Subversion, Carnival and Resonance: Interpreting the Phenomenal Popularity of Ne Zha 2 from Carnival Theory

Abstract

Under the globalised communication environment, the Chinese animated film ‘Ne Zha's Magic Boy Troubles the Sea’ has quickly become a global cultural carnival phenomenon by virtue of its phenomenal market performance and cultural influence. Based on Bakhtin's theory of carnival, this article explores the carnivalisation mechanism behind the phenomenal popularity of Ne Zha 2 from the three dimensions of character setting, plot expression and audience resonance. Through the construction of the marginalised identity and rebellious discourse of Ne Zha, the film has inspired strong emotional resonance among global audiences; in the process of media communication, short video platforms, secondary creation and discourse reproduction mechanisms have led to extensive audience participation in carnival communication, thus promoting the film's cross-cultural and global carnival craze. At the same time, the rebellious discourse and cultural symbols in the film are constantly deconstructed, restructured and consumed in the global dissemination, forming a global carnival community beyond the text. This not only verifies the applicability of the carnival theory in cross-cultural communication research, but also reveals the possible paths for Chinese cultural products to break down cultural barriers and go overseas through the strategy of carnivalisation in the context of globalised communication.