Against the Gods — the manhua
Long before the 3D series, Ni Tian Xie Shen was adapted into a full-colour manhua produced by the Qianhui Dongman and Yanqiang Dongman studios and mainly drawn by Lang Hao. Published every Saturday on the Kanmanhua platform, it also served as the basis for a motion comic (dongtaiman).
Origins and publication
The manhua opens with the novel's most striking scene: on his wedding night, the young genius Yun Che, whose profound veins have been destroyed, is poisoned. The Mirror of Samsara gives him a second chance. The script is adapted by a writer signing as "Lao Na Mo De Ganqing", and the art relies on very expressive characters and light effects.
How it differs from the donghua
The manhua faithfully follows the novel's early arcs, from Floating Cloud City to the Blue Wind Empire. Its short format makes for a quick read. iQIYI's 3D donghua offers more spectacular fights and costlier production. The manhua keeps the novel's more direct tone.
Reception and success
For many international readers, the manhua was the franchise's entry point, before the translated novel and the donghua. It is appreciated for its pace but criticised for sometimes uneven art and a portrayal of female characters seen as gratuitous.
Trivia
- The manhua is published exclusively on the Kanmanhua platform, updated every Saturday.
- The Mirror of Samsara (轮回镜) is the object that lets Yun Che start his life over.
- The manhua was turned into a dongtaiman, an animated comic.
- The lead artist works under the pen name Lang Hao (狼澔).
My take
An effective manhua for discovering the start of the story, with a brisk pace and easy-to-follow fights. The art sometimes lacks finesse, and some of the novel's flaws are amplified. I recommend it to the curious who want to try the world without committing to 2,200 chapters.
Who is it for?Readers of action webtoons and fans of revenge stories.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan
The authorMars Gravity 火星引力Zongheng's perfectionist