History Series / ThunderboltFantasy

Season 1 focuses on Mie Tian Hai and his followers the Xuan Gui Zong[[note]]"Black Demon Sect" or "''Genkishuu''"[[/note]] seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Tian Xing Jian]] or "Sword of Divine Retribution", a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Dan Heng and Dan Fei. When Dan Heng is murdered by Mie Tian Hai, Dan Fei escapes with her part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Xue Ya and Shang Bu Huan. With Lin Xue Ya's meddling, Shang Bu Huan is made to help Dan Fei retrieve the other part of the Tian Xing Jian from Mie Tian Hai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. To assist in Dan Fei's quest, Lin Xue Ya gathers a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Rag Tag Band]] of other warriors from his past including the one-eyed sniper archer Shou Yun Xiao and his protege Juan Can Yun, the demoness necromancer Xing Hai, and the assassin Sha Wu Sheng who actually wants Lin Xue Ya dead.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: All of the Magic Weapons of Divine Teaching are considered to be this in every way, but the Tengyouken (Tiān Xíng Jiàn) is believed by Mie Tian Hai to be the most powerful of them all and that is why he wants it for himself. He surmised this because he has studied the records of the War of Fading Dusk and listened to the communications of the Demon Realm, and the only Demon God not accounted for is You Ja Rei, who he believes was actually slain by the wielder of the Tengyouken. Throughout season 1, Shang Bu Huan constantly doubts the veracity of the myth, and he is proven right when Mie Tian Hai finally steals the sword and releases a spell that has been keeping You Ja Rei sealed under the Dan Clan's sacred grounds. Up until this point, Shang Bu Huan's skepticism is seen as unusual in a world of might and magic, until You Ja Rei awakens and he faces her solo, unsheathing one of the '''''thirty-six''''' even more powerful magical swords he's been keeping hidden the whole time, when he's been using an intentionally dull piece of wood painted silver to look like a sword for the entire season.

Season 1 focuses on Mie Tian Hai and his followers the Xuan Gui Zong[[note]]"Black Demon Sect" or "''Genkishuu''"[[/note]] seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Dan Heng and Dan Fei. When Dan Heng is murdered by Mie Tian Hai, Dan Fei escapes with part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Xue Ya and Shang Bu Huan. With Lin Xue Ya's meddling, Shang Bu Huan is made to help Dan Fei retrieve the crossguard from Mie Tian Hai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. To assist in Dan Fei's quest, Lin Xue Ya gathers a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Rag Tag Band]] of other warriors including the one-eyed sniper archer Shou Yun Xiao and his protege Juan Can Yun, the demoness necromancer Xing Hai, and the assassin Sha Wu Sheng who actually wants Lin Xue Ya dead.

Season 2 finds Shang Bu Huan reuniting with Lang Wu Yao and Ling Ya, but the meeting is soured when he realizes that if his allies can find him in Dong-Li, so can his foes. The two work together to prevent the Sorcerous Sword Index, a compendium of dozens of magical and weapons, from falling into wrong hands. They must contend with the FemmeFatale Xie Yingluo who is trying to prove herself to her master Huo Shi Ming Huang and corrupt Xi-You Imperial envoy Xiao Kuang Juan who convinces his Dong-Li counterparts of the "danger" Shang Bu Huan poses to the public. However, Lin Xue Ya has his own sights set on Xiao Kuang Juan as a new mark, the ascetic monk Di Kong wanders the countryside questioning the meaning of his life alongside that of both the heroes and villains, and the Sorcerous Sword Index's most dangerous weapon the Seven Blasphemous Deaths is freed and it has a mind of its own to take over the world.

'''Important Note:''' [-'''For the convenience of editing, all personal names in this work use a simplified version of the Chinese pinyin romanization scheme, which is used in the English language editions released by Crunchyroll; further comparison between languages of character names are all listed in their character page.'''-]

* {{Transplant}}: Some of Urobutchi's ''Red Dragon'' characters and worldbuilding make it into this series. The Seven Blasphemous Deaths, for example, was made into one of the swords Shang sealed. One of her wielders, Lou Zhen Jie, is revealed to be the true identity of Di Kong

*** Fight Sha Wu Sheng and Di Kong (with the Seven Blasphemous Deaths) using two untransformed {{VideoGame/Touken|Ranbu}} Danshi,

** 2020 saw to Shang and Lin, along with other cast members, participating in Nitroplus' 20th Anniversary Nitro Super Sonic concert and interacting with many of the company's most famous properties. Here, they:
*** run into the world of ''Anime/ExpelledFromParadise'',
*** get Shang out of a loop in ''VisualNovel/YouAndMeAndHer'',
*** fight Setsu Mu Sho and Di Kong (with the Seven Blasphemous Deaths) using two untransformed {{VideoGame/Touken|Ranbu}} Danshi,
*** have Dan Fei, Xing Hai, Xie Yingluo, and Lie Mei take down [[Franchise/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica Qubey]],
*** and finally, [[InternalHomage in a recreation of their initial meeting with Dan Fei]], rescue Anime/SuperSonico from Can Xiong.

** '''Lin Xue Ya and Sha Wu Sheng:''' Both shared bird motifs, sporting elaborate feather accessories, [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eye colors]], contrasting long ponytail hairstyles, and the name "Setsu" within their Japanese pronouns.[[note]]"Setsu" is Musho's surname, meaning "to kill," while the "Setsu" in Setsu A's given name stands for "snow."[[/note]] Sha Wu Sheng is a strong swordsman [[KnightOfCerebus feared by everyone day-in-out]] due to his reputation as an antisocial, [[ImplacableMan merciless assassin;]] but he only targets those who have potential relations to [[ItsPersonal Setsu A]] and seems to be a [[SourOutsideSadInside decent person deep down inside.]][[note]]See his character sheet for more details.[[/note]] He is also one of the the most [[BrutalHonesty straightforwardly honest]] persons of the team aside from Fu Kan, Dan Fei, and San Un, who's true to himself and of others; and has no problem in keeping promises and speak out whatever is on his mind. On the other hand, Setsu A is a friendly and social NonActionGuy, but with [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder sly intentions]] hidden from the public eye; his words are not to be trusted, no matter how genuine he may sound like.

** Team Setsu A's lunch hour in episode 3, and Mie Tian Hai's banquet table in episodes 8, 9 bears a great deal of elaborately-detailed food.

* TechnicolorEyes: This is the first time Pili Co. has ever given their puppets eye colors in magenta (Dan Fei), teal (Mie Tian Hai), bright red (Setsu A, Sha Wu Sheng, Lie Mei), and sky blue (Juan Can Yun) to give them a more "anime" edge thanks to the collaboration.

* {{Crossover}}: 2020 saw to Shang and Lin, along with other cast members, participating in Nitroplus' 20th Anniversary Nitro Super Sonic concert and interacting with many of the company's most famous properties. Here, they:
** run into the world of ''Anime/ExpelledFromParadise'',
** get Shang out of a loop in ''VisualNovel/YouAndMeAndHer'',
** fight Setsu Mu Sho and Di Qong (with the Seven Blasphemous Deaths) using two untransformed {{VideoGame/Touken|Ranbu}} Danshi,
** have Dan Fei, Xing Hai, Xie Yingluo, and Lie Mei take down [[Franchise/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica Qubey]],
** and finally, [[InternalHomage in a recreation of their initial meeting with Dan Fei]], rescue Anime/SuperSonico from Can Xiong.

