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The Founder of Diabolism

Original title: Mo Dao Zu Shi
  • TV Series
  • 2018–2021
  • TV-14
  • 24m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,467
1,093
The Founder of Diabolism (2018)
Watch Final Season Trailer [OV]
Play trailer1:43
1 Video
99+ Photos
Supernatural FantasyActionAdventureAnimationComedyFantasyMystery

Two men with opposing ideologies embark on a mission to unravel the mysteries of the spiritual world. Fighting demons, ghosts, and even other cultivators, the two end up forming a bond that ... Read allTwo men with opposing ideologies embark on a mission to unravel the mysteries of the spiritual world. Fighting demons, ghosts, and even other cultivators, the two end up forming a bond that neither of them had ever expected.Two men with opposing ideologies embark on a mission to unravel the mysteries of the spiritual world. Fighting demons, ghosts, and even other cultivators, the two end up forming a bond that neither of them had ever expected.

  • Creator
    • Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  • Stars
    • Jiang Bian
    • Sanmu Liu
    • Ketsu
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    3.1K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,467
    1,093
    • Creator
      • Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
    • Stars
      • Jiang Bian
      • Sanmu Liu
      • Ketsu
    • 15User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes35

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos1

    Final Season Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:43
    Final Season Trailer [OV]

    Photos824

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    Top cast4

    Edit
    Jiang Bian
    • Lan Wangji
    • 2018–2021
    Sanmu Liu
    • Huaisang Nie
    • 2018–2021
    Ketsu
    • Wei Wuxian
    • 2018–2019
    Kei Gambit
    • Lan Wangji
    • 2018–2019
    • Creator
      • Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    8.43.1K
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    Featured reviews

    10weilan-69023

    Worth to watch

    Animation is very great and art are also very beautiful and the best thing the storyline.It impressive!
    10devibhaipatel

    Awesome!

    Best Animation, Perfect angles in action scenes, Amazing music, Overall Beautiful animation with an amazing Story Line.

    Everything is good but there are many events missing in animation which are there in Novel. It's kind of confusing for many people in the starting because they couldn't differentiate between two different timelines.

    Backgrounds in this anime is just fabulous. Mountains and rivers and greenery is animated very well. There are not many anime with such a beautiful animation of nature.

    Story line is also good. I did not feel bored at all even for a second. The story line successfully hooks viewers till the end.
    10Ashen627

    Strong story lines, lovable characters, great analogies, beautiful animation.

    Where do I even begin, there's so much I love about this show! All of the characters are extremely well designed and dynamic. Even characters that had considerably small amounts of screen time breathed into life with layers of personality built on a simple sentence or their expressions and even gestures. You can't help but empathize with the characters because they come across as very authentically human and relatable. The voice acting is superb as they are able to convey these characters in very realistic and human ways. There are also so many deep analogies through imagery such as contrasts in the background or deeper meanings reflected in nature which really goes to show the superb directing abilities of the producers. Many of the messages delivered in this show are extremely subtle that compiles into a bigger picture which is what makes this show so re-watchable because you can always catch something new that you haven't realized before. This story is a deeply enticing one that explores the themes of honour, sacrifice, love, family, and the cyclical nature of human life. The art itself is of extremely high quality, the movements are very fluid, and the music beautifully transitions and sets the tone for important moments. This is a powerful story that will leave you to continuously think about as it continue to explore the subtlety in love. For those who may have heard of the BL elements in this show and want to avoid it, it's so subtle you almost have to look for it. The storyline itself is very intricate and weaves many complex emotions for all of the characters. It's a beautifully crafted story where the protagonists happen to develop romantic feelings rather than having an absentminded romantic plot that is just dropped on the audience. Afterall, love is love is love, who cares what form it's in? Strongly urge everyone to give this show a try!
    10forgottendreams-25850

    Love, love, LOVE this show so much, words can't describe what I'm feeling!!

    First review, and I'm really not a deep or artsy person, so I'm not even going to try to break this down into philosophical arguments or anything.

    It sounds good. It looks incredible. The characters are so unique and human and sympathetic (except for that one greasy Wen young master and his monster of a wife) and sometimes so infuriating (looking at you Jiang Cheng). The plot is amazing, the backstories well-woven and intriguing. But most importantly, it's just such an enjoyable show to watch.

    If someone asks me if I have any complaints, I can't say I don't. Bring back the 40-minute episodes! 20 minutes isn't enough!

    Just a few things YSK before watching:
    • Season 1 is the prequel to everything. Nothing shown in the first two episodes took place yet, it basically tells the characters' backstories and how Wei Ying got to where he was. I know, I was confused too, especially since Mo Xuanyu's appearance is really similar to (read: the same as) young Wei Ying's.
    • There really won't be any BL (gayness) since this was aired on Chinese TV. So people who don't like BL, go ahead and give this series a try, and those who came for the BL, try not to be too disappointed.
    • The dynamic between the five clans is very interesting and well-written, but also really confusing at first. I suggest looking up a character/clan-map to keep on the side while watching.


    Anyways, anyone who hasn't given Mo Dao Zu Shi a try, definitely should! This show has taken my heart hostage within the first three minutes of the first episode (at the 2-3 minute mark specifically, I've watched that flute+zombies sequence at least fifty times now), and it still hasn't given it back. I thought I was too old to fangirl over a fictional story, but it turns out I just haven't been watching the right ones! Words can't describe how much I love this. It's not really like a first love, but rather an obsessive, passionate love that takes hold of you when you were sure you wouldn't be able to feel such emotions again.

    Mo Dao Zu Shi's episodes, released every Friday night, is pretty much the only thing getting me through the week right now. I don't know what I'm going to do, now that Season 1 is over... At least there's two more seasons to look forward to! See you in 2019!
    10anonchalantfool

    A Must See

    Great story with beautiful art and music ! Although the animation did not follow the novel precisely (especially the romance between the two main characters has been "hidden", the anime still has plenty to offer.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Mo Dao Zu Shi is an adaptation of the Chinese web novel of the same title, written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.
    • Connections
      Remade as The Untamed (2019)

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    FAQ

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • July 9, 2018 (China)
    • Country of origin
      • China
    • Official site
      • Official site (China)
    • Languages
      • Japanese
      • Chinese
      • Mandarin
      • Russian
      • Korean
      • Vietnamese
    • Also known as
      • Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
    • Production companies
      • Aniplex
      • B.Cmay Pictures
      • G.CMay Animation & Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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