Making a mark with animation

As of now, its two seasons, released in 2016 and 2017, has more than 1 billion online clicks and an average of 9.3 points out of 10 on the popular videostreaming site Bilibili.

Speaking about the series which may soon air in Malaysia, Chen says: "The Malaysian buyer contacted us … It boosted our confidence that a quality work can travel beyond borders."

Liu Zhijiang, the producer of the runaway hit Monkey King: Hero is Back, had a similar experience.

"Before that (the domestic success), we had promoted the movie in overseas exhibitions but few people were interested," says Liu.

But Monkey King's 960 million yuan box-office takings at home impressed foreign purchasers, helping it enter mainstream markets like the US and Japan.

And Liu believes this played a positive role in contributing to Chinese content being picked up abroad.

Speaking about the future, Liu, also the director of the movie and television animated industry research center at the China Academy of Art, says: "Chinese animations have to go abroad first, and then expand their influence in overseas markets."