Ne Zha II is the biggest movie in the world right now. Why is that again?

When you seem at the book of numbers, they put up be hard to trust. Not only the first non-Hollywood film to gross over $1 billion US, but one that eventually went on to earn over $2.2 billion and counting — with virtually all of that coming from its home country of China.

That makes Ne Zha II the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, even when adjusted for inflation. And it comes in at the fifth highest-grossing movie ever, just behind James Cameron's Titanic — with considerable runway to surpass it, given an English language dub and theatrical release slated for this Friday.

But for those who grew up without knowledge of the mythical demon boy flying around on flaming rings, some aspects of Ne Zha II's rise can be confusing.

Namely: What is this whole story about? Why does it have everyone, from TikTok to the New York Times to Donald Trump, talking about China's dethroning of Hollywood? Why is it somehow important that one of the main villains is a jungle cat in disguise? And why is the world's most famous face suddenly that of a pug-nosed demon baby?

When it comes to story, that may actually be the most confusing question — at least for Westerners who grew up without the character as a cultural touchstone.

And even though you could theoretically get through the events of the sequel without having seen the first, this really isn't the right film to attempt that cinematic feat. Without the years of context gained from growing up with Ne Zha and his relevant cultural backstory, watching the sequel without watching the original would be a bit like jumping into Avengers: Endgame without knowing why that big purple guy cared about those shiny rocks.

Luckily, the first film is available to watch for free on YouTube. But for those determined to watch Ne Zha II blind — or who are just scrambling for a resource before the trailer's end — here's a primer.

Largely adapted from the 16th century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods, the film tells the story of our titular hero Ne Zha. Initially fated to be the reincarnation of the heavenly "Spirit Pearl," the cunning, immortal Shen Gongbao instead made sure Ne Zha was crafted from the conversely dangerous "Demon Orb" — yin-yang-like parts of a recently destroyed celestial being. 

Tragically for Ne Zha, the Demon Orb was fated to be destroyed by heavenly lightning three years after its creation, meaning he was marked for death on his third birthday. At the same time, Shen Gongbao — bitter at perpetually being passed over for promotion in the heavenly court, partially due to the fact he is secretly a shape-shifting tiger-demon — betrays his masters.

He takes the Spirit Pearl to the Dragon King, cursed by heaven to guard an army of demons below the sea. Infusing the Dragon King's son, Ao Bing, with the Spirit Pearl, the two plan to use that boy to free themselves. Instead, Ne Zha and Ao Bing form a fast friendship, eventually sacrificing themselves to save Ne Zha's hometown.

After the destruction of their physical forms, the second movie opens with the two forced to share Ne Zha's body. Once again tasked with changing his destiny, Ne Zha opts to take a heavenly trial — which would grant him access to a magical potion they can use to reform Ao Bing's body.

At the same time, competing schemes from Shen Gongbao, the Dragon King and the current heavenly boss, Brother Wuliang, all come together to complicate — and then directly compete with — Ne Zha's goals, and ultimately what kind of person he sees himself as.

It's a perfect recipe for a story about belonging and destiny; like everything from Hercules to Hellboy, Ne Zha follows a demigod half-human searching for acceptance. And in so drastically transmuting the character's original makeup (in Investiture of the Gods, Ne Zha is less a loveable rebel and instead something far more menacing) he's become a beloved cultural totem.

From an animated TV show, to live-action films, to a prime feature in the recent video game Black Myth: Wukong, Ne Zha is a massively popular figure in China.

And he has held cultural cachet ever since the myth arrived in China, adapted from the story of Nalakuvara, a character in the Buddhist text Buddhacharita that spread through China during the Tang dynasty.

As it spread, it blended various philosophies and folklore. The story of Ne Zha then came to incorporate leanings from various elements of mythology, military history, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and more.

But perhaps most importantly to his finally finding success outside of his native China is the interpretations of good and evil, and fate and self-determination, this version of Ne Zha explores.

As in Taoism, Ne Zha questions the unilateral interpretation of good and evil: The story's hero is a demon, while his main opponent is invested with heavenly energy.

Much like yin and yang, Taoism teaches that good and evil are not opposed or competing forces. Instead, they are interconnected and complementary; each a necessary part making up a neutral whole — and any surety over who (or what) is wholly righteous or villainous is usually a fallacy.

Perhaps its biggest draw for modern audiences has been Ne Zha's championing of a rebellious spirit — and finding worth in benevolence and sincerity, not in the circumstances of your birth.

Those Mohist and Confucianist beliefs helped capture a general mood among audiences of all demographics — with some believing so fervently not watching is unpatriotic that it started a pseudo-culture war in Chinese theatres between Captain America: Brave New World and Ne Zha II.

But Ne Zha II's ensuing success lent a much-needed injection of cash to China's film industry. Once struggling with slumping ticket sales and Hollywood domination, Ne Zha II seemingly helped to prove China's cultural influence abroad.

And as distribution company A24 bets big by releasing a new English-language dub in North American theaters, it's being viewed as a litmus test on whether the ever-growing Chinese box office can not only stop depending on Hollywood at home, but even begin to dominate it abroad.

When it comes to why Ne Zha II has picked up steam outside China, the answer is relatively simple: As an action-packed, martial arts, tear-jerking (multi-hyphenate) comedy-drama, Ne Zha II absolutely deserves the hype.

Building on the success of the impressive, if at times overly juvenile, first film (the fart jokes are thankfully at least halved this time around), the followup is superior in nearly every way.

The story is packed with contrasting plot points and reveals that don't leave a second of empty space. From its gorgeous animation (the water physics alone are something to drool over), to stunning fight choreography, Ne Zha II whipsaws from crisis to crisis like a beaver during flood season.

And when the dam finally does break, do the floodwaters ever come: Just try to keep from crying during the heart-piercing curse in the Tianyuan Cauldron. I dare you.

Senior Writer

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