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Low-Budget Chinese Animation Niu Lai Earns 14.9 Million Yuan

8/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Niu Lai, a low-budget Chinese animation, earned over 14.9 million yuan, becoming a sleeper hit.
It earned 7,700 yuan (£842) from under 300 tickets in ten days without a trailer.
Fans praised its crude style as a refreshing antidote to AI-driven cartoons, dubbing it “so bad it’s good.”
An anonymous professional called it “bad in every aspect imaginable” and said its success embarrasses the Chinese film industry.

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Story summary

Niu Lai, a low-budget Chinese animation, earned over 14.9 million yuan, becoming a sleeper hit.
It earned 7,700 yuan (£842) from under 300 tickets in ten days without a trailer.
Fans praised its crude style as a refreshing antidote to AI-driven cartoons, dubbing it “so bad it’s good.”
An anonymous professional called it “bad in every aspect imaginable” and said its success embarrasses the Chinese film industry.