'The Founder of Diabolism' provides insights into the rise of Chinese animation IP

Original Chinese animated IPs have been gaining international attention recently. Following "Ne Zha," "The White Snake," and "Scissor Seven" franchises, in this episode of the Chinese IP Stories, we will introduce another well-received Chinese animation series featuring distinctive Oriental elements of martial arts and fantasy.

"The Founder of Diabolism," which debuted in 2018, has released three seasons of an animation series. Its huge popularity also inspired the live-action fantasy drama "The Untamed," starring heartthrobs Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo.

The total views of the animation series now exceed 8 billion, while the spinoff drama "The Untamed" has achieved 1 billion overseas views, topping the film and television charts in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam.

The global sales of the franchise's by-products, such as lipstick and blind box series, have also surpassed 500 million yuan (US$68.25 million), confirming the huge potential of the "fan economy," which refers to fans' loyalty, passion and support for particular celebrities, brands or products.

The series tells the story of the grandmaster Wei Wuxian and his old acquaintance Lan Wangji, who trace and delve into the mysteries of spirits and ghosts from past and present lives. With suspense elements and narrative technique of interludes, the memory lines of the characters intersect and run parallel to current events.

The series also portrays the deep bonds and complex relationships between the two protagonists who have opposing personalities and ideologies, with flashbacks making the characters more vivid and lively.

On IMDb, "The Founder of Diabolism" receives 8.4 out of 10 rating. Many overseas viewers are attracted to the lovely, yet sometimes melancholy story, calling it a must-see animation.

According to netizen "alana-larru," the scenery truly stands out as unique and breathtaking. Chinese animation has developed its style with very detailed and exquisite landscapes that look like poetry. The character design is refreshing.

On the influential anime and manga social networking website "My Anime List," the three seasons of the franchise have received an average rating of 8.53 out of 10. Some foreign audiences have also started reading the original online novel and manga.

Foreign netizen "MonikaHest" noted in "MyAnimeList.net" that the series was the first Chinese anime she watched. MyAnimeList.net is a popular online platform where users can track, rate, and review anime and manga. It's a community-driven site that allows people to create personalized lists.

"It was quite difficult to catch up with the subtitles at first, but the art, music, and characters' handsomeness kept me going," she said. "I'm so glad I did! Now, I'm reading the novel to further understand the plot and to know the scenes that were excluded from the anime."

The Chinese IP is available in multiple language versions, including English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese. It has gained significant popularity, particularly among audiences in North America and Southeast Asia.

It took the series director Xiong Ke and his team a lot of time to create images and scenes for the production. In Xiong's eyes, a good animation can stimulate the audience's "senses." The creators hope to present an enthralling and compelling story to the audience through repeated refinement of the details about scenes and characters.

The success of the series has also been attributed to the innovation of Oriental aesthetics. Elements such as ink painting-style scenes and the music of guqin (a plucked seven-string Chinese instrument) and flute are integrated with Western fantasy settings such as "mystical skills" and "zombie siege" to form a unique aesthetic style.

Based on the plot of the animation, many enthusiasts have created mangas and sequels to the franchise on their own. The mutual salvation between the two protagonists also coincides with many contemporary young people's desire for a "soulmate."

Experts note that the popularity of this animation franchise is the result of high-quality content, precise operation, and resonance with the emotions of viewers from home and abroad. It also provides valuable insights into the rise of Chinese animation IP.

Professor Gu Xiaoming, a film and TV scholar from Fudan University, said that stories like "The Founder of Diabolism," with distinct themes and cultivation paths, offer a way for individuals to survive and navigate through the chaos and uncertainty in the world.

In his eyes, the series unfolds the deep struggles and choices of individuals. Wei Wuxian's rebellion is not defiance of order, but a challenge to hypocrisy. Lan Wangji's silence is not weakness, but unwavering loyalty. Their emotions are not footnotes to a grand narrative, but glowing traces of real souls navigating the cracks of destiny.

"Our world today is still unsettled," professor Gu added. "We are compelled to find true selves amid the noise. Protagonists in the series do not give us answers but they offer a stance, that is in a shifting world (we should) still choose to trust, love and just be ourselves."

He also encouraged domestic animators to dig into the great wisdom of Chinese culture and make more innovative attempts in the connotation and forms of their works to create new glory for Chinese animation.