CHENGDU, China, April 19, 2025 — The animated film *Nezha 2*, produced in Chengdu, gained worldwide popularity during the 2025 Chinese Spring Festival. It became one of the top five highest-grossing films globally, drawing significant attention to China’s animation and comic industries. On April 18, the *National Business Daily* hosted an International Salon on the Animation and Comic Industries in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The event, themed “Linking the World with Industrial Interaction” and organized by NBD Think Tank, focused on fostering collaboration and communication between the Chinese and Japanese animation and comic sectors. Discussions explored how Chengdu can evolve into a leading global hub for these industries. The salon attracted numerous representatives from companies, experts, scholars, and industry professionals from both China and Japan. Project presentations and roundtable discussions offered an international exchange platform, promoting the globalization of Chengdu within this field.

A representative from KADOKAWA Corporation, a major cultural enterprise in Japan, suggested establishing a regular exchange between Chengdu and Japan. This would include regular online and offline sessions to share technical knowledge and experiences, creating increased opportunities for communication and partnership. Several animation and comic companies based in Chengdu showcased their successful TV cartoons, comic books, and video games. They also acknowledged that Chengdu’s favorable business environment significantly contributed to their success, citing local policy support and efficient administrative services.

Chengdu possesses extensive cultural resources, including the Ancient Shu Civilization, the Three Kingdoms Culture, and distinctive cultural IPs rooted in Tianfu Culture. Professor Hiroaki Inoue from the Department of Animation and Culture at Japan’s Kibi International University, a former member of GAINAX (the studio behind NEON GENESIS EVANGELION), emphasized the importance of integrating traditional cultural IPs into the animation and comic industries. This approach would not only drive the sector’s growth but also revitalize traditional culture. By utilizing international creation and distribution models, these industries, along with their IPs and products, could become a symbol for a city or even a country in global communications.

SOURCE National Business Daily

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