Bilibili-Produced The Three-Body Problem Animated Series to Debut Dec 3
Leading Chinese video streaming platform Bilibili announced 49 anime series lineups on October 29 at its annual “ANIME MADE BY BILIBILI 2022-2023” event.
As its principal producer and financier, Bilibili also announced the latest progress in producing The Three-Body Problem animated series, which is an adaptation of Liu Cixin’s titular Hugo Award-winning sci-fi trilogy. The series is being co-presented by Chinese sci-fi company The Three-Body Universe and animation studio YHKT Entertainment. Its trailer on Bilibili has attracted 40 million views and 3 million followers for the account.
The series is scheduled to debut on December 3. It will also be shown on satellite TV channels and overseas video platforms for both Chinese and overseas audiences to enjoy.
The Three-Body Problem trilogy broke linguistic and cultural barriers and has inspired millions of readers globally. At this year’s ANIME MADE BY BILIBILI, the company also collaborated with The Three-Body Universe, the series IP rightsholder, to launch the Three-Body Global Creator Project.
Liu Cixin said at the event, “Animation, like science fiction, is the art of imagination. Imagination is humanity’s most powerful force. I believe that in the world of animation, a sci-fi story like The Three-Body Problem can really come alive.”
SEE ALSO: ByteDance’s PICO to Launch VR Version of The Three-Body Problem
As one of the hottest sci-fi works nowadays, there are multiple platforms that have reached adaptation cooperation with Three-Body Problem. On September 27, ByteDance’s VR device brand PICO announced that it has been authorized to jointly produce the first interactive narrative work of the book’s VR version, to be launched next year. Both Netflix and Tencent have gained rights to adapt this sci-fi work to the screen. Netflix has released a behind-the-scenes teaser, and the first season of the series has been filmed, while post-production is now under way ahead of next year’s planned launch.
At Bilibili‘s event, other anime series lineups were also announced, including Link Click Season 2, a story of two friends using extraordinary powers to grant people’s wishes that has proven popular among overseas audiences. Link Click achieved a ranking of #20 on MyAnimeList, the world’s top online anime community and database. The new season of Fog Hill of Five Elements involving cultural elements taken from Classic of Mountains and Seas will soon launch on Bilibili, as well as other Chinese culture-oriented anime series such as the new season of the Fairies Albums. The event also introduced To Be Hero X, a new season of a Bilibili made anime series, whose impressive visual effects showcases Bilibili‘s strong production capabilities.
Chinese animation has achieved a high level of recognition in the international arena. On social media, #DongHua, the Chinese word for anime, has begun to distinguish itself from #Anime and is starting to become a popular hashtag that global audiences are following and discussing. Global platforms are actively introducing Chinese anime titles and 24 series from Bilibili are already available to audiences around the world.
