When it was announced that Netflix was canceling The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance after one season, fans were upset. The show attracted an audience made up of both fans of the original movie and those new to the Dark Crystal franchise. The series was renowned for its beautiful puppetry, impressive physical effects and a deep plot full of mystery and intrigue. However, if you can't get enough puppet action, Thunderbolt Fantasy might be just what you need to fill the gap left by the cancellation of The Dark Crystal.
Thunderbolt Fantasy is a co-production between Japanese visual-novel company Nitro+, Japanese hobby product manufacturer Good Smile Company and the Taiwanese puppet media company Pili International Multimedia. The show's first season was broadcast in 2016, and the second was shown in 2018. The show is broadcast in both Japanese and Taiwanese Minnan and is also available on-demand from Crunchyroll. The series is written by Gen Urobuchi, who anime fans will know as the writer of legendary anime like Aldnoah.Zero, Fate/Zero and Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
Thunderbolt Fantasy is set in the nation of Dong-Li, which was invaded and ravaged by demons. This invasion caused the Wasteland of Spirits to form between Dong-Li and its neighbor Xi-You. The Wasteland Of Spirits is a horrible and inhospitable place, full of roaming monsters, dragons and demon-worshipping cultists. Over its two seasons, Thunderbolt Fantasy tells the story of wandering swordsman Shāng Bù Huàn. At the start of the first season, we are introduced to Dān Fěi and her brother, Dān Héng. They are the guardians of the magical sword Tiān Xíng Jiàn. This magical sword is wanted by the Xuán GuǐZōng clan who seek to give the blade to their master Miè Tiān Hái.
The evil Cán Xiōng confronts Dān Fěi and Dān Héng, demanding they turn over the sword. Dān Héng refuses but is slain in battle. However, before Cán Xiōng can claim the sword, Dān Fěi escapes with the blade's crossguard, rendering the sword powerless. Dān Fěi comes across Shāng Bù Huàn, and, thanks to the actions of the mysterious Lǐn Xuě Yā, Shāng Bù Huàn has to protect Dān Fěi from the Xuán Guǐ Zōng clan and help her retrieve the rest of Tiān Xíng Jiàn. However, Tiān Xíng Jiàn is not the only magical sword in the world. And, as the group continues on their adventure, they find more blades and more mysterious warriors, pulling them deeper into a tangled web of conflicts and dark magic.
The plot of Thunderbolt Fantasy is utterly gripping. It is packed with twists and turns, as well as characters you can't help but fall in love with. It successfully takes classic wuxia tropes and twists them in unexpected ways to create a world and story that is utterly unique. What sets Thunderbolt Fantasy apart from other wuxia series is how it is produced. The whole series is performed with traditional glove puppets, like the ones found in classical Chinese opera. These puppets are composed of a fabric body along with a wooden head and arms, giving Thunderbolt Fantasy a very unique look, quite unlike any other show currently being broadcast. The puppetry is very impressive: each character has very detailed and very fluid movement. Honestly, Thunderbolt Fantasy's fight scenes must be seen to be believed.
Despite being performed entirely by puppets, the fight scenes are just as intricate and graceful as those found in a regular anime series. The attention to detail is truly mindblowing. In scenes with high wind, the characters' hair and the trees in the background will sway. During fights, dust and debris are kicked up due to the sheer force of the blows, and objects get smashed or damaged as the characters unleash massive attacks. This comes together to make the combat feel weighty and impactful and makes you get so absorbed in the world that you'll often forget that everything on the screen is a puppet. This action is made even more intense and exciting by the soundtrack. Composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, the score is a fusion of traditional sounds and modern rock. This fusion works to emphasize the mystery and weirdness of the world while also making the action feel grand and epic.
Now really is the best time to start watching Thunderbolt Fantasy as its third series was originally going to come out this year. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it was pushed back to 2021, giving you plenty of time to get acquainted with Shāng Bù Huàn and catch up on his magical adventures to fill the void left by The Dark Crystal.
