Lord of the Mysteries is a Chinese animation, or donghua, that will transport us to an alternate Victorian world where steam-powered machines and mystical beings collide. The series is adapted from the works of the equally mysteriously-named author Cuttlefish That Loves Diving and is set for a 2025 release.
The novel and manhua (also known as Guimi Zhi Zhu) were posted on QiDian, China’s largest web novel platform by Cuttlefish That Loves Diving. The author (whose real name is Yuan Ye) is also beloved for his other works, including Throne of Magical Arcana, The Sage Who Transcended Samsara, and Embers Ad Infinitum. Lord of the Mysteries has gained great popularity among Western audiences as well, and has become one of the most popular Chinese online novels on Goodreads.
The animation is being handled by Chinese animation company B.CMay Pictures, which has produced animations such as The King’s Avatar, Bureau of Paranormal Investigation, and A Will Eternal. On August 8, 2024, staff confirmed that the animation would aim for a 2025 summer release and uploaded a brand new trailer to whip fans into a frenzy. It did not disappoint.
The visuals in the trailer are absolutely spectacular and fans can expect a fair amount of action and drama by the looks of it.
What’s it all about?
The story focuses on the character of Zhou Mingrui, who has woken up in a new world as Klein Moretti, a man who died under very mysterious circumstances. He finds himself in an alternate Victorian-era world of steam, machines, and mysteries. Science and religion are intertwined as potions, hexes, and divination cards are discovered alongside airships, cannons, and dreadnoughts. Klein finds himself drawn into the various churches of the world he now inhabits, both orthodox and unorthodox, all while he discovers he has powers of his own that continue to grow.
Beyond this, not many details have been released regarding the animation. No cast announcements have been made and we only have the release window rather than a set date. It looks as if the series will be housed on WeTV, a site that shares Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dramas.
There have been reports that the animation is already set to be comprised of five seasons, meaning fans won’t have to worry so much about it being canceled midway through. That being said, we never know what’s in store for the series down the line.
Published: Aug 27, 2024 08:00 am