Music Up
First Chinese animated idol series about teenage musicians.
Music Up (Chinese: 我为歌狂), also known as Crazy for the Song, is the first Chinese animated idol series, often referred to as a Donghua. It was distributed by Shanghai Animation Film Studio and produced by Welkin-Animation, and is recognized as the first high-budget domestic Chinese animation.
- type
- Animated television series
- country
- China
- genre
- Idol series, music
- production_company
- Welkin-Animation
- distributor
- Shanghai Animation Film Studio
- budget
- 18 million RMB (about US $2.3 million)
- sequel
- Music Up: Reborn (2020)
Lore & Background
The story follows four teenage boys who share a passion for music and form a band. They face various difficulties common to youth, including academic pressures, personal conflicts, family issues, friendship struggles, and emotional problems. With the help of teachers, students, and friends, they strive to achieve their dreams as the band grows up.
Reader's Guide
Music Up holds significance as the first Chinese animation to focus on singers, bands, and pop stars, marking a milestone in domestic animation. Despite the TV series not achieving expected success, its merchandise—including books, cards, and CDs—became extremely popular among Chinese teenagers. The book series alone sold 350,000 copies in Shanghai. A video game adaptation, 'Music Up - Summer Rainbow', was released in 2002 by UbiSoft China. The series' legacy is further cemented by a sequel, Music Up: Reborn, released in early October 2020.
Did You Know?
- Music Up is the first Chinese animated idol series.
- Production investment was estimated at 18 million RMB (about US $2.3 million).
- In 2001, 66% of its profits came from merchandise sales.
- A video game titled 'Music Up - Summer Rainbow' was released in 2002 by UbiSoft China.
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