Poster of Chinese animation Big Big Wolf.
(ECNS) -- Chinese animation series for children are losing out to foreign rivals as parents desperately seek to enhance their kid's English proficiency from an early age.
Based on the quality, diversity and price of online animated series, a so-called "chain of contempt" analysis of the sector went viral on social media. The pyramid-shaped graphic lists Chinese and foreign animation programs in three layers according to popularity.
At the top are cartoons imported from the United States, Europe, South Korea and Japan, including Adventure Time, Bob's Burgers and Bear Bernard. These are followed by Walt Disney animations, SpongeBob SquarePants and Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
The Chinese series Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, Boonie Bears and GG Bond ranked at the bottom of the pyramid.
A woman surnamed Chen said she tells her child to watch Peppa Pig, a British pre-school animation series, to learn English. She added domestic TV series have less value in teaching children because English is such an important survival skill that can be very helpful when they go to school.
Su Wanzi, associate editor-in-chief at the creation department of Creative Power Entertaining, producer of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, said she understands that younger Chinese parents expect more from high-quality animation.
Su said the Pleasant Goat series has made constant improvements to content and style to meet market demand, with new updates that help children be imaginative and creative.
Besides the emphasis on learning English, an industry insider said Chinese parents also prefer foreign animations because they have a clear rating system to denote a work's suitability for certain age groups, a system that's still lacking in China.
