Movie REVIEW: Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers -The Finale-

Thunderbolt Fantasy is available to stream on Crunchyroll

All good things must eventually come to an end, and after four series and two movies that time has finally come for Thunderbolt Fantasy. The collaboration between Gen Urobuchi, Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and Taiwanese puppet production company Pili International Media has wowed fans for the past nine years with its mesmerising story and incredible production values, so the idea that this will be the last we ever see of Shāng Bù Huàn, Lǐn Xuě Yā and the gang is a difficult one to accept. Though originally planned for five full-length seasons, Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers -The Finale- was instead condensed down into movie format – rounding off all the plot threads that have developed over the last decade in a swift 90 minutes.

As Shāng Bù Huàn and Liè Mó Xián continue their journey in the Demon Realm to save Làng Wū Yáo, Lǐn Xuě Yā has his own plans to confront the Demon King. Meanwhile, imbued with heretical powers bestowed upon her by her father, Cháo Fēng has also returned – determined to save her songbird once and for all. 

As Dong Li and Xī Yōu join forces to prepare for the demons’ return, the Demon King’s castle rises from the ground and the War of Fading Dusk begins once again. But with all the swords of the Shén Huì Mó Xiè gathered together to be used in the battle, Emperor Yōu finally reveals himself as Huò Shì Míng Huáng and makes a bid for power. As the battle rages on, the story of the Sorcerous Sword Index finally draws to a close – along with the identity of the Sword-Plundering Nemesis.

Given how hot on the heels of the previous season this is, it’s perhaps easier to view Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers -The Finale- as less of a movie and more just a straight continuation. Granted that the fact the film needs to wrap up all the plot threads that have built up over the last decade means that it can’t really be a “standalone” product anyway, but this really does just feel like the last few episodes of season four put together in feature length format. It really highlights just how much that season was all build up to this, and outside of perhaps giving the franchise a bigger note to go out on separating the two feels like more of a formality than anything else. On the plus side, at least there wasn’t a very long wait between the two for once.

But with a lot of characters to get through and only 90 minutes to do it in, sadly The Finale perhaps shows the most cracks in what has otherwise been a pretty watertight ship as far as the overall franchise is concerned. While the film still manages to get all the characters to same end points they would have had they had a whole series to do it in, the truncated runtime has an impact on how they get there. Azibělpher and Cháo Fēng in particular feel like they’ve had their stories cut tragically short – the former getting quite a bit of development in the previous season and the latter being poised for a much bigger role at its end. Instead both are almost entirely reduced down to fight sequences that offer closure for the characters in the quickest way possible. It’s a shame for Cháo Fēng especially, whose conclusion offers redemption whilst not outright denying her past misdeeds. Similarly Lǐn’s showdown with the Demon King feels all too brief, despite the relationship between the two being the biggest plot twist to come out of season four. The Enigmatic Gale couldn't have ended in a more perfect place at the end of the film, but it really would have benefitted from more footage of him getting there.

Though the scenes themselves might seem hasty, at the very least that doesn't have seem to come at the expense at any of the characters themselves. All the (surviving) major players from across the series are here to appear one last time before the final credits roll, and while some get to do a lot more than others in some cases just seeing them is enough. Little things like Juǎn Cán Yún getting to wield a spear once again or Tiān Gōng Guǐ Jiàng rocking up to the final battle in his steampunk mecha are welcome moments of fan service. But for many of these characters, it's through the dialogue that they really shine. From Shāng's continually exasperated mood to everything happening around him to Lǐn's words baiting the Demon King throughout their battle, really it's how well these characters have been realised over the years that's ensured its longevity. Not to mention its cheeky sense of humour, perfectly displayed in little moments like everyone who's had dealings with the Order of the Divine Swarm almost immediately recognising Emperor Yōu's voice as its leader.

