A raw, handcrafted Chinese animation has become an unlikely box-office sensation despite being widely panned by critics and social media users.

Niu Lai, or The Arrival of the Ox , has been criticised for its “rough” and “broken” style and a plot that many viewers found hard to follow.

The popularity of the two American films has already seen the release of some high-profile Chinese films – including Three Kingdoms: The Beginning , a historical drama set in the third century – being delayed or cancelled.