Non-Human (Chinese: 非人哉; pinyin: Fēi Rén Zāi) is a four-panel and multi-panel comic series serialized on platforms such as Sina Weibo, U17, NetEase Comics (discontinued), and Bilibili Comics. It is created by the comic artist Yi Wang Kong Qi and was originally titled "Shen Me Gui" (literally "What the Hell"). The series began serialization on its official Weibo account on August 21, 2015, and was later launched on U17 on April 1, 2016. The comic tells the story of a group of legendary gods and monsters struggling to live and work in the capital city.
The series was later adapted into an animated show. On March 16, 2018, the official Weibo account released a music video for the animation, with the theme song performed by the virtual singer Luo Tianyi. The animation premiered exclusively on Tencent Video on March 29, 2018, and later began streaming on Bilibili from February 7, 2019. It also started airing on Japan's TV Tokyo on July 5, 2023.
Contents
Animation
Voice Cast (Mainland China)
Jiuyue (September) – Mie Mie
Ao Lie – Bao Mu Zhong Yang
Nezha – Shan Xin
Guanyin – Jiang Guangtao
Xiaotian – Su Shangqing
Xiaoyu – C Xiaodiao
Jingwei – You Wu Yue Shan
Xingtian – Tu Te Ha Meng
Yang Jian – Zhang Jie
Hong Hai'er – Chang Rongshan
Longnü – Ye Zhiqiu
Daji – Si Dao Hui Zhang
Nian Shou – Tu Te Ha Meng
Shiyiyue (November) – Li Lanling
Bai Ze / Narrator – Ding Dang
Character Introduction
Jiuyue (September): A nine-tailed fox who has cultivated for 200 years. Living in the capital city, she tries hard to adapt to modern society and works at a company run by Maitreya. She can transform but usually appears as a kemonomimi girl. A hardcore otaku and relative of Daji. She had a crush on Xiaotian in middle school but is currently single by choice. Has a keen sense of smell to detect supernatural beings, though often misidentifies them.
Ao Lie: The third prince of the West Sea Dragon King, nicknamed "Lie Lie." He once carried Tang Sanzang on the Journey to the West and is Jiuyue's high school classmate and coworker. Appears as a humanoid dragon and occasionally reminisces about his horse form. His throat connects to the sea, allowing him to spray water, fire, and seafood. A postgraduate of Dragon Palace University—high IQ but low EQ, especially in love.
Nezha: Son of Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, with a strained relationship with his father. His body is made of lotus root, allowing him to make lotus root soup anytime, and when exposed to water, lotus flowers grow on his head. His nickname is "Ou Ba" (a pun in Chinese sounding like the Korean word for "older brother"), and he often streams online under the name "Ou Si Ni Ba" (a pun meaning "I'm your dad"). Although he looks like a toddler, he is actually over 3,000 years old. Because his father needed treatment for hair loss, Guanyin became his guardian. Due to his extremely cute appearance, he was mistaken for a girl and angrily cut his hair short. He likes dragons and often hangs out with Ao Lie. He is a natural enemy of dragons. Skilled in using Samadhi True Fire. Not good at studying, especially English, which he rarely passes. Usually has a poker face with no emotional expression, even when crying. He gets drunk from drinking coffee.
Guanyin: A male bodhisattva and Nezha's guardian. Owns a jade vase that looks like a coffee cup, a power-generating aura device, and a high-speed lotus seat. Loves coffee and collecting mythical creatures. Obsessed with horses and often turns others into them. Has a childish rivalry with Yang Jian.
Xiaotian: A Chinese Xiquan dog raised by Yang Jian, capable of transforming into a human when petted. Loves Xiaoyu, which is later revealed to be a hunting instinct. Overly possessive of his master and gets jealous. He's a goofy character, scared of heights, but swims very well.
Mobile Game
On June 13, 2024, the official mobile game Non-Human: Ace Employee (非人哉王牌员工) opened for pre-registration. The game entered open beta on September 24.
Film
In 2024, the Non-Human animated feature film titled Non-Human: Time-Limited Player (非人哉：限时玩家) was officially filed with the China Film Administration. The film follows Jiuyue and her divine companions as they accidentally enter a soon-to-be-shutdown game world. Facing the risk of total erasure, they lead players around the globe on a mission to save a pair of close friends separated by death.
Reception
Non-Human is a short-form Chinese web animation (泡面番) that integrates figures from traditional Chinese mythology into modern urban life. The series has performed well both critically and commercially. It holds a rating of 9.0 on Douban and 9.8 on Bilibili, with cumulative views exceeding 1 billion across major platforms. Its visual style, imaginative narrative structure, and frequent comedic elements have been noted by audiences. For example, the character Jiuyue, a nine-tailed fox, combines mythological traits with modern personality archetypes, while the headless deity Xingtian appears in humorous modern scenarios such as wearing glasses in a movie theater or dealing with summer heat. The storyline incorporates references to The Classic of Mountains and Seas, including a localized reinterpretation of the "gold and silver axe" parable and creative official remarks such as "Xiaotian chasing the Jade Rabbit (Xiaoyu) is a hunt."
Upon release, the first three episodes surpassed 28 million views, with daily rankings placing it among the top ten streamed series. The animation successfully addressed the common challenge of adapting vertical-scroll comics to animated formats, while preserving the sketch-brush art style of the original. The production company, Beijing Fenzi Interactive Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., reimagined mythological figures as coworkers in a modern office setting—examples include Ao Lie's oversized bathtub or round bed designed to accommodate his serpent-like body—offering a humorous yet grounded depiction of myth in everyday life. The creative direction of the series is informed by comic artist Yi Wang Kong Qi's observations of urban youth culture. such as Nezha balancing a lotus flower while floating in water, or Bai Longma becoming visibly nervous around him. These contrasts all resonate with contemporary audiences.
In terms of commercial expansion, the series has partnered with major brands such as Nestlé and Pizza Hut to generate revenue. Its merchandising efforts have been particularly successful, with the "Daydreaming Nezha" blind box co-developed with Pop Mart surpassing 10 million yuan in sales within six months. Derivative products like collectible toys and plush figures are distributed through offline retail channels, accounting for one-third of the company's total revenue. The franchise also participated in the Winter Olympics-themed film Our Winter Olympics, where the character Jiuyue interacts with Bing Dwen Dwen to showcase winter sports. This creatively addressed the challenge of portraying a non-speaking mascot and resonated with audiences through the relatable portrayal of Jiuyue as a "working fox." In addition, after Non-Human was released overseas, it sparked discussions among Japanese netizens, with some fans learning Chinese in order to follow the series.
