Forum - View topicThunderbolt Fantasy (puppet TV).
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Thunderbolt Fantasy (puppet TV) Genres: adventure, fantasy Plot Summary: In an Eastern-styled fantasy setting, a brother and sister team of sacred guardians is beset by the Xuan Gui Zong, minions of Miè Tian Hai, who seeks the Tian Xing Jiàn sword that they possess. Hai's appearance leads to the defeat of the brother, but his sister, Dan Fei, jumps off a cliff to temporary safety. ---------------------------------- I think it will be important to express my experience so far with it. I found the first episode on Crunchyroll before seeing that there was an "Episode 0", so I choose that first. Immediately I am kind of turned off, not only is the episode 0 a pre-airing making of special, something I am not too fond of, this series seems to be a puppet show. A puppet show! It kind of sounds ridiculous, in some ways I was kind of ready to end it there, but I decided to look at the preview guide, wondering what the critics think, and in my head wondering if maybe I was getting the wrong impression, maybe it is not really puppets. To my surprise it has been given huge scores, and I kind of got an answer Jacob Chapman of what to do next, and it was to watch the making of special. So learned pretty quickly the Gen Urobuchi is involved, which pretty much means that I should not be too weirded out at first. I kind of grew an appreciation for this particular type of puppet art from the special, understood the interests and the amount of details that went in, while I skipped a lot of the last third or so which was bits from the first episode, I was really ready to check out the first episode. Episode 1 This really so different to what I am used to, but it really kind of cool, the things they do with these puppets is kind of amazing. Maybe first an idea to look at limitations, all art has them, and one inherent things would be legs, you can't have the puppet controlled and for them to run and the like, but even in that area they kind of cover themselves with some nice camera art of shifting to legs. They kind of really pass the expectations you might have of many of their limitations, and do things unexpected. One thing that had me in surprise was blood, things like a puppet would have a liquid to look like blood, then a character wiped it away with their hand. I know there was a trick likely involved, but it kind of took me by surprise in a way I don't think traditional animation could. Really a few scenes the puppets were used in surprisingly violent. It is a bit campy, the plot is not too complex, but I think that almost has to be as to either not overwhelm the rest of the show, or part of a campy charm. So far the first episode is a must watch that must be watched in just as an experience. Discussion of whether this is technically anime or not, I think it is worth discussion. |
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Beltane70
 Posts: 3972 |
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Puppets shouldn't be too surprising, just look at the success of the original Thunderbirds and several other series by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson back in the 60s!
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GVman
 Posts: 730 |
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I was as giddy as a schoolgirl watching this show. Ever since I first heard about these Taiwanese puppet shows over a year ago, I've been eagerly hoping to see something get an English version. And now, something has, and it's just about everything I hoped it would be. I alternated between grinning from ear-to-ear and sitting stunned with goosebumps the whole episode. I can't wait for more, and I don't just mean episodes of this show or more PILI shows; I hope to see stuff from the other puppetry companies in Taiwan, as well. Really, I hope this kicks off a movement, and we see loads of subs for this stuff.
As for the plot, I think it's perfectly fine. It is a bit by-the-numbers, but I think that has more to do with Gen Urobuchi than anything, considering how Madoka Magica and Psycho-Pass turned out; the man certainly isn't original. Regardless, the sheer joy and energy that's put into it makes it a pleasure to watch, and I can't wait to see where the plot goes. A man cut off his own head to send his boss a message. It's as if this show was made for me. There's a certain wavelength Urobuchi taps into in some of his works that was really missing for me in MM and PP, and it's out in full force here. I kind of wished they'd kept the original dubbing method for this show (one actor doing all the voices), but the anime way of doing things is fine, too. In terms of other shows from this genre I'd like to see in English, this one definitely gets my vote, though I'm not sure if PILI is involved with it. |
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HelloBucket
 Posts: 477 Location: Upstate New York |
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episodes one and two
So far, the worries some had that Dan Fei is going to essentially be a classic weak woman seem pretty on the mark, which is unfortunate. Aside from that, the first two episodes were great fun. The second episode wasn't as impressive or over-the-top as the first, but the show's sense of humor is great and adds energy even when it's otherwise being low-key. The whole sequence in episode two where who is about to fight keeps changing was pretty hilarious. We can only hope that, with the team assembled, there's an awesome group fight somewhere in our future. Everything we've seen so far has been one-on-one or mook slaughtering. I need to find some time to go back and watch episode zero. Sadly, I haven't had the chance yet. |
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GVman
Posts: 730 |
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Only about half of it is the making-of featurette; the rest is part of the first episode.
