Founded in 1957, the Shanghai Animation Film Studio (上海美术电影制片厂) created the great classics of Chinese animation, before being reborn in 2023 with Yao: Chinese Folktales.
History
The studio was founded in 1957, headed by director Te Wei. It invented a "Chinese school" of animation, drawing on painting, opera and traditional arts.
In 1960, Where Is Mama (小蝌蚪找妈妈) was the first ink-wash animated film. Then came Havoc in Heaven (大闹天宫, 1961-1964), Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (哪吒闹海, 1979), Black Cat Detective (黑猫警长, 1984) and Calabash Brothers (葫芦兄弟, 1986), which marked generations.
After difficult years facing foreign competition, the studio was reborn in 2023 with Yao: Chinese Folktales, co-produced with Bilibili. In 2025, Nobody, based on one of its episodes, broke the record for a 2D animated film in China.
Signature
The Shanghai studio is famous for its range of techniques: ink-wash animation, paper cut-outs, puppets, hand drawing. It has always drawn on Chinese culture, and Yao: Chinese Folktales continues that tradition with a new generation of directors.
Its donghua on Donghua Fan
The series and films in the catalogue that Shanghai Animation Film Studio worked on.
Other productions
- Where Is Mama (小蝌蚪找妈妈, 1960)
- Havoc in Heaven (大闹天宫, 1961-1964)
- Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (哪吒闹海, 1979)
- Calabash Brothers (葫芦兄弟, 1986)
Trivia
- Where Is Mama (1960) is considered the first ink-wash animated film.
- Havoc in Heaven inspired generations of artists, right up to today's Monkey King donghua.
- Nobody (2025), based on Yao: Chinese Folktales, broke the record for a 2D animated film in China.
Donghua Fan's take
The Shanghai studio is the memory of Chinese animation. Seeing it reborn with Yao: Chinese Folktales, then triumph with Nobody, is one of the genre's finest recent stories.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan