New Gods: Yang Jian

New Gods: Yang Jian
Simplified Chinese	新神榜：杨戬
Literal meaning	New Gods: Yang Jian
Hanyu Pinyin	Xin Shen Bang: Yang Jian
Directed by	Zhao Ji
Screenplay by	Mu Chuan
Based on	Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing
Produced by	Lu Xi
Music by	Guo Haowei
Production companies	Light Chaser Animation Studios Bilibili
Distributed by	Taopiaopiao Bona Film Group Bilibili
Release date	August 19, 2022 (2022-08-19)(China)
Running time	116 minutes
Country	China
Language	Chinese
Box office	US$82.4 million [1]

New Gods: Yang Jian is a Chinese 3D animated fantasy action film directed by Zhao Ji and written by Mu Chuan. The film is based on the character of Yang Jian from the Ming dynasty novel Investiture of the Gods , ^[2] and was released on August 19, 2022, as a prequel to the 2021 film, New Gods: Nezha Reborn . ^{[3] [4]}

The film's distribution rights in North America was bought by GKIDS who also produced an English dub of the film. ^[5] The GKIDS version was released on January 20, 2023. ^[6]

Plot

Twelve years after imprisoning his sister underneath a mountain, Erlang Shen, a god known for his all-seeing third eye, now works as a bounty hunter. A woman hires him and his crew to prevent his nephew, Chenxiang, from obtaining a magical lotus lantern that holds great power. ^[5]

Characters

Yang Jian/Erlang Shen

Voiced by: Nicholas Andrew Louie ^[6] (English)

Wanluo

Voiced by: Christine Lin ^[6] (English)

Master Yuding

Voiced by: Parry Shen ^[6] (English)

Chenxiang

Voiced by: Luke Naphat Sath ^[6] (English)

Shen Gongbao

Voiced by James Sie ^[6] (English)

Dubbed versions

A Japanese dubbed version of the movie is scheduled to be released in Japanese theaters on March 21, 2025, under the name "Youzen". It will have Ae! Group's Masaya Sano voicing Youzen, one of the main characters, a bounty hunter who has lost his "divine power", and Toshiki Masuda as Jinkou, a boy who stole "divine power". The group will sing "ROCK'NPOP", which is included in their 1st album "D.N.A", as the movie's theme song. ^{[7] [8]}

References

1. "Xin Shen Bang: Yang Jian (新神榜：杨戬) (2022)".
2. 戎, 钰 (2022-04-20). "封神宇宙再添新军 二郎神杨戬出山了". 楚天都市报. Archived from the original on 2022-08-13.
3. Daniels, Robert (2023-01-19). "'New Gods: Yang Jian' Review: 'Cowboy Bebop' Without the Bop". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
4. 杨, 帆 (2022-08-15). "《新神榜：杨戬》定档8月19日，"新神榜"系列续作压轴暑期档". 封面新闻. Archived from the original on 2023-02-12. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
5. Chapman, Wilson (August 25, 2022). "GKIDS Acquires North American Rights to 'New Gods: Yang Jian'". Variety . Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
6. "GKIDS Releases Inu-Oh Anime Film Digitally on December 20, BD/DVD on January 24". GKIDS . December 1, 2022. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
7. "佐野晶哉×増田俊樹主演アニメ映画『ヨウゼン』主題歌にAぇ! group「ROCK'NPOP」が決定". Oricon (in Japanese). 10 February 2025. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
8. "アニメ映画『ヨウゼン』中国の神話バトルファンタジー、Aぇ! group佐野晶哉×増田俊樹がW主演". Fashion Press (in Japanese). 10 February 2025. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.