Animation Plays Nationalization

As basically a survey of the nationalization of Chinese animations, the dissertation is motivated by the fact that Chinese animations, since its birth, have undergone a continuous process of nationalization under persistent efforts, which also earned a fame for Chinese animations in the world of international animations.Chinese animations used to focus on the artistic forms both in theory and practice, while less attention were paid to its script-writing. The present study contends that the nationalization of Chinese animations should nevertheless take a reverse route; that is, more emphasis should be given to stylized script-writing, which is the soul of a play, than to its artistic forms only. The worrying situation of Chinese animations now is a reflection of the unbalanced manipulation of artistic form and nationalized script-writing. Hence, the study of the nationalization of Chinese animation script-writing emerges as a theoretically important topic especially when relevant studies are rare. The dissertation aims, on the basis of reconsidering the history of Chinese animations, to re-conceive the substance of animation nationalization in preparation for the rapid development and resurrection of Chinese animations.The present study begins with a historical review of studies on nationalization of animation script-writing and follows up with new interpretations of nationalization pointing out that nationalization is not only pis aller within the cultural discourse of globalization, but also one important method to establish self-identity and national brand. However, nationalization should not be simplistically equated to traditionalization, or antiforeignism; instead, it is the contemporary expression, on the basis of historical heritages and borrowing foreign cultures, of the nation's unique character which features never-seizing pursuit of development. Three perspectives were taken in examining the hallmark of the nationalized Chinese animation script-writing style, which involved reviews of the historical developments, case analyses of script-writers, and discussions of the influence of traditional cultures. It was revealed that the assimilation of the essence of traditional aesthetics was the key to the formation of nationalized Chinese animation script-writing style. In concluding the dissertation, the argument was that the task of priority for Chinese animation script-writing was to accomplish optimum integration of the two tendencies: nationalization and modernization, meaning that Chinese animations should live on both national heritages and modern ethos, without neglecting inspirations from classic foreign animations, in exploration of a new path of development.