#zhenzi

[singlebraincelledgoat]

FSYY concept art

Wanna know what the definition of insanity is? Trying to figure out what over 350+ characters look like in an ancient Chinese novel cause oh my god why are there so many characters how did anyone keep track of them

Anyways, I’m slowly but surely making it down the roster

Starting with one of my niche favorites from this novel, Lei Zhenzi. That one guy who ate the apricots that happened to turn you into a thunder bird

In a lot of modern adaptations, he’s more monstrous in his looks and personality. I’ve watched a movie where he was basically China’s version of the Hulk (it’s called The First Myth Clash of Gods. Not the best movie but it’s a huge guilty pleasure to me I love it lol)

He’s not like that in the book at all, in fact he’s kinda a fail girl in my eyes. I wanted to lean towards an interpretation where he may be this huge bird person (I’d imagine he towers over most of the other generals. Maybe like 6’8-7ft tall), but he’s still a little self conscious about it all. He can’t get around without making at least one stranger panicked at the sight of him. He was a person at birth, but his circumstances have completely changed everything

Also, I think he has the most underrated power concepts. I wanted to base him off of paragon falcons because imagine this guy diving straight at you at 240 mph with a trail of lightning behind him. I think a lot of Shang soldiers have described him as a sentient lightning bolt with how quick he is

Next is the Huang family! Which have more people so this yap session is gonna be way longer. Buckle up lol

I always saw Huang Feihu as this serious and commanding general, but he’s also that sweet old guy who’d drop the hardest wisdom when you needed it. It’s what makes him really generally well liked

Like when NeZha rescues him and his family, he expresses a lot of subtle gratitude to this stranger that just saved his family’s lives. NeZha, a little unused to this kind of affection, brushes it off initially. But it leaves a lasting impression that eventually leads to him really connecting with the rest of the family

Feihu really be pulling his weight as a single dad of 4 + NeZha /j

I know Lady Jia narratively serves as motivation for the Huang family to rebel, but if there’s one thing I’m known for it’s giving female characters all my attention like they deserve

I think Lady Jia is a foil to her husband. Where he was serious but sweet, she was sweet but serious. Always polite and quiet, but was very stubborn and more prideful. You could not get her to do something she didn’t want to

All their kids got their mother’s pride, especially after her death. Imagine being TianXiang, about 7 at the time, suddenly being thrusted into rebellion and grieving the lost of his mom. TianXiang stronger than me, I would not have survived

I was listening to the Ithica saga when I made these concepts, so I may have had a few EPIC Telemechus thoughts put onto him lol. TianXiang mainly takes after his dad, carrying a much stronger empathy that stems from him. He was a kid, so he did kid shenanigans even in the Zhou camps and any neighboring villages. But he’s got his father’s charm, how could you say no to him? Especially with everything going on

As for TianHua, he takes after his mom mainly. A prideful hothead who wants to do great things. I got a little confused about his origin in the translation I read, but I think he was taken away from his family by his master when he was like 3. Which means he never got a chance to connect with his mom as when he joins the rebellion she was long dead (oough imagine how jarring it was for him to come back only to be the brother that most resembles their mom)

Ultimately, their pride and emotions were what lead to the Huang family’s downfall. TianHua, in his pride and stubbornness to fight, ignores his master’s warning of his fate. His father and brothers next, fighting both the Shang army and their own grief over loosing another family member. And finally TianXiang, his pride to his family making him unwilling to acknowledge the Shang dynasty. Plus, he’s the last living member of his family, what is there to loose?

God this bloodline is so doomed…

I was gonna yap more about them all but I think I’ve already written a lot lmao. Maybe I’ll save some of those thoughts for another post

[fishylife]

I'm still emotional about Ji Chang finding an abandoned Lei Zhenzi in the forest ;_; The moment he laid eyes on the baby Lei Zhenzi, Lei Zhenzi became his son.

