The novel had also inspired several media adaptations such as an ongoing donghua series (Chinese anime) called Soul Land, and a manhua (Chinese manga). The popular Chinese web novel Douluo Dalu or also known as Soul Land, and Combat Continent is getting a live-action series starring former The Untamed actor Xiao Zhan.The novel had also inspired several media adaptations such as an ongoing donghua series (Chinese anime) called Soul Land, and a manhua (Chinese manga).





The Seven Devils of Shrek



Alright, so Douluo Dalu live-action is getting the title Douluo Continent which really doesn’t sound so different from its original title. We still have few more months left before 2019 ends and it only means that people who don’t have an idea about the novel or the whole franchise could still spare some time to check out the novel, even the anime, and manga. I think one of the biggest factors for Douluo Continent to look forward by Chinese drama fans is the fact that Xiao Zhan is starring the lead role Tang San. He previously portrayed the Yiling Patriarch – Wei Wuxian in the highly praised and recently concluded The Untamed – the live-action series of Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) – which anime adaptation was listed by our team as the best Chinese anime of 2018.





Douluo Continent Key Poster





In this post, I shall discuss some important tidbits of information to know about Douluou Dalu novel and its different adaptations in order to give us an insight about Douluo Continent . This post will be divided into different section as seen in the breakdown below:





Donghua (Anime Adaptation)

Manhua (Manga Adaptation)





Brief Introduction to Douluo Dalu

Douluo Dalu or Soul Land which happened to be the title that I usually use most of the time when referring about the novel and the anime is a 3 – story novel written by Chinese author Tang Jia San Shao ( 唐家三少 ). Soul Land I or simply called Soul Land is the first of the three (3) stories, while other two (2) were simply known as Soul Land II, and Soul Land III.





The Soul Land anime adaptation , manhua, and even the live-action Douluo Continent will cover the first (1st) story which focuses on the journey of Tang San as he was transported into another world and race towards the top of its pantheon. He will be accompanied by allies and friends while he must also defeat countless opponents along the way. Among his most notable allies or what we could called lifelong friends were the Seven (7) Devils of Shrek – the name on which they’re group were known for and it consists of Tang San and his friends from Shrek Academy.





Synopsis

Tang Sect, the most famous martial arts sect of all. By stealing its most secret teachings to fulfill his dreams, Tang San committed an unforgivable crime. With his ambition attained, he hands his legacy to the sect and throws himself from the fearsome “Hell’s Peak.” But he could have never imagined that this would reincarnate him in another world, one without magic, martial arts, and grudges. A land where only the mystical souls of battle lay. The continent of Douluo. How will Tang San survive in this unknown environment? With a new road to follow, a new legend begins…





Soul Land I novel is available to read the following sites below

Blue Silver Translations: https://bluesilvertranslations.wordpress.com/chapter-list/

Novel Full: http://novelfull.com/douluo-dalu.html

Novel Updates: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/douluo-dalu/

Original Site for the Novel (Chinese Language): https://book.qidian.com/info/1115277





Overview of Douluo Continent Live-Action Series

Tencent is once again spearheading a live-action of another popular Chinese anime which is Soul Land. Douluo Continent is slated for release on 2020 and will be broadcast by Tencent, and could potentially be stream online too at WeTV.





Douluo Continent (2020) Chinese TV Series





The live-action series will star some familiar names and that is enough to make us all excited to see the show. Among my favorite names in the casting of Douluo Continent are male lead Xiao Zhan, former Fahrenheit member Calvin Chen, and one of the hottest Chinese actor of today – Gu You Ming who previously portrayed Captain Han Wenqing of Team Tyranny in the recently concluded The King’s Avatar live-action series.

Title: 斗 罗大陆 / Dou Luo Da Lu

English title: Douluo Continent

Genre: Fantasy, Action

Broadcast network: Tencent

Broadcast period: 2020

Douluo Continent 2nd Key Poster

Douluo Continent Live-Action Synopsis

Tang San lost his mother since young, and he and his father depend on each other dearly. Tang San possesses extraordinary wits and talent since young, and aspires to be a great soul master. When he was six, he was sent to Ruoding Academy for cultivation. There, he came under the tutelage of Yu Xiaogang and also gets to know an orphan girl named Gu Xiaowu, whom became sworn siblings with him. Later, to further improve his cultivation, Yu Xiaogang brings Tang San to Shrek Academy. There, Tang San, Xiao Wu and five other youths form a group known as the "Shrek Seven Devils". The seven youths later enter the Tian Dou Royal Academy, where they became embroiled in the princes' battle for power. In the meantime, Tang San also discovers the person who killed his mother - none other than Wu Hun Pavilion's Bi Bidong; whom is actually Xue Qinghe in disguise. To stop Wu Hun Pavilion from destroying the Tiandou Kingdom, Tang San allies with the various sects of the kingdom and wages war against Wu Hun Pavilion.

