An animated television series Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf became extremely hot in China this year. It bombarded TV screens; its film found its way to most media and products bearing its images flourished. A flock of little sheep of various looks and characters and the so-called “model husband” Big Big Wolf captured the hearts of not only children but adults.

It seemed that a Chinese animation had never caused so much attention. Does that mean a big leap forward for China’s animation, an industry encouraged for so many years?

However, Ms. Li Lisi, Deputy General Manager of Guangdong-based Creative Power Entertaining, producer of “Pleasant Goat”, told a China IP reporter: “We have just got back our production cost and had a little bit profit.”

For animation, an industry of huge input, there are two key points for getting money back for a work: TV broadcast, license and development of derivative products.

But the present reality in China is: fees paid by TV station only amount to the basic cost while the market of derivatives, the largest source of income, is seriously hurt by counterfeits.

In the animation, the little sheep can always defeat evil forces and be protected, but who will protect these lovely characters in reality?