This week, Tencent once again demonstrated its dominance in the broader entertainment sector by officially launching its first manga drama app—"Huolong Manga Drama." This product, developed by the internal team of Tencent Video, is not only another move in Tencent's short video strategy but also a bold attempt to deeply integrate AI technology into content production.

What is "manga drama"? Simply put, it's turning comics into short videos.

The interface of "Huolong Manga Drama" is very intuitive for young people, adopting a vertical screen information flow model similar to TikTok and Kuaishou. Each episode is kept between 1-3 minutes, using free comic panels combined with AI-generated dynamic effects and voiceovers, bringing static comics to life. This format retains the refined feel of comics while offering the fast-paced rhythm of short videos, making it a real "battlefield" among digital snacks.

Why is AI manga drama considered the "best landing point" for AI commercialization?

Previously, traditional adaptations of comics into dramas or animations often faced long cycles and high costs. However, according to a report from Northeast Securities, AI manga dramas are reshaping the short drama market with their low cost and short cycle advantages. For content giants like Tencent, AI not only revives a vast number of comic IPs but also significantly lowers the barrier to creation. This means that in the future, a large portion of the short videos we watch may be AI-generated manga dramas.

This is not just a solo performance by Tencent.

As AI manga drama becomes popular, the capital market has also taken notice. In addition to giants like Tencent, listed companies such as Huanrui Century and Tianwei Shixun have also entered the field, trying to use AI technology to find the next growth point in the film and television industry.

When AI meets Tencent, the company best at socializing and creating content, this experiment on "manga drama" may become the biggest variable in the short video sector in 2026.