** get Shang out of a loop in ''Kanojo to Kanojo no Koi'',

** fight Setsu Mu Sho and (...) using two untransformed {{VideoGame/Touken|Ranbu}} Danshi,

** and finally, [[InternalHomage in a recreation of their initial meeting with Dan Fei]], rescue Anime/SuperSonico from (...).

** have Dan Fei, Xing Hai, (...), and (...) take down [[Franchise/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica Qubey]],

* CostumePorn: Every single outfit on the show are extremely detailed and look simply fabulous

[[caption-width-right:350: [[labelnote:This is the poster of season 1. Click to view poster for season 2.]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/main_tbfs04.png[[/labelnote]]]]

Season 1 focuses on Mie Tian Hai and his Black Demon Sect seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Dan Heng and Dan Fei. When Dan Heng is murdered by Mie Tian Hai, Dan Fei escapes with part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Xue Ya and Shang Bu Huan. With Lin Xue Ya's meddling, Shang Bu Huan is made to help Dan Fei retrieve the crossguard from Mie Tian Hai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. To assist in Dan Fei's quest, Lin Xue Ya gathers a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Rag Tag Band]] of other warriors including the one-eyed sniper archer Shou Yun Xiao and his protege Juan Can Yun, the demoness necromancer Xing Hai, and the assassin Sha Wu Sheng who actually wants Lin Xue Ya dead.

Two films were released in both Japan and Taiwan (and internationally on Website/{{Crunchyroll}}) expanding the ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' universe. ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyTheSwordOfLifeAndDeath'' was released in December 2017 and is split into two halves. The first half focuses more on Sha Wu Sheng and his past with Lin Xue Ya and why he seeks his death; this was based on a light novel ''Thunderbolt Fantasy Gaiden'', which also includes a similar story about Xing Hai's past with Lin Xue Ya. The second half of the film serves as a comedic {{interquel}} between seasons 1 and 2, with Shang Bu Huan meeting a man posing as him who has been telling tall tales of the events of season 1 which overstate his own importance in the battle against Mie Tian Hai and the Black Demon Sect. The second film ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyBewitchingMelodyOfTheWest'' came out in October 2019, and focuses on Lang Wu Yao and how he came to be one of Shang Bu Huan's equals and allies in the protection of the Sorcerous Sword Index, along with fellow musician Mu Tian Ming. The film also introduces the sadistic Xi-You Imperial Princess Chao Feng, who gave Xiao Kuang Juan the quest to retrieve the Index for her father the Emperor.

** The manga shows the Black Demon Sect razing the village after Shang Bu Huan leaves and has some KickTheDog moments for Mie Tian Hai.

* AdaptationalVillainy: The manga version presents the Black Demon Sect and Mie Tian Hai as more sadistic than their original counterparts.

* BallOfLightTransformation: The Black Demon Sect and Sha Wu Sheng use "Meteor Walk" to travel long distances in a short time.

** Some terminologies were LostInTranslation on the Crunchyroll version, such as the bread Shang Bu Huan ate in episode 2 is the Chinese flatbread: ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaobing Shao Bing ]]'', and the Demon Birds the Black Demon Sect uses for transport are called ''Miyoku'' (魑翼 ''Chī Yì'' in Chinese,) which were all mentioned within the Japanese dub but never reached the English subs.

* {{Mooks}}: The mask wearing, robed swordsmen of the Black Demon Sect. They possess massive amounts of UndyingLoyalty to their leaders, considering the CurbStompBattle they witness occur to their comrades and still continue the MookHorrorShow when fighting Sha Wu Sheng and [[spoiler:a serious Shang Bu Huan]].

* WouldHitAGirl: Most the villains like Black Demon Sect, Shou Yun Xiao, and Sha Wu Sheng are willing or don't care about killing a women whether their good or evil.

* ActOfTrueLove: In the manga, even though Ken lost Dan Fei's trust after he was forced to abandon her, but he is willing to risk his life to regain her trust by letting her injure him. He even risks his own life protecting her from being crushed by a boulder caused by Youjyarei.

** Flashbacks that wasn't seen in the show like when Lin was Lian Qi's student and watched his master making the Soul Echo Flute, and the time, Ken reminiscing cherish memories with his sworn brother together when he's fighting Un Syou.

Season 1 focuses on Mie Tian Hai and his Black Demon Sect seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Dan Heng and Dan Fei. When Dan Heng is murdered by Mie Tian Hai, Dan Fei escapes with part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Xue Ya and Shang Bu Huan. With Lin Xue Ya's meddling, Shang Bu Huan is made to help Dan Fei retrieve the crossguard from Mie Tian Hai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. Lin Xue Ya gathers a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Rag Tag Band]] of other warriors including the one-eyed archer sniper Shou Yun Xiao and his protege Juan Can Yun, the demoness necromancer Xing Hai, and the assassin Sha Wu Sheng who actually wants Lin Xue Ya dead.

Season 1 focuses on Mie Tian Hai and his Black Demon Sect seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Tan Ko and Dan Fei. When Tan Ko is murdered by Mie Tian Hai, Dan Fei escapes with part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Xue Ya and Shang Bu Huan. With Lin Xue Ya's meddling, Shang Bu Huan is made to help Dan Fei retrieve the crossguard from Mie Tian Hai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. Lin Xue Ya gathers a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Rag Tag Band]] of other warriors including the one-eyed archer sniper Shou Yun Xiao and his protege Juan Can Yun, the demoness necromancer Xing Hai, and the assassin Sha Wu Sheng who actually wants Lin Xue Ya dead.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: All of the Magic Weapons of Divine Teaching are considered to be this in every way, but the Tengyouken (Tiān Xíng Jiàn) is believed by Mie Tian Hai to be the most powerful of them all and that is why he wants it for himself. He surmised this because he has studied the records of the War of Fading Dusk and listened to the communications of the Demon Realm, and the only Demon God not accounted for is You Ja Rei, who he believes was actually slain by the wielder of the Tengyouken. Throughout season 1, Shang Bu Huan constantly doubts the veracity of the myth, and he is proven right when Mie Tian Hai finally steals the sword and releases a spell that has been keeping You Ja Rei sealed under the Tan Clan's sacred grounds. Up until this point, Shang Bu Huan's skepticism is seen as unusual in a world of might and magic, until You Ja Rei awakens and he faces her solo, unsheathing one of the '''''thirty-six''''' even more powerful magical swords he's been keeping hidden the whole time, when he's been using an intentionally dull piece of wood painted silver to look like a sword for the entire season.

The sprawling series of 2 (soon to be 3) seasons of the TV show and two films is set in a fantasy world of swords, wizardry, and demons in the nation of Dong-Li, which in the past was ravaged by an invasion from the Demon Realm that split it from its neighboring nation Xi-You by the impassible Wasteland of Spirits, full of dangerous dragons and demon-worshipping barbarians. The main cast comprises the illusionist and GentlemanThief Lin Setsu A and the wandering and taciturn swordsman Syou Fu Kan who has somehow crossed the Wasteland of Spirits unscathed; Syou Fu Kan's compatriate Rou Fu You, a wandering minstrel with an enchanted voice and a magical talking pipa named Ryouga, joins the main cast in season 2.

Season 1 focuses on Betsu Ten Gai and his Black Demon Sect seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Tan Ko and Tan Hi. When Tan Ko is murdered by Betsu Ten Gai, Tan Hi escapes with part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Setsu A and Syou Fu Kan. With Lin Setsu A's meddling, Syou Fu Kan is made to help Tan Hi retrieve the crossguard from Betsu Ten Gai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. Lin Setsu A gathers a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Rag Tag Band]] of other warriors including the one-eyed archer sniper Syu Un Syou and his protege Ken San Un, the demoness necromancer Kei Gai, and the assassin Setsu Mu Syou who actually wants Lin Setsu A dead.

