With Ne Zha II, A24 unveils a thunderous follow-up to the global phenomenon that shattered box office records and redefined what an animated epic could be. Based on the rebellious Chinese folk hero Ne Zha, the sequel expands the myth with heart, humor, and jaw-dropping spectacle. Directed by Jiao Zi, this film isn’t just a technical marvel, it’s a cultural moment, laced with themes of defiance, self-discovery, and the power of friendship.
Premiering on February 14, 2025, Ne Zha II amassed an astonishing $2.2 billion in just over a month, cementing its status as the most successful animated film and the top non-English-language movie of all time. But beyond the numbers lies a story that pulses with relevance. At its center is Ne Zha, a demon-child reincarnated through misfortune, who resists societal labels and carves his own destiny in a world built to contain him.
In this sequel, Ne Zha and his unlikely companion Ao Bing return as spirits, revived by Master Taiyi with the Sacred Lotus. To reclaim their physical forms, they must share one body and endure three heavenly trials. Along the way, betrayal, sacrifice, and a brewing rebellion against the heavens take center stage, culminating in a fiery rebirth that challenges the very order of the cosmos.
“So what if I’m a demon?” Ne Zha’s viral line became a rallying cry for a generation unafraid to stand in their truth.
A Cast of Mythic Proportions
The English-language voice cast features a striking blend of emerging talent and household names. Michelle Yeoh brings fierce maternal grace as Lady Yin, while Crystal Lee gives Ne Zha a blend of bratty charisma and raw vulnerability. Aleks Le voices Ao Bing, a tender and resolute contrast to Ne Zha’s fire. Vincent Rodriguez III steps in as Li Jing, while Rick Zieff adds depth to the eccentric Master Taiyi.
Daniel Riordan’s portrayal of Shen Gongbao reveals the complex motivations behind villainy, and William Utay gives Immortal Wuliang a haunting presence as the embodiment of cold order. These characters aren’t just mythological icons, they are dynamic figures grappling with identity, power, and purpose.
The full cast includes Griffin Puatu, Christopher Swindle, Fred Tatasciore, Michael Yurchak, Damian Haas, Erika Ishii, Eric Bauza, and Candi Milo, among others. Together, they breathe life into a vivid mythos that stretches from underwater realms to heavenly jade palaces.
“Ne Zha represents the part within us that dares to question what the world tells us we should be.” – Jiao Zi
The Animation That Shook the World
Ne Zha II is a technical masterpiece. The film employed over 4,000 artists across 138 Chinese animation studios. Every frame is dense with visual symbolism: dragons twist through jade palaces, sacred lotuses bloom against ink-wash skies, and battles erupt in fluid sequences that blend tradition with futuristic scale. The seventh scene, a battle at Chentang Pass, pushes the very limits of animated spectacle with fire, magma, and monsters born from the “void fissure” concept.
The animators also tackled realism with flair. For an underwater battle, every chain tethering dragons was hand-animated to reflect physics in both wide and close-up shots. Jiao Zi insisted on this detail, as the chains represent the burdens of conformity. Ne Zha’s transformation into a new godly form, driven by grief and rage, unfolds in a fiery sequence that visually echoes the internal battle between destiny and choice.
Across the runtime, motifs from Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhist mythology appear alongside original characters like Shen Xiaobao and Wuliang. Yet the tone remains irreverent and grounded, resonating with both Gen Z viewers and adults reflecting on systems of power.
With 2,400 animation shots and 1,900 VFX shots, Ne Zha II sets a new global bar for animated storytelling.
Challenging the Divine: Themes That Resonate
While the first film examined fate, this sequel dares to challenge authority. Wuliang, initially a serene immortal, is revealed to be a manipulative force who sacrifices truth for control. Ne Zha’s rejection of his rules becomes a broader allegory for standing up to institutions that fail to serve the people.
The film confronts systems and hierarchies, while never descending into cynicism. Shen Gongbao is not a one-note villain. He operates from a place of belief, just as Wuliang does. This ambiguity gives the film emotional weight and keeps its message nuanced. Ne Zha and Ao Bing are flawed but righteous, bratty, impulsive, emotional, and utterly human, even in divine skin.
When Ne Zha yells “So what if I’m a demon?” he’s speaking for every viewer who has felt boxed in. His journey from misunderstood child to a symbol of resistance reminds us that sometimes being different is exactly what the world needs. With each trial, he doesn’t just grow stronger, he becomes more himself.
Not all gods are just. Not all demons are evil. And not all heroes are born, they are forged.
Key Details
- Title: Ne Zha II
- Runtime: 143 minutes
- Language: Mandarin (Dubbed in English)
- Director: Jiao Zi
- Studio: Chengdu Coco Cartoon, Enlight Media, Enlight Pictures
- US Distributor: A24
- Release Date: February 14, 2025 (China)
- Global Gross: $2.2 billion+
- Genre: Fantasy / Animation / Adventure
