On June 30th, the phenomenon level domestic animated film "Ne Zha: The Demonic Children Roar in the Sea" (hereinafter referred to as "Ne Zha 2") was released. According to data from Cat's Eye Professional Edition, "Ne Zha 2" has accumulated a total box office of 15.44 billion yuan, with a total of 324 million viewers, topping the Chinese film history box office and viewership charts, and ranking fifth on the global film history box office chart and the global animated film box office champion. The success of Nezha 2 reflects decades of accumulation and innovation in Chinese animation higher education. Will the huge attention generated by the upcoming high school recruitment season translate into the enthusiasm of many candidates to choose animation as their major? How to transform the interest sparked by "Nezha" into the talent foundation for the rise of Chinese animation from top universities to vocational colleges? 138 companies and over 4000 production personnel in the university system cultivate technical composite talents... Data shows that in the creative team of Nezha 2, there are a large number of graduates from universities such as Communication University of China and Beijing Film Academy who deeply participate in the entire process of animation production and poster design, becoming a vivid example of systematic talent cultivation in university animation majors. Taking Guangdong as an example, there are over 60 universities in the province that offer related majors. South China Agricultural University and Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts have national first-class undergraduate animation majors, each with its own characteristics: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts focuses on art design and visual effects, Jinan University emphasizes the integration of original ability, and Guangdong University of Finance and Economics offers courses such as "Cultural and Creative Product Development" to cultivate "versatile players" who understand creation and operation. The integration of industry and education has achieved a seamless connection between teaching and industry. For example, Sichuan University of Media and Communications has established a film and television base on its campus and actively promoted the incubation of achievements. In the production of the "Ne Zha" film series, dozens of teachers and students from the school participated in the entire process at Chengdu Kekedou Animation Film and Television Co., Ltd. For schools, the biggest gain is seeing students apply classroom knowledge to practical projects, enhancing their professional skills and teamwork abilities. ”Wang Jiafu, Vice President of Sichuan University of Media and Communications, stated. Three founders of Anhui Dream Chasing Animation Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Dream Chasing Animation), including Song Liangliang, who collectively participated in the production of Nezha 2 in vocational colleges, all graduated from Wuhu Vocational and Technical University. The company has 25 young employees, most of whom are graduates from local vocational colleges. The core members, including executive producer Liu Pan, are graduates of Chengdu Vocational University of Arts. During the production process of Nezha 2, graduates from higher vocational colleges became the main force in executing some units with their skills in material mapping, lighting rendering, and other fields, supporting half of this Chinese animation blockbuster. Currently, vocational colleges have become an important part of China's animation higher education. As of 2024, animation and film related majors have covered 17.32% of vocational colleges nationwide. In addition to animators, graduates can often pursue various related careers such as special effects artists and character designers. The animation major in vocational colleges has a complete curriculum system, covering basic to professional content such as sketching and color, animation motion rules, etc. The integration of industry and education courses such as school enterprise cooperation order classes also allows students to accumulate practical experience during their school years. Dream Chasing Animation has partnered with Wuhu Vocational and Technical University to offer order classes. Starting from the sophomore year, enthusiastic students will be selected to join, and Song Liangliang will personally teach. The team also provides technical guidance and builds talent channels for students participating in various animation vocational competitions at Anhui Vocational and Technical College of Commerce and Anhui Vocational and Technical College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The rise of domestic animation has ignited the enthusiasm and confidence of young animators, allowing us animation majors to see broader employment prospects. ”Zhang Zhiwen, a student majoring in animation design at Anhui Vocational and Technical College of Commerce, said. Talent cultivation urgently needs to be broken. Influenced by the success of animated films such as Nezha 2, many young people have developed an interest in animation related majors. At present, it is the high recruitment season. For candidates and families, before choosing animation related majors, they need to be aware of the rapid iteration of technologies such as AI and VR, which not only opens up unprecedented imagination space for animation creation, but also puts forward higher requirements for the reform of talent training mode. AI is like a mirror, and teachers need to think about how to transform and upgrade from cultivating 'users of software tools' to incubating' creators of cultural connotations'. ”Chen Chen, director of the Animation Design Teaching and Research Office at the School of Art and Media, Wuhu Vocational and Technical University, said. The innovation of technology has brought about changes in the teaching system. How can universities adjust their curriculum in a timely manner and integrate AI applications into daily teaching? This year, the Digital Media Arts program at the School of Animation and Digital Arts, Communication University of China, has added AIGC related directions, directly targeting the forefront of industry technology. Technological iteration is only one aspect of industry challenges. The phenomenon of "putting in all the efforts of the entire industry" in the production of "Ne Zha 2" reflects the deep contradiction between the fragmented distribution of talents in the animation industry and the scarcity of high-end talents. Under the trend, candidates and parents also need to have a rational understanding: animation is a combination of art, technology, and endurance, requiring solid foundation, sustained enthusiasm, and stress resistance, and should be carefully chosen. (New Society)