Bilibili, a top Chinese video platform, hosted its fifth consecutive New Year's gala, creatively blending a range of enduring cultural phenomena and icons, from "Dragon Ball" and "Spider-Man" to Disney. The gala impressed audiences both in-person and online.

Musicians perform a medley from Louis Cha's works accompanied by a symphony orchestra and dazzling visual projections at Bilibili's New Year's gala, Dec. 30, 2023. [Screen grab courtesy of Bilibili]

According to statistics provided to China.org.cn by Bilibili, the gala, sponsored by Taobao, attracted more than 100 million views and nearly 400,000 real-time comments within 24 hours. It continued to generate buzz and discussion on Weibo and various social networks. Even videos of users reenacting performances from the gala garnered 135 million views. Unlike the typical star-studded singing and dancing New Year's galas, Bilibili found a unique way to integrate symphony orchestras with cinema, anime, and game franchises, combining pop culture and icons from various generations.

Numerous surprising and nostalgic performances captivated fans, such as a dance show inspired by the Chinese classic "A Dream of Red Mansions," a stage adaptation of the iconic Japanese manga "Dragon Ball," and a musical mashup of beloved characters from "Tom and Jerry," "Ultraman," "Calabash Brothers," and "Cardcaptor Sakura."

The show also mixed "Harry Potter" with Chinese traditional opera, and played martial arts music from Louis Cha's adaptations with Chinese traditional instruments and a symphony orchestra. Additionally, there was a captivating song and dance performance by Disney characters, featuring characters from "Zootopia," which recently came to life with the opening of its themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort.

Bilibili also enlisted popular performers for the gala, including Stefanie Sun, David Tao, Phoenix Legend, Zhou Shen, Ava Max, and Alan Walker. Sun was particularly noteworthy. She experienced an unexpected boost last year when Bilibili vloggers used artificial intelligence to create an "AI Stefanie Sun" that sang songs, which quickly went viral. Viewership peaked during the gala when Sun performed four songs.

Performers stage a "Dragon Ball" show at Bilibili's New Year's gala, Dec. 30, 2023. [Screen grab courtesy of Bilibili]

Technology also united Luo Tianyi, China's most popular virtual idol, with veteran singer Gong Linna for a duet. The two had starred in a hit music video with more than 4 million views on Bilibili. The video used augmented reality technology to showcase the rich tapestry of China's ethnic groups and regions, while highlighting artists specializing in intangible cultural heritage.

Bilibili stated its goal to create a visual concert out of the gala, intending to deliver simple and pure joy to audiences by tapping into collective memories and popular cultural franchises that have resonated across generations.

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