Season 2 finds Syou Fu Kan reuniting with Rou Fu You and Ryouga, but the meeting is soured when he realizes that if his allies can find him in Dong-Li, so can his foes. The two work together to prevent the Sorcerous Sword Index, a compendium of dozens of magical and weapons, from falling into wrong hands. They must contend with the FemmeFatale Katsu Eiraku who is trying to prove herself to her master Kasei Meikou and corrupt Xi-You Imperial envoy Syou Kyou Ken who convinces his Dong-Li counterparts of the "danger" Syou Fu Kan poses to the public. However, Lin Setsu A has his own sights set on Syou Kyou Ken as a new mark, the ascetic monk Tei Kuu wanders the countryside questioning the meaning of his life alongside that of both the heroes and villains, and the Sorcerous Sword Index's most dangerous weapon the Seven Blasphemous Deaths is freed and it has a mind of its own to take over the world.

Season 3 is currently in production, but is set to feature Kasei Meikou leading a direct invasion into Dong-Li, assisted by none other than Kei Gai who seeks revenge against the heroes for their actions in the season 1 finale.

Two films were released in both Japan and Taiwan (and internationally on Website/{{Crunchyroll}}) expanding the ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' universe. ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyTheSwordOfLifeAndDeath'' was released in December 2017 and is split into two halves. The first half focuses more on Setsu Mu Syou and his past with Lin Setsu A and why he seeks his death; this was based on a light novel ''Thunderbolt Fantasy Gaiden'', which also includes a similar story about Kei Gai's past with Lin Setsu A. The second half of the film serves as a comedic {{interquel}} between seasons 1 and 2, with Syou Fu Kan meeting a man posing as him who has been telling tall tales of the events of season 1 which overstate his own importance in the battle against Betsu Ten Gai and the Black Demon Sect. The second film ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyBewitchingMelodyOfTheWest'' came out in October 2019, and focuses on Rou Fu You and how he came to be one of Syou Fu Kan's equals and allies in the protection of the Sorcerous Sword Index, along with fellow musician Mutsu Ten Mei. The film also introduces the sadistic Xi-You Imperial Princess Chou Fu, who gave Syou Kyou Ken the quest to retrieve the Index for her father the Emperor.

In addition to the ''Gaiden'' light novel mentioned above, two manga were released that [[AdaptationExpansion adapt and expand upon]] the events of season 1; one of these manga is subtitled ''Otome Gen'yūki'' (乙女幻遊奇) and retells the story from Tan Hi's point of view (available for [[http://chancro.jp/comics/thunderbolt free online]]). In the build up to season 2, the Creator/TakarazukaRevue's Star Group staged a musical adaptation of season 1 to accompany their other original stage show ''Killer Rouge'' (Killer Rouge／星秀☆煌紅)[[note]]Pronounced "Amazing Star Killer Rouge"[[/note]], which toured around Japan and Taiwan in August 2018; Pili even made a Lin Setsu A puppet dressed up as his CrossCastRole actress Yuzuru Kurenai's outfit in ''Killer Rouge'' to promote the tour.

'''Important Note:''' [-'''For the convenience of editing, all names and terminologies for this work will go by, or lean towards Japanese romanizations used by Nitro+; further comparison between languages of character names are all listed in their character page.'''-]

* ActOfTrueLove: In the manga, even though Ken lost Tan Hi's trust after he was forced to abandon her, but he is willing to risk his life to regain her trust by letting her injure him. He even risks his own life protecting her from being crushed by a boulder caused by Youjyarei.
* AdaptationDistillation: The manga leaves out some of the live action's character poems, simplifies the action sequences, like Syou Fu Kan's signature move, and removes some directorial focus.[[note]]Lin Setsu A's character introduction, the character poems, and the Syou Fu Kan/Stone Buddha juxaposition.[[/note]]
** The manga leaves out Tan Hi fight against Betsu Ten Gai and Lin using his illusion on her to fight Syou Fu Kan was cut completely. Instead Syou Fu Kan fights Betsu Ten Gai in her place.

** The manga shows the Black Demon Sect razing the village after Syou Fu Kan leaves and has some KickTheDog moments for Betsu Ten Gai.

** Flashbacks that wasn't seen in the show like when Lin was Ren Ki's student and watched his master making the Soul Echo Flute, and the time, Ken reminiscing cherish memories with his sworn brother together when he's fighting Un Syou.
* AdaptationalVillainy: The manga version presents the Black Demon Sect and Betsu Ten Gai as more sadistic than their original counterparts.
** In the original series, Betsu Ten Gai acts like an Evil King who only deals with [[EvilVirtues matters that he deems worthy]] and [[AmbitionIsEvil kills people only when they stand in the way of his great ambition]]. However in the manga, Betsu Ten Gai seems to enjoy [[KickTheDog stabbing villagers]] and [[MindRape torturing his subordinates when they fail]].
** In the original series, Chou Mei appears to be [[UndyingLoyalty very loyal towards his master and following orders]]. However the manga portrays him much darker as he doesn't mind hurting his comrades and doesn't care when they fail, tortures his victims in his torture room and enjoys their suffering. He even willing to use his comrades as a distraction by throwing them at the enemies before finishing them.

* AndTheAdventureContinues: Syou Fu Kan travels for parts unknown and is still on his mission to dispose of the legendary swords while Lin Setsu A is intrigued enough by Syou Fu Kan and the prospect of other villains to defeat so he decides to follow him.

** [=TBF=] Project announced a {{crossover}} collaboration between ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' and ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'' on April 1, 2017, with a video showing Lin Setsu A facing off against Mikazuki Munechika (who both happen to be voiced by Creator/KosukeToriumi); expected for release on April 1, 2205. This, obviously, is a non-canon announcement project. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61wd_fRtOLo&t=6s The link to the making of the video can be seen here.]][[note]]The video was taken down from the main website and Website/YouTube on April 2, 2017.[[/note]]
** To follow up on 2017's joke, 2018 has Syou Fu Kan encounter and summon ''Touken Tanbu''[='=]s Sengo Muramasa (this time both are voiced by Creator/JunichiSuwabe), expected for release in 2206.

** Character designer Satoshi Minamoto launched a fashion magazine called ''Thunfan Fashion'' [[https://twitter.com/Satoru_minamoto/status/847964519007637504 featuring Syou Fu Kan on the main cover.]]
* BallOfLightTransformation: The Black Demon Sect and Setsu Mu Syou use "Meteor Walk" to travel long distances in a short time.

** Some terminologies were LostInTranslation on the Crunchyroll version, such as the bread Syou Fu Kan ate in episode 2 is the Chinese flatbread: ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaobing Shao Bing ]]'', and the Demon Birds the Black Demon Sect uses for transport are called ''Miyoku'' (魑翼 ''Chī Yì'' in Chinese,) which were all mentioned within the Japanese dub but never reached the English subs.
** The East Asian demographic were not surprised by Lin Setsu A being a PhantomThief compared to the western audience since Lin Setsu A's Art Name in Chinese/Kanji was already a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin giveaway]]. Crunchyroll's translation is "Enigmatic Gale," a bit of a stretch to the actual meaning: "''Thief'' of the Wind Dust." It's most likely they mistook Lin Setsu A's alias as his Art Name, but it's also likely that they translated it that way to cover up the spoiler.

