The Founder of Diabolism

The Founder of Diabolism, known in China as Mo Dao Zu Shi, originated as a popular web novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Its transition to an ONA series, produced by Tencent Penguin Pictures and animated by B.C. May Pictures, marked a significant expansion of the xianxia fantasy genre into high-quality 2D animation. Released in 2018, the series was created to adapt the complex narrative of rebirth and cultivation, leveraging China's rapidly growing animation industry to capture a sophisticated visual aesthetic that blended traditional ink-wash painting styles with modern character design.

The series received widespread acclaim for its intricate world-building, emotional storytelling, and fluid action sequences, which set a new benchmark for Chinese animation. The design team focused on emphasizing the contrast between the protagonist’s two lives, using a distinct color palette and atmospheric lighting to mirror the shifting tone of the story. Upon its release, it became a cultural phenomenon that helped propel domestic animation to international attention, receiving praise for its atmospheric direction and faithful, albeit adapted, representation of the source material.