Tolkien's world makes animated return

Chinese fans of the fantastic world of Middle-earth, created by English writer J.R.R. Tolkien, recently had their enthusiasm re-ignited by the release of the new animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.

The film, which was released nationally on Dec 14, has received over 63 million views on the popular social platform Sina Weibo, suggesting widespread nostalgia. It comes nearly two decades after New Zealand director Peter Jackson's trilogy concluded, and follows the end of the second season of the The Rings of Power, a series based on Tolkien's other books, which is produced by Amazon.

While Jackson is executive producer, the film is directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who is best known for the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

Set some 180 years before the trilogy, the new movie tells the story of the youngest child and only daughter of Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, who was famous for his dual-handed skills with a war hammer, and immense strength.

During an earlier interview, Kamiyama mentioned his love of Tolkien's books, but said it was Jackson's movies that had a real impact on him, drawing him to the opening day of each of the three installments of the franchise.

He said that it was crucial to reconnect with the initial enchantment he felt for the world in order to take on the project, and recapture the perspective of a long-standing fan.