Biao Ren: Blades of The Guardians is an upcoming historical action animation series based on the work by Xianzhe Xu from his original manhua. The series got a new trailer, which showcases a captivating animation style that is sure to leave all action anime fans excited.
The manhua was first released in July 2015 and serialized in Manga DX. As of last year, it had eight published volumes and over 100 chapters. The Chinese anime adaptation was announced a couple of years ago and it is produced by film distributor Tencent Penguin Pictures with animation production by Colored Pencil Animation Group.
Blades of the Guardians is set in the period of transition between the Sui dynasty and the Tang Dynasty, the latter of which dated from 618 to 907 AD. The series follows the warrior protagonist, Dāomǎ a highly skilled mercenary with a strong sense of honor who travels across Ancient China and makes a living by his sword. One day, Dāomǎ accepts a paid escort mission that will take him to the capital city of Chang’an. However, this mission turns out to be way more than he bargained for. The plot of this series not only includes political intrigues and an oppressive despotic government but also some supernatural elements like man-eating demons.
The trailer will remind you of titles like Berserk or the more recent Vinland Saga which is good news for anime fans. The animation style feels unique and striking and some of the imagery present in the two-minute trailer is fascinating. It seems to feature scenes from Dāomǎ’s tragic past which then transition to him standing as an adult holding the hand of a small child, Xiao Qi, who he must escort safely. Despite having no dialogue, the trailer certainly makes an impression with imagery alone.
The series’ official Weibo page has been posting promotional videos featuring some of the main characters, including Xiao Qi and Dāomǎ.
Blades of the Guardian is slated to release this year but no official release date is set.
