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Starring a deceased man and the dark culture of his ally, Grandmaster of Cultivation brings Chinese stories to the forefront of the international stage.
Mo Dao Zu Shi, a.k.a Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation is one of the earliest names for manhua, or Chinese comics. It is also a great example of xianxia, ​​or cultivation stories, which are incredibly prevalent in this culture. Appeared in various media, this feudal fantasy is best known for its donghua, or animated incarnation.
Featuring a deceased man and his ally’s realization of a dark form of culture, Grand master of culture pushes Chinese cultural stories to the forefront of the international stage. Unfortunately, as with many Chinese media, some forms of the story are still hard to come by. This is how the Western public can enter Mo Dao Zu Shi and reach the highest point in the sky.
The plot of Mo Dao Zu Shi
The story revolves around Wei Wuxian, who is best known for his creepy approach to cultivation. Cultivation is a Chinese form of attaining a higher divinity or essence form, although it is not quite as usual with Wei. Years before, he had been summoned into the body of the destitute and abandoned Mo Xuanyu, who allows Wei to use his body as a form of revenge against his tormentors.
Together, they embark on a journey to unravel the mystery behind a severed arm found in Wo’s house, which in turn is linked to Wei’s initial death himself. Thus, they became known for taking the Wo Way – a deviating form of “demonic” cultivation. Like many Chinese feudal fantasy stories that have recently become popular in foreign countries, the series also counts as a title equivalent to the love of boys or yaoi, although the live-action adaptation downplays this aspect significantly.
Where to read Mo Dao Zu Shi Manhua
Since 2017, a manhua (the Chinese equivalent of Japanese manga or Korean manhwa) has been regularly published by KuaiKan Manhua. Unfortunately, just like most manhua series, there is no official Western location for this yet, either physically or digitally. Those who read Chinese characters may be able to read the series on the Chinese site, but otherwise it is inaccessible to Westerners.
Where to read Mo Dao Zu Shi’s novel
The source material for everything is the original Mo Dao Zu Shi novel written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Released online from 2015 until the following year, the series was eventually released in print. Luckily for those interested in the show and the fantasy of Chinese culture in general, it was actually located by Seven Seas Entertainment.
It’s also fairly easy to find, with online retailers like Right Stuf Anime as well as Amazon offering all three volumes. It can also be purchased at physical stores like Books-a-Million, Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble, although they were only recently released. In the case of the latter retailer, readers can also enjoy the book digitally through Nook.
Where to watch anime / Donghua Mo Dao Zu Shi
Easily the most popular version of Mo Dao Zu Shi is the animated series, or donghua. Unfortunately, at this time, none of the major streaming platforms in the West are hosting the series. However, this is likely to change in the future, especially given the success of somewhat similar donghua such as Blessing of Heaven Officials be on Netflix.
Another way to enjoy the story is the live-action adaptation called The Untamed. This 50-episode drama took place throughout 2019 and was quite popular, although, as mentioned, many homoerotic themes from the book are being removed. Fortunately, it’s much easier to watch, as it’s available to stream through Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the Rakuten Viki streaming service. Chinese media is becoming a much bigger force internationally, so it won’t remain the only such show on this service. For now, however, this is one of the best ways to get into the history of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.
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