Thunderbolt Fantasy

Thunderbolt Fantasy is a 2016 epic wuxia fantasy budaixi (glove puppetry) TV series created by Gen Urobuchi and produced as a collaboration the Taiwanese puppet production company Pili and the Japanese companies Nitroplus and Good Smile.
Although often confused for stop motion animation, all of the scenes are filmed live with puppets and practical effects on set, with backgrounds and additional effects added with CGI in post-production. 
==Canon== 
At the end of the War of Fading Dusk, humanity pushed an army of immortal demons back to the Demon Realm with the Shén Huì Mó Xiè, a collection of magical swords. Two hundred years later, wandering swordsman Shang Bu Huan finds himself dealing with the results when Mie Tian Hai, a powerful sorcerer, sets his sights on collecting one of these swords from a holy shrine. Despite his efforts to remain uninvolved, Shang is dragged into a quest organized by a mysterious and elegant man with a silver pipe, who is later revealed to be the master thief and illusionist Lin Xue Ya, who has his own reasons for getting involved. Other members of the party include Dan Fei, the sole surviving Hu Yin Shi, or Seal Guardian, whose family has guarded the sword for generations; the one-eyed archer Shou Yun Xiao and his energetic apprentice Juan Can Yun; the demon necromancer Xing Hai; and Sha Wu Sheng, a notorious assassin who has been hunting Lin for revenge. 
In season two, Shang is unexpectedly reunited with his old companion, the bard Lang Wu Yao and his wisecracking pipa Ling Ya, who warn him that enemies from his homeland of Xi You are after him once again: the corrupt lawman Xiao Kuang Jun, and the poisoner Xie Ying Luo, who belongs to an insect-themed group of magical insurgents known as the Order of the Divine Swarm. When Xie infiltrates a Hu Yin Shi fortress and steals two especially dangerous Shén Huì Mó Xiè, Shang (now reluctantly reunited with Lin) must deal with the consequences, as well as a nihilist Buddhist monk unexpectedly drawn into the conflict. 
Season Three follow Shang, Lin, and their allies as they explore the mysterious Void Junction, a dangerous place where portals to other times and places open at random. Here they encounter old friends and enemies, including three members of the Divine Swarm (the general Wan Jun Po, the sneaky Yi Piaomao, and their leader Huo Shi Ming Huang), and the demon Azibelpher, who is intimately connected to Lang's past. 
In addition, there are two spin-off movies exploring character backstories--The Sword of Life and Death details the falling-out between Lin and Sha Wu Sheng, while Bewitching Melody of the West follows Lang from early childhood as he struggles to find his place in the world. Other media includes a manga version of the first season, light novels, a mobile game, and a stage adaptation by the Takarazuka Revue.
There is also wide range of official merchandise (almost exclusively available only in Taiwan and Japan), including Nendoroid figures produced by Good Smile. A Nendoroid of Lin Xue Ya makes an unexpected appearance in season three, much to the consternation of the rest of the cast and the delight of fans, especially those who owned one. 
While not a direct spinoff of Pili's long-running Pili ("Thunderbolt") TV series, Shang Bu Huan and Lin Xue Ya occasionally cameo in the main series or appear in comedic specials with the Pili cast. 
==Fandom==
===Nomenclature===
Thunderbolt Fantasy is filmed with dialogue in Hokkien/Min-Nan and (unusually for budaixi) dubbed into Japanese for international release with different voice actors for each role. However, the official English subs use the Mandarin pinyin version of character names and many proper nouns, while other names, titles, spells, and attacks are translated into English. For example, protagonists Shang Bu Huan and Lin Xue Ya are known as "Sho Fu Kan" and "Rin Setsu A" in the Japanese dub; both versions are correct, and may be used interchangeably by English-speaking fans. Many viewers initially find the juxtaposition of Japanese and Mandarin names to be confusing, although the latter are better suited to the story's Chinese-inspired historical fantasy setting. However, certain character names are actually harder to distinguish from each other in Japanese (i.e., "Shang" and "Xiao" are both pronounced "Shou"; "Lang" and "Lou" are both "Rou", etc). 
Initially, many English-speaking fans used the Japanese version of character names, citing personal preference and unfamiliarity with Mandarin naming conventions. With the increasing popularity of Chinese-language webnovels and dramas, more fans appear to have become more comfortable with the Mandarin versions, which now predominate.
In addition to their given names, epithets, and aliases, many character also have acquired fan nicknames. Some of these are descriptive or based on the characters' actions and personalities, while others are puns playing on similar pronunciations in Mandarin or Japanese. Because the kanji used in many characters' names are obscure or uncommon, Japanese fans frequently write their names in hiragana or use one of these nicknames for ease in typing. Many English-speaking fans also use nicknames to avoid confusion from the aforementioned mingling of Mandarin and Japanese character names in the official English release. 
Fan nicknames for Thunderbolt Fantasy characters include: 
*Lin Xue Ya - Vape Duck, Vape Wiz, Vape Wizard (English); 0血壓 or "Zero Blood Pressure" (Mandarin)
*Mie Tian Hai - Best10guy, 10guy (homophone of his Japanese name Betsu Ten Gai)
*Xing Ha - Kguy (homophone of her Japanese name, Kei Gai)
*Azibelpher - Ajipapa (Japanese); Azibellpepper (English)
*Wan Jun Po - Centidaddy (English)
*Yi Piaomao - Mantis (English)
*Huo Shi Ming Huang - Locust (English)
===Reactions===
Budaixi is an established part of popular culture in Taiwan, with many events and conventions for fans to attend. Internationally, however, Thunderbolt Fantasy has been marketed as anime and officially streamed on Crunchyroll, despite not being an animated production. It is promoted and celebrated at anime conventions and covered by anime-focused websites like Anime News Network (which describes it as 'puppet TV'), and installments are regularly featured in seasonal or yearly "best anime" lists by both professional and amateur reviewers. Many fans refer to it as a "puppet anime," further emphasizing its hybrid nature. 
