Chinese animated film 'Ba Xian!' surpasses 2 billion yuan at the box office

The Chinese animated film Ba Xian! has already surpassed 2 billion yuan in cumulative box office. The announcement came from the audiovisual sector of Chengdu itself, the city that drove this production, which has become one of the biggest phenomena in the country's animation cinema.

The figure comes after the film managed to break into the top three highest-grossing titles in Chinese animation history. It had previously smashed the 100 million yuan barrier from ticket presales alone, a number that already hinted at the success to come.

The story focuses on the Eight Immortals before they became deities. They are eight ordinary people, with very different personalities, who decide to venture together into the paradise of Penglai. There they will have to foil a conspiracy and save the world, though each of them carries their own motives.

A success that also crosses borders

Since mid-August, the film has been rolling out in international markets. The response, according to the announcement, is proving very positive. Audiences especially highlight the visual scale, the pacing of the storytelling, and the plot twists, which arrive without warning.

This is not an isolated case. Chengdu's animation industry has spent years building a creative ecosystem that has produced well-known titles both inside and outside China. Some names that have come out of this area include Honor of Kings, Zhen Hun Jie, and Year Hare Affair.

The studio behind Ba Xian!, Eastern DreamWorks, has its southwestern headquarters in the Tianfu Changdao creative park. More than seventy companies dedicated to different stages of digital production coexist there: from character design to visual effects, dubbing, and promotion.

An ecosystem that works like a neighborhood

The key to this model lies in proximity. In the park, studios are a short walk away from their collaborators. The news itself defines it as a "coffee-distance" ecosystem: whoever writes the script can coordinate with whoever animates or mixes the sound without leaving the same complex.

That structure has allowed several production companies in the area to take part in large-scale projects. For example, the visual effects for films like The Wandering Earth or Blades of the Guardians have been handled by companies based in Chengdu.

The success of Ba Xian! not only confirms the sweet moment Chinese animation is enjoying at the box office. It also proves that the concentrated production model can deliver commercial results without giving up a distinctive visual identity.

The film is still in theaters and its international run continues. Are you drawn to this kind of Chinese production, or do you prefer Japanese anime? I'll read you in the comments.