A Chinese animation about a ragtag group of demons who pose as the legendary characters from “Journey to the West” in hopes of escaping the oppressions of life under a tyrannical king has swept the country, topping box-office charts since its release on Aug. 2.

The story behind “Nobody” has resonated with many of the country’s young workers, who themselves are struggling with the pressures of professional life and yearn to break free and pursue their dreams.

“Like the little demons, I’m ordinary and unremarkable. I throw everything I have into facing difficulties, only to be beaten back to my original form. Yet I persist, stubbornly, in seeking my true self and striving to live in a way I genuinely like,” reads one highly upvoted comment on the microblogging platform Weibo, where a hashtag related to the film had amassed over 200 million views as of Tuesday.

The film builds on the first episode of the anthology series “Yao-China Folktales,” also titled “Nobody.” The eight-part series, inspired by Chinese folklore, has drawn 350 million views on streaming platform Bilibili since its release in 2023. Created by the same team, the film preserves its signature style, combining traditional inkwash backdrops with vivid, lively character design.

After a workplace mishap earns him a death sentence from the tyrannical tiger king of Langlang Mountain, the boar demon hatches a wild plan: he and his accomplice, the toad demon, will disguise themselves as Zhu Bajie and Tang Monk, respectively, two protagonists from “Journey to the West.” Recruiting a similarly hapless gorilla demon to play Sun Wukong and a weasel demon as Sha Wujing, together the four embark on a pilgrimage — hoping to become Buddhas and gain immortality along the way.

Speaking to domestic media, producer Chen Liaoyu said that the intention was to focus on the story of “nobodies” in the original 16th-century novel written by Wu Cheng’en, which features numerous nameless demons referred to only as “the little ones.” 

“These demons were treated like tools, never written about. We wanted to tell their story,” Chen said. Director Yu Shui added that the animals were chosen because they are “marginal figures in the animal world.”

Unlike their legendary counterparts, these impostors possess little magic. Villagers they meet along the way may only revere them because of their disguises, but the demons still attempt to help those in need — often at great cost to themselves and their plans.

The underdog story has resonated with ordinary Chinese who similarly feel that they’re struggling against unwieldy external forces — those who yearn to land a job in an increasingly competitive market, who grind away at meaningless tasks, and who face the dilemma of clinging to job security or choosing their own path to satisfaction.

In one subplot, for example, a rooster is tasked with painting portraits of Tang Monk and his disciples — without a reference. Drafts are rejected with vague feedback, such as “make it feel right.” After countless revisions, it’s the most casual, scribbled sketch that finally gets approved. The scene especially struck a chord among designers, who saw it as a satirical reflection of their own exhaustion in dealing with endless, ambiguous demands from higher-ups.

Meanwhile, the once garrulous weasel, forcing himself into silence to play the taciturn Sha Wujing, begins to withdraw and his eyes lose their spark. Audiences joked that he perfectly embodies the “office worker look” after years of corporate life.

Speaking about the movie’s core meaning, director Yu Shui said, “You may think you’ve escaped one Langlang Mountain, only to find yourself trapped on an even bigger one. The movie doesn’t answer whether true escape is possible, but it celebrates the spirit of trying.” 

According to data from ticketing platform Maoyan, the film has already grossed just over 1 billion yuan ($140 million), surpassing “Kung Fu Panda 3” to become the ninth highest-grossing animated film and the highest-grossing 2D animation in Chinese box-office history.

Despite some critics finding the film’s plot uneven and lacking in surprises, “Nobody” has proven a welcome addition to China’s summer box office, helping it to rebound following a lackluster start with no breakout hits. As of Monday, total takings for the season, including presales, had reached 10.03 billion yuan — 1.6 billion yuan short of last year’s total.

Editor: Tom Arnstein.

(Header image: A poster for the animated film “Nobody.” From Douban)