Panorama of China’s Domestic Animation Platform Ecosystem: A Decade of Breaking Boundaries and the New Generation’s Operational Revolution

Since works such as Fox Spirit Matchmaker and The Outcast paved the way for domestic animation IPs to break into the mainstream, China’s animation industry has undergone a crucial decade of development. Today, major platforms represented by Tencent Video, Bilibili, iQiyi, Youku, and Mango TV have formed differentiated content ecosystems and user landscapes, continuously propelling domestic animation from content creation toward full IP industrial chain development.

Platform Landscape: Differentiated Content Positioning, Dual-Core Leadership in Development
Current leading domestic animation platforms have established clear positioning:

Tencent Video maintains leadership in mainstream genres such as fantasy adventure and youth-oriented content, backed by top IPs like Soul Land and The Outcast and substantial creative investment.

Bilibili leverages its youthful community and independent creative atmosphere as the launchpad for highly acclaimed works such as Ling Cage and Scissor Seven.

iQiyi focuses on the “dynamic comic” format (comics with voiceovers), deepening its engagement with female-oriented content through works like Potion Master.

Youku sustains its influence with classic IPs like The Legend of Qin while exploring the introduction of new titles.

Mango TV specializes in vertical development of urban romance and historical-themed dynamic comics.

Overall, Tencent Video and Bilibili, with their content quality, volume, and user engagement, have become the “dual-core engines” of the domestic animation ecosystem.

Industrial Upgrade: National-Level Digital Copyright System Officially Established
On December 2, China Animation Group, in collaboration with China Technology Exchange and Beijing Zhongyi Chuanglian Technology Achievement Evaluation Center, signed a cooperation agreement to officially launch the digital copyright service of the National Animation Game Integrated Service Platform. Supported by the “Zhongji Chain” blockchain system independently developed by China Technology Exchange, this platform establishes a national-level digital copyright service system integrating rights certification, value assessment, transaction circulation, and financial empowerment, providing infrastructure support for the compliant trading and value development of domestic animation IPs.

Evolution of Leading Platforms: From Content Aggregation to IP Ecosystem Operations
After years of exploration, the three major platforms—Tencent Animation, Kuaikan Comics, and Bilibili Comics—have gradually moved beyond the early “burn-rate” model, shifting toward refined operations and deep IP development:

Tencent Animation: Three-Tier Development Drives Long-Term IP Growth
As Fox Spirit Matchmaker celebrates its tenth animation anniversary and The Outcast enters its tenth year as a comic series, Tencent Animation has demonstrated a “three-tier leap” capability—from comic serialization to animation adaptation and further to live-action film and television development. Fox Spirit Matchmaker has surpassed 18.7 billion views on the platform, with its live-action series further expanding audience reach. Each season of The Outcast animation has exceeded 1 billion views, and its live-action adaptation scored 8.2 on Douban, successfully attracting a broader entertainment audience.

After Tencent Animation was integrated into the Yuewen Group ecosystem in 2023, the convergence of web novel and animation production accelerated, with the “300 Web Novel Comic Adaptation Plan” progressing steadily. The recent acquisition of equity in animation studio YHKT Entertainment by Yuewen Group further strengthens its animation production capabilities in diverse genres such as science fiction.

Kuaikan Comics: Returning to IP Development, Exploring Diverse Monetization
Following brand upgrades and strategic adjustments, Kuaikan Comics has refocused on IP development. The live-action series Unlovable Her and the self-produced animation Super Cube, released this year, have achieved positive market responses. The platform enhances user engagement through gamified interactive modules like “Wishing Pool” and introduces tiered paid content and limited-edition merchandise around popular works, deepening fan economy operations.

Bilibili Comics: Rich IP Reserves, Ongoing Exploration of Adaptation Paths
By integrating resources from platforms like NetEase Comics and U17, Bilibili has amassed a wealth of high-quality comic IPs, including Rakshasa Street and Heaven Official’s Blessing. In its adaptation strategy, Bilibili has experimented with a “live-action first, animation later” development path, though live-action adaptations of works like The Long Ballad and Tiger & Crane: Demon Suppressors have yet to break through audience barriers. Meanwhile, leveraging its licensing advantages with Japanese anime IPs and merchandise collaborations with domestic animation IPs, Bilibili’s related product sales exceeded 1 billion RMB in 2024.

Technology Empowerment: AI and Gamification Reshape User Experience
Platforms are actively adopting new technologies to optimize content development and user experience:

Tencent Animation launched the “Short Drama” channel, using AI technology to batch-produce short-form content for rapid testing and accelerated development.

Kuaikan Comics enhances user participation and willingness to pay through gamified interactive designs.

Bilibili continues to develop merchandise based on its vast IP library, expanding monetization channels.

Future Outlook: Ecosystem Integration and Value Deepening
With the improvement of digital copyright infrastructure, deeper application of AI technology, and the maturation of cross-media development models, domestic animation platforms are evolving from mere content distribution to ecosystem-oriented platforms integrating “IP development + community operations + commercial monetization.” In the foreseeable future, competition among platforms will increasingly focus on long-term IP operational capabilities, depth of technology integration, and efficiency in reaching cross-demographic audiences, laying the groundwork for the global expansion of China’s animation industry.