[ KaiFeng Qi Tan ] (Original title: Zhe Ge Bao Gong Bu Tai Xing) is a comedic historical manga created by artist Xiaochen Shou, serialized on the U17 original comics platform since 2014. Set during Emperor Renzong’s reign in the Northern Song Dynasty, the series reimagines the classic tales of Judge Bao solving peculiar cases in Kaifeng Prefecture through a lighthearted, modern lens. Blending mystery, witty banter, and absurd comedy, it breaks away from the traditional “stern and impartial” portrayal, crafting a relatable, quick-witted yet righteous version of Judge Bao that has resonated strongly with young readers.

With its distinctive comedic style and innovative characterizations, the work won the 2015 “U17 Manga Awards Grand Prize,” becoming one of the platform’s most popular original comedy comics at the time. Its success helped pioneer a trend of modernized, internet-friendly adaptations of historical figures in Chinese comics, subsequently spawning animated series, audio dramas, and other media formats—establishing it as a representative case of “print-era comics transforming into pan-entertainment IP.”

During the animation process, the script serves not merely as a narrative foundation but as the starting point for the entire work’s audio and performance. It dictates characters’ speech rhythms, emotional arcs, and comedic timing—particularly in stylized comedies where a line’s delivery or a pause’s duration can directly impact performance vitality and comedic effect. Thus, the script concerns not only “what is written” but crucially “how it’s said.” Our team participated in the pre-production audio phase, completing voice recording for key characters like Judge Bao, Zhan Zhao, and Gongsun Ce based on the original script. Before any animation was produced, we gave concrete form to each character’s personality and emotions through vocal performance. This early-stage voice work served as a “vocal blueprint,” providing animators with essential reference for lip-sync, motion design, and pacing—ensuring audiovisual synchronization and natural performances. We additionally handled sound design, music editing, and final mixing, comprehensively ensuring the integrity and quality of the animation’s audio system.