Another exciting original animated series was rolled out this summer. Let’s say hello to “You Shan Ling” - a fresh, myth-inspired fantasy show premiered on August 23. It’s a collaborative work between VFX Film (Hangzhou), 1905 Movies Network, Dreamina AI, School of Media and International Culture, ZJU, and Shanhe Beiren Media.

Inspired by the ancient Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan-Hai-Jing), this 36-episode series blends wild adventure with the traditional Chinese aesthetics. Following mystical creatures on their journey, it paints a rich, immersive world that’s both epic in scale and delicate in detail. It presents a brand-new storytelling twist, showing how tradition and contemporary creativity can spark something totally new.

But here’s the real game-changer: You Shan Ling is one of the first full-length animated series in China made entirely with AI. A tiny core team of just five people at VFX Film pulled it off in only eight months. Using the Dreamina AI platform, they handled everything from character design and world-building to storyboards, editing, and sound - all without a single hand-drawn frame, 3D model, or traditional render. The sort of lightweight, AI-powered workflow is breaking down old barriers, making it easier than ever for bold new stories to reach audiences.

Drawing from Classic of Mountains and Seas, they used AI to craft dreamy, otherworldly scenes - like misty herbal huts, desolate dragon skeletons, and the glittering of Penglai. Clever editing and tightly planned sequences helped overcome common AI animation hurdles, ensuring smooth storytelling and fluid action.

You Shan Ling isn’t just an animated show - it’s a major milestone in VFX Film’s mission to build a new AI-powered animation ecosystem. They’ve already won praise for their earlier short series, Guoguo Planet. This year, they’re teaming up with major platforms like Yuewen Group, Toutiao’s Fiction Hub, and Zhihu’s Select to launch more IP series across genres like fantasy, healing, and adventure. The company aims to push AI-driven film-making into full-scale production and diverse applications, and get more great stories finally in the spotlight.