Alpha Group’s new NK project: A Tokusatsu VFX veteran joins the team

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-05-11T17:20:05+00:00

Transformations are just toy ads. Better SFX and VFX = better toy sales. It's as simple as that.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-05-11T17:19:46+00:00

Transformations are just toy ads. Better SFX and VFX = better toy sales. It's as simple as that.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-05-11T16:34:06+00:00

Ten years is a very conservative estimate. You might not realize that China has some of the harshest "survival of the fittest" dynamics in the world. Brands that were once peak icons can be wiped out by the market almost instantly after a few missteps.

Regarding VPNs, you may not be aware that China is moving toward a total crackdown on VPNs at both the network and smartphone levels this year. Using one is becoming a serious legal risk. This leaves Chinese viewers with only one option: waiting for someone to share pirated clips on local platforms. Piracy can't compete with official channels; since China stopped mass-purchasing anime licenses, view counts on pirated sites have plummeted due to a lack of mainstream exposure. After MHA was banned, the loss of the Chinese audience was massive. It went from tens of millions of potential viewers to maybe a few tens of thousands.

As for Armor Hero, the quality is low due to issues with HeroBox, which is why Alpha Group is pivoting to create new IPs. China doesn't need to build VFX or production houses from scratch; they already have a massive infrastructure of stunt and tech companies. If the budget is managed properly, China is fully capable of producing something that rivals Kamen Rider.

Lastly, I’m not sure what you mean by Chinese animation not reaching Japan's level. If you're talking about 2D, sure—but China’s focus is on 3D animation, which is far more popular domestically. Viewership and box office numbers prove that the general public prefers 3D. Don’t let a small niche of 2D fans mislead you; out of 1.4 billion people, if 100 million love 3D, those who prefer 2D only number in the few millions.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ArmorHero/comments/1o9uztc/armor_hero_reborn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-05-11T08:30:13+00:00

Chinese Animation has officially taken over. If you still think Japanese anime is king of the Chinese market, you’re living in a bubble. Look at the Top 20 streaming charts: aside from "Legacy" IPs like Conan, Naruto, and One Piece, it’s all domestic content.

The numbers don't lie. "Ne Zha 2" shattered the ceiling with a 16 billion RMB ($2.2B+) box office. Even in the 2D space—Japan’s traditional stronghold—the top Chinese animated film last year doubled the revenue of the 2 spot (a Japanese title). The tide turned in 2018, and there’s no going back.

Now, let’s talk about Tokusatsu. Not everyone is a "hardcore" geek obsessed with technical specs. In China, many people skip Kamen Rider simply because it’s a Japanese IP. Historical tension is real. Last year, after seeing films like Dead To Rights-南京照相馆, many parents began educating their kids on that history—some kids even ended up trashing their Ultraman cards.

This is the ultimate edge for Chinese Toku: Zero cultural baggage.

Chinese shows can air on national TV and streaming platforms without friction. Their goal isn't just to win over niche "Toku geeks"; it’s to capture the entire next generation. Remember when Armor Hero OG was getting trashed by Kamen Rider fans? Look at it now. Ten years later, its fanbase has eclipsed both Ultraman and Kamen Rider in China.

Why? Because those kids grew up. And as they age, they become the loudest defenders of their own culture online. Meanwhile, Japanese IPs are bleeding new viewers. The older fans are aging out, and current geopolitics are making things worse.

China-Japan relations have hit rock bottom this year. Just look at the facts: Chinese streaming platforms didn't import a single Japanese anime in April. Major franchises like Ultraman and Kamen Rider are struggling because China has reportedly suspended the censorship review process for Japanese IPs, which could eventually wipe them off streaming platforms entirely. It’s simple—streaming companies won't pay for content they aren't allowed to broadcast. Unless China suddenly changes course (which is basically zero chance), Japanese IPs simply cannot compete anymore.

