The Three-Body Problem animation trailer is getting mixed reactions

The first trailer was released on Sunday on Bilibili, China’s biggest anime streaming site that is co-producing the series with anime studio YHKT Entertainment. The trailer features Ye Wenjie, a main character in the novel who’s disappointed in mankind and invited an alien civilization named Trisolaris to come settle Earth’s problems. The series premieres in 2021, Bilibili said.

Reactions to the trailer on social media have been mixed. The video on Bilibili’s site drew thousands of bullet comments flying across the screen, with most saying the show looks impressive. But users on Q&A site Zhihu appear more critical, with some saying that Ye’s lines sound forced.

Chinese science fiction has seen growing popularity in recent years, thanks in large part to Liu Cixin, author of The Three-Body Problem and the first writer from Asia to win a Hugo Award. The Wandering Earth, China’s biggest sci-fi blockbuster film, was also adapted from a novella by Liu. Chinese company Yoozoo is also working on a live-action Three-Body Problem TV series, which Chinese fans of the trilogy are not optimistic about.