With neither Azibělpher or the Demon King proving as prominent to the overarching story of Thunderbolt Fantasy as quite expected, it instead falls upon Huò Shì Míng Huáng to take centre stage as the “final” antagonist – and while this climax isn’t without its own issues it does feel like a fitting way to end the franchise. Despite all the world building around the Demon Realm that’s felt like it’s dominated the story for some time, ultimately it comes down to swords. The Shén Huì Mó Xiè has been central to Thunderbolt Fantasy from the very beginning, and with the Order of the Divine Swarm slowly making its move over the course of the series everything comes together nicely. Despite the rather deus ex machina nature of the ending (something else the franchise admittedly isn’t a stranger to), the climax works to bring everyone together in the same place without taking the spotlight away from Shāng, who by this point in the film (and the season prior) hadn’t really been the focus as such. It’s also a rather poetic end for Huò Shì Míng Huáng, who rather than simply being defeated arguably (at least in his eyes) suffers a fate worse than death. Thunderbolt Fantasy’s closing act also brings with it some surprising crossover material, featuring both the setting and characters from Pili, the main series produced by Pili International Media which they share the name with. This was previously hinted at with the appearance of Bái Lián in season three, but the connection was made far more explicit here. While these elements won’t necessarily be recognised as a crossover by anyone only familiar with Thunderbolt Fantasy nor will that lack of knowledge have any effect on your enjoyment or understanding of the story, it’s a nice little Easter egg that adds to the worldbuilding of both series and makes fans aware of Pili’s main work.

But of course it just wouldn’t be Thunderbolt Fantasy if it didn’t throw at least one story twist into the mix, with the movie ending on undoubtedly the biggest bombshell of them all. Over the past few seasons Urobuchi has been slowly teasing out the origins of Shāng Bù Huàn, with season four’s time travel revelations suggesting a more complicated backstory for our hero than simply that of a wandering swordsman. Although it’s all made clear in the final scenes of the film, it’s a twist that sends repercussions throughout the entire franchise – completely changing how certain dynamics and relationships are viewed despite the characters (at the time) being none the wiser to it. In some ways it makes thematic sense and really brings the story of Thunderbolt Fantasy full circle, but in others feels like it comes out of nowhere. Granted part of that might be due to nothing quite being able to live up to the various theories fans have come up with over the years, but there’s also a certain elegance to Shāng simply being a wandering swordsman that even those closest to him know next to nothing about. Not everyone will be on board with it, but to end on such a note and then have nothing else to say about is the kind of messing with the audience worthy of the Enigmatic Gale himself.

Ultimately despite all it’s flaws though one thing you can never accuse Thunderbolt Fantasy of is not being entertaining, and in that respect The Finale delivers all of the big action sequences promised in the fourth season. Between Lǐn’s showdown with the Demon King as well as Làng, Liè Mó Xián and Cháo Fēng facing off against Azibělpher the film certainly isn’t short of action – and that’s before bringing the final battle against Huò Shì Míng Huáng into the equation. That itself is quite the visual spectacle, once again making use of a full-size suit for his sword-powered transformation. Not only does seeing the size difference on screen give you a greater appreciation of the craftsmanship that goes into these puppets, but the extra of level of detail that can be put into a larger scale design certainly isn’t squandered. Even outside the usual precision of the action sequences/choreography, The Finale still finds new ways to impress when it comes to visuals – the emergence of the Demon King’s nightmarish castle from the depths of the earth immediately springing to mind. Character design remains as ornate as usual, and even though by this point the film isn’t really introducing many new characters as such that same level of care is taken on background characters – such as the various denizens that inhabit the Demon Realm. Given that the show has gone on as long as it did, the fact it never lost any of its unique design flair and continued to push the envelope right up to the very end is pretty spectacular.

Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers -The Finale- is a somewhat bittersweet experience. While of course it’s sad to see such a wonderful show finally reach its conclusion, what’s arguably sadder is that it didn’t get the full-length fifth season it deserved to properly wrap everything up. While the film succeeds in rounding everyone’s stories of in a reasonably satisfying way with its usual mix of intrigue, spectacle and whimsy, the truncated runtime often makes it feel all too abrupt – ticking the characters off one by one as it goes along. The last-minute twist will undoubtedly prove divisive, and raises the question of whether some things are just best left as a mystery. But nevertheless Thunderbolt Fantasy has been an incredible ride from start to finish, and while it may have never quite reached the popularity it truly deserves it has the very least cultivated a dedicated fanbase that will continue to keep the show alive for years to come.