The Legend of Hei 2: Staying true to 2D art form and a powerful theme, give this film a winning formula

The Legend of Hei 2 has recently been gradually released in cinemas around the world, leaving audiences with something unusual. The story follows Xiaohei, a little spirit cat, and his senior sister Luye as they investigate an attack on a guild (a meeting place for humans and spirits). Their master Wuxian is accused of the crime, and the two must find the real culprit while facing growing tensions between humans and spirits. The film is not only entertaining, but also makes people think deeply. Against the background of the increasing division of today’s society, this Chinese animated film has brought us a refreshing revelation about community and respect for different views.

The film runs 120 minutes and was produced by the animation studio Hanmu Chunhua. In today’s film industry, most animated films use 3D animation because it is faster, cheaper and easier to produce. Major studios like Pixar and DreamWorks have almost completely switched to 3D. However, the creators of The Legend of Hei 2 chose to stick with 2D animation by hand. It took them 6 years to complete the film, using over 200,000 hand-drawn frames. For complex action scenes, they even employed “Frame-by-Frame Animation” technique. That means 24 unique drawings per second. Compared to the recent 3D animated film Zootopia 2, the camera moves freely but the action feels weightless. The action scenes of the Legend of Hei 2 are powerful. Compared to the first instalment’s focus on Xiaohei’s personal journey, the second film is more like an ensemble action spectacle.

The Blueprint of a Scene. Source: Weibo.

The director explained in an interview. This dedication matters in the environment which values speed and efficiency. It shows real commitment. 

“We chose 2D because of the ‘feeling of drawing.’ We all love to draw. In 3D animation, you do not really draw anymore. Hand-drawn movement and computer-adjusted movement are just different methods. We simply prefer drawing.”

– Mutou (The Directer)

The film includes many organizations, each with its own space called a “guild.” These guilds are not just buildings, they are places where spirits live, work, and connect together. There are ancient guilds, natural guilds, and modern guilds that look like libraries and restaurants.

Different Guilds in the Film. Source: Weibo.

This reflects Henri Lefebvre’s idea of “production of space.” Space is created by the way people design, use and give it meaning. For example, Yuedong Guild was originally built as a gathering place, but later became famous for people’s interest in food. These guilds represent homeland and culture. Many characters lost their original homes, so guilds became their new home.

The film shows that building peace is about creating opportunities for real human connection. Community centers, public parks, and local places are necessities for social harmony in our real world where communities are increasingly divided. 

Henri Lefebvre’s triad of space production. Source: Wiedmann and Salama (2012). 

Many war films tell audiences exactly what to think. For instance, Grave of the Fireflies shows war is horrific, and conveys war is always wrong. The Legend of Hei 2 takes a different approach. It presents war seriously but presents different angles which encourage the audience to think individually.

People displaced by war (Grave of the Fireflies). Source: Flicks.

Every character has valid reasons. Luye lost her family in war and wants to protect her community. Xiaohei wants peace. Lingyao fears humans will destroy spirits, so he tries to start war first. In most films, Lingyao would be simply evil and heroes would be clearly good. But this film shows his fear is real and his concerns are valid, even though his methods are wrong. The film shows this in a complex world, people will encounter all kinds of injustice. It did not judge who was right and who was wrong, but showed that Lu Ye’s pain was real. Xiaohei’s frankness was precious, and even Ling Yao’s fear was real, although his method was not appropriate.

The important value of this film is in its respect for different perspectives. This is really rare. True understanding includes respecting differences, rather than forcing everyone to hold the “right” view. Because of different experiences, people have different positions and values and may make different value judgements about the same matter. However, people could make efforts together for a peaceful world.

In a word, The Legend of Hei 2 shows many valuable points: First, the film insists on using 2D hand-drawn animation, showing that art focuses on quality rather than convenience. Second, the guild space reflects that sharing places can help different groups establish great relationships. Finally, the film conveys the anti-war concept by showing the perspectives and experiences of different characters.

The film does not give a simple answer, but leads people to think about the war, the society, even the world with an open and respectful attitude. In today’s divided world, this way of thinking is particularly important, because people tend to stick to their own opinions and refuse to accept different views. The Legend of Hei 2 tells audience that humans should create a real space for connection, respect different views, and communicate effectively instead of imposing on each other.

Sources:

Allyson Johnson’s Review: https://butwhytho.net/2025/09/the-legend-of-hei-ii-review/

CCTV News: https://www.jinantimes.com.cn/news-70-9657823.html

The Director’s interview: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1TJ411Q7KA/?vd_source=9fde00207261cafe293a6b58d9113d08

Wiedmann, F., & Salama, A. M. (2012): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315696248_The_Role_of_Architecture_in_Producing_Urban_Qualities_for_Sustainability_Implications_for_the_Future_of_Architectural_Education