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 "title": "DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang (龙刀奇缘)",
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 "excerpt": "DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang (龙刀奇缘) is a 2005 Hong Kong 3D CGI animated kung fu film directed by Antony Szeto, produced by Stanley Tong, the first fully Hong Kong-made 3D animated feature, with Karen Mok and Daniel Wu voicing.",
 "snippet": "DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang (龙刀奇缘) is a 2005 Hong Kong 3D CGI animated kung fu film directed by Antony Szeto, produced by Stanley Tong, the first fully Hong Kong-made 3D animated feature, with Karen Mok and Daniel Wu voicing.",
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 "markdown": "# DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang (龙刀奇缘)\n\n**DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang** (龙刀奇缘; also released as Dragon Blade and Dragon Blade: The Beginning) is a 2005 Hong Kong computer-animated martial arts film directed by Antony Szeto (司徒永華) and produced by Stanley Tong (唐季禮). It was the first fully 3D computer-animated feature film made entirely in Hong Kong and has been described as the world's first kung fu-themed computer-animated film.<sup>[1](https://www.cgvisual.com/headlines/HKCG10/CGVheadlines_hkcg10_p4.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/%E9%BE%99%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%BC%98?hl=zh&id=18430C611FF8C3FFMV)</sup>\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | 龍刀奇緣 (Cantonese) / 龙刀奇缘 (Mandarin); English working title DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang<sup>[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327660/releaseinfo/)</sup> |\n| Release | January 6, 2005 (Hong Kong); 85 minutes<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> |\n| Director / producer | Antony Szeto; produced by Stanley Tong<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> |\n| Studio | Teles Digital Productions Ltd. (特思數碼), with China Film Group Corporation<sup>[5](https://stdlang.com/en/titles/671fabd8f467b3570d94da4e)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327660/companycredits/)</sup> |\n| Production | Over two years, with more than 70 Hong Kong computer animators<sup>[7](https://www.cntv.cn/performance/20060509/101183.shtml)</sup> |\n| Budget and box office | $10 million or 80 million yuan (sources differ); Hong Kong box office of only HK$268,000<sup>[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/%E9%BE%99%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%BC%98?hl=zh&id=18430C611FF8C3FFMV)</sup> |\n| Award | 2nd Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Excellence Award, Best Computer Animation (Feature Film)<sup>[1](https://www.cgvisual.com/headlines/HKCG10/CGVheadlines_hkcg10_p4.html)</sup> |\n| Voice cast | Karen Mok, Daniel Wu, Stephen Fung, Sandra Ng, Jim Chim<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nThe story is set in a fantastical version of ancient China. Lang, a teenage martial arts fanatic, dreams of finding the legendary DragonBlade, a magical sword of ultimate power that can only be wielded by the pure of heart and noble of spirit.<sup>[8](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dragonblade/umc.cmc.2mvvodcqy5qbifjdvmah7xa5s)</sup> When a deadly creature, the Boar King, attacks his home of Peach Blossom Town, Lang sets out on a quest for the blade, accompanied by a cheeky fairy bird named Bali-Ba.<sup>[8](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dragonblade/umc.cmc.2mvvodcqy5qbifjdvmah7xa5s)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://stdlang.com/en/titles/671fabd8f467b3570d94da4e)</sup> The one person who knows where the blade is refuses to tell Lang, and untold peril awaits anyone who seeks the weapon.<sup>[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang)</sup> Along the way he is joined by Ying Ying, a female thief and fighter voiced by [Karen Mok](https://www.edgepedia.org/karen-mok).<sup>[10](https://kungfumovieguide.com/dragonblade-2005/)</sup>\n\n## Production\n\nThe film was produced by Teles Digital Productions Ltd. (特思數碼製作有限公司), with [China Film Group Corporation](https://www.edgepedia.org/china-film-group-corporation) as a co-production partner, and took more than two years from concept to finished film.<sup>[5](https://stdlang.com/en/titles/671fabd8f467b3570d94da4e)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://www.cntv.cn/performance/20060509/101183.shtml)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[11](https://www.yesasia.com/us/dragonblade/1003949208-0-0-0-en/info.html)</sup> All of the computer animation was created by more than 70 Hong Kong-based animators.