Tencent Video flexes its muscles with Chinese anime: over 100 IPs and brands already living inside its stories

The 2027 Tencent Video V视界大会 made one thing clear: Chinese anime is no longer a niche. The platform presented a lineup with titles like Jian Lai, Zhan Shen, Xian Ni, Huo Wang, Shi Ri Zhong Yan or Xue Zhong Han Dao Xing, and the data accompanying the announcement speaks of a business that has skyrocketed over the past year.

According to Tencent itself, in the last twelve months the number of annual commercial clients surpassed one hundred for the first time. The main IPs have more than 40 clients each, and the collaboration volume of a single IP is already comparable to that of many hit reality shows and series. It's not an exaggeration: the platform presents it as a new stage for the monetization of its animated productions.

More than 500 million anime fans in China

The context helps explain why brands have jumped into this market. In China there are more than 500 million users of anime content in the broad sense, and Chinese anime accounts for 76% of all animation viewing. 69% of fans say they prefer domestic productions, and Generation Z and Generation α concentrate 87.59% of the total consumption of these IPs. The 18 to 30 age group is the largest, and more than 84% of users make some kind of anime-related purchase.

The key, according to the report accompanying the presentation, is that this audience doesn't behave like a passive one. They are consumers who gather around specific works and characters, with stable consumption habits and a lot of activity in communities. That turns each collaboration into something closer to joining a club than buying an ad.

When the brand sneaks into the script

One of the most striking examples is Jian Lai and Huawei. In the second season, the nova brand turned its nova 15 into the protagonist Chen Ping'an's "predestined encounter." That is, the product entered the narrative as one more element of the story. From there, two special pieces were created: one with a Chinese ink aesthetic and another set in a neon future. Users shared them as if they were extra episodes.

The collaboration with Zhan Shen followed the same line. At the team's graduation party, the nova device appears as the object that keeps the group's memories. The difference from a classic sponsorship is obvious: it's not about putting a logo on screen, but about giving it a role within the world of the series.

Another curious case is that of Xian Ni and the knife brand Wang Mazi. The coincidence between the protagonist's name, Wang Lin, and the nickname of the century-old company served as a hook for a campaign that brought the brand closer to a much younger audience. The protagonist's first gift box sold out in five days, and the brand's WeChat index rose 76% on the day of the announcement.

One IP, five formats in a year

Tencent's strategy is to squeeze each franchise on several fronts at once. Jian Lai, for example, will have in 2027 a third anime season, a live-action series, an animated film for theaters, a mobile game and a special cinematic version. All spread throughout the year to keep the conversation alive.

For brands, that means a single negotiation can give access to several formats. The platform sells it as a way to accompany the user for longer, instead of appearing once and disappearing. The loyalty data backs the idea: nova 15 surpassed 1 billion exposures with Jian Lai 2, and nova 16 repeated the following year with Zhan Shen. Yida has also chained collaborations with Jian Lai 2 and Xian Ni, and the game Peace Elite has been linking up with Douluo Dalu, Xian Ni, Zhan Shen and Jian Lai throughout the year.

The list of upcoming premieres also seeks to open new doors. Zhi Jia Yi comes from a horror puzzle game, Wang Zhe Rong Yao Bao Zang Pian is born from a massive video game, and Sheng Xu closes Chen Dong's trilogy alongside Zhe Tian and Wanmei Shijie. There's also room for folklore and horror with Qing Jiao Wo Gui Cha Da Ren and Zhi Jia Yi, and for an international bet like Mao Wu Shi, produced by teams from China, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Tencent says it already has more than 100 IPs in reserve, with an 80% share in the top 10 by views and 90% in S+ level projects. With that base, the platform wants brands to stop thinking about one-off campaigns and start building presence inside the stories. The message of the V视界大会 is clear: Chinese anime now competes head-to-head with traditional television for advertisers' money.