The Legend of Hei 2

The Legend of Hei 2 is a hand-drawn animated film from China. It opened in Chinese theaters on July 18, 2025, and reached the United States and Canada through GKIDS on September 5, 2025. The directors are MTJJ and Gu Jie, and the studio is Hanmu Chunhua, also called HMCH. It made about 75 million US dollars, and its score of 8.7 on the Chinese site Douban made it one of the best-rated Chinese animated films in theaters that year. The film follows The Legend of Hei, a 2019 movie that grew out of a popular web cartoon, and it fits in the timeline between that first film and the later TV series.

The setting is modern China, but it is a China where spirits are part of daily life. These spirits are called yaojing. Some look like animals, some like people, and many have special powers. They ride buses, use phones, and live in cities, just like everyone else. Yet they also keep old traditions, and the film draws on Chinese culture and real places that the team visited to study.

The hero is Xiaohei, a small black cat spirit who can also take human form. He has the power to control metal and space. In the first film, he found a new home after his forest was lost. Now he is learning how to use his powers under the care of his master, Wuxian, a human who works as an enforcer, a kind of officer who deals with spirit problems. Their bond is warm and a little funny, like that of a parent and a lively child.

The peace between spirits and humans has always been fragile. One day an attack breaks that peace, and Wuxian is placed in danger. Xiaohei teams up with Luye, a spirit who used to study under Wuxian and is like an older fellow student to him. Together, they begin to search for who is behind the attack. If they fail, a war between the two groups could follow. The story has the feel of a mystery, with clues, chases, and unexpected twists.

As the pair travel, they meet other spirits, including powerful members of a group called the Yaojing Guild. The film asks hard questions about trust and about how two sides can live together after being hurt. Critics noted that the story does not simply say who is right and who is wrong. It leaves some judgments to the viewer. A few critics felt that the reasons behind the conflict could have been explained better.

What most people praise is the action. The fight scenes are fast, smooth, and full of creative moves, with metal bending and space folding in surprising ways. The art uses bright colors and soft lines, and the quiet scenes are as pretty as the big battles.

The tone mixes humor, heart, and excitement. It works for families, and it also appeals to fans who like martial arts and fantasy. Watching the first film helps, but the film is meant to be easy to follow for new viewers too.