The success of the Chinese animated film “Nobody”, an anthem to the revolt of the less-than-nothing
This film, which humorously recounts the revolt of four perfectly insignificant characters, has been a resounding success in China. It resonates with the plight of Chinese workers confronted by a ruthless system, according to the country's press.
This anthem to the nobodies is the big hit at the Chinese box office this summer. Released on August 2, Nobody , its international title, has become, in two weeks, “the most profitable 2D animated film in history,” grossing more than 1,047 billion yuan (126 billion euros), explains the online newspaper Pengpai Xinwen . Not yet scheduled in France, its Chinese success could open the way to theaters abroad.
The film is a variation on the theme of Journey to the West , a classic of Chinese literature that has been widely adopted in popular culture, from the 1980s manga Dragon Ball to the video game Black Myth: Wukong . The story follows a monk who travels from China to India in search of Buddhist canons that he wants to translate into Chinese. He is accompanied by four “immortal” protectors, in the form of an anthropomorphic pig, a monkey king, a dragon horse, and a sand ogre.
Nobody doesn't dwell on these noble characters, but focuses on the famous "little monsters" of the title - in Mandarin, we speak of "yaoguai ", supernatural beings who populate nature but are so little considered by the world order that they don't even have a name.
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