Chinese cartoon film industry draws out its success

Since 2015, the Chinese animated film industry has seen unprecedented growth, expanding its influence into the global market. The country saw its annual box-office revenue surge by 48.7 percent year-on-year in 2015, propelled by dozens of blockbusters. That year is also remembered as the start of the rise of Chinese animation, led by the dark horse hit Monkey King: Hero is Back. China Daily revisits some of the most acclaimed animated films in the last decade.

Monkey King: Hero is Back (2015)

Based on the 16th-century novel Journey to the West, Tian Xiaopeng's directorial debut recounts a young boy's accidental rescue of the Monkey King, imprisoned under a mountain for 500 years as punishment for his rebellion against the heavens. The film earned 956 million yuan ($130.8 million), becoming the highest-grossing animated film of 2015.

Big Fish & Begonia (2016)

Set in a mystical world parallel to the human realm, the film follows a 16-year-old girl from the mystical world who transforms into a dolphin and ventures into human society where she encounters a human boy. The movie won widespread attention mainly due to its visual beauty and lengthy production process, which took 12 years to complete.