Director of the Ne Zha 2 phenomenon: when ‘stubbornness’ became the key to record-breaking success

A year later, he left the job to devote himself entirely to his own projects. Yet following his passion came with challenges, not least personal pressure and a chorus of social scepticism. Many saw him as deluded, abandoning a respectable profession for what seemed a fantasy.

Amid the widespread doubt, Jiaozi found constant encouragement in his mother, who supported his choices without hesitation. For three years after quitting his job, the young director focused wholly on his creative ambitions. Still, he hadn't anticipated just how long the journey would be. With his work repeatedly rejected and no income to speak of, Jiaozi found himself relying on his mother’s modest monthly pension of 1,000 yuan (around VND3.5 million). Reflecting on those years, he recalls a world limited to a small flat—just a living room, bedroom, and bathroom. He didn’t buy clothes, and even hesitated before purchasing discounted food from the supermarket.

After years of solitary effort, in 2009, Jiaozi released a 16-minute animated short titled Beating a Big Watermelon. The film went on to win over 30 major awards in China, catching the attention of key industry players and setting the stage for his rise to billion-dollar box office status with the Ne Zha films.

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Following the resounding success of Ne Zha 1 in 2019, Jiaozi originally planned to release the sequel within three years. In the end, it took more than five. It’s not hard to see why. Throughout production, this famously fastidious director was never one to delegate blindly, insisting on overseeing every detail himself to ensure a flawless result. According to team members, the Sichuan-born filmmaker is known for his meticulous nature and obsession with perfection, down to the finest detail of every frame. There are even moments lasting less than a second that, if not quite right, he demanded be revised again and again until they matched his vision.

More than just the director, Jiaozi reviewed the entire plot, mapped out each production stage, choreographed the action, and directed the voice work for all the characters. He and his team sifted through over 100 concept sketches before settling on the final look of Ne Zha. Despite never having received formal acting training, Jiaozi often demonstrated expressions and movements himself to guide the animators. Notably, he has also personally illustrated the celebratory posters for each box office milestone of Ne Zha 2. Known for being exacting and, at times, difficult, Jiaozi’s unrelenting pursuit of excellence may be precisely what shaped a film that rivals a Hollywood epic. Speaking about the triumph of Ne Zha, he shared: “This film is the culmination of the animation industry’s collective effort. We all wanted to challenge the public’s preconceptions about Chinese animation. Now that we’ve earned the audience’s praise, we must strive even harder, exchanging sincerity for sincerity and creating better work in return.”

As Ne Zha 2 continues its box office reign, audiences have taken to social media to dissect its details with enthusiasm. Visually, the film is a marked upgrade from its predecessor, but that’s only part of the story. What has truly captivated viewers is how the film subtly weaves in accurate medical references. Drawing on his years of medical study, Jiaozi incorporated surprisingly realistic anatomical elements into Ne Zha 2. In one striking sequence—Ban Cham Xuyen Tam Chu—Ne Zha’s body morphs into a skeletal form composed solely of blood vessels. Not only is the visual breathtaking, but it also reflects genuine anatomical structures with impressive precision. The musculature on Ne Zha’s adult back is rendered in such detail that even medical professionals have reportedly expressed admiration.

Another subtle yet striking element picked up by eagle-eyed viewers: the Soul-Destroying Pill appears to take visual cues from the Covid-19 virus, while the incantation recited by Than Cong Bao echoes the formula for an anti-coagulant drug. After watching, many were left marvelling at Jiaozi’s seamless, and very clever, blend of art and science.

Looking back, the phrase “If I had given up right from the start, there would have been no future” perhaps best captures Jiaozi’s unshakable resolve. From overcoming budget constraints to fending off doubts about the film’s quality, his personal mantra—never compromise with yourself—has guided Ne Zha 2 from challenge to triumph. His journey is a living testament to the power of belief and persistence in making the seemingly impossible, possible.

The phenomenal film will hit Vietnamese cinema screens once licensing is secured.

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