How time flies. Summer vacation is approaching.

時(shí)間過(guò)得好快，又快到一年暑假時(shí)。

I still remember when the dark horse animated feature Ne Zha singlehandedly created the market for summer movies. With a stunning box office take of up to 5 billion yuan, Ne Zha has become the second highest-grossing film of all time in the Chinese mainland, lifting up the morale of domestic animators.

記得去年此時(shí)，《哪吒之魔童降世》以一己之力托起整個(gè)暑期檔，累計(jì)票房約50億，位居內(nèi)地影史第二位，也讓中國(guó)動(dòng)畫人振奮不已。

But this year, China's cinemas have been shuttered for nearly five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

今年由于疫情影響，全國(guó)電影院已“停擺”近五個(gè)月。

Although there are no new releases, new films are still being produced. A few days ago, a new movie about Ne Zha, who varies looks in different works but has been deemed as the most popular character in the so-called "Fengshen universe", has stirred enthusiasm among fans.

雖然沒(méi)有新片上映，但江湖中總有著新片的蹤跡。前幾天，“封神宇宙”中顏值起伏不定、但人氣度最高的哪吒又一次攪動(dòng)了影迷的熱情。

France's Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the equivalent to the Oscars in animation circles, released a three-minute clip of the new animated film New Gods: Nezha Reborn.

素有“動(dòng)畫圈奧斯卡”美譽(yù)的法國(guó)昂西國(guó)際動(dòng)畫電影節(jié)，曝光了動(dòng)畫新片《哪吒重生》的三分鐘宣傳片。

But the titular character is quite a surprise.

這次的“哪吒”，有點(diǎn)讓人大跌眼鏡。

In all previous adaptations — whether film, TV drama or animated series — Ne Zha, also known as Nezha, is a person who later transforms into a celestial being. But in the new film, Nezha is sort of like a spirit who merges with Li Yunxiang, an ordinary young man. When Li is caught in danger and forced to use his powers, Nezha's spirit — who is depicted with three heads and six arms while riding on two fire-burning wheels — appears on his back.

在以往所有的影視劇或動(dòng)畫片中，哪吒是實(shí)實(shí)在在的一個(gè)人，后來(lái)又成了實(shí)實(shí)在在的一個(gè)仙，是有本體的。而在新片里，“哪吒”只有虛無(wú)縹緲的元神，附在一個(gè)名叫李云祥的普通人身上。當(dāng)這個(gè)普通人身處險(xiǎn)境、被迫施展超凡力量時(shí)，三頭六臂腳踏風(fēng)火輪的哪吒以元神的形象在其背后現(xiàn)身。

The new film is not a sequel to Ne Zha. Actually, the films are produced by two different studios. According to available reports, Nezha Reborn started preparation work in 2016, so it's clear the new story produced by Light Chaser Animation Studio was conceived independent of the runaway hit.

這部新片和《哪吒之魔童降世》其實(shí)并無(wú)關(guān)系，并不是續(xù)集，是兩套班底。據(jù)目前披露的信息來(lái)看，《哪吒重生》是追光動(dòng)畫從2016年開(kāi)始籌備。所以，從一開(kāi)始，這版“哪吒”早早走上了一條另類劇本路。

Light Chaser's last animated film was White Snake, inspired by the ancient folklore tale The Legend of the White Snake. The original story is of a snake that transforms into a beautiful woman who marries a handsome young man, but their love tragically stirs a disaster that threatens many lives, who are trapped in the floods in Jinshan Temple. But the film, set 500 years earlier than when the original story takes place, uses little of the original tale.

追光的上一部動(dòng)畫片是《白蛇：緣起》，也是借了“白蛇傳”這個(gè)古老民間傳說(shuō)的殼，拍了一部跟白素貞、許仙乃至水淹金山寺沒(méi)什么關(guān)系的片子，因?yàn)椤熬壠稹钡脑O(shè)定是“白蛇傳”故事發(fā)生的五百年前。

Somewhat exemplifying the studio's continuous interest in such a narrative style, Nezha Reborn is set 3,000 years after Nezha's original story takes place in the ancient novel The Investiture of the Gods, which is set on the eve of the collapse of the Shang Dynasty.

