“Langlang Mountain” Animated Hit Surpasses 300 Million Yuan at Box Office
Director Reveals Toughest Scene Amidst Critical Acclaim
The animated feature “Light Monster of Langlang Mountain” is a runaway success, rapidly approaching the 300 million yuan mark at the box office within its first week. The film has resonated with audiences, attracting over 7.132 million viewers.
A Familiar Tale in a New Dimension
Originating from the popular short film “Summer of the Little Monster,” this production reunites the original creative team for an adventure set in a parallel dimension. The story follows a young pig demon determined to leave Langlang Mountain, joined by a complaining toad spirit, a garrulous weasel spirit, and an orangutan monster with social anxieties. This unlikely, grassroots team embarks on a quest for scriptures, encountering a constant stream of humor, peril, and unforeseen twists.
The film has garnered widespread praise online, boasting an impressive 8.6 rating on Douban, a leading Chinese film review platform. This critical reception mirrors its commercial triumph.
Filmmaker Discusses Creative Hurdles
Director **Yu Shui** shared insights into the production challenges during an interview. He highlighted the sequence featuring the four little monsters battling the yellow-browed monster as the most demanding to create. This particular storyboard consumed the most time.
“It not only needed to create an igniting scene that makes people’s blood boil and adrenaline soar, but also had to incorporate humorous and funny elements. However, these two styles are inconsistent, and it is very difficult to achieve a balance.”
—Yu Shui, Director
**Yu Shui** expressed gratitude that the team managed to overcome these artistic differences. He credited the unique hand-painted texture of the 2D animation and the dynamic visual performance for bridging the stylistic gap.
The film’s success aligns with a broader trend of strong performance for domestic animated films in China. For instance, “Ne Zha” in 2019 became the highest-grossing animated film in China, earning over 5 billion yuan, demonstrating a growing appetite for original animated content (Reuters, 2019).