The Chinese animated film 'Nuzha 2' is making waves in the international box office, achieving significant commercial success by surpassing big-hitting titles such as 'Demon Slayer: Mugen Train' and 'Zootopia 2' upon its release. Notably, the film has garnered over 95% of its sales from the domestic market, leading to discussions about the rise of nationalistic entertainment driving its popularity. Viewers in South Korea have responded positively to its release, praising its impressive scale and technological quality that rival Hollywood animations.

'Released on 25th of this month, 'Nuzha 2' has generated an unexpected amount of buzz, resulting in additional screenings in premium formats such as IMAX and 4DX. This sequel, a continuation of the original 'Nuzha' which premiered at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in 2019, adapts the character Nuzha from the Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi.' In this new installment, Nuzha faces daunting challenges, having lost his physical body and struggling against monsters to find his soul and save his family over a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes.

What stands out the most about 'Nuzha 2' is its world-class visual effects (VFX) technology and the vast talent and resources poured into its production, amounting to a reported budget of $80 million over a five-year development period. Featuring action sequences that impressingly meet modern audience expectations for spectacle, the film's grand scale is attributed to significant backing from national and local governments, showcasing an evolution fueled by policy support in China's cultural industry since 2009. Over the past decade, China's animation sector has significantly matured, with numerous collaborations between Chinese and South Korean studios shaping its rapid ascent, even as many animation professionals from Korea have relocated to China for opportunities.