.      Transforming Africa's Rich Traditions: Turning Africa's histories and mythology into globally successful productions requires a balance of authentic cultural representation, creative storytelling, strategic global integration, and expanded filmmaking expertise.

3.      Rising Cultural Confidence in China: The Chinese people's increasing cultural confidence is driven by supportive government policies, a revival of traditional culture, and significant success in domestic cultural industries.