This new TV show mashes up Transformers with Chinese mythology

Chinese fans are more amused than excited for Transformers: Nezha

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This new TV show mashes up Transformers with Chinese mythology

Josh Ye

Published: 8:39pm, 2 May 2019Updated: 9:03am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Transformers’ next big project will combine Chinese mythology with everyone’s favorite car-inspired robots. Transformers: Nezha will have Autobots colliding with China’s most famous dragon-slaying warrior god, Nezha.

First revealed two years ago, the project was recently confirmed by Transformers owner Hasbro, which revealed the show would air this year on state-owned broadcaster CCTV.

Sometimes known as Nataku in Japanese anime, Nezha is perhaps the second most well-known warrior in Chinese mythology after Sun Wukong (the Monkey King).

Game Arena of Valor in China features Nezha, which is a pretty faithful interpretation of the mythological figure. (Picture: Tencent)

Hasbro also said that the cartoon is looking good and that “broadcasters around the world” are interested in it. Reactions in China, however, suggest people are more amused than excited by the concept.

“Even CCTV is starting to mess around? Anybody in charge here?” one commenter asked.

In another sarcastic post, one Chinese netizen imagined all the curious crossovers that could happen between Western and Chinese characters: “Sun Wukong vs Iron Man; Snow White and Eighteen Arhats; Black Widow visits Grand View Garden; Shuke, Beta, Tom and Jerry…”