Description
Book SynopsisIn 1995 Chinese animated filmmaking ceased to be a state-run enterprise and was plunged into the free market. Using key animated films as his case studies, Shaopeng Chen examines new generation Chinese animation in its aesthetic and industrial contexts. He argues that, unlike its predecessors, this new generation does not have a distinctive national identity, but represents an important stage of diversity and exploration in the history of Chinese animation. Chen identifies distinct characteristics of new generation filmmaking, including an orientation towards young audiences and the recurring figure of the immortal monkey-like Sun Wukong. He explores how films such as
Lotus Lantern/
Baolian Deng (1999) responded to competition from American imports such as
The Lion King (1994), retaining Chinese iconography while at the same time adopting Hollywood aesthetics and techniques. Addressing the series
Boonie Bears/Xiong Chumo (2014-5), Chen focuses on the films'
Trade ReviewThis is the first book that systematically discusses animated feature film in China after 1995, unraveling the challenges and innovations in its transition to a market-oriented economy. It is an original and timely contribution to Chinese animation studies. A must read for anyone who wants to know contemporary Chinese animation. -- Daisy Yan Du, author of Animated Encounters: Transnational Movements of Chinese Animation 1940s-1970s
Table of Contents1. Introduction: Passing the Torch of Chinese Cinema Animation to a New Generation 2. The Chinese Animation Blockbuster at the Turn of the Century:
Lotus Lantern and Beyond 3. Cross-Generational Appeal, Social Supervision and Media Convergence: The Derivative Films and
Boonie Bears Series 4. Original Chinese Cinema Animation and
Kuiba series: Commerciality, Originality and Cultural Hybridity 5.
Monkey King: Hero is Back and the New Direction of Chinese Cinema Animation 6. Conclusion Glossary Bibliography Filmography