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 2
It is a weird feeling that one moment I am thinking about how cool it is that these are being done with puppets, and the next I kind of forget about whether they are puppets. The fact that the pole of the naginata was swinging from the left over momentum really kind of sold it. Dan Fei has been put as not having fighting power, but some of the video showing her doing some sort of magic attack at least have me interested. |
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6585 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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Another Chinese invention you didn't know about...
The zipper. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 3
So worries about Dan Fei not being able to fight should be rectified a bit. The zombies were an especially cool part of the episode, but also how it must have been doing the indoor scene and using legs, I keep getting surprised. |
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HelloBucket
Posts: 477 Location: Upstate New York |
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episode three
Huzzah, we get to see Dan Fei and Juan Can Yun fight after previous opportunities slipped away. My only disappointment with the show so far is that it, unsurprisingly, couldn't keep up the level of fireworks presented in the first episode. Episodes 2 and 3 only featured short, less flashy sequences near their end. Thankfully, the banter between the characters is so entertaining that I barely mind. I'm looking forward to the necromancer. It's always nice to see one, especially one that looks like they're going to end up on the protagonist team (at least temporarily). |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15576 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 13 (finale)
When I just sit back and notice the impressive work in making this, it always feels all the more impressive, although the story was interesting. The first big twist in the show came when.... Okay I will level with all of you, I really could not remember the names of the characters, they were kind of just lost on me, and even if the characters were saying their names often, I am not entirely sure that matched spoken to what I was reading it as. Ridiculously I had a less of a problem with Outsider which had similar names as being set in China. I really am just going to refer to these character by their archetypes. Back to the twist, there was a shift in this show when the main trio, "the wondering swordsman", " the Princess" and "the Sage" make it to the evil hideout, only for sage to betray, only then finding out he is a master thief going by the name of The Enigmatic Gale. Actually the reason so many characters went by nicknames probably made the name thing harder. The rest of the party knew, so they were actually the type of people that would join up with a thief, the demon girl actually having no hidden depths, and the archer was mostly a ruthless mercenary who had falsely built the name of a hero. This was an interesting turn, and built up for the finale where you could probably guess that The Enigmatic Gale actually does have some noble intentions, really he seems to really enjoy screwing over powerful and probably bad people. What I thought was interesting was that while during this time when the Gale looked at Wandering Swordsman's sword I thought there was a prop problem or something, because it looked like his sword was made of wood for some reason. This was actually one of the coolest turns where we found out in the second to last episode that we had been misunderstanding him, his sword was wood, and he only needed to fight with a stick to be as deadly. Effectively he was a kind of anti-thesis to the villain in that he did not even care for a sword, and had kind of been holding back because killing should not be easy. This was actually echoed also by The Enigmatic Gale who had also mastered swordsmanship before finding that other paths were better. We got some pretty cool fights on his part in the last episode. As well as wondering swordsman who was kind of revealed to be such a badass that he had like 23 or so extra copies, as if he was like the player character after some grand quest. It was a good ending, Spear guy is staying with Princess, alluding to being a couple, but she seems to be the tough one between them. Bunch of not so good people dead, and Enigmatic Gale is following Wandering Swordsman on his quest, despite being explicitly told not to do so. Was super cool ending where he threw the umbrella when faced by an oncoming storm, putting it exactly where he had first found it, like a bit loop. And apparently a sequel has been greenlit, which is cool. Honestly I can't lie that the mere spectacle of something so different, a Taiwanese puppet show, of anime proportions is what really kept my interest, but this really impressed on technical merits. I don't recall disliking any episode, I wonder what a sequel might improve on if it is a fact the Gen Urobuchi might have more of a grasp of what can be done. I give a rating of Very good (8/10), at least being what it is, I think that it should not be missed. |
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開明獸
 Posts: 13 |
