Action figures related to Chinese animation blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' fly off shelves

"It's been all hands on deck since we started production of action figures related to Chinese animation blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2'," said Yang Zhenlin, assistant to the chairman of Hunan Sunny & Sandy Toys Manufacturer Co., Ltd. at the company's production workshop in the Xiangtan Comprehensive Bonded Zone in central China's Hunan Province on Feb. 12, 2025.

Photo shows Ne Zha-themed action figures. (People's Daily Online/Liu Shan)

At the workshop, workers deftly assembled injection-molded parts at a production line. A lifelike Ne Zha action figure was completed within less than 20 minutes.

Sunny & Sandy, the exclusive authorized manufacturer of 3D food-grade plastic merchandise based on the film, had supplied over 80,000 sets of Ne Zha-themed mystery boxes before the film's release on Jan. 29, the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar. These blind boxes sold out on the third day of the movie's premiere. Overwhelming demand brought the company's workers back to produce peripheral products three days earlier than originally scheduled.

Workers are busy producing Ne Zha-themed action figures. (People's Daily Online/Liu Shan)

"Our five production bases across the country run 40 production lines, with 60 percent dedicated to manufacturing the film's peripheral products. We can churn out 500,000 action figures daily, half of which are based on the character Ne Zha," Yang said.

Yang added that the company's daily output value exceeds 3 million yuan (about $410,450), with a two-month order backlog.

Photo shows blind boxes of Ne Zha-themed action figures. (People's Daily Online/Liu Shan)

Ne Zha-themed action figures are making waves both online and offline. At Sunny & Sandy's flagship online store on popular short video platform Douyin, a set of six action figures sells for 69 yuan. Currently, the store has sold 530,000 sets of Ne Zha-themed action figures through livestreams. That ranks first in the platform's blind box category.

Yang revealed that the company's current orders for Ne Zha-themed peripheral products have reached 200 million yuan.

Sunny & Sandy is negotiating to export Ne Zha-themed blind boxes. "Once we get the intellectual property rights for exports, things will really kick into high gear," Yang said.

A worker works on a production line of Ne Zha-themed action figures. (People's Daily Online/Liu Shan)

Workers pack Ne Zha-themed action figures. (People's Daily Online/Liu Shan)