By Mengxue Wei

Pan Jian’s book, Trajectory: The Development of Animation Industry and the Evolution of Animation Art in China (Guiji: Zhongguo dongman chanye fazhan yu donghua yishu yanjin), primarily focuses on the development of the Chinese animation industry from 2004 to 2021. Written in the form of a chronicle, it extensively analyzes the Chinese government’s policies regarding animation, production output, box office revenues, talent cultivation, media dissemination, products, and the evolution of animation production companies during this period. It offers a comprehensive array of data and serves as a crucial foundation for both domestic and international scholars seeking a deeper understanding of the trajectory of China’s animation industry.  

A professor at Zhejiang University and the Vice President of the Chinese Film Critics Association’s Animation, Comics, and Games Professional Committee, Pan Jian holds multiple roles as a research scholar and consultant specializing in industry development and policy formulation. He has authored numerous research papers on animation and is responsible for compiling strategic reports on Chinese animation. He has continued to produce annual reports summarizing box office performance, industry development, and stylistic changes in Chinese animation. Trajectory represents a culmination of his years of work. This book offers a comprehensive research perspective, encompassing Pan’s reflections and observations as a research scholar on Chinese animation as well as his recommendations and insights as an industry development and policy formulation consultant. Therefore, Trajectory is not only suitable for both domestic and international scholars and enthusiasts of animation, but it also provides detailed information and crucial references for potential investors interested in the Chinese animation industry.

Trajectory is divided into sixteen sections. In the Introduction, Pan proposes two important methods for dividing the stages of the Chinese animation industry. The first method categorizes the development of Chinese animation into three periods based on industry attributes. The first is the “Film Industry” period before 1949, during which animation, due to its limited production, was considered a subsidiary of the live-action film industry. The second is the “Pre-Industrial” period, from 1949 to 2004. Influenced by the long-standing planned economy system, despite reforms in the Chinese cultural system in the 1990s, the operational model of Chinese animation often failed to achieve an industrial scale before 2004 due to insufficient production output. Finally, the “Animation Industry” period is from 2004 to the present day. Against the backdrop of the market economy and cultural industry development, Chinese animation embarked on industrialization. The second method divides the development of the Chinese animation industry from 2004 to 2021 into three stages: the comprehensive rising stage from 2004 to 2011, the transformation and upgrading stage from 2012 to 2019, and the new media development stage since 2020. These classifications provide a clear chronological framework for studying the animation industry in China.

Chapters 1–14 compile Pan’s annual papers on Chinese animation from 2004 to 2021. These studies not only provide a macroscopic view of the development of the Chinese animation industry but also reveal micro-level changes and trends, such as successful cases of specific works or companies, innovative breakthroughs, and audience reactions, establishing a clear long-term trajectory for the Chinese animation industry. For instance, in Chapters 1–2, Pan explains why the Chinese animation industry began to grow from 2004 onward through policy analysis. He attributes this to a significant document released by the Chinese government that year titled “Opinions of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council on Further Strengthening and Improving the Moral and Ideological Construction of Minors,” which explicitly called for support for Chinese animation. Under the influence of this document, Chinese animation shifted from a non-market-driven model for the arts in the 1950s to the 1980s to industrialized market operations, profit optimization, and brand building. Simultaneously, Pan meticulously chronicles the establishment of animation exhibitions, competitions, forums, animation creation bases, and teaching and research bases between 2000 and 2007 as well as the production volume of TV animation from 2010 to 2011 to demonstrate the rise of the Chinese animation industry from 2004 to 2011. In addition, he also points out issues such as low international visibility, an emphasis of quantity over quality in production, and a narrow audience base (primarily children) faced by the nascent Chinese animation industry.

