The public opinion crisis surrounding I Am What I Am : When ACGN nationalist discourse encounters identity backlash

In creative practices and academic research, Chinese animation has maintained an intrinsic connection with nationalism. This study examines the operational mechanisms of animation, comics, games, and novels (ACGN) nationalism in Chinese animation, focusing on I Am What I Am 雄狮少年. This animated film series, centring on lion dance and Chinese martial arts, has received support from official institutions but generated a public opinion crisis because of its unconventional artistic style, character designs, and thematic expressions. This article argues that the national identity of Chinese animation is no longer a unidirectional self-definition but instead requires three levels of validation: recognition by official discourse, conscious construction by creators, and cultural identification by audiences. The last, and third, is critical as audiences not only determine commercial returns but also are active participants in the nationalist discourse. Since ACGN audiences are aesthetically conservative and culturally perceptive, innovation in animated filmmaking leads to market risks and public controversy.