<sup>[7](https://www.cntv.cn/performance/20060509/101183.shtml)</sup> Budget figures differ between sources: one English-language database lists $10 million,<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> while Chinese-language sources state an investment of 80 million yuan.<sup>[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/%E9%BE%99%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%BC%98?hl=zh&id=18430C611FF8C3FFMV)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://stdlang.com/en/titles/671fabd8f467b3570d94da4e)</sup>\n\n**Martial arts design.** Because the story is set in ancient China, the character designs, costumes, and sets were based on traditional [Chinese culture](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinese-culture), and the action was built on authentic [Chinese martial arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinese-martial-arts) (wushu).<sup>[7](https://www.cntv.cn/performance/20060509/101183.shtml)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[12](https://ent.sina.com.cn/e/2005-04-08/2122697882.html)</sup> Action direction is credited to Wu Bin, Xu Chunhua, and Xu Xiangdong.<sup>[13](https://kungfutube.info/25029)</sup> As preparation for the fight scenes, the director and animation team traveled to Shandong, where the current all-China wushu champions were assembled, in order to observe the range of martial arts styles.<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> A Sina Entertainment history of 3D kung fu cinema notes that the film pioneered capturing martial arts moves by filming live performers for the animation.<sup>[14](https://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2010-02-09/22242872978.shtml?from=wap)</sup>\n\n**Language.** Although the film was made entirely in Hong Kong, it was animated and lip-synced to English first, because dubbing from English into [Cantonese](https://www.edgepedia.org/cantonese) is technically easier than the reverse.<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> The English voice cast included [Daniel Wu](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-wu), Karen Mok, and Doug Baker; the Cantonese version featured [Stephen Fung](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-fung), Sandra Ng, and Jim Chim alongside Mok.<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.cinespot.com/hkmreviews/%E9%BE%8D%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%B7%A3-2)</sup>\n\n## Release and reception\n\nThe film opened in Hong Kong on January 6, 2005, one of the first Hong Kong releases of that year, and later screened at the Thailand Animation Film Festival (January 8, 2005) and the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flower Film Festival in China (November 10, 2005). An English-version DVD premiered in the United States on September 30, 2008.<sup>[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327660/releaseinfo/)</sup>\n\n**Box office.** Commercial results in Hong Kong were poor: against its 80 million yuan investment, the film earned only HK$268,000 at the Hong Kong box office, a result that Chinese-language accounts say discouraged investors from developing animation in Hong Kong.<sup>[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/%E9%BE%99%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%BC%98?hl=zh&id=18430C611FF8C3FFMV)</sup> A Hong Kong government-commissioned creative industries report placed the film among local animated features whose economic returns were unsatisfactory.<sup>[16](https://www.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/link/files/creativeii05072006e.pdf)</sup> Reviewers attributed the weak performance to audiences accustomed to Hollywood animation being unwilling to pay the same ticket price for a local production at a comparable but earlier stage of development.<sup>[17](https://www.cinespot.com/hkmreviews/%E9%BE%8D%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%B7%A3)</sup>\n\n**Critical response.** The film holds an IMDb rating of about 5.2 out of 10.<sup>[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang)</sup> Critics compared it to \"Shrek meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon\".<sup>[8](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dragonblade/umc.cmc.2mvvodcqy5qbifjdvmah7xa5s)</sup> The Kung Fu Movie Guide review called Hong Kong's first full-length computer-animated martial arts movie \"for the most part, a treat\", finding the humor contrived but the martial arts sequences \"quite astonishing\".