而《哪吒重生》則把步子邁得更大，是《封神演義》中所描述的殷商末年的三千年后。

In the trailer, audiences can see Nezha's new "incarnation" in a cyberpunk-style modern city with his short-haired girlfriend, who looks a bit like Alita, the hero of James Cameron's Alita: Battle Angel (I guessed the two characters' relationship from the trailer).

故事發(fā)生在一個(gè)賽博朋克式的現(xiàn)代城市里，哪吒“轉(zhuǎn)世”的李云祥，似乎有了個(gè)“阿麗塔”般有明艷短發(fā)的女友（這些都是靠看片花猜的)。

A bit like Batman, Li faces off against evil forces alone to guard the order and peace of the city. The scenes are reminiscent of America's superhero tales.

從片花看，李云祥有點(diǎn)像蝙蝠俠，在一個(gè)秩序混沌的城市里，以一己之力守護(hù)一方安寧?？傊?，畫面不太中國(guó)，有點(diǎn)美漫的超級(jí)英雄范兒。

Unfortunately, most netizens are not satisfied with the new film.

預(yù)告片出來(lái)后，網(wǎng)上反饋并不理想。

From Little Door Gods to Tea Pets to Cats and Peachtopia and White Snake, I believe Light Chaser is an ambitious studio which excels in animation technique, but it has yet to hit the mark in storytelling.

從《小門神》到《阿唐奇遇》到《貓與桃花源》，再到《白蛇：緣起》，我個(gè)人感覺(jué)，追光是一家有野心、有技術(shù)，但在敘事功力上卻欠點(diǎn)火候的動(dòng)畫公司。

The studio's distinctive style is formed through Chinese culture and mythology, and instilling Chinese aesthetics into stories. So I feel a bit sad that its new film is making such a wild turn and using more elements from Western culture. But I might be wrong as I have yet to see the entire feature.

追光最大的特色，是溯源中國(guó)文化和中國(guó)神話，將中國(guó)韻味和風(fēng)情融入故事之中。這次，卻偏偏避己之長(zhǎng)，反而取法西方，有些可惜了。但目前僅僅憑借幾分鐘的片花，恐怕還很難預(yù)測(cè)，這樣的“求新”之舉是否別有驚喜。

For generations of Chinese, Ne Zha and his legend has been etched in their minds over centuries.

哪吒鬧海，是千百年來(lái)國(guó)人共有的文化記憶。

But Ne Zha's image has also evolved. In the original Ming Dynasty novel The Investiture of the Gods, Ne Zha is not perfect, and is even a violent and naughty child.

明代小說(shuō)《封神演義》里的那個(gè)哪吒，并不完美，甚至算得上一個(gè)暴力傾向嚴(yán)重的“熊孩子”。

The 1979 classic animated feature Prince Nezha's Triumph Against Dragon King turned Ne Zha into an adorable hero.

1979年的經(jīng)典動(dòng)畫《哪吒鬧?！分厮苣倪福屗闪丝删吹男∮⑿?。

Ne Zha, the 2019 smash hit, re-examines the title character with modern values, making him more relatable to today's viewers. "My life is not controlled by the heaven, but in my hands", the film's most famous quote, has resonated with many young viewers who wish to pursue their dreams.

2019年的《哪吒之魔童降世》則給了哪吒現(xiàn)代性，一句“我命由我不由天”，擊中了無(wú)數(shù)有志青年的心。

With the animated film Legend of Deification and director Wuershan's Fengshen Trilogy, the Fengshen stories — both adapted from Fengshen or The Investiture of the Gods — will be the most likely Chinese counterpart to the US superhero cinematic universe. But how should such a franchise be made to hook both Chinese and Western audiences?

隨著動(dòng)畫片《姜子牙》和烏爾善導(dǎo)演的《封神三部曲》也將陸續(xù)出來(lái)，“封神系列”最有可能成就中國(guó)的超級(jí)英雄宇宙。但問(wèn)題就在于：這條路該怎么闖，才對(duì)得住中國(guó)人的胃口，也能勾起西方觀眾的興趣？

A hero who is depicted to have conquered the raging sea in myths, Ne Zha is seemingly now shouldering a heavier responsibility.

乘風(fēng)破浪的小哪吒，你還真是任重道遠(yuǎn)??！

記者：徐帆

來(lái)源：ChinaDaily微信公眾號(hào)