The Monkey King from Monkey King: Hero is Back Photo: CFP

Universal praise has been heaped on Chinese animated blockbuster Monkey King: Hero is Back.

The animated film inspired by a classical epic is a bold creation, said Tong Gang, deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, when attending a seminar on the film.

Monkey King: Hero is Back is a 3D animated adaptation of the classic epic A Journey to the West. It tells the story of the Monkey King's encounters with his future master, Monk Tang, before they embark on a pilgrimage to India, defeating monsters along the way.

Tong said the work was a real tribute to the classic epic story.

The animation has pulled in about 800 million yuan ($130 million) since its release on July 10, the highest grossing animated film in Chinese film history.

Critic Zhong Chengxiang stated that he felt the domestic production has blazed a trail for domestic animators.

While the production has been criticized, with some saying its characters were not well drawn and the ending was abrupt, encouraged by favorable criticism and box-office success, the film's director, Tian Xiaopeng, said plans to promote the film overseas were underway and that the producers were already planning a sequel.

Before Monkey King: Hero is Back, most Chinese animated films found it difficult to reach the 100 million yuan box-office benchmark.