This film is a sequel to "Ne Zha Zhi Mo Tong Jiang Shi" from five years ago. In this movie, director Jokelate continues the approach he began in the previous film, using Chinese cultural symbols to interpret Christian classics, thereby fulfilling the role that a young Chinese animation director should be against the backdrop of conflicts between China and America. Much like Shinji Ikari from "Neon Genesis Evangelion," you can see that this Christ-like figure of Ne Zha also possesses a rebellious streak against tradition. He is kind-hearted and yearns for warmth, yet is ostracized due to the thorns he bears, deeply entangled in his
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own contradictions.
Therefore, you can also observe some strikingly similar elements in Ne Zha's character. For instance, a mother who dares to embrace him despite his thorns, affirming him and stabilizing his soul, while the father presents a much gentler figure compared to Gendo Ikari. This might partly stem from the director's own creative experiences and religious views. Unlike Shinji Ikari, whose main struggle lies in self-redemption within a distorted cultural environment, Ne Zha shoulders a more onerous task: the battle against the Chan Sect, which bewilders the world with moral indoctrination and forgets its original intent, or metaphorically, the struggle against the United States. The former focuses on the collapse of the Japanese cultural system post-World War II, while the latter reflects the ongoing comprehensive conflict in reality. The differing relationships with the United States determine the divergent directions of the works' representations. I think this is the reason why the film has shortcomings in the portrayal of the protagonist's inner world.
In the first installment, Ao Bing, who appeared as an anti-Christ figure, takes on the form of the dragon that bears witness to Jesus by the sea in the Book of Revelation in this sequel. This is a remarkably captivating character—gentle, frail, yet acutely aware of the events unfolding before him, and most importantly, he is exceptionally handsome. While adapting the original texts, this work has rather brusquely inverted many elements of Chinese indigenous culture. Wu Liang Xian Weng, who emerges as the beast from Revelation, is a composite of Solomon, the guardian of the Tree of Wisdom , and Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang, serving as a nod to the Stephen Chow movie elements that adorn the protagonist's side in this film. You can also discern more of the director's personal imprints in this movie. For instance, the scene where Ao Bing shields Ne Zha from his father's attack at the beginning is derived from a promotional video the director made for the mobile game "Honor of Kings." The segment where the two armies clash and blood spurts during the grand battle is taken from his debut work, "See Through."，The beasts responsible for guarding Ne Zha's barrier comes from Wan Laiming's "Havoc in Heaven." These elements candidly illustrate how this generation of Chinese filmmakers has grown amidst the severe setbacks in artistic creation. The value of these aspects surpasses the film's promotional intentions.
The film primarily depicts two key segments: the destruction of Chen Tang Guan by the fire of Sodom and the final holy war against the beast from Revelation. These narratives are still inspired by real-world events—the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States, and the establishment of the Bretton Woods system, both of which are metaphorically linked to the heavenly fire and the golden tree. The rest of the content is filled with intriguing comedic interludes or standalone short skits, possibly arranged and produced in parallel during the filmmaking process. In the parts involving crucial interpretations, the director seems to be captivated by the display of the All-Seeing Eye, a symbol from Judaism, extensively using distant frontal shots. This repeated zooming in and out, along with the arrangement of moving camera positions, makes it somewhat challenging to discern the details of the scenes, and the same applies to the music. The scene where Ne Zha, comforted by his mother, breaks through the Chuan Xin Zhou to resurrect is exceptionally beautiful, with the lighting effects simultaneously conveying his rage and his gentle state of mind after dispelling his confusion.
As an official director, Jokelate does not shy away from the diverse cultural influences he absorbed during his formative years, which is quite unique for a Chinese director and demonstrates an extreme level of self-confidence. Beyond games, animations, and Chinese web novels, you can even find traces of Kentaro Miura's "Berserk" in this work. As a supplement to a whole generation's missing works, China's new generation of directors has grown up absorbing content from works of the same era within their own cultural sphere, retaining the characteristic of Japanese animation directors who incorporate a plethora of elements to assert their identity, and blending these with their personal styles. This has already and will continue to profoundly influence China's future cultural industry. Apart from the production objectives, the messianic complex in this work may also partly stem from this.
But no one can be the Messiah for others, which is why the theme of self-redemption is most fitting, and this is the reason why EVA has garnered worldwide acclaim.
I firmly believe this is a fundamental methodological mistake on the part of the director, reflecting a lack of respect for the culture itself. By using his own cultural elements to interpret an external religion to achieve his filming objectives, the structural laziness results in the disappearance of the most essential local characteristics that are central to culturally specific adaptations. This ultimately leads to both China and the United States being confined to stereotypical portrayals. For instance, the fickleness of the residents of Chen Tang Guan and the lack of characterization among the demon-hunting team members are consequences of the director's insufficient effort in these areas. This is not only a technical issue but also a core directional problem for future works. I really appreciate how Chinese directors interpret Christian culture from their own cultural perspective, such as Chen Kaige's "The Black Cannon Incident", and I hope that Chinese directors do not hastily discard the inherent Chinese characteristics in their films in their rush to restore their cultural heritage.
Anyway, I hope to see a sequel to this work. I'm looking forward to him delivering a mature piece when he turns fifty, and of course, I hope the world will still be at peace by then. The redemption of each culture can ultimately only be achieved by that culture itself, not war.
Feb 23, 2025
Nezha Zhi Mo Tong Nao Hai
(Anime)
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This film is a sequel to "Ne Zha Zhi Mo Tong Jiang Shi" from five years ago. In this movie, director Jokelate continues the approach he began in the previous film, using Chinese cultural symbols to interpret Christian classics, thereby fulfilling the role that a young Chinese animation director should be against the backdrop of conflicts between China and America. Much like Shinji Ikari from "Neon Genesis Evangelion," you can see that this Christ-like figure of Ne Zha also possesses a rebellious streak against tradition. He is kind-hearted and yearns for warmth, yet is ostracized due to the thorns he bears, deeply entangled in his
...
Jan 20, 2025
Atri: My Dear Moments
(Anime)
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This is a romantic version of "Moby Dick," where Moby Dick isn't that terrifying opponent anymore but a little girl. I think it reflects a kind of Japanese-style religious perspective. You can see from ATRI's actions the character's greatness as a robot, or a god, along with its curiosity about humans. The visuals are quite heartwarming. The protagonist is a modern reincarnation of Captain Ahab, and their relationship with ATRI is much closer compared to the original. Compared to the game, the anime references "Moby Dick" more, leading to a more dramatic development, and the characters' personalities are less stable. If you're a fan of
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