The authors and creators of donghua
The master of modern Taoist manhuaBorn in 1979, Gao An, known as Mi Er, is the creator of The Outcast (一人之下), one of the most-read Chinese manhua, blending Taoism, martial arts and contemporary China.
Career
Mi Er works with Tianjin Dongmantang (天津动漫堂), a comics studio based in Tianjin, with which he produces his series.
In 2015 he launched The Outcast (一人之下) on Tencent Animation. The story of Zhang Chulan, a student hiding powers inherited from his grandfather, dives into the secret world of the "Outcasts" (异人), between Taoist schools and secret societies. It was a massive success.
The manhua was adapted into a donghua from 2016, co-produced with Japan, where it aired as Hitori no Shita, then into a live-action drama.
Style and themes
Mi Er grounds fantasy in today's China: Taoist masters in tracksuits, ancient school feuds, modern investigations. His line is nervous, his fights readable, and he easily blends absurd humour with dark passages on the history of the sects.
Their works on Donghua Fan
The donghua adapted from Mi Er's novels, with their guides, characters and watch orders.
Trivia
- The Chinese title, Yi Ren Zhi Xia, means "below only one", from the expression "below only one, above ten thousand", which describes an almost supreme rank.
- The manhua was also adapted into a live-action drama in 2023.
- The donghua aired in Japan, still a rare feat in 2016.
Donghua Fan's take
Mi Er won a hard bet: making Taoism cool. The Outcast is one of the most original manhua of its generation, and its world seems limitless.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan