Steven Reynolds 
The Gate of Mystical Realm promo pieces hitting hard and fast
There’s a new donghua on the way from Chinese animation studio BYMENT (animators of The Westward and Go West: Overworked) called The Gate of Mystical Realm (aka Xuan Jie Zhi Men).
The fantasy action adventure premieres its first three episodes exclusively on Bilibili on November 28th, with the streaming service dropping several videos and countdown posters this week to promote it.
They include a character PV for protagonist Shi Mu, another for Zhong Xiu, OP and ED music videos, and a trailer for Episode 1.
Character videos for Shi Mu and Zhong Xiu
The just-released Shi Mu character PV shows scenes from the protagonist’s life as a child, and not very pleasant scenes either.
We then get to see some of his fighting skills as an adult, but skills that he has obviously cultivated in an effort to get revenge on those who murdered the people close to him when he was a child.
Shi Mu’s character design, along with the designs of others, is really nicely done and reminds me somewhat of the gorgeous character designs in Jade Dynasty.
As for Zhong Xiu’s character PV, along with her incredibly pretty character design, it mostly involves her being in danger and being pulled along out of harm’s way by Shi Mu.
Yes, I would say the lovely girl is obviously someone important to him.
The Gate of Mystical Realm OP and ED music videos
Music videos for the donghua’s OP and ED are also out.
Mo Haitong performs the rock song ‘Nine Heavens‘ for the OP, while South Korean based K-pop singer Zhang Hao sings the incredibly pretty ending theme ‘For Whom Does the Beauty Bloom‘.
Both videos feature footage from the donghua, but Zhang Hao’s ‘For Whom Does the Beauty Bloom‘ is also interspersed with footage from the singer in the studio recording the song. And yep, that’s one hot boy, eh?
The Gate of Mystical Realm details
If you are a fan of the ongoing massively popular donghua A Record Of Mortal’s Journey To Immortality, you will definitely want to watch this one, as it is based on a novel written by the same author — Yu Wang.
From just the snippets I’ve seen, it also seems to feature a similar atmosphere.
The Gate of Mystical Realm donghua is directed by Huang Xiaohong, with Li Yang screenwriting.
BYMENT describes The Gate of Mystical Realm‘s plot:
In a world where martial strength reigns supreme, Shi Mu’s fate seems destined to be different.
As an adopted son of a noble family, he is forced to embark on the path of a warrior in search of truth and self-redemption. From the contests among the Four Halls of Feng City to struggles between sects, with interests entangled and powerful enemies on all sides, each challenge makes Shi Mu even more resolute.
In the end, Shi Mu awakens the power within his own bloodline, changing not only his own destiny but also the future of many others.
The just-released trailer for Episode 1 of The Gate of Mystical Realm will give you an insight into the atmosphere of the donghua. And let’s just say the director is certainly not shying away from extreme violence, or scenes that may be upsetting to some.
Look out for the first three episodes of The Gate of Mystical Realm arriving on Bilibili on Friday, and on the Made by Bilibili YouTube channel.
But, from the promo pieces that have dropped this week, this one has more than peaked my interest already. How about you?
About the Author
Michelle Topham 
