Posted in: TV | Tagged: animation, Bilibili, game of thrones, Liu Cixin, netflix, science fiction, TenCent, three-body problem

The Three-Body Problem: Chinese Animated Series Premiering Dec 3rd?

There are currently three television adaptations of Liu Cixin's epic Hugo Award-winning sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem in the works. There's the Netflix version from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss, the Chinese TV version produced by Tencent that's allegedly completed but still not broadcast despite an announcement months ago that it would premiere in September & there's an animated version from Bilibili that's apparently going to premiere on December 3rd.

According to their official press release, Bilibili's Three-Body Problem animated series, an adaptation of Liu Cixin's Hugo Award-winning sci-fi trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past, will officially stream on the Chinese video platform on Dec. 3. The project was first announced back in 2019, and its progress has been closely watched ever since. The show's teaser trailer has attracted 3 million followers and 40 million views, according to Bilibili. The adaption was developed and produced by Bilibili, The Three-Body Universe, and the notable Chinese animation studio YHKT Entertainment. Tencent and Netflix have also acquired adaptation rights to the novels, with the latter planning a live-action production, though neither company has yet announced a specific release date for their adaptations.

Time for Three-Body Problem: The Cartoon?

The anime version of The Three-Body was originally announced in 2019 with a teaser trailer. It was developed by CG studio YHTK Entertainment in partnership with The Three-Body Universe, a studio formed specifically for the purpose of managing the franchise, a new trailer for the upcoming anime was released earlier in the week during a Bilibili anime showcase.

The Three-Body Problem is the first book in Liu's hard sci-fi trilogy, Remembrance of Earth's Past. In the original novel, humanity establishes contact with an alien race and prepares for their arrival. Naturally, lines are drawn between genuinely welcoming a new species to Earth with open arms and preparing to defend the planet from an alien invasion that will be decades, even centuries, in the making.

Bilibili's adaptation is the first of a larger initiative called the Three-Body Global Creator Project. Per the press release, animation studios across the world are permitted to explore the Remembrance franchise to showcase its global potential through various art and animation projects. Liu Cixin said in the press release, "I am excited to announce that The Three-Body Problem animated series will debut on Bilibili," said author Liu Cixin. "Animation, like science fiction, is the art of imagination. Imagination is humanity's most powerful force. I believe in the world of animation, a sci-fi story like The Three-Body Problem can really come alive."

The new trailer features mostly scenes from the second book, including a bit of the VR game featured in the story, but no scenes from the first book, including parts from the Cultural Revolution (which might be what's holding up the release of the Chinese live-action version) and the big radio dish.

Let's see if The Three-Body Problem (animated version) actually premieres on December 3rd on Bilibili. If it does, it would be the first adaptation to make it out of the gate.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!