We all know that, when it comes to BL, there’s not a lot of offer in the anime world. However, sometimes a studio decides to animate a story for all of us fujoshis around the globe to enjoy.
We don't need to point out that not all animation comes from Japan; there are plenty of animation studios in the world. That’s why in this opportunity we’re gonna be taking a look at Tian Guan Ci Fu (Heaven Official's Blessing), a Chinese animated series—or donghua—that promises to keep all of us BL lovers hooked and asking for more.
Third Time’s the Charm
It’s not easy to be demoted after being a blessed child among the ascended gods, but Xie Lian learns the hard way that he shouldn’t involve himself with things that don’t concern him. Because he meddled with human affairs, Xie Lian has to go back to being a nobody, trying to get back to the important place he once held in the heavens. The second time he ascends, he’s immediately sent back to the lowest rank, but that doesn’t stop Xie Lian from trying and, eight hundred years after the first time he ascended, he gets into Heaven again.
However, things are a little bit different this time around. Even though he made it, Xie Lian is not the revered god he once was. On the contrary, he’s the laughing stock among all three realms and no one takes him seriously anymore. But Xie Lian is determined not to let that bother him and he goes about his days up there unconcerned. Still, Xie Lian has his pride, and he doesn’t like being used as an errand boy for small tasks. It’s not like he has a choice, since everyone thinks it won’t take long until he’s demoted again. Xie Lian thinks the third time’s the charm, but there might be some difficulties to face along the way…
They Did It Again!
As time goes by, some countries are starting to get more recognition for their animated projects. That’s the case with China, with their donghuas, which combine different types of animated styles and transitions to provide the audience with top tier content. There’s one studio in particular that has been putting out interesting donghuas with great reviews from the viewers. We’re talking about Haoliners Animation League, a chinese animation studio established in 2013 responsible for great shows.
Rings a bell, right? That’s because this studio was in charge of animating Fox Spirit Matchmaker, a huge hit among anime fans. The style they go for is extremely similar to the one most of the excellent animated studios in Japan use, something that attracts people. For someone who is used to Japanese audio, it can be a bit of a shock hearing Chinese audio, but like all of us did with Japanese, it’s not hard to get used to a new language. In recent years, Haoliners Animation League has been really busy animating a wide range of projects, adapted from manhua and even written novels! We’re more than excited to see what else they bring to the table in the years to follow.
When Heaven and Hell Meet
After ascending for a third time, Xie Lian has to be careful not to mess up again, after all, he doesn’t want to be demoted again! It won’t be difficult, since he’s in charge of really mundane tasks that don’t really allow him to get involved in any trouble. Or at least that’s what he thought. One day, while he’s doing one of his tasks, Xie Lian meets a strange person, Hua Cheng, who turns out to be a demon lord. Far from being a dangerous encounter, these two instantly hit it off and start a weird friendship.
It won’t take long for this friendship to develop into something else, when Hua Cheng’s feelings for Xie Lian start to go from friendship to love. The chemistry between these two is simply adorable, they make the perfect couple, especially since they’re from two different worlds! The gorgeous animation only makes it better by highlighting Xie Lian’s expressions whenever he’s around Hua Cheng. Of course, since they have different backgrounds, things won’t be easy for them. But don’t worry! There might be a happy ending at the end of the road.
Final Thoughts
It’s really interesting to see how the animated scene, so focused on Japanese anime, is suddenly starting to open its gates to projects from other countries. One thing is clear: donghuas are a huge success among viewers. We won’t complain if they keep giving us BL gems like this one!
Broadening our horizons will help us find amazing stories and, when you’re a fujoshi in desperate need for some good boy x boy action, the more places to look the better!
Author: Yaz L.