Dragon Mythology in Media Convergence: A Transformation from 'God' to 'Human' in Animation

During the era of media convergence, animation is simultaneously broadcasted on various media platforms such as television, the internet, and theaters. Particularly in internet-based animations, the Dragon Mythology completely deviates from the traditional narrative structure, with classic mythological texts appearing as objects of parody and exhibiting characteristics of 'carnivalesque.' During this period, the portrayal of dragon characters shows a clear trend of transitioning from a 'god' to a 'human' identity, and the audience interprets the intertextuality between new and old texts.

In the animation series 'One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes' (2013), well-known story segments such as 'Nezha Pulls the Dragon Tendons' and 'The Dragon King Creates Chaos at Chen Tang Pass' are satirized and parodied. In the film, Ao Bing is 'reassembled' into a 'mastiff' by Nezha (utilizing the humor of the Chinese language), while the East Sea Dragon King transforms into the bold and well-endowed Ao Guang, a female college student. Through humorous grafting and collage techniques, the sublimity of the Dragon Mythology is dissolved and becomes a 'fragmented symbol and an unpredictable medley of images' (Mike Featherstone). The animated series 'The King's Avatar' (2018), adapted from a comic, combines and recombines the mythical and modern worlds, allowing characters to have mythical backgrounds while living modern lives and possessing dual identities. The film includes numerous dragon character roles from classical mythological novels, such as the highly accomplished scholar Ao Lie, the mature and aloof elementary school student Dragon Girl, and the principal of Nan Tianmen Elementary School, Qing Long. The mythological characters' divine and sacrificial relationships transform into secular kinship and the narrative style of 'aestheticization of daily life' brings modern audiences closer to historical texts.

Since the release of 'Monkey King: Hero is Back' in 2015, the revival of theatrical animation has led to the rise of the trend of mythological adaptations. In comparison to online animations that completely rebel and subvert, animated films based on mythological themes extract the essence and discard the dross, retaining elements of rebellion and satire from web animations, while also tending towards a moderate and conservative value orientation of 'grand narrative.'