** Season 1 begins with Syou Fu Kan taking a paper umbrella from a Buddha statue in order to protect himself from a storm. The final scene has him return a similar umbrella to the same statue, and stride unprotected into an oncoming storm.

* CastFullOfPrettyBoys: While Creator/{{Nitroplus}} did provide a bit more variety with their original 2D character designs, Pili Co.'s physical puppet renditions are notorious for beautifying '''every . single . darn . character''', including our token old pops Ren Ki. Seriously, ''just look at all those lavish eyelashes!''
* ChastityCouple: Tan Hi and Ken San Un. They are never seen hugging or kissing before and after being HappilyMarried. They are only seen HoldingHands instead.
* {{Cliffhanger}}: Season 2 ends with Kasei Meikou and his organizations are planning to start a full invasion of Dong-Li with the help of [[spoiler:Kei Kai.]]

* DeusExMachina: First season finale. Lin Setsu A suddenly revealing that he's one of the greatest swordsmen in the world, while it comes out of nowhere, is ''not'' an example, since it just ends up making things worse... but Syou Fu Kan revealing the Sorcerous Sword Index, whose existence hadn't really been hinted at before, and immediately using it to resolve the plot of the season certainly qualifies.
* DistantReactionShot: The final clash between Lin Setsu A and Betsu Ten Gai was so big that it literally left the planet smoking.

* DecapitationPresentation: In the manga, Chou Mei brings Tan Kou's head to Tan Hi as he wants her to sink in deep despair and agony. It implied that Betsu Ten Gai was the one who cut off Tan Kou's head.

* DwindlingParty: Tan Hi gathers a group of allies to travel to the Seven Sins Tower, and by the end of the series, only Tan Hi, Lin Setsu A, Syou Fu Kan, and Ken San Un remain alive, with Kei Gai's fate unknown because demons can't necessarily be killed.
** [[spoiler:The season 2 stinger reveals that TheBusCameBack for Kei Gai.]]
* EasterEgg: [[FreezeFrameBonus Three of Syou Fu Kan's 36 swords]] are swords belonging to characters of Pili's various titles. A fourth sword belongs to a character from the tabletop roleplaying session-turned-anime: ''Anime/ChaosDragon'', for which Urobuchi was both part of the anime adaptation staff and a player in the original TRPG campaign. But this also brings up the issue of whether Syou Fu Kan can really use up his entire sword collection as he plans to do within his journey at Dong-Li.

* EvolvingCredits: The second season's opening has a few variables depending on the episodes. As soon as Rou Fu You shows up, Lin Setsu A's battle-ready pose is replaced by Ryouga's sword transformation, which is then replaced by [[spoiler:the Seven Blasphemous Deaths emerging from a pool of blood once the cursed sword takes center stage in the story. Additionally, once Rou Shin Kai kills Katsu Eiraku and takes the Seven Blasphemous Deaths for himself, his clip is updated to his new attire. The ending credits shortens Katsu Eiraku's clip and lengthens Rou Shin Kai's around the same time.]]

** '''Lin Setsu A and Setsu Mu Syou:''' Both shared bird motifs, sporting elaborate feather accessories, [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eye colors]], contrasting long ponytail hairstyles, and the name "Setsu" within their Japanese pronouns.[[note]]"Setsu" is Musho's surname, meaning "to kill," while the "Setsu" in Setsu A's given name stands for "snow."[[/note]] Setsu Mu Syou is a strong swordsman [[KnightOfCerebus feared by everyone day-in-out]] due to his reputation as an antisocial, [[ImplacableMan merciless assassin;]] but he only targets those who have potential relations to [[ItsPersonal Setsu A]] and seems to be a [[SourOutsideSadInside decent person deep down inside.]][[note]]See his character sheet for more details.[[/note]] He is also one of the the most [[BrutalHonesty straightforwardly honest]] persons of the team aside from Fu Kan, Tan Hi, and San Un, who's true to himself and of others; and has no problem in keeping promises and speak out whatever is on his mind. On the other hand, Setsu A is a friendly and social NonActionGuy, but with [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder sly intentions]] hidden from the public eye; his words are not to be trusted, no matter how genuine he may sound like.
** '''Betsu Ten Gai and Syou Fu Kan:''' Both are sword collectors, but Betsu Ten Gai resides in a castle, dresses himself in jewelry and rich fabrics, and desires swords to basically bolster his own ego while having a total disregard for the lives of others. Syou Fu Kan meanwhile is a wanderer, dresses in basic leathers and furs, and collects swords not for his own sake, but to keep them out of the hands of people like Betsu Ten Gai, while choosing a style of fighting that very much forces him to consider the weight of each life he might take. As a bonus, it means he doesn't need a sword because of his skills, while Betsu Ten Gai wants a sword to match his abilities.

** Team Setsu A's lunch hour in episode 3, and Betsu Ten Gai's banquet table in episodes 8, 9 bears a great deal of elaborately-detailed food.
** Nitro+ introduced in more detail, a couple of snacks that appeared in ''[=TBF=]'' through twitter. Such as [[TrademarkFavoriteFood Syou Fu Kan's Shao Bing, Tan Hi's Walnut Biscuit, Ken San Un's Dried Tofu, Setsu Mu Syou's Stir-Fried Watermelon Seeds, Betsu Ten Gai's Roast Chicken, Chou Mei's Stir Fry Sweet Mui Choy and Pork Belly]], and Lin Setsu A's...''[[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers Cheesecake?!]]'' [[note]]East-Asian style cheesecakes are made in a more lighter, spongy, pound-like texture than typical western styled cheesecakes. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesecake Check the other wiki for more details.]] Even with that explanation, having cheesecake in a Wuxia universe is definitely odd.[[/note]]

** Lin Setsu A's role as a PhantomThief is foreshadowed as early as the first episode.
*** Betsu Ten Gai stares into the eyes of Zan Kyou and seeing both Syou Fu Kan and Lin Setsu A, he expresses surprise that Lin Setsu A is "opposing" him, then laughs maniacally.
*** Setsu Mu Syou mentions that Lin Setsu A "took something very valuable from him", and for that reason, hated him.
*** Near the Demon Spine Mountains, Betsu Ten Gai just decides to "amuse himself" and go back to the Seven Sins Tower when he talks about TheChessmaster nature of Lin Setsu A.
** Compared to everyone else's [[AudibleSharpness weapon]], Syou Fu Kan's sword is unremarkably plain and makes a dull wooden "clunk" sound whenever drawn or sheathed.
** Kei Gai and Syu Un Syou siding with Betsu Ten Gai is foreshadowed in a scene where Lin Setsu A notices some Onyx Demon guards cleaning up a table that was set for three people...one of them being Betsu Ten Gai of course.

** That second bit is averted with Chou Mei, who has his organs explode out through his back.

* {{Homage}}: In the manga adaption of chapter 4, the scene where Betsu Ten Gai kills an innocent young boy seems to be based on one from VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria where the main heroine helplessly witnesses her younger brother killed by her former teacher and brother in law in the Japanese version.
* HotSpringsEpisode: Only in the manga, where Lin and the guys (although Tan Hi was listening through the other side), discussing the three requirements they need to pass through the three barriers.

