A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality
ManhuaA Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality — the manhua
A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality was adapted into a full-colour manhua launched on 24 January 2020 on Bilibili Comics, a few months before the donghua. Drawn by HeHe and Dangao Yue (蛋糕月), it follows Han Li from his entry into the Seven Mysteries to his first steps in the world of cultivators.
Origins and publication
Bilibili made A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality one of its flagship titles, with both the donghua and the manhua. The manhua launched ahead of the animated series to introduce the characters to the platform's audience. It is published in vertical format, suited to reading on a smartphone.
How it differs from the donghua
The manhua offers a younger, more expressive Han Li than the donghua, whose 3D is deliberately restrained. It faithfully follows the novel's opening, with Doctor Mo, the first techniques and the discovery of the green bottle. It moves slowly, however, and later arcs are for now left to the novel and the donghua.
Reception and success
The manhua found its audience on Bilibili Comics but remains in the shadow of the donghua, considered one of the best web novel adaptations. Readers appreciate the clarity of the art, while sometimes regretting a lighter tone than the novel's.
Trivia
- The manhua launched six months before the donghua, in January 2020.
- Han Li starts out as a mere nominal disciple (记名弟子) of the Seven Mysteries school.
- Doctor Mo, Han Li's first mentor, is also one of the first great dangers he must face.
- Han Li's green bottle is at the centre of the opening chapters, as in the novel.
My take
A pleasant, well-drawn manhua, ideal for discovering Han Li's beginnings if you lack the courage to tackle 2,446 chapters. It misses some of the novel's quiet tension, and the donghua remains superior. I recommend it as a side read.
Who is it for?Webtoon readers who want a gentle introduction to Han Li.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan
The authorWang Yu 忘语The father of the "mortal stream"