Taoism Grandmaster Full Series review

I just finished watching The Taoism Grandmaster a 2017 45 episode Xianxia drama. And ooooh boy do I have a lot of feelings.

If there's one major point in this series favor it's that it has a huge heart. From the very beginning, the tightly focused narrative paints a world waiting with bated breath for a war between humans and demons (Or as the questionable English subs call them Wolves). The only person who can save the world is the mysterious Taoism Seeker. So find this chosen hero the Five Sects stage a competition to find the legendary Saint Armor which will pick out the seeker once all the pieces are found.

The characters are the strongest part of the show. with 5 Sects working together, there are 29 people all aiming to be Taoist Grandmaster. The series takes the time to really flesh out almost all of the 29 characters so no one feels like a cardboard cut out.FeiFei, Tei Long, Liluli, my boy Yan Qi are memorable in their own right. Feifei for being a complex leading lady (Whose end game makes me want to rage at the heavens). Tei Long, a warrior who wears his heart on his sleeve and is super blunt. Liliuli took a while to grow on me since her archetype of "cute, clingy girl with a high pitched voice" is a major turn off. She proved herself with her resourcefulness and love for the main crew of heroes.

But it's Bai Qianji who steals the show. This nine-tailed fox is the general of the Demonic armies. Bai has more than earned that title. Starting out as the high pitched voiced girl who'd cower at the other generals scolding. Once she was unleashed on Earth, her true colors show. It was all an act. In reality, she's cold-blooded, manipulative, cunning and Machiavellian. By the time the main cast figures out her real scheme, she'd already destroyed the demon army, corrupted Kunlun, the son of the Chief of the all the Sects, into her thrall, brainwashed Feifei into being Kunlun's wife. While everyone is playing checkers, Bai Qianji is playing 4D chess while drinking fine wine and laughing like a mad woman the whole damn time!

Cower before the true face of EVIL!
From the very beginning, Grandmaster pulls no punches. The first major test is all 29 candidates to be sent to a pocket dimension where they must survive the biggest battle of the last demon war. A battle that leveled a city and killed thousands. The series keeps the emotional stakes high in between quests to find the different armor pieces, there are episodes that focus solely on the cast training to prepare for the upcoming war. More then just simple training arc mini stories these episodes are used to build character relationships all of which grow organically.

It's a must watch if you want to get into Chinese drama, if you can get past the laughable CGI in some places. Grandmaster does have a habit of falling into melodrama but the emotions feel so genuine that the viewer is swept up right along with the cast. I felt FeiFei conflicted emotions between Kunlun and Tei Long. Tei Long's earnest nature and Liluli's stubbornness kept me watching. The entire series with subs is up on youtube posted by the official Chinese production company. Here's the complete playlist

Adorned by Chi review issues 1-4

 Magical girl stories have always held a special place in my heart. I watched Sailor moon religiously as a kid, fell head over heels for W.I.T.C.H. in High school along with watching anime like Madoka Magicka, Shugo Chara, and Magical Girl Rising project.

As a black woman, I always wished I could see myself within the pages and on the screen within the genre I so love. When I discovered Adorned by Chi's Kickstarter back in 2018 I was excited. A 9 issue series set in an Afrofuture Nigeria where 5 college students become heroines (and a hero) to fight a creeping evil. I wasn't able to back the project but for Free Comic Book this year, they released Issues 1 to 4 for free!

The deft writing, amazing art, and human characters won me over instantly.

You have perky, party-loving GoGo who can be a ray of sunshine.

Her twin sister, Kelechi, is a goth after my own heart. With a love of the occult and sassy personality, she's the life of the party.

 Kaira reminds me a lot of Michiru from Sailor Moon. She's very zen and gentle but has a serious edge when others are put in danger.

Emeka is the popular sports star on campus.  He doesn't get much focus on these issues but he's hinted at being important later on.

Last, but certainly not least is Adaeze. She's the leader of the team. It's implied that she suffers from depression and throughout the narrative has crying fits.  It's revealed that they're connected to her power of empathy which allows her to communicate with monsters that attack the campus. She's the only one to realize that they were once normal people.  I love how the series uses this to focus on self-care, as Chi, Adaeze's magical animal companion, gives her real-world applicable tips to deal with stress and emotional burnout.  Even with the heavy undertones, the beautiful and vibrant art pops even in black and white.

The series is a must-read for fans of the magical girl genre, Afrofuturism or people who are just looking for a fun read. Here's the link to where you can buy both the free digital comics and pre-order the soft cover physical release