Throne of Seal — the manhua
At a glance26 volumes
Long before the donghua, Throne of Seal was adapted into a full-colour manhua. Launched in 2013 and serialized in Shen Man (神漫) magazine, it produced 26 collected volumes from Hunan Juvenile and Children's Publishing. The art was first handled by Yang Hao, alias Dr. Daji (Dr.大吉), before passing to Sariel.
Origins and publication
The manhua started in 2013, just after Tang Jia San's novel had been published. It was one of the web novel adaptations that fed Chinese comic magazines in the early 2010s. The first collected volume came out in March 2013, and the series went the distance over more than twenty volumes, making it one of the longest adaptations of Tang Jia San's work after Soul Land.
How it differs from the donghua
The manhua predates the donghua by nearly ten years. Its style is closer to action manga, with highly ornate armour and spectacular demons. It follows the novel closely, at a faster pace than the Soul Land comic. The 2022 donghua established a different image of the characters, more realistic and darker.
Reception and success
The manhua enjoyed solid success among Shen Man readers and introduced the novel to a younger audience. The change of artist got mixed reactions. Today it is mostly sought after by the franchise's collectors.
Trivia
- The 26 collected volumes were published by Hunan Juvenile and Children's Publishing.
- The first artist, Yang Hao, worked under the pen name Dr. Daji.
- The covers carry the logo of Shen Man, a magazine specialising in web novel adaptations.
- The manhua started almost ten years before Tencent's donghua.
My take
A manhua generous with action and flamboyant armour that matches the novel's spirit well. The early art has real charm, and the series covers a long stretch of the story. I recommend it to anyone who liked the donghua and wants another take on Long Haochen.
Who is it for?Throne of Seal fans and lovers of 2010s fantasy action manhua.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan
The authorTang Jia San 唐家三少The king of online writers