China’s ‘Nobody’ Surges Past 1 Billion Yuan ($185M), Breaks 2D Animation Record

Chinese animated feature Nobody was number one at the local box office over the weekend, crossing the 1-billion-yuan ($138.5 million) milestone as it continues rewriting records for 2D animation in the country.

The film’s rise has been swift. After opening nationwide on August 2, Nobody quickly built momentum, climbing to 615 million yuan ($85 million) within its first ten days. By August 14, it had surged past 700 million yuan ($97 million), driven by strong weekday attendance and repeat viewings. Over the following weekend, it vaulted past the billion-yuan threshold ($138.5 million), cementing its place as the highest-grossing homegrown 2D animated release on record, with plenty of room to grow going forward.

Nobody is directed by Shui Yu and produced by the storied Shanghai Animation Film Studio. The feature reimagines a tale from Journey to the West, shifting the focus from legendary heroes to four minor “yaoguai,” a pig, a toad, an ape, and a weasel, who impersonate the Tang Monk and his disciples in hopes of gaining recognition. With its hand-drawn ink-wash aesthetic and offbeat perspective, the film blends humor with pathos, offering a fresh take on one of China’s most famous literary epics. Historical narratives regularly prove the most popular at the Chinese box office, whether they are adapted into live-action or animation.

The film overtakes the previous benchmark set by Big Fish & Begonia and now stands as the second-highest earner of the summer season overall, trailing only the action hit Dead To Rights, which has brought in over 2.6 billion yuan ($359 million).

Nobody’s record-breaking run highlights the growing strength of homegrown Chinese animation at the local box office. Earlier this summer, Ne Zha 2 became the highest-grossing animated feature in history, largely due to its domestic success.

Together, the two films underscore a trend: Chinese animation is vastly outpacing imported U.S. blockbusters and starting to make an even bigger impact abroad.

Industry forecasts suggest Nobody could conclude its theatrical run with between 1.4 and 1.5 billion yuan ($193–207 million). That would place it firmly among the top-performing animated titles in Chinese box office history.