Ji Chang took off his cloak and wrapped Lei Zhenzi in it, carried him in his arms and kept him warm and comforted the pitiful baby with no mother or father ;_;

He believed that all children deserve love and good education and a good environment. Nezha and Erlang Shen were about to kill the baby and Ji Chang defended him, defended his innocence ;_;

Jiang Ziya came to break up the fight and offered to have the child raised in the Kunlun Mountains under the eye of his shifu, and Ji Chang's parting gift to the baby was a name <3

And then!!!!! When Ji Chang was in a time of need, all weary and humiliated, Lei Zhenzi came to save him and take him home!! TAT Because THAT'S HIS DAD!!!! ToT

[the-monkey-ruler]

Happy Zhu Bajie (2004) 喜气洋洋猪八戒

Director: Li Kai / Qin Chao / Cai Tianfeng Screenwriter: Huang Yonghui Starring: Gao Xin / Huang Haibo / Xu Jinjiang / Xue Jianing / Han Xue / Jin Qiaoqiao / Xie Na / Chen Long / Hu Dong / Li Zonghan / Liang Chao Genre: Drama / Fantasy Country/Region of Production: Mainland China Language: Mandarin Chinese Date: 2005-05-17 (Mainland China) Number of episodes: 43 Single episode length: 45 minutes IMDb: tt14513994 Type: Reimanging

Summary:

The film tells a hilarious light comedy about Zhu Bajie (played by Gao Hongxian). The film is divided into four parts: "Pig Friends and Dog Friends Fight Thunder Duke", "Love in the Kingdom of Women", "Moving Mountain" and "Lawless Robbery". The jealous Lei Zhenzi (played by Zhao Yi) who hates evil became increasingly violent in order to conquer demons, and even killed innocent people indiscriminately, which finally aroused the dissatisfaction of the Jade Emperor (played by Huang Haibing). The unrepentant Lei Zhenzi was accidentally defeated by Zhu Bajie and Roaring Dog (played by Li Zonghan), who were originally living happily in the world, and was forced to enter the Buddhist practice. Roaring Sky Dog fell in love with Fairy Xiangsi (played by Han Xue) as early as in Montenegro, but Xiangsi aroused jealousy and was framed. The shocking love story between the two has just begun. Zhu Bajie sympathized with Fairy Xiangsi and helped the two get together. In subsequent unit episodes, there were even more jokes and surprises.

Source: https://tv-1.chinesemov.com/tv/2004/Happy-Zhu-Bajie

Link: https://www.iq.com/album/19rrj5rgft?_from=iqiyi

[ryin-silverfish]

Nezha's Power Catalog: FSYY

Well, since @journeytothewestresearch has pinged me and @ruibaozha in an ask way back when, we are doing a catalog of Nezha's powers together. I'll be taking the FSYY part.

Google Doc Version

...

Disclaimer: I'm not counting powers from his treasures, such as the Wind-Fire Wheels giving him super speed and allowing him to take flight. 

I'm also excluding the invisibility talisman Taiyi drew on him in Chapter 12, since, unlike his Three-headed Eight-Armed Form, it's not a skill or permanent alteration.

...

Pre-resurrection:

Advanced physical maturity - I don't know what to call “A newborn baby being able to jump and run around right after emerging from a ball of flesh”, but this is probably it. (Chapter 12)

Unusual height - 6ft tall 7 years old kid, though this might just be a result of FSYY's weird sense of scale. (Chapter 12)

Super strength - A 7 years old kid killing Li Gen the Yaksha with a Qiankun Ring to the head likely counts as super strength. In Ao Bing's case, he drags him off the steed with the Huntian Sash first before the bonking. (Chapter 12)

Still, his later beatdown of Ao Guang and being able to draw the Qiankun Bow no one else could lift? Yeah, definitely super strength. (Chapter 13)

Five Elements Travel: Earth - After Ao Guang storms off to make a complaint