* IHaveManyNames: Since the story takes place in an ancient Chinese setting, most characters will have at least 2 names for themselves: their given name and an [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_name art name]]. Lin Setsu A takes the cake in having an extra alias, which gives him ''three'' names. What makes it worse is all characters have three different voice overs, giving them at least ''[[SpellMyNameWithAnS three]]'' [[SpellMyNameWithAnS different additional readings]] to compare with.
** For those who find themselves confused by this, remember: The characters have the same given name and art name (and alias, if you're Lin Setsu A) regardless of what version of the show you're watching, they're just pronounced and rendered into English differently depending on the version.
* InfinityPlusOneSword: All of the Magic Weapons of Divine Teaching are considered to be this in every way, but the Tengyouken (Tiān Xíng Jiàn) is believed by Betsu Ten Gai to be the most powerful of them all and that is why he wants it for himself. He surmised this because he has studied the records of the War of Fading Dusk and listened to the communications of the Demon Realm, and the only Demon God not accounted for is You Ja Rei, who he believes was actually slain by the wielder of the Tengyouken. Throughout season 1, Syou Fu Kan constantly doubts the veracity of the myth, and he is proven right when Betsu Ten Gai finally steals the sword and releases a spell that has been keeping You Ja Rei sealed under the Tan Clan's sacred grounds. Up until this point, Syou Fu Kan's skepticism is seen as unusual in a world of might and magic, until You Ja Rei awakens and he faces her solo, unsheathing one of the '''''thirty-six''''' even more powerful magical swords he's been keeping hidden the whole time, when he's been using an intentionally dull piece of wood painted silver to look like a sword for the entire season.
* ItBeganWithATwistOfFate: It was raining and Syou Fu Kan needed an umbrella...

** BadassCape / BadassLongcoat / BadassLongRobe: Due to the nature of controlling puppets from the inside, Pili puppet costumes are required to have long gowns and robes to cover up the puppeteers' arms. While the capes are there for bonus badass looks when they are performing live, flying, or just [[DramaticWind standing in the wind]], WordOfGod indicates that in Setsu Mu Syou's case, because of his lean bodyframe ([[MrFanservice and least amount of clothing layers on top]]), he ''has to'' wear a badass cape, otherwise his puppeteer won't have anywhere to hide himself during the shoot.
** PimpedOutDress: Judging from both 2D design and puppet production outcome, of all characters, Lin Setsu A, Tan Hi, Setsu Mu Syou, and Betsu Ten Gai takes the cake of wearing the most pimped outfits.

* {{Mooks}}: The mask wearing, robed swordsmen of the Black Demon Sect. They possess massive amounts of UndyingLoyalty to their leaders, considering the CurbStompBattle they witness occur to their comrades and still continue the MookHorrorShow when fighting Setsu Mu Syou and [[spoiler:a serious Syou Fu Kan]].
* NiceShoes: Considering the usual close-up on the puppets' boots which is to show that they are walking, the boots design is very stylish with sets of gems particularly on [[http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire2/cc1bdfcb605983e585190cadac4e41a71462211426_full.jpg Setsu Mu Syou]], [[https://farm9.static.flickr.com/8623/28852185636_6264488498.jpg Betsu Ten Gai]] and [[http://i.gzn.jp/img/2016/02/07/thunderboltfantasy-wf2016w/P3440813.jpg Lin Setsu A]].
* NonchalantDodge: Syou Fu Kan, given his laidback attitude, barely moves but he is able to dodge his enemy's attacks and [[BigBad Betsu Ten Gai]] doesn't care if some high power attack comes to him because he could just dodge it.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Lin Setsu A has put together quite a party to take down Betsu Ten Gai, to wit: a wandering swordsman who recently arrived from another country; a sheltered warrior priestess; a cynical archer and his {{Keet}} sidekick; a demon necromancer who hates him (but is willing to put that aside for the sake of the mission); and a psychopath assassin who also hates him, and is along ''specifically for the opportunity to kill him''.

* SecretTestOfCharacter: Both Kei Gai and Syu Un Syou deliberately held back during the trials that they were recruited for in order to get a better sense of Syou Fu Kan's skills and motivation.
* SequelHook: Syou Fu Kan still has 35 swords of mass destruction to dispose of. And Lin Setsu A knows if he advertises that to the world every single villain in Dong-Li and Xi-You will be after them, and will be perfect marks for him.
** TheMovie (#1) shows Lin Setsu A doing just this, setting up season 2 by revealing the evil organization Kasei Meikou' scorpion-themed lady assassin Katsu Eiraku and the corrupt Xi-You government official Syou Kyou Ken both preparing a venture across the Wasteland of Spirits to chase after Syou Fu Kan and his Sorcerous Sword Index, as well as his ally Rou Fu You and his talking pipa Ryouga preparing their own journey to get ready to lend their aid.
** Season 2 ends with Syou Fu Kan somehow in possession of two more swords than he started off with, and now Kasei Meikou is planning a full on invasion of Dong-Li with the assistance of Kei Gai.
** TheMovie #2 shows us Mutsu Ten Mei and Ten Kou Ki Shou as two of Syou Fu Kan's other allies, but with no explanation of why they never caught up with him again, which Lin Setsu A remarks upon in TheStinger. It also introduces Imperial Princess Chou Fu and her unseen father, who are also likely to show up in season 3.

* TheSouthPaw: Due to the mechanism of the puppets, all puppets' left hands are designed to be their most expressive part, hence why they all wield their weapons with their left hands, making them left-handed. Puppeteers are mostly right-handed. Therefore, the puppets are designed to fully occupy their puppeteers' right hands by supporting the puppets' full body, and control most of the puppets' internal mechanisms, including head tilts, eye blinks, and the puppets' right arms; while their left hands control the left hands of the puppets and their puppets' foot movements. Our [[TheArcher mister archer]], Syu Un Syou and [[DualWielding dual wielder]], Setsu Mu Syou could pass as HeroicAmbidexterity due to Syu Un Syou's use of his right hand for arrows, typical for right-handed archers, and Setsu Mu Syou for his usage of dual sword-fencing.
** Subverted in the manga adaption. Where everyone wield their weapons right-handed with the exception of Lin Setsu A and Betsu Ten Gai, who are actually left-handed.

* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: Lin Setsu A has the right idea to stop he rampaging demon god. Just get a new legendary sword to seal it again! Trouble is, where do you find one in a jiffy? It's a good thing Syou Fu Kan has 36 of those and he's thinking that's a good solution as well.

* TechnicolorEyes: This is the first time Pili Co. has ever given their puppets eye colors in magenta (Tan Hi), teal (Betsu Ten Gai), bright red (Setsu A, Setsu Mu Syou, Ryou Mi), and sky blue (Ken San Un) to give them a more "anime" edge thanks to the collaboration.

** [[TheDrifter Syou Fu Kan]] carries an [[HumbleHero unremarkably plain sword]] with a [[TheManMakesTheWeapon crudely whittled wooden handle held together with twine]].
** The Seal Guardian [[LadyOfWar Tan Hi]] carries a straight bladed saber with a [[OrnamentalWeapon strangely round and intricate cross-guard]] [[CoolKey resembling a]] [[Franchise/KingdomHearts key]].

** The BigBad Betsu Ten Gai oozes magnificent [[EvilIsHammy ham]] every time he appears on the screen from his dramatic [[EvilGloating monologues]], [[CoolMask mask removal]], and [[UnorthodoxSheathing sword unsheathing]].
* WouldHitAGirl: Most the villains like Black Demon Sect, Syu Un Syou, and Setsu Mu Syou are willing or don't care about killing a women whether their good or evil.

* DeusExMachina: First season finale.

