Quality fantasy stories don't come out that often, so this title definitely deserves your attention.
Not so long ago, the second season of the donghua Heaven Official's Blessing has come to its end – it is an adaptation of a hit Chinese novella that has gathered a large and loyal fan base.
The title was not inferior in quality to the original source, receiving a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite the warm reception, the project remained rather unnoticed, although it deserves the attention of every fantasy fan.
What is Heaven Official's Blessing About?
800 years ago, Xie Lian, the Crown Prince of Xianle State, ascended to heaven and joined the ranks of divine officials. But much has happened since then, and the prince has been banished to Earth twice. This did not stop him: Xie Lian ascended for the third time, but his next appearance in heaven did not please anyone.
The prince lost the respect of other officials and destroyed several palaces of the heavenly beings. To atone for his sins and pay off his debts, he returns to Earth to help the villagers deal with the evil spirit terrorizing them.
Heaven Official's Blessing is a Perfect Example of the Xianxia Genre
The original source of the donghua was a series of fantasy novels by writer Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Heaven Official's Blessing's genre is xianxia, which focuses heavily on Chinese mythology, martial arts, and Taoist philosophy.
And Heaven Official's Blessing is a great example of this genre. Xie Lian is an immortal heavenly official with a very eventful life. He has seen and experienced a lot in his 800 years, but his intentions are always extremely noble.
The main thing that hinders Xie Lian on his path to self-improvement is his unbelievable bad luck, which constantly gets him into silly situations and leaves him without magical powers.
The Series is Similar to Both The Witcher and Good Omens
Don't worry if you've never been interested in Chinese culture. The characters encounter demons, zombies, and cursed warriors familiar to every viewer.
While working on the novella, Mo Xiang studied folk legends in detail, and this is reflected in the text, but neither the novella nor the donghua require any special knowledge.
What makes it easy to watch is that the donghua successfully uses the formula that made many stories like The Witcher and Good Omens popular: local evil spirits, political intrigue, friendship between characters from different worlds, moral dilemmas, and the interaction of darkness and light.
Where to Watch Heaven Official's Blessing?
So what are you waiting for? Both seasons of Heaven Official's Blessing are available on Crunchyroll.