POSSIBLE ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS

Who Are the Cast Members for Douluo Continent?

Douluo Continent live-action series will star some of the brightest young actors and actresses from China and that includes Xiao Zhan whom we previously meet from The Untamed live-action show.



The initial list of Douluo Continent casts is as follows:





Xiao Zhan as Tang San

Xiao Zhan as Tang San – A former young prodigy of the renowned Tang Sect. One of the Shrek Seven Devils. If you’re updated with the current affairs in Chinese drama, you may be familiar with Xiao Zhan as he played the character of Wei Wuxian in the recently concluded The Untamed ( the live-action series for Mo Dao Zu Shi ). Personally, I think think he became the breakthrough star of that series and gained so much attention from donghua (Chinese anime) community.







Wu Xuan Yi as Xiao Wu

Wu Xuan Yi as Xiao Wu – One of the Shrek Seven Devils. An orphan girl and Tang San's love interest.





Calvin Chen as Yu Xiaogang/Da Shi – One of the Shrek Seven Devils. An orphan girl and Tang San's love interest.

Calvin Chen as Yu Xiaogang/Da Shi (Grandmaster) - Tang San's mentor.







Gao Tai Yu as Dai Mubai

Gao Tai Yu as Dai Mubai – One of the Shrek Seven Devils. Second prince of Huangluo Kingdom.







Liu Mei Tong as Zhu Zhuqing

Liu Mei Tong as Zhu Zhuqing – One of the Shrek Seven Devils. Possesses the fastest speed and strongest attacking ability. Liu Mei Tong previously played the character of Nalan Yanran in the live-action series of Battle Through the Heavens which is known as Fight Break Sphere in 2018.







Liu Run Nan as Ao Sika

Liu Run Nan as Ao Sika – One of the Shrek Seven Devils.











Ding Xiao Ying as Ning Rongrong – One of the Shrek Seven Devils. Daughter of Yu Fengzhi, clan master of the Sibao Liuli Sect.







Ao Zi Yi as Ma Hongjun

Ao Zi Yi as Ma Hongjun – One of the Shrek Seven Devils.







Zhang Wen as Liu Erlong

Zhang Wen as Liu Erlong – Professor of Shrek Academy. Zhang Wen as Liu Erlong – Professor of Shrek Academy.







Gu You Ming

Gu You Ming – Character not announced yet.







Huang Can Can – Character not announced yet.





Please take note that this list of casts for Douluo Continent was only a short introduction. I’ll write a long-detailed full-list post of Douluo Continent casts and their previous works in order for each of us to get to know the people that will give life to our favorite characters from the novel.



Related Post: Meet the whole cast members of 'Douluo Continent' Chinese drama series





The Staff and Production Working Behind the Series

The following are the staff and production group working for Douluo Continent live-action adaptation for 2020.

Original Writing: Dou Luo Da Lu ( 斗 罗大陆 ) by Tang Jia San Shao ( 唐家三少

Director: Yang Zhen Yu ( 杨振宇

Screenwriter: Wang Juan

Company: New Classics Media









How Many Episodes Does Douluo Continent Have?

According to DramaWiki site, Douluo Continent is scheduled to have 40 episodes which I believed had been quite the standard for the live-action series for a popular Chinese anime. Previously, the breakthrough web series The King’s Avatar live-action starring Yang Yang was composed of 40 episodes – which was based from the phenomenal donghua The King’s Avatar which brought a new wave of popularity and hyped to Chinese animation industry. Furthermore, Xiao Zhan’s previous project The Untamed – the live-action adaptation of The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation was also wrapped with 40 episodes. So, I am quite confident that Soul Land live-action series will get a 40-episode stint next year which actually makes me excited for 2020.









When is the release of Douluo Continent?

As of writing – September 12, 2019; Douluo Continent release date wasn’t announced or unveiled yet. However, it is scheduled for 2020 release and I felt that it might be unleashed possibly by summer next year. I am also not removing the biggest twist in this topic which is the possibility that Tencent might once again drop the bomb just like what they did with The King’s Avatar live-action premiere and the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation anime season 2.