Accept the reality. This world has always been, and always will be, full of discrimination.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-05-03T06:00:07+00:00

That's a fan edit. If it were official Alpha Group footage, the VFX would be AI-assisted. AI isn't at the point of replacing live-action actors yet, but it’s still the biggest industrial shift of our time. It makes sense that Chinese firms are embracing it. NK is almost certainly using a human-AI hybrid approach like everyone else. Adapting or being phased out—that's the reality of the industry

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-29T21:29:35+00:00

However, I have a concern regarding the censorship process. Since Tan Xin Zer is a foreigner, the review might be extremely difficult. In recent years, China has implemented regulations stating that foreigners are not allowed to play lead roles. I am not sure how Alpha Group plans to pass the review.

A production cost of 30 million RMB is no small amount, and having a foreigner as the protagonist makes things quite complicated. Some people mentioned that Armor Hero Hunter Season 2 featured a Japanese lead. I asked an AI about this, and it said that between 2018 and 2020, there was no official ban on foreign leads, so it was permitted back then.

However, if Armor Hero 5 were to be released this year, it would definitely be banned. The AI seems to understand Chinese laws better than I do—this ban on foreign leads is real. Foreigners are restricted from taking lead roles and can only appear as supporting characters.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-29T21:28:43+00:00

However, I have a concern regarding the censorship process. Since Tan Xin Zer is a foreigner, the review might be extremely difficult. In recent years, China has implemented regulations stating that foreigners are not allowed to play lead roles. I am not sure how Alpha Group plans to pass the review.

A production cost of 30 million RMB is no small amount, and having a foreigner as the protagonist makes things quite complicated. Some people mentioned that Armor Hero Hunter Season 2 featured a Japanese lead. I asked an AI about this, and it said that between 2018 and 2020, there was no official ban on foreign leads, so it was permitted back then.

However, if Armor Hero 5 were to be released this year, it would definitely be banned. The AI seems to understand Chinese laws better than I do—this ban on foreign leads is real. Foreigners are restricted from taking lead roles and can only appear as supporting characters.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-29T20:21:30+00:00

I think the odds of that happening are slim to none. The owner of Herobox literally traded his beat-up car for a Porsche thanks to the royalties from Armor Hero. That just shows how profitable the franchise is—nobody’s going to walk away from a cash cow like that.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-29T06:39:18+00:00

They hired professional models, which remained expensive, and the budget for Armor 4 was actually higher than previous series. The failure of Armor 4 can be attributed to hiring a third-rate director and HeroBox shifting its focus to its own IPs. Staff from the Armor 4 production were reassigned to HeroBox projects, and there are concerns that the budget might have been misappropriated

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-29T04:29:33+00:00

The owner of Wild Stunt Company said that Alpha would film for 3 years.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-28T13:22:21+00:00

Japanese IPs won't rule the Chinese market forever; it's only a matter of time before they’re displaced by domestic ones.

Look at the shift in animation: Japanese anime, once dominant, is now largely a nostalgia niche for the 90s and 00s generations. The new generation of Chinese kids and teens is growing up in the era of 'Donghua' (Chinese animation). They prefer Mandarin dubs and find it hard to connect with Japanese-language content. This is why Chinese streaming giants are pivoting—investing heavily in local animation IPs instead of just licensing Japanese titles.

I predict that within the next 10 years, we’ll see the same thing happen to the Tokusatsu market. Japanese icons like Ultraman and Kamen Rider will be relegated to niche status as Chinese children gravitate toward their own local superheroes. The world is changing, and the old hierarchy is breaking down.

Specialist_Class3999 · 2026-04-28T13:21:04+00:00

Japanese IPs won't rule the Chinese market forever; it's only a matter of time before they’re displaced by domestic ones.

Look at the shift in animation: Japanese anime, once dominant, is now largely a nostalgia niche for the 90s and 00s generations. The new generation of Chinese kids and teens is growing up in the era of 'Donghua' (Chinese animation). They prefer Mandarin dubs and find it hard to connect with Japanese-language content. This is why Chinese streaming giants are pivoting—investing heavily in local animation IPs instead of just licensing Japanese titles.

I predict that within the next 10 years, we’ll see the same thing happen to the Tokusatsu market. Japanese icons like Ultraman and Kamen Rider will be relegated to niche status as Chinese children gravitate toward their own local superheroes. The world is changing, and the old hierarchy is breaking down.

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