Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

China's animated film box office surpassed 25 billion yuan (about $3.54 billion) in 2025, making it the highest-grossing year for animated movies in the country's history, according to data from online ticketing platforms on Sunday. Among animated releases this year, Ne Zha 2 topped the box office chart, followed by Zootopia 2 and Nobody, which ranked second and third, respectively.

Behind the impressive figure is a new formula for the development of China's animation market, driven by the combined forces of technological empowerment, cultural refinement, and international interaction. This development has become a window through which we can observe China's economic advancements and cultural confidence.

The animation industry has developed on the foundation of technology, propelling productivity growth through high-tech advancements. From digital production to special effects rendering, every step of the animation creation process reflects technological progress, making animated films a new model of cultural consumption driven by technology. Noticeably, despite the empowerment of high-tech, Chinese animation has not lost its Eastern aesthetic charm: Ink-wash-like blank spaces and impressionistic scene transitions allow technology to become the "wings" of cultural expression.

Behind this new box office high also lies the flourishing of Chinese culture. China's development extends beyond hard power, such as infrastructure and manufacturing; it equally encompasses cultural and artistic growth. Animated films have emerged as the vanguard of cultural dissemination, incorporating traditional cultural elements into modern stories. Ne Zha 2 reconstructs mythology, while Nobody adapts classic works. Together, these stories showcase the unique charm of Chinese civilization to the world.

Through animated works, Chinese culture's value and influence have been amplified. "Despite the complex political and economic relations, the perception of and favorability toward Chinese culture among ordinary people in the West, especially the middle class and the middle-income groups, have improved," said Zhang Yiwu, a professor of Chinese language and literature at Peking University.

This year, Zootopia 2 became the second-highest-grossing animated film in China, with nearly half of its global box office revenue coming from China, achieving a performance in China even brighter than in the North American market. 

The composition of this year's box office highlights the openness of China's cultural market. With the strong rise of domestic animation and the steady performance of overseas works, new pathways for cultural dialogue between China and the world have been opened. "This openness enriches the audience's options through cultural diversity," Zhang added.

Moreover, the mentality of Chinese audiences has matured. Once, debates over "domestic films vs overseas works" were endless, but now such discussions are rarely mentioned. In the cinema, people laugh at Judy and Nick's witty lines, and cry at Ne Zha's stubbornness. As one netizen put it: "I don't need to deny others to prove myself." This calm acceptance is the best annotation of cultural confidence - an open market that allows us to appreciate the world while letting the world see us.

As the line from Nobody goes: Why fear the long road ahead? One step at a time, and there will be light. Behind the 25-billion-yuan box office of China's animated film are the "wings" that technology has given to culture, the fruit of Chinese culture, and the bridge built by international interaction. China not only has hard power but also the prosperity of soft culture. The growth of the animation box office is the result of the combined forces of technology, culture, and international interaction, making it a new symbol of China's development momentum.