The Haier Brothers (海尔兄弟)
The Haier Brothers are the duo-mascots of the Haier Group Corporation, based in Qingdao, Shandong. In 1984, the company formerly known as Qingdao Refrigerator Co. would open up to world markets, seeking partnerships from around the world. Germany’s Liebherr would enter a successful joint-venture contract with Qingdao, offering technology, equipment, and other manufacturing services. After several acquisitions, sustained company profitability, and assistance from the government, the company would rebrand to Haier, with its current name being a shortened version of the Chinese transliteration of “Liebherr.”
Created sometime in the late 1980s and early 1990’s, the Haier Brothers are respectively named Qindao (or Qingdao) and Haier, with Qindao being the older brother and Haier being the younger brother. The two boys, much like their Japanese counterpart Astro-Boy, are only seen in their underwear with nothing else on. The casual, light-hearted nature of the boys’ near-nakedness gave the show the humorous reputation of being “the most risqué Chinese animated series.” Qindao’s tan skin and dark hair, in contrast to his younger brother, Haier – who has light skin and blonde hair - are a nod to the company’s origins, “a vibrant pair - a Chinese boy (Qindao) and a German boy (Haier) – standing side by side,” writes PingWest for Jiemian.com.
The Brothers would make their first appearance in 1991 series of commercials (see: here and here) known as Qindao Haier, followed by a short series of 11-minute cartoons titled Qindao Haier: Music Island which was co-produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio and broadcast on CCTV. Another special, Little Heroes of the Universe, was produced in 1992 by Hong Long Animation and Hong Ying Animation.
Screenshots from Little Heroes of the Universe (left), and Qindao Haier: Music Island (right)
The Haier Brothers would continue to feature in commercials and other marketing material such as magazines and merchandise, putting a friendly face to the company. The boys were given an ice cream to remind customers that Haier refrigerators keep their food cold.
The underwear-clad boys were given a new show in 1995, simply titled Haier Brothers. This time the cartoon would be produced by Haier Group and Beijing Dongfang Hongye Animation Group Co., Ltd. The series would last until 2001, with 212 episodes being made in total.
Qindao and Haier were given a rewrite of their origin story as well. The brothers (going back to the Astro-Boy influence) are created in a lab experiment by an intelligent elder simply known as the “Wise Old Man.” When they were originally created, they functioned much like any ordinary advanced machines. But the old man, “at the cost of his own life… endowed them with human souls… instilling in them the scientific knowledge accumulated by humanity throughout its history.” Both boys are described as being helpful, clever, and resourceful. Throughout the show they make various new friends such as Captain Grandpa, Jenny, and Krud. They sail the Norwegian Sea, fight mythical beasts, dinosaurs, and travel the world together. The show combines science fiction with children’s education, inviting children to learn about geography, history, science, and more.
The 1995 series would re-broadcast in 2016 on CCTV, keeping the popular duo in the public eye and introducing them to children who have never seen them before. A high-definition remaster would also be released to the public in 2025. Zhou Yunjie, the current Chairman of the Board and CEO of Haier Group, also stated that the planned sequel for the Haier Brothers cartoon was still in development with a planned release sometime in 2027.
2018 would also see the launch of another Haier Brothers reboot, The Haier Brothers’ Great Cosmic Adventure. Qindao and Haier were both given a redesign following the shift in tone from the original series. Much like the Little Heroes of the Universe special, both boys would be wearing space-suits at all times since the show was to serve as an educational program dedicated entirely to the cosmos. The brothers were also given a more “chibi” design to grab the attention of a younger audience. Chinese Netizens who grew up with the original series, however, voiced their displeasure, believing that the changes ruined their childhood memories of the original Haier Brothers.
Recognizing the generational gap between the original fans of the Haier Brothers and the new, more modern Haier Brothers, the official team of the Haier Brothers Weibo account released a statement saying the following:
“The members of the ’80s and ’90s generations who watched the Haier Brothers back then have now grown into the backbone of society, supporting families, workplaces, organizations, and institutions. We believe you’ve fully embraced the courage and spirit of exploration that the Haier Brothers taught you!”
It’s important to note that any character, regardless of design, can leave an impression on anyone that feels a connection to said character. The Haier Brothers are no exception. Although there is no information on who originally designed Qindao and Haier, we can infer that the company played a significant role in their final design – lack of clothing and all. Netizens who grew up seeing the boys first as mascots on Haier Group products, to seeing them in TV advertisements, to finally having their own mini-series in 1991 raised no concerns regarding alleged immodesty but rather enjoyed the free-spirit nature of the two boys roaming their environment and saving the day in nothing but their underwear.
In an article published on ali213.net back in October of 2025, Zhou Yunjie updated fans of the Haier Brothers with an announcement regarding the production of The Haier Brothers 2. The show’s subtitle would become known as Deep Sea Adventure. At the same time, Zhou Yunjie also noted that fans of the series offered valuable suggestions regarding the new design for the Haier Brothers.
“Currently, there are three design directions for the Haier Brothers. The first option is to retain the original look, as the original Haier Brothers have long been deeply etched in many people’s memories and have become a classic. The second option is to make subtle adjustments to the original design using modern animation technology, making the lines rounder and the expressions more lively—ensuring that longtime fans can recognize them at a glance while also hoping to win the hearts of younger children. The third option is to design a teenage version of the Haier Brothers, depicting the brothers’ transformation from children into teenagers.”
We’ve seen designs change as cultural sentiments and attitudes evolve over time, with Atom in the 2023 series Pluto dressed in regular streetwear clothing, almost unrecognizable from his original design. What direction the new show will take, whether the boys will retain their iconic half-naked-boy-robot design remains to be seen.
Update
An article I found on MSN reveals the final design of the Haier Brothers for the sequel series.
Aside from being a tribute to the original series, the show will "incorporate cutting-edge scientific knowledge such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and new energy..."
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