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.

Series REVIEW: Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers 4

Thunderbolt Fantasy is available to stream on Crunchyroll

With the long-awaited arrival of Thunderbolt Fantasy's fourth season, it's also a sad reminder that all good things eventually come to an end. After four seasons and two movies spanning across nearly ten years, the latest instalment in the epic fantasy puppet saga from writer Gen Urobuchi, Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and Taiwanese puppet production company Pili International Media signals that end is near. Despite originally being billed for five series, Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers 4 will now be its last -with the story then finally concluded with a third film released in Japan at the end of February 2025. But for now, it's time to revel in another 12 episodes of the adventures of Shāng Bù Huàn, picking up after the events of 2021's third season.

Series REVIEW: Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers 3

Thunderbolt Fantasy is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

If prior to 2016 you told me that famed anime writer Gen Urobuchi was going to team up with Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and Taiwanese puppet production Pili International Multimedia to produce one of the greatest series he's ever done, I probably would have been sceptical no matter how amazing that already sounds on paper. But that is exactly what Thunderbolt Fantasy is, and 26 episodes spanning two seasons (as well as two additional movies) fans have been treated to a storyline that somehow manages to get more and more wild each episode, unforgettable characters and more puppet violence than you could ever hope for. Two years after the release of prequel/side-story The Bewitching Melody of the West, it finally returned for its long overdue third season which was delayed thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

First Impressions: Thunderbolt Fantasy Season 3

Thunderbolt Fantasy is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

How have we gotten through the past two years without another full season of Thunderbolt Fantasy? The greatest Japanese-Taiwanese puppet show to ever grace Crunchyroll briefly returned in 2019 with the feature-length Bewitching Melody of the West, but other than that fans have had to eagerly await the next chapter in Shāng Bù Huàn's adventure. But the wait is finally over, as April delivered a double whammy in Thunderbolt Fantasy content. April Fool's day brought us a wonderful little crossover with Fate/Grand Order, and only a few days later Thunderbolt Fantasy Season 3 began in full swing. Created by Gen Urobuchi and produced as a collaboration between Nitroplus, Goodsmile Company and Pili International, the series has brought nothing but joy so far and the previous tease for season three suggested this will be no exception.

Movie REVIEW: Thunderbolt Fantasy -Bewitching Melody of the West-

Thunderbolt Fantasy -Bewitching Melody of the West- is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

As well as continue to prove that ornate puppet murder is the way forward for entertainment, Thunderbolt Fantasy season 2 presented fans with plenty of new things to speculate on. One such topic was the prominence of Làng Wū Yáo, the mysterious red haired musician and old acquaintance of Shāng Bù Huàn. Voiced by Takanori Nishikawa (better known by his stage name T.M. Revolution), the character was created as a means for the musician to promote the franchise but quickly added to the series proper by creator Gen Urobuchi. Now his origins are explored in Thunderbolt Fantasy -Bewitching Melody of the West-, a new feature-length presentation released at the end of 2019.

Anime REVIEW: Steins;Gate 0

Steins;Gate 0 is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

In 2011 the anime world was taken storm by Steins;Gate – a series based on a 2009 visual novel from famed developers Nitroplus. Its popularity led to a follow-up OVA and movie, both of which were original material that continued the story beyond that of the original game. When a sequel game was released in 2015, it was only a matter of time before it also received an anime adaptation. Fast forward to 2018 and Steins;Gate 0 was unleashed upon the world, presenting fans with a familiar but very different world to the ones they were previously used to. The series ran for a total of 23 episodes, along with a bonus OVA released shortly after its completion.

SERIES Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers 2

 

Thunderbolt Fantasy is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

In 2016 Gen Urobuchi went one better than just dazzling anime fans with yet another animation work - this time he did it with puppets. Teaming up with Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and Taiwanese company Pili International Urobuchi brought Thunderbolt Fantasy into the world - bringing the intricate art of Taiwanese glove puppetry to a whole new audience worldwide. The popularity of the show led to a one-off special entitled The Sword of Life and Death the following year, and then at the tail end of 2018 it finally returned for a full second season. Taking the subtitle of Sword Seekers, these further 12 episodes continue the story of Shāng Bù Huàn and were released in both Taiwanese Min-Han (in Taiwan) and Japanese (for the rest of the world).

First Impressions: Steins;Gate 0

Steins;Gate 0 is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

As I previously mentioned in my Persona 5: The Animation piece a few days ago I'm a fairly lazy gamer. I love video games and have every intention to play them, but life gets in the way far too often. So naturally one of the most anticipated shows to be starting this season for me (along with many other people) was Steins;Gate 0. The original Steins;Gate remains a firm favourite, and after being treated by an anime-exclusive OVA and movie to get a psuedo-sequel all these years after feels like a dream come true. But yes the gang are all back once more, with White Fox returning to handle animation duties as they adapt the visual novel of the same name from 5pb. and Nitroplus.

Movie REVIEW: Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Sword of Life and Death

Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Sword of Life and Death is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

If there was one thing that stood out among Crunchyroll's simulcast offerings in 2016, it was Thunderbolt Fantasy. A 13-episode collaboration between Gen Urobuchi, Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and Taiwan's Pili International Media, the series was an assault of unique styles and visuals that brought the art of Taiwanese glove puppetry to a wider audience. 2017 remained a fairly quiet time for the show as fans patiently wait for its second season, however it capped the year off with the arrival of Thunderbolt Fantasy: A Sword of Life and Death – a direct to video movie that explores the time both prior to and following on from the series with some of its key characters.

Series REVIEW: Thunderbolt Fantasy

After producing modern anime classics such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Psycho-Pass and Gargantia on the Verduous Planet, Gen Urobuchi has earned the right to a bit of experimentation. His dive into the world of tokusatsu with Kamen Rider Gaim was met with great success, and after a trip to Taiwan he has now turned his attention towards the world of Taiwanese glove puppetry. Thunderbolt Fantasy is a 13-episode collaboration between Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and renowned Taiwanese puppetry company Pili Internation Media – airing in Taiwanese Min-Nan, Chinese Mandarin and of course Japanese.

First Impressions: Thunderbolt Fantasy

After enjoying a string of successful anime shows, it shouldn’t be any surprise to see Gen Urobuchi branching out into a number of different mediums. 2014 saw the creator of Madoka Magica, Psycho-Pass, Gargantia and more take a stab at tokusatsu with Kamen Rider Gaim, and now he’s trying his hand at Taiwanese puppet drama. Yes, you read that correctly – Thunderbolt Fantasy is a collaboration between Nitroplus, Good Smile Company and Taiwanese puppet production company Pili International Multimedia, bringing the world of puppet drama into the Japanese spotlight.

Anime REVIEW: School-Live!

School-Live! is quite possibly the hardest review I've written so far. The fact that so much of my initial enjoyment of the series stemmed from going in there completely blind makes me hesitant to want to talk about it, as I genuinely believe the best way to experience the show is in exactly the same way. So if you've never heard of this 12-episode series (also commonly by it's Japanese name, Gakkō Gurashi!) from Nitroplus writer Norimitsu Kaihō and illustrator Sadoru Chiba, I advise you stop reading right now and go check it out before reading on. I'm quite happy to turn the concept of a review upside down and say in the very introduction that it's one of the best shows I've watched in years. However if you're already familiar with this manga-turned-anime and are just interested in my thoughts - please continue on...