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For those interested, I have made a collection of english subbed highlights from how these puppet show series are done in Taiwan
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaV4Wpp7c2kT_l-sA1IkQIQ And a collection of other people's stuff (including mine ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTQ4W9xy_KU&list=PLmIfbTWJ5oNGc_n2vwRzvZJD98kP8FNzp The format is different in Taiwan, it's very long (1 hour + episodes usually 20 + episode a series. ) so the story would run more like a drama . but never the less the highlight aspect tend to be very similar (and probably even more so as they would have more time . where as TBF fights are limited to basically 2 minutes or less.) |
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Probablytomorrow
Posts: 165 |
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…So there’s been two movies and a whole season in between each one of them, and I’m not so good at segues, so maybe I’ll just talk about the latest episode…
S3 Ep3 So Wan Jun Po is actually one of Xi You’s heroes and a trusted acquaintance of Shang Bu Huan’s, who has betrayed his loyalty to the emperor and princess in favor of Huo Shi Ming Huang, all because he finds the emperor and princess to be hopelessly corrupt. He has become so desperate for a revolution that he has sided with even greater villains and cast aside his honor. A reckless decision, to be sure, and one Shang should be able to criticize, if nothing interferes. Lang Wu Yao has fallen victim to Princess Chao Feng’s guilt-tripping words and gotten himself stabbed, so he may have to deal with her once and for all before this battle is over. It would be a good idea if he did so soon, too, since the country is currently in need of a real hero. Lin Xue Ya has at last gotten an introduction to this Huo Shi Ming Huang that has even Shang on the run, and it’s fair to guess he’s picked him as his next mark and is already drafting some schemes. Mad monk Lou Zhen Jie has managed to return already, now with an extendo-mecha-arm, thanks to a mad inventor/wizard who we will probably see again soon-ish. But where has Seven Blasphemous Deaths gotten to? And what will that inventor/wizard Gui Duo Tian Gong’s means of controlling the Void Junction mean for Xing Hai’s plans? Something I love about this series as a whole is that every character has their own character arc, starting in one headspace and ending in another. The overall plot may seem cliche at first, but you could tell it from any character’s point of view and still get an emotionally engaging journey. No one is left in the background. I don’t think many stories pull that off. |
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Probablytomorrow
Posts: 165 |
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S3 Ep4
Well, that was a standout fight for the season so far. Jun Po sporting a serrated, multiform polearm, Shang’s power being limited by Ming Huang’s sorcery, and Lou joining the battle halfway through with a magic drill-sword function for his arm! Now that Lou has gotten between Shang and Jun Po, Lin is taking the chance to sidle up to Jun Po and Yi Piaomiao in order to get close to Ming Huang. And since Shang has a wounded Lang to look after now, he’s in no position to prevent Lin’s mischief, and can only hope it doesn’t backfire. Meanwhile, it’s turned out to be a twist of fate that Lou didn’t find Seven Blasphemous Deaths. Now it’s been recovered by Xing Hai, which means the demon in the sword is a step closer to being freed, which can only be bad news for humanity. So that must be the identity of the season’s poster villain. Finally, Juan Can Yun is about to meet Mu Tian Ming, ally from the second movie, and it looks like both Ling Ya and Shang are dumping him with the task of keeping Shang’s whereabouts from her. So that leaves the burning question of why both Lang and Shang left her behind in Xi You. Is that blindfold related, or is that just a red herring? |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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Ep 5
When Shang opened the bag Lin gave him and pulled out the "communications device" I couldn't stop laughing. I can't believe they did that! ::wipes tears, takes a breath:: Can a reissue that talks be far behind? Too funny.
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Probablytomorrow
Posts: 165 |
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I will also accept a Lin and Shang two-way communicator pair, thanks.
I was imagining Seven Blasphemous Deaths to be a sword forged to imprison or control that demon, but how wrong I was. It’s an appropriately sordid history for a mighty demon, surprisingly connecting to Chao Feng and the emperor. So Xing Hai and her sister are now joining forces to defeat Shang. The plan will involve the Void Junction, but Xing Hai has already witnessed Shang making use of the Void Junction’s power, so they’ll want to be clever about it if they intend to banish him. Shang is also equipped with a Nendoroid now, so it’s not like they could banish him for long. What sort of trap, then, could be impending? It looks like next episode won’t be revealing it too readily. |
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