Initially mocked, the low-budget film by a first-time animator and his mum is now being hailed as a bastion of hard work and free expression.

A rough-looking Chinese animated film that was initially mocked for its crude visuals has become an unlikely box-office hit, as audiences embrace its imperfections.

AP: The new sensation among some Chinese moviegoers is an animated film whose characters appear to have been created with rudimentary 3D animation and have been described as…