The sprawling series of 2 seasons of the TV show and two films is set in a fantasy world of swords, wizardry, and demons in the nation of Dong-Li, which in the past was ravaged by an invasion from the Demon Realm that split it from its neighboring nation Xi-You by the impassible Wasteland of Spirits, full of dangerous dragons and demon-worshipping barbarians. The main cast comprises the illusionist and GentlemanThief Lin Setsu A and the wandering and taciturn swordsman Syou Fu Kan who has somehow crossed the Wasteland of Spirits unscathed; Syou Fu Kan's compatriate Rou Fu You, a wandering minstrel with an enchanted voice and a magical talking pipa named Ryouga, joins the main cast in season 2.

* SupernaturalMartialArts: In true Wuxia fashion, characters can perform weapon based KiAttacks due to their training.

In addition to the ''Giaden'' light novel mentioned above, two manga were released that [[AdaptationExpansion adapt and expand upon]] the events of season 1; one of these manga is subtitled ''Otome Gen'yūki'' (乙女幻遊奇) and retells the story from Tan Hi's point of view (available for [[http://chancro.jp/comics/thunderbolt free online]]). In the build up to season 2, the Creator/TakarazukaRevue's Star Group staged a musical adaptation of season 1 to accompany their other original stage show ''Killer Rouge'' (Killer Rouge／星秀☆煌紅)[[note]]Pronounced "Amazing Star Killer Rouge"[[/note]], which toured around Japan and Taiwan in August 2018; Pili even made a Lin Setsu A puppet dressed up as his CrossCastRole actress Yuzuru Kurenai's outfit in ''Killer Rouge'' to promote the tour.

Season 1 focuses on Betsu Ten Gai and his Black Demon Sect seeking out the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a mystical weapon said to have actually slain a demon god centuries earlier, but the sword is sealed away and its hilt and crossguard are kept by two guardian priests, the brother-sister pair of Tan Ko and Tan Hi. When Tan Ko is murdered by Betsu Ten Gai, Tan Hi escapes with part of the sword and crosses paths with Lin Setsu A and Syou Fu Kan. With Lin Setsu A's meddling, Syou Fu Kan is made to help Tan Hi retrieve the crossguard from Betsu Ten Gai to prevent him from taking the sword for himself. Lin Setsu A gathers a RagTagBand of other warriors including the one-eyed archer sniper Syu Un Syou and his protege Ken San Un, the demoness necromancer Kei Gai, and the assassin Setsu Mu Syou who actually wants Lin Setsu A dead.

The sprawling series of 2 seasons of the TV show and two films is set in a fantasy world of swords, wizardry, and demons in the nation of Dong-Li. The initial main characters are the GentlemanThief and illusionist Lin Setsu A and the wandering and taciturn swordsman Syou Fu Kan who is from neighboring nation Xi-You despite there being the impassible Wasteland of Spirits between the two. The first season focuses on the two assisting the priestess Tan Hi who is on the run from the evil Betsu Ten Gai and his followers the Black Demon Sect who seek the hilt of the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sword of Divine Retribution]], a weapon that is said to have been the only one capable of slaying a Demon God in the War of Fading Dusk centuries earlier. Lin Setsu A recruits an unwilling Syou Fu Kan to help Tan Hi, along with several other associates: the one-eyed sniper archer Syu Un Syou, Syu Un Syou's hot-blooded protege Ken San Un, the demoness necromancer Kei Gai, and the assassin Setsu Mu Syou who wants to kill Lin Setsu A himself. The second season finds Syou Fu Kan reuniting with his Xi-You ally the musician Rou Fu You and his magical talking pipa Ryouga to prevent the Sorcerous Sword Index, a compendium of dozens of magical weapons, from falling into the hands of two of his foes from Xi-You. He must contend with both the FemmeFatale Katsu Eiraku who is trying to prove herself to her master Kasei Meikou and his clan of assassins and CorruptBureaucrat Syou Kyou Ken who has convinced his counterparts in Dong-Li that Syou Fu Kan is a dangerous criminal who must be caught dead or alive. Meanwhile, Lin Setsu A has cozied himself up to Syou Kyou Ken posing as an envoy of Dong-Li's emperor, and the ascetic monk Tei Kuu wanders the Dong-Li countryside, confronting and confounding all players in the fight for the Sorcerous Sword Index, including its most dangerous weapon the sentient Seven Blasphemous Deaths. As of early 2020, Season 3 is still in production, and is set to focus on Kasei Meikou's full on invasion of Dong-Li assisted by Kei Gai, who is seeking revenge against the heroes for the events of the season 1 finale.

In addition to the ''Giaden'' light novel mentioned above, two manga were released that [[AdaptionExpansion adapt and expand upon]] the events of season 1; one of these manga is subtitled ''Otome Gen'yūki'' (乙女幻遊奇) and retells the story from Tan Hi's point of view (available for [[http://chancro.jp/comics/thunderbolt free online]]). In the build up to season 2, the Creator/TakarazukaRevue's Star Group staged a musical adaptation of season 1 to accompany their other original stage show ''Killer Rouge'' (Killer Rouge／星秀☆煌紅)[[note]]Pronounced "Amazing Star Killer Rouge"[[/note]], which toured around Japan and Taiwan in August 2018; Pili even made a Lin Setsu A puppet dressed up as his CrossCastRole actress Yuzuru Kurenai's outfit in ''Killer Rouge'' to promote the tour.

'''''Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers''''' (Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀)[[note]]''Dōng Lí Jiàn Yóu Jì'' / ''Tōri Ken Yūki''; lit. "Record of the Dong-Li Sword Journey"[[/note]] is a {{Wuxia}} [[PuppetShows Puppet Show]] TV series, spearheaded by Japanese screenwriter Creator/GenUrobuchi (''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', ''LightNovel/FateZero'', ''Anime/PsychoPass'', ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'') of Creator/{{Nitroplus}} after he fell in love with the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glove_puppetry glove puppet]] shows produced by Taiwanese production studio Pili (known in the west as the creators of what became ''Series/WulinWarriors'') after stumbling upon their works at a Taiwan anime and comic fan convention he attended. Both Urobuchi and Pili ended up contacting each other to see if they wanted to work on a project together, and with a little help from nitro+ character designers and Good Smile Company (creators of the Toys/{{Figma}} and Nendoroid figurines), ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' was born. The series debuted on July 8, 2016, in both Japan and Taiwan, and internationally through Website/{{Crunchyroll}}, with voice overs in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Taiwanese Hokkien. In addition to a Japanese AllStarCast providing voices, Music/HiroyukiSawano (''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn, Manga/AttackOnTitan'', ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'') composes the soundtrack (later joined by Takafumi Wada [''Manga/SeraphOfTheEnd'', ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'']) and Music/TMRevolution a.k.a. Takanori Nishikawa (''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'', ''Manga/SoulEater'') sings the theme songs for each season and film, and later joins the cast.

In the distant past of the world of ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'', the hordes of the Demon Realm attacked humanity in what would later be called the War of Fading Dust (窮暮之戰)[[note]]Chinese: ''Qióng Mù Zhī Zhàn'' / Japanese: ''Kyūbo no Sen''[[/note]]. To fight back against the Demon Gods and their ilk, humans were gifted the Magic Weapons of Divine Teaching (神誨魔械),[[note]]''Shén Huì Mó Xiè'' / ''Shinkai Makai''[[/note]] from their gods which drove the Demons back to the underworld. In order to prevent these weapons from falling into the wrong hands, all of them were given to multiple families of Seal Guardians (護印師),[[note]]''Hù Yìn Shī'' / ''Goinshi''[[/note]] who have kept the weapons for generations. The war also physically divided the two nations of Dong-Li (東離)[[note]]''Dōng-Lí'' / ''Tōri''[[/note]] and Xi-You (西幽)[[note]]''Xī-Yōu'' / ''Sei-Yū''[[/note]], with the impassible and demon-infested Wasteland of Spirits (鬼歿之地)[[note]]''Guǐ Mò Zhī Dì'' / ''Kibotsu no Chi''[[/note]] between them.