Chapters 2–10 document the arduous exploratory journey of the Chinese animation industry from 2012 to 2019. Marked by two policy documents (the “Notice on the Application for the National Animation Fine Works Project” jointly issued by the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, and the General Administration of Press and Publication in 2011, and the “National Animation Industry Development Plan for the Twelfth Five-Year Plan Period” issued by the Ministry of Culture in 2012), the development of the Chinese animation industry underwent significant changes. It transitioned from its previous emphasis solely on quantity to a focus on product quality, talent cultivation, and brand building. During this transformation, the Chinese animation industry achieved remarkable accomplishments. In 2014, the release of adult-oriented animated films such as The Legend of Qin (pinyin here, 2014) and One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes (pinyin here, 2014) subverted the long-established perception that Chinese animation primarily served children. Then, in 2015, Monkey King: Hero is Back (2015) grossed 954 million RMB, demonstrating the profitability of Chinese animation and attracting attention from numerous corporate entities. By 2018, annual box office revenue for Chinese animation could rival that of animated films from Japan and the United States released in China. This is a sign that Chinese animation is no longer easily overshadowed. At the same time, iconic animation brands such as “Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf,” “Boonie Bears,” and “Monkey King” were created, garnering nationwide popularity, franchise development value, and potential for animated derivative products. Finally, the exploration of new national styles began in creative endeavors. However, during this period, the Chinese animation industry faced challenges such as creative deficits, a lack of diversified talent cultivation (particularly in the fields of animation writing and production), and an incomplete industry chain. These shortcomings must be addressed through talent cultivation across various animation disciplines and the establishment of an animation, comics, and game (ACG) industry layout that allows for the mutual conversation and integration of these three cultural products.

Chapters 11–12 explain the bold innovations in the Chinese animation industry from 2020 to 2021. During this period, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to the film and television industries, yet it also provided an opportunity for animation to transition from traditional television and film to online media. In 2020, China launched 396 online animations (a 38% increase from 2019), with a total duration of 66,191 minutes (a 69% increase from 2019). Compared with traditional Chinese TV animation and animated films, Chinese online animation exhibits a lighter educational tone and heavier entertainment elements. The creative types primarily focus on romance, comedy, and fantasy genres, which are beloved by a broader audience, not only in China but also internationally. Foreign audiences have also shown interest in Chinese online animations such as Heaven Official’s Blessing (2020) and Fog Hill of Five Elements (2020).

Pan further explores and explains some academic concepts related to the Chinese animation industry in the appendices with the aim of helping readers broaden their intellectual horizons. In Appendix 1, Pan meticulously traces the evolution of concepts associated with Chinese animation. He points out that different historical periods in China have seen different conceptual expressions of animation: During the Republican era, Chinese animation was referred to as “cartoons”; during the planned economy era, it was known as “Meishu films”; and with the advent of the market economy, it became known as “Dong Man,” followed by the emergence of the concept of “Guo Man.” Changes in artistic styles, industrial scales, and media platforms have led to the emergence and evolution of these concepts. Appendix 2 analyzes Meishu films created by Shanghai Animation Film Studio from the 1950s to the 1980s from the perspective of the industry. It argues that although Meishu films had high artistic achievements, they overlooked market demand, making it difficult for them to continue after the end of the planned economy system.

In summary, Trajectory offers a relatively rare research perspective in the field of Chinese animation studies. Using comprehensive annual inventory reports, industry observations, and policy analyses, this book presents the development trajectory of the Chinese animation industry from 2004 to 2021. It delves into the multiple factors behind this trajectory, including policy, economy, and culture, and provides rich references for both domestic and international scholars. Furthermore, it broadens academic perspectives, moving beyond conventional analyses of individual works and historical narratives to focus on the Chinese animation industry’s ecosystem. This holistic and in-depth research perspective provides an important framework for understanding the complexity and diversity of the Chinese animation industry while also offering insights into the trajectory of its development and future trends.

Bio:

Mengxue Wei is currently serving as a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Humanities, Guangzhou University. She received her Ph.D. from Zhejiang University in 2023, specializing in art theory. Her doctoral thesis, titled “The Creation and Reception of Chinese Animation from the Perspective of Fan Culture Research,” delves into the manifestation and impact of fan culture in Chinese animation. She graduated from Chongqing University in 2019, earning a master’s degree in art. Dr. Wei’s research interests encompass film and television culture, media studies, and audience research.