In spite of this, many Anglophone viewers are initially uncertain what to make of the show or are even outright dismissive of it. Unlike in Taiwan, where budaixi productions are enjoyed by people of all ages, puppetry in the West is often considered solely for children. With bloody violence and dismemberment (including two gruesome deaths in the first episode) and its sweeping philosophical themes, Thunderbolt Fantasy' counters assumptions that puppetry is incapable of entertaining adults or handling mature themes, and serves as both an introduction and gateway to budaixi as genre. 
That very novelty, however, also makes it challenging to convince new viewers to watch, as there is very little like it in Western popular culture. Some cite the 2006 failure of Wulin Warriors, a heavily edited English adaptation of another Pili series, which aired on Cartoon Network for two episodes before it was abruptly canceled due to terrible reviews, as proof that budaixi series cannot find an audience in the West. Others compare TBF more favorably to Western puppet series like Thunderbirds and The Dark Crystal. 
Some anime fans are particularly critical of TBF, citing its unfamiliar presentation and tropes that deviate from anime norms. Fans of the show respond that these objections are arbitrary and hypocritical, as anime comes with its own genre and cultural conventions: "Y'all watch these Japanese cartoons but can't watch these Taiwanese puppets[.] Foolishness".
On a purely technical level, Thunderbolt Fantasy can be initially disorienting for viewers unused to the rapid cuts and shifting camera angles of its fight scenes, as well as common wuxia tropes and the pauses for "character poems" recited at key moments. In general, however, most viewers who actually watch the show respond favorably once they acclimate to its signature style. 
===Tropes and Fanon===
*Red umbrellas are a popular art motif with Shang or Shang and Lin together, both for their plot relevance and as a symbol of romantic love. 
*Shang Bu Huan will often hold or eat shaobing, his favorite food and one that frequently appears in canon. 
*The Order of the Divine Swarm is often shown having fun as a group despite never appearing on-screen at the same time in canon. 
*Azibelpher is often depicted as an overenthusiastic father, much to Lang Wu Yao's embarrassment. 
===Shipping===
With its large cast of characters, Thunderbolt Fantasy offers a wide range of shipping possibilities, aided by the series' strong writing and complex emotional dynamics. In an interview in the Thunderbolt Fantasy Official Artbook, creator Gen Urobuchi remarked that "With the current story framework, any two characters could form valid couples... I hope the BL creators can try out various possibilities?"
As the TBF cast is overwhelmingly male, shipping primarily focuses on m/m pairings. Shang Bu Huan/Lin Xue Ya has been popular since the beginning, along with Lin Xue Ya/Sha Wu Sheng , especially after their shared backstory was expanded in The Sword of Life and Death. Following the release of seasons two and three, Lang Wu Yao/Shang Bu Huan and Shang Bu Huan/Wan Jun Po also gained strong followings. Because both Shang and Wan Jun Po are visibly middle-aged, it is not uncommon for fans to affectionately refer to pairings with one or both of them as 'old man yaoi'. 
There are also a few canon het pairings, most notably Dan Fei/Juan Can Yun.
==Fanworks==
The global TBF fandom is primarily based on Twitter, with fanart and cosplay pictures posted on a frequent basis. Fancomics and doujinshi are also created and exchanged, especially at budaixi-centric conventions. 
Because TBF is a puppet-based fandom, figures are also an important part of fandom. A limited number of official Pili puppets are available for sale, as well as Nendoroids produced by Good Smile. Many fans will also make their own puppet, doll, or plushie versions of their favorite characters. Regardless of their source, fans will often construct new outfits or props, and stage or pose them for photographs. 
On AO3, TBF is considered a rare fandom and has been eligible for Yuletide every year since 2016. Despite its small size, the Anglophone TBF fandom has hosted several events and challenges, including Xi You Squad Dads Week 2021 and several TBF Secret Santa gift exchanges.
In 2018, TBF fans produced [Storm] Thunderbolt Fantasy Global Fanzine, a physical zine with proceeds donated to disaster relief.
===Gallery===
File:Tumblr-lesser-robot-cat-tbf-nendoroid-diorama.jpg | Nendoroid versions of Shang and Lin in a paper diorama mirroring the style of buildings commonly seen in the show by lesser-robot-cat.
==Links==
===Archives and Communities===
*Pixv
*Archive of Our Own
*r/Thunderbolt Fantasy on Reddit
===Translations===
*Thunderbolt Fantasy Translation Project
*Setsuna's Translation
*4-Koma Comics
===Meta and Commentary===
*Urobuchi, History, and the Wuxia Hero of Thunderbolt Fantasy by ZeroReq011. 
*To Build a Home: An Ode to a Certain Enigmatic Crow by ribbonsed - Analysis of Lin's relationship with Shang in S2. 
===Resources===
*Official Twitter (English) 
*Thunderbolt Fantasy Wiki hosted by Miraheze. 
*Wikipedia
*TVTropes
*Anime News Network
==References==
Category:Thunderbolt Fantasy