<sup>[10](https://kungfumovieguide.com/dragonblade-2005/)</sup> A Far East Films review judged the animation below Hollywood standards but praised the choreographed action and voice performances, calling it a family-friendly take on the genre with a nod to traditional kung fu fans.<sup>[18](https://fareastfilms.com/review/dragonblade/)</sup> The Cinespot review rated it 6/10, crediting the character animation and art design as encouraging for a first effort.<sup>[15](https://www.cinespot.com/hkmreviews/%E9%BE%8D%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%B7%A3-2)</sup>\n\n## Recognition and legacy\n\nDespite its box office failure, the film won Best Computer Animation (Feature Film) at the 2nd Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Excellence Awards.<sup>[1](https://www.cgvisual.com/headlines/HKCG10/CGVheadlines_hkcg10_p4.html)</sup> Hong Kong's MTR promoted the movie with a DragonBlade Octopus card, which has since become a rare collectible because the film was the first 3D-CG film fully rendered in Hong Kong.<sup>[4](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)</sup> Retrospective accounts of Hong Kong film technology, including an HK01 survey of seven landmark productions across 40 years, list the film as the world's first 3D animated kung fu movie, made by a local animation effects team.<sup>[19](https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/807095/%E6%98%8E%E6%97%A5%E6%88%B0%E8%A8%98-%E6%B8%AF%E7%94%A2%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%89%B9%E6%8A%80%E6%96%B0%E9%87%8C%E7%A8%8B-%E5%9B%9E%E9%A1%A7%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF40%E5%B9%B4%E4%B8%83%E9%83%A8%E6%8C%87%E6%A8%99%E4%BD%9C)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [龍刀奇緣, CGV Headlines](https://www.cgvisual.com/headlines/HKCG10/CGVheadlines_hkcg10_p4.html)\n2. [龙刀奇缘, Google Play Movies](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/%E9%BE%99%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%BC%98?hl=zh&id=18430C611FF8C3FFMV)\n3. [DragonBlade (2005) Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327660/releaseinfo/)\n4. [DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang (2005), NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang-2005)\n5. [龙刀奇缘, stdlang.com](https://stdlang.com/en/titles/671fabd8f467b3570d94da4e)\n6. [DragonBlade (2005) Company credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327660/companycredits/)\n7. [《龙刀传奇》：中国功夫与数码科技的完美结合, CCTV.com](https://www.cntv.cn/performance/20060509/101183.shtml)\n8. [Dragonblade, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dragonblade/umc.cmc.2mvvodcqy5qbifjdvmah7xa5s)\n9. [DragonBlade streaming, JustWatch (India)](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang)\n10. [DragonBlade (2005), Kung Fu Movie Guide](https://kungfumovieguide.com/dragonblade-2005/)\n11. [Dragonblade VCD, YesAsia](https://www.yesasia.com/us/dragonblade/1003949208-0-0-0-en/info.html)\n12. [莫文蔚冯德伦为港产3D献声 讲述\"龙刀奇缘\", Sina Entertainment](https://ent.sina.com.cn/e/2005-04-08/2122697882.html)\n13. [DRAGON BLADE／龍刀奇緣（2005）アニメ映画, KUNGFU TUBE](https://kungfutube.info/25029)\n14. [策划：3D功夫电影进化史, Sina Entertainment](https://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2010-02-09/22242872978.shtml?from=wap)\n15. [龍刀奇緣, Cinespot 動映地帶](https://www.cinespot.com/hkmreviews/%E9%BE%8D%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%B7%A3-2)\n16. [Creative Industries report, Central Policy Unit, HKSAR Government](https://www.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/link/files/creativeii05072006e.pdf)\n17. [龍刀奇緣 | Cinespot 動映地帶](https://www.cinespot.com/hkmreviews/%E9%BE%8D%E5%88%80%E5%A5%87%E7%B7%A3)\n18. [DragonBlade (2005) Review, Far East Films](https://fareastfilms.com/review/dragonblade/)\n19. [《明日戰記》港產電影特技新里程, HK01](https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/807095/%E6%98%8E%E6%97%A5%E6%88%B0%E8%A8%98-%E6%B8%AF%E7%94%A2%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%89%B9%E6%8A%80%E6%96%B0%E9%87%8C%E7%A8%8B-%E5%9B%9E%E9%A1%A7%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF40%E5%B9%B4%E4%B8%83%E9%83%A8%E6%8C%87%E6%A8%99%E4%BD%9C)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Films by genre, form, and subject › Animated and short films › Animated films by technique and form*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "credit": "\"DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang (龙刀奇缘)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/dragonblade-the-legend-of-lang. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "DragonBlade: The Legend of Lang is a 2005 Hong Kong 3D CGI animated kung fu film directed by Antony Szeto, produced by Stanley Tong, the first fully Hong Kong-made 3D animated feature, with Karen Mok and Daniel Wu voicing."
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