Light Chaser Animation Studios

Light Chaser Animation Studios is a Chinese computer-animation studio based in Beijing, developing original intellectual property and producing theatrical CGI feature films. Founded in March 2013 by Gary Wang and Yu Zhou, the studio combines an in-house animation pipeline with storytelling drawn from Chinese culture, folklore, mythology and historical literature. Its production capabilities span screenplay development, visual development, character and environment creation, animation, effects, rendering and post-production.

The studio’s early features explored contemporary and fantasy stories through Little Door Gods (2016), Tea Pets (2017) and Cats and Peachtopia (2018). These productions preceded a slate organized around three thematic strands: “New Legend,” “New Gods” and “New Culture.” Together, these strands provide different approaches to adapting traditional narratives and cultural subjects for feature animation.

Mythology and historical storytelling

White Snake (2019), co-produced with Warner Bros. and distributed internationally by GKIDS, marked an important commercial breakthrough. The studio subsequently developed further interpretations of familiar legends, including the cyberpunk-inspired New Gods: Nezha Reborn (2021), White Snake 2: The Tribulation of the Green Snake (2021) and New Gods: Yang Jian (2022). Netflix acquired New Gods: Nezha Reborn for global distribution, extending the film’s reach beyond theatrical exhibition.

With Chang'an (2023), Light Chaser turned to a historical narrative following Tang Dynasty poets Li Bai and Gao Shi. The 168-minute film earned more than RMB 1.8 billion at the box office. White Snake: Afloat, released in August 2024, became the studio’s ninth theatrical feature in ten years.

Production approach

Light Chaser brings creative and technical departments together within a centralized production campus. Its work combines stylized character design with detailed environments, architectural reconstruction and complex simulation. Motion capture and virtual-camera cinematography support its filmmaking process, alongside capabilities in hair and fur grooming, cloth, fluids and particles. The studio’s distribution relationships connect its original productions with both Chinese cinema audiences and international theatrical and streaming markets.