Nezha Reborn

Based on Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing

Produced by Lu Xi,

Music by Guo Haowei

Production companies Light Chaser Animation Studios, Alibaba Pictures, Bona Film Group, Bilibili, Pop Mart

Distributed by Taopiaopiao, Bona Film Group, Bilibili, Netflix (International)

Characters:

Li Yunxiang Voiced by: Yang Tianxiang (Mandarin), Stephen Fu (English)

The main protagonist. He is a smuggler and courier and current reincarnation of Nezha

The Masked Man Voiced by: Zhang He (Mandarin), Jason Ko (English)

A masked monkey who is believed to be the Six-Eared Macaque, but in reality, he is Sun Wukong the Monkey King. He is based on the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, from Journey to the West.

Ao Guang Voiced by: Xuan Xiaoming (Mandarin), Andrew Kishino (English)

The leader of the De Clan whose true identity is the Dragon King of the East Sea.

Su Junchu Voiced by: Li Shimeng (Mandarin), Nicole Fong (English)

A doctor who enjoys competitive motorbike racing. Yunxiang’s lover at the end of the movie

Kasha Voiced by: Zhu Ke’er (Mandarin), Victoria Grace (English)

Yunxiang’s childhood friend and a lounge singer.

Ao Bing Voiced by: King Zhenhe (Mandarin), Aleks Le (English)

The son of Ao Guang and the Dragon Prince who was defeated by Nezha in the past. He controls ice-based powers.

Li Jinxuang Voiced by: TBA (Mandarin), Harrison Xu (English)

Yunxiang’s older brother. He supports his brother’s job as a courier despite their father’s wishes.

Donghai Yaksha Voiced by: Gao Zengzhi (Mandarin), TBA (English)

Ao Guang’s assistant.[11]

“Three thousand years after Nezha fought the sea, Li Yunxiang, a young motorbike rider in Donghai City, discovers that he is Nezha reincarnated. Before he has mastered his powers, his old enemies appear, and he must settle a 3,000-year-old grudge with the Dragon Clan.” – Wikipedia entry for film.

The story begins with a sort of mad mash of Chinese cultures, with Donghai resembling the great coastal cities of the days of Chiang Kai-shek, pre-war. Attire varied wildly between 1900 and 2050. The title character, who begins his story as Li Yunxian, a young adult, makes a precarious living racing futuristic motorcycles through the densely packed alleys and markets of Donghai.

A rival racer, Ao Bing, engages in increasingly dirty tricks against Li, and the rivalry explodes into violence.

Ao is the eldest son of Ao Guang, head of the local crime cartel, De Clan, which it turns out, is Clan of the Dragons, Nez Ha’s traditional foe.

Li slowly learns he is the reincarnation of Nez Ha, who defeated the Dragon Clan and the Ocean some 3,000 years earlier. (That story is masterfully told in Nezha, a completely different movie made in 2020.)

The plot is complicated, and intellectually demanding. The characters are well-written and memorable. The Chinese legends of Nezha, the Six-Eared Macaque, the Monkey King and the dragons are recited with due respect and with a wry humor.

I’ve come to expect superior results with incredible Chinese animation and breath-taking art. This has both, and it makes for an unforgettable feature.

Both it and the original Nezha have sequels in the works. Both are eagerly awaited.

Now on Netflix.