In the modern day, the evil Black Demon Sect (玄鬼宗)[[note]]''Xuán Guǐ Zōng'' / ''Genkishū''[[/note]] attacks the shrine home to [[InfinityPlusOneSword the most powerful of the Magic Weapons]], the Sword of Divine Retribution (天刑劍)[[note]]''Tiān Xíng Jiàn'' / ''Tengyōken''[[/note]] which has been under the protection of the Tan Clan since the War of Fading Dusk, now guarded by the brother and sister Tan Ko and Tan Hi. Tan Ko dies at the hands of the Black Demon Sect's leader Betsu Ten Gai, who claims the Sword of Divine Retribution's hilt from him, but Tan Hi escapes with the crossguard, preventing Betsu Ten Gai from taking the sword for himself. In her escape, she happens upon two travellers by chance: the swordsman Syou Fu Kan who claims to have crossed the Wasteland of Spirits from Xi-You and the illusionist Lin Setsu A who takes an unusual interest in Tan Hi's plight. When all are attacked by the Black Demon Sect's forces, Lin Setsu A "[[StumbledIntoThePlot convinces]]" Syou Fu Kan to assist Tan Hi in retrieving the hilt from Betsu Ten Gai and to prevent him from obtaining one of the most powerful swords in the world. Lin Setsu A uses his unusual connections to gather together an [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits eclectic band of more badass warriors and spellcasters]]: the [[ColdSniper one-eyed sniper archer]] Syu Un Syou, his HotBlooded spear-wielding protege Ken San Un, the demoness {{necromancer}} Kei Gai, and the {{assassin}} Setsu Mu Syou who wants Lin Setsu A dead himself.

In December 2017, ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyTheSwordOfLifeAndDeath'' was released in Japanese and Taiwanese theaters. The first half of the film focuses on Setsu Mu Syou and how he became the unparalleled assassin of the first season and why he held a grudge against Lin Setsu A. The second half of the film serves as a comedic {{interquel}} leading into season 2, and features an imposter of Syou Fu Kan boasting about his feats of heroism during the first season, unaware he is speaking to the real Syou Fu Kan. TheStinger reveals that there are three people from Syou Fu Kan's homeland Xi-You on their way to meet up with him.

Season 2 began broadcast in October 2018, picking up where the film's SequelHook left off. Syou Fu Kan is looking for somewhere to safely store his Sorcerous Sword Index (魔剣目録)[[note]]''Mó Jiàn Mù Lù'' / ''Maken Mokuroku''[[/note]] which has made him the target of the assassin group led by the mysterious Kasei Meikou and the Xi-You Imperial government for both of their nefarious means of conquering the world. He learns he has been discovered when he crosses paths with his own old ally the musician Rou Fu You and his magical talking pipa Ryouga, as if they have crossed the Wasteland of Spirits and found him in Dong-Li, then it means everyone else after him has as well. Syou Fu Kan must now deal with Kasei Meikou's MasterPoisoner and FemmeFatale Katsu Eiraku as well as Xi-You CorruptBureaucrat Syou Kyou Ken who convinces his Dong-Li counterparts that Syou Fu Kan is a dangerous criminal who must be captured at all costs. However, Lin Setsu A has set his eyes on Syou Kyou Ken for his own entertainment, and the ascetic monk Tei Kuu wanders the Dong-Li countryside, confronting and confounding both heroes and villains.

October 2019 saw the release of a second ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' film, titled ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyBewitchingMelodyOfTheWest''. This time the story focuses on Rou Fu You and how he came to be a part of Syou Fu Kan's team of mystical weapon collectors, and how Syou Kyou Ken came to oppose them both. The film introduces Syou Fu Kan's other musically inclined ally Mutsu Ten Mei and the sadistic Xi-You Imperial Princess Chou Fu. The film is also chock full of Rou Fu You singing the show's many theme songs.

Season 3 is in production, and is set to focus on Kasei Meikou's full on invasion of Dong-Li to retrieve the Sorcerous Sword Index for himself, with season 2's [[TheStinger Stinger]] revealing he will be assisted by [[spoiler:Kei Gai, who is out for revenge against both Syou Fu Kan and Lin Setsu A after the events of the season 1 finale]].

The first season also saw two manga adaptations released alongside it. The first is a direct adaptation of the first season, with some [[AdaptationExpansion additions due to the limited nature of puppetry]], and the other is ''Otome Gen'yūki'' (乙女幻遊奇) which retells the story of season 1 from the point of view of Tan Hi (available for [[http://chancro.jp/comics/thunderbolt free online]]). A prequel novel ''Thunderbolt Fantasy Gaiden'' was also released after season 1, telling the pasts of Setsu Mu Syou and Kei Gai with respect to Lin Setsu A; Setsu Mu Syou's storyline was adapted into the first half of ''The Sword of Life and Death''. In the lead up to the release of season 2, the Theatre/TakarazukaRevue's Star Group staged a musical adaptation of season 1 to accompany their other original stage show ''Killer Rouge'' (Killer Rouge／星秀☆煌紅)[[note]]Pronounced "Amazing Star Killer Rouge"[[/note]], which toured around Japan and Taiwan in August 2018; Pili even made a Lin Setsu A puppet dressed up as his CrossCastRole actress Yuzuru Kurenai's outfit in ''Killer Rouge'' to promote the tour.

'''''Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Seekers''''' (Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀)[[note]]''Dōng Lí Jiàn Yóu Jì'' / ''Tōri Ken Yūki''; lit. "Record of the Dong-Li Sword Journey"[[/note]] is a {{Wuxia}} [[PuppetShows Puppet Show]] TV series, spearheaded by Japanese screenwriter Creator/GenUrobuchi (''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', ''LightNovel/FateZero'', ''Anime/PsychoPass'', ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'') of Creator/{{Nitroplus}} after he fell in love with the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glove_puppetry glove puppet]] shows produced by Taiwanese production studio Pili (known in the west as the creators of what became ''Series/WulinWarriors'') after stumbling upon their works at a Taiwan anime and comic fan convention he attended. Both Urobuchi and Pili ended up contacting each other to see if they wanted to work on a project together, and with a little help from nitro+ character designers and Good Smile Company (creators of the Toys/{{Figma}} and Nendoroid figurines), ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' was born. The series debuted on July 8, 2016, in both Japan and Taiwan, and internationally through Website/{{Crunchyroll}}, with voice overs in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Taiwanese Hokkien. In addition to a Japanese AllStarCast providing voices, Music/HiroyukiSawano (''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn, Manga/AttackOnTitan'', ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'') composed the soundtrack and Music/TMRevolution (''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'', ''Manga/SoulEater'') sings the theme song "RAIMEI".

