Animation push blends innovation with tradition

Tencent Video unveiled 26 new IPs and provided production updates on 32 existing titles during its annual animation release, which was broadcast via a seven-hour online livestream on Monday.

The event highlighted the platform's continued push for original explorations, international co-productions and web novel adaptations.

On the international cooperation front, Tencent Video and Coolabi Group announced on June 1, a global co-publishing deal for the blockbuster Warrior Cats, an animated series adapted from Erin Hunter's best-selling animal fantasy novels.

The series will be produced by Tencent Video in collaboration with animation teams from China, the United States and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the platform's animated productions have been exploring a wide range of genres, including mystery, suspense, fantasy and mythology, with their visual language showcasing increasingly refined traditional Chinese aesthetic elements.

Notably, these productions are also exploring more possibilities in cross-media operations. For instance, the first season of the online animated series Lord of Mysteries has received positive feedback overseas. Tencent Video has established a deep collaboration with Yuewen Group on the production, spanning content development and licensed merchandise. A tie-in game is currently in development, and cooperation with Universal Studios Beijing has also been initiated.

The second season of the animated series Slay the Gods is set to premiere soon, with a theatrical version already in the pipeline. Additionally, the IP has partnered this summer with brands across a wide range of categories — including smartphones, ice cream, coffee, chain restaurants and chewing gum — covering various aspects of daily life, from food and beverages to fashion and entertainment.