Release date: February 14, 2025 (USA)
Director: Jiaozi (Yang Yu)
Budget: $80 million
Based on: Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin
Distributed by: Beijing Enlight Pictures CMC Pictures (Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canda)
Box Office: US $1.40 Billion
I’m so happy to have watched the 1st feature yesterday and now be apart and won in by this franchise. From streaming in the background to less than half way getting fully engaged and falling in love with a new franchise. Let’s dive into the sequel, with Ne Zha 2.
If you’re coming into this “Review” unaware of this franchise then let’s discuss the over-view rather than the sequel. If you’re coming into this “Review” to read about the sequel knowing and enjoying the first title…. then hear this. The sequel of Ne Zha makes the 1st title look like a okay movie. With 5 times the action, family development, friendship, emotion, lore, world building, epicness, humor, Villians, Heroes, etc, etc 😀 you’re going to love it.
If you read the previous “Review” you’ll know that I’m locking this feature into my 2025 best animated feature Oscar spot. Unless something comes out and totally surprises me. Animated titles for 2025 have an extremely hard battle ahead of them to dethrone this epic cinema master piece.
The Ne Zha franchise is based on a Chinese mythological character, focusing on the story of a young boy named Ne Zha who is born as a demon child. Destined to bring destruction, but fights against his fate to protect his village and defy the established order, often battling powerful deities and challenging the heavens with his supernatural abilities; the narrative explores themes of rebellion, self-determination, and overcoming prejudice against one’s perceived destiny
Anime enjoyers out there could relate to this with Naruto as Ne Zha. Also for the fighting and powers/abilities. Those into Dragon Balls Z and similar animes would get behind this franchise.
The animation is very well done and event improves with the sequel. Will there be a third title? Think, will there be a 4th,5th and 6th haha. The amount of lore and world building established in the sequel is insane where this franchise will take it.
My spoon is ready and my desert is before me 😀 Let’s get to eating good.
I’m super pumped to watch this again including that of the original. Popped Score for Ne Zha 2 is an easy top score of 9/10 going into my #1 spot of 2025 thus far and into my #1 spot for best animated feature.
Thanks for coming by Popped.blog for your newest batch of movie “Reviews”. This is a epic masterpiece and I’m excited to hear from yawl on this title / franchise.
See you back here Sunday night with Nickel Boys and my overall thoughts with the Oscars.
Popped! 