The Chinese animated film *The Arrival of the Ox* has unexpectedly become a box-office hit
The Chinese animated film *Niu Lai* (“The Arrival of the Ox”), created by a team of two, unexpectedly drew audiences to theaters after a slow start. According to the South China Morning Post, the film grossed about 5.6 million yuan on Sunday, although its box office revenue for the first 10 days of release was just over 7,700 yuan.
The Chinese ticket-selling platform Maoyan predicted that the film could gross 18.4 million yuan within 30 days of its release. At the start of its run, it was the lowest-grossing animated film of the year. Later, audiences began flocking to screenings, likely due to online buzz and memes.
The film’s plot revolves around a dream sequence featuring a calf and a lark. The lark helps the calf discover love, courage, perseverance, and self-sacrifice. At the same time, critics and social media users found the story confusing and the animation underdeveloped. The Beijing News described the animation as stiff and glitchy, and the voice acting as harsh and jarring. Jiefang Daily called the production noticeably crude and criticized the overly childish content.
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Director Xin Yumen and screenwriter Sun Lifang worked on the film: they handled all the animation and provided the voice acting for the characters. According to the Chinese corporate information service Qichacha, the production company previously specialized in interior design and only entered the film industry in 2021.
The attention Niu Lai has received is partly attributed to its hand-drawn, analog style, which contrasts with the prevalence of AI-generated imagery in the Chinese entertainment industry. Some viewers chose this animated film over the new Spider-Man movie.
