Another donghua (Chinese anime) set in Ancient China with a bit of fusion to the Medieval times of the West is set to air this Fall and that is Zichuan also known as Purple River which will premiere in December 21, 2021 on Tencent.
Purple River is one of the upcoming donghua which was unveiled as part of the Tencent 2021-2022 lineup and is slated this Fall. It’s a story of a royal civil war, a quest for power and glory set in the times of warring kingdoms with betrayal as one of the main themes.
The donghua is animated by studio Build Dream, the studio behind series such as Deadly Response, Great King of the Grave: Secrets of the Qilin, and the upcoming adaptation of the Renegade Immortal novel. Tencent Penguin Pictures is producing the donghua under their lineup for action and fantasy series. It is adapted from a web novel by author Lao Zhu which was first published in 2003.
Synopsis
Two hundred years ago, on the Battlefield of the Blue River, the last remaining army of the Empire of Light collapsed in the midst of demonic outcries. As the last Field Marshal and Emperor fell, the chaotic world of the Western River no longer had a common ruler. Factions were formed and endless conflicts ensued, military might became the only currency of survival, and the dream to reunite the lands became the sole goal of many rulers in the generations that came after.
In the south-eastern part of the land, a powerful faction with over two hundred years of history – House ZiChuan – fought off the Demons to the east, defended against the House Liu Feng to the west, and contained the House Lin to the south. In order to accomplish their great ambitions and extend the bloodline of their family, countless heroes of ZiChuan gave their lives in order to make this magnificent hymn come to life. This is a story about this legendary family and a hundred years of their blood and tears.
Trailer
Here’s the official trailer for Zichuan anime adaptation and based on this, we can all conclude that it is quite ambitious in production and reminds us of those designs from Soul Land, Wings of the World, and other popular 3D donghua with Western influence.