Two manga adaptations of ''TBF'' were also released around this time, one from Kodansha, and a second subtitled ''Otome Gen'yūki'' (乙女幻遊奇) which retells the story from the point of view of Tan Hi, which can be read for free online [[http://chancro.jp/comics/thunderbolt here]]. A novel ''Thunderbolt Fantasy Gaiden'' was released in 2017 which delves deeper into the pasts of Kei Gai and Setsu Mu Syou, revealing their reasons for hating Lin Setsu A. Later that year in December 2017, the film ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyTheSwordOfLifeAndDeath'' based partly on the Setsu Mu Syou part of the ''Gaiden'' novel and a brand new story about Syou Fu Kan was released in Japanese and Taiwanese theaters. After revealing exactly what Lin Setsu A did to Setsu Mu Syou and what Syou Fu Kan has been up to since the end of the series, [[SequelHook we see three people from Xi-You heading to Dong-Li]], leading into the show's second season.

Season 2 began broadcast in October 2018, opening where season 1 and the movie left off. Syou Fu Kan is seeking a safe place for his Sorcerous Sword Index (魔剣目録)[[note]]''Mó Jiàn Mù Lù'' / ''Maken Mokuroku''[[/note]], a magical scroll that holds dozens of the world's most powerful and dangerous weapons that he has taken with him from Xi-You to dispose of, so they may not fall into the wrong hands. After believing he has found a safe place for them at Sen Chin Fortress, he meets his old ally Rou Fu You and his talking pipa Ryouga, and realizes that something has gone terribly wrong, as if Rou Fu You has tracked him down, then that means so have many of his old foes from Xi-You who seek the Sorcerous Sword Index for themselves. He must now deal with Katsu Eiraku, a MasterPoisoner who uses her magic scorpions to subdue her foes and seeks the Index for her master Kasei Meikou, and Syou Kou Ken, a CorruptBureaucrat from the Xi-You imperial government who has convinced his Dong-Li counterparts that Syou Fu Kan is a wanted criminal. Unbeknownst to Syou Fu Kan and Rou Fu You, Lin Setsu A has his own sights set on Syou Kyou Ken, while an ascetic monk known as Tei Kuu wanders the Dong-Li countryside seeking a meaning to his life crosses paths with all the heroes and villains.

The whole production team returns for season 2, with Sawano and Nishikawa combining forces on the season's new theme songs "His/Story" and "Roll The Dice".

And to top it off, the Theatre/TakarazukaRevue's Star Group began touring a musical show based on ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'', along with their other original show ''Killer Rouge'' (Killer Rouge／星秀☆煌紅)[[note]]Pronounced "Amazing Star Killer Rouge"[[/note]], in Japan and Taiwan starting August 31, 2018, retelling the story of the first season with their own unique flair.

But that's not all. Season 2 ended on a {{Stinger}}: Kasei Meikou is planning a full-out invasion of Dong-Li to claim the Sorcerous Sword Index for himself, when he is offered assistance by none other than [[spoiler:Kei Gai, out for revenge against Syou Fu Kan and Lin Setsu A]].

But to tide fans over until season 3, a second movie was released on October 25, 2019 titled ''Film/ThunderboltFantasyBewitchingMelodyOfTheWest'' (Thunderbolt Fantasy 西幽玹歌) that covers the early life of Rou Fu You, with his mother as his instructor on weaponry, and his dealings with traveling musician Mutsu Ten Mei, Xi-You Imperial Princess Chou Fuu, Xi-You Imperial Officer Syou Kyou Ken, and a mysterious wanderer named Tanken Taisai, whose status is rumored to be on par with Kaisei Meikou. Sawano and Nishikawa collaborate again on the film's theme song "Crescent Cutlass".

Long ago in the nation of Dong-Li (東離),[[note]]''Dōng-Lí'' in Chinese / ''Tōri'' in Japanese[[/note]] the Human Realm was invaded by the hordes of the Demon Realm in an event called the War of Fading Dusk (窮暮之戰).[[note]] ''Qióng Mù Zhī Zhàn'' / ''Kyūbo no Sen''[[/note]] The humans implored their deities for aid and were gifted with several divine weapons known as the "Magic Weapons of Divine Teaching" (神誨魔械),[[note]]''Shén Huì Mó Xiè'' / ''Shinkai Makai''[[/note]] which they used to win the war. Though the Magic Weapons would be imitated and distributed throughout the world, the originals were sealed away and protected for generations by the Seal Guardians (護印師),[[note]]''Hù Yìn Shī'' / ''Goinshi''[[/note]] lest their world-shattering power fall into the wrong hands. The war also physically split Dong-Li from its neighbor Xi-You (西幽),[[note]]''Xī-Yōu'' / ''Sei-Yū''[[/note]] with both nations separated by an impassable desert called the Wasteland of Spirits (鬼歿之地).[[note]]''Guǐ Mò Zhī Dì'' / ''Kibotsu no Chi''[[/note]]

One night, an evil group called the Black Demon Sect (玄鬼宗)[[note]]''Xuán Guǐ Zōng'' / ''Genkishū''[[/note]] attacks the resting place of [[InfinityPlusOneSword the most powerful of the Magic Weapons]], the Tengyouken (天刑劍).[[note]]''Tiān Xíng Jiàn'', "The Sword of Divine Retribution"[[/note]] They defeat the two siblings who guard the shrine and claim the hilt of the Tengyouken; however, the younger sister Tan Hi manages to flee with the crossguard, locking the holy weapon away from the grasp of the Black Demon Sect.

Some distance away, Tan Hi faints from her injuries and is saved by two travelers who happened to meet on the road: the swordsman Syou Fu Kan who claims to be from Xi-You, and the vagabond Lin Setsu A. Lin Setsu A takes a strong interest in Tan Hi and agrees to help her storm the lair of the Black Demon Sect and reclaim the Tengyouken's hilt. Syou Fu Kan attempts to go on his way, but is caught in an attack by the pursuing Black Demon Sect members and is marked for death, forcing him to join Lin Setsu A on his journey. Gathering together an [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits eclectic band of badass warriors and spellcasters]] comprising one-eyed archer Syu Un Syou, his spear-wielding protege Kan San Un, the demoness necromancer Kei Gai, and the assassin after Lin Setsu A's head himself Setsu Mu Syou, they embark on a dangerous journey across cursed lands to defeat the Black Demon Sect and their leader Betsu Ten Gai who is after the Tengyouken for its legendary power as the one weapon truly suited to his swordsmanship.

Season 2 began broadcast in October 2018, opening where season 1 and the movie left off. Syou Fu Kan is seeking a safe place for his Sorcerous Sword Index (魔剣目録)[[note]]''Mó Jiàn Mù Lù'' / ''Maken Mokuroku''[[/note]], a magical scroll that holds dozens of the world's most powerful and dangerous weapons that he has taken with him from Xi-You to dispose of, so they may not fall into the wrong hands. When he meets his former travelling partner Rou Fu You and his talking pipa Ryouga, he realizes something is up. He is warned by the two that he has been tracked by the assassin Katsu Eiraku, who is after the Sorcerous Sword Index for her master Kasei Meikou. Elsewhere, Xi-You imperial envoy Syou Kyou Ken is meeting with a representative of the Dong-Li government to warn him about the "traitorous" Syou Fu Kan to seek assistance in arresting him for treason, only to be joined by the Dong-Li imperial "itinerant envoy" Lin Setsu A posing as Kichou, who knows Syou Kyou Ken is up to no good. Further muddling things is the wandering ascetic monk Tei Kuu who is seeking out a meaning to his life and pilgrimage and the Seven Blasphemous Deaths, a sentient sword from the Index with sights set on world domination.

* AnyoneCanDie: [[BirdsOfAFeather Urobuchi and Pili International Media]] are notorious for killing off main characters in the masses and with little forewarning, and ''Thunderbolt Fantasy'' is no exception. Of the thirteen named characters, only five survive in the end.