Thunderbolt Fantasy

Set in an Eastern fantasy world, a brother and sister guard a sacred lineage and a fabled sword, pursued by a shadowy faction. When the foe closes in, the brother is knocked out of the fight and the sister vanishes, driven into a perilous limbo. A wandering swordsman stumbles upon a ruined temple where a Buddha statue is protected by an umbrella against the rain. Taking the umbrella triggers a strange bargain about kindness, and the next traveler he encounters turns out to be the pursued guardian. Before long, unseen sorcery and a web of rival factions pull the reluctant duo and the wanderer into a dangerous chase.

Released in 2016, the series is directed by Chris Huang and created by Gen Urobuchi. It blends traditional East Asian puppet theatre aesthetics with cinematic fantasy storytelling, drawing on an original concept rather than a direct adaptation. The production pairs intricate puppetry with dynamic action scenes and a score that amplifies the mythic mood.

The show stands out for fusing traditional East Asian puppet artistry with modern fantasy and action, yielding striking swordplay and ornate set pieces. Its unusual format helped spotlight puppet theater in a contemporary anime style, influencing creators seeking tactile, high-stakes visuals. The result is a hybrid of stagecraft and screen.

Critics generally respond to Thunderbolt Fantasy as stylish and bold, with sharp action and a striking art direction. It leans into themes of duty and sacrifice, the price of power, and how trust shifts when danger closes in. The narrative voice maintains Gen Urobuchi's moral ambiguity without losing momentum.

Awards: Thunderbolt Fantasy has drawn attention from genre awards circuits, earning multiple nominations in niche categories for production design, direction, and storytelling, and it has been praised for its ambitious blend of puppetry and fantasy, even as it did not secure top international wins.