If you guys can still remember how Tencent surprised us by dropping the info last July 24, 2019, that The King’s Avatar live-action series will air that night. The same thing could be said with The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation season 2 on which the announcement about its release was unveiled few hours before the actual premiere. With this history, it is not far from possible that Tencent or any other Chinese company may once again surprise us with the release of their project next year and that includes Douluo Continent.









What are the other media adaptations of Douluo Dalu novel?

Soul Land had inspired several media adaptations and among the most famous of them all is the 3DCG animated series Douluo Dalu (SOUL LAND) which first premiered in December 2017.





Donghua

The Soul Land anime had two (2) seasons so far with Soul Land season 1 run for a total of 26 episodes since its premiere last 2017. After several months upon the season 1 finale, Soul Land Season 2 had officially begun airing on December 1, 2018; which is still an ongoing Chinese anime series until today.

Soul Land 3DCG Anime





Personally, I think that Soul Land is among the most decent 3DCG anime from China so far, it’s a series that I could lineup with Qin’s Moon: Nine Songs of the Moving Heavens, Wu Geng Ji, Battle Through the Heavens, Martial Universe, and Stellar Transformation. The anime had been animated at Sparkley Key Animation – a studio which is famous for creating 3DCG anime of China and I really love some of their works especially Qins Moon: Nine Songs of the Moving Heavens which is filled with so much quality when it comes to fighting scenes.





Soul Land Anime Synopsis

Tang San is one of Tang Sect martial art clan's most prestigious disciples and peerless in the use of hidden weapons. With high expectations, the sect's elders believe his future will be bright; yet Tang chooses to forsake this life at the cost of obtaining the sect's forbidden lore—an action punishable by death. Tang, now content with his ascension of knowledge, sees no reason to keep on living and jumps from Hell's Peak, but little did he know that that would not be the end of his existence. In Douluo Continent, the strong prevail and the weak perish. Each person possesses an innate spirit, some of which can be cultivated and strengthened, bestowing its user with various benefits. Those who were born with such spirits can become Spirit Masters, a profession regarded as one of the continent's most noble. Tang, reincarnated into this strange world, knows only the life of a blacksmith's son. At the age of six, he takes part in the Spirit Master ceremony, and discovers his spirit is Blue Silver Grass—supposedly the world's most useless spirit. In contrast, however, he possesses strong spirit power. Now, aided by the memories of his previous life as well, Tang's future as a Spirit Master is in no way bleak. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

I remember I first watched Soul Land at HaxTalks website. Now, there are plenty of available places on the internet to check Soul Land and that includes the following links:

Kurina Official

Kiss Anime

Crimson Subs





Manhua

The manhua adaptation of Soul Land is based from the original novel by Tang Jia San Shao, and illustration provided by Feng Chun Mu.









Soul Land Manhua Synopsis

Tang San spent his life in the Tang Outer Sect, dedicated to the creation and mastery of hidden weapons. Once he stole the secret lore of the Inner Sect to reach the pinnacle of his art, his only way out was death. But after throwing himself off the deadly Hell's Peak he was reborn in a different world, the world of Douluo Dalu, a world where every person has a spirit of their own, and those with powerful spirits can practice their spirit power to rise and become Spirit Masters. The spirit that awakens within Tang San is Blue Silver Grass, a useless spirit. Can he overcome the difficulties to reach the high ranks of Spirit Masters and bring the glory of the Tang Sect into this new world?





You may read the Soul Land manga in the following links:





And this is where I end our discussion about Douluo Dalu live-action series Douluo Continent. We only have little available information as of now but I am pretty confident that we will get a glimpse and a thorough dive about this live-action project as soon as possible. Right now, among the things that we should look forward and take note is Douluo Continent release date . However, I’ll definitely keep each and everyone updated about this information including some more details when it’ll be out including Douluo Continent trailer or promotional video which believed might be release before 2019 ends.





Alright, for my fellow fans of Soul Land, are you guys excited for this live-action series for our favorite Chinese novel? Please let us know your thoughts about this by leaving your opinion in the comment section below. I’ll make sure to read each and every piece of your thoughts about it, so don’t forget to write your comment and sign up to our newsletter.

Screenshots from the set of Douluo Continent featuring Xiao Zhan, Wu Xuanyi, Calvin Chen, and Ao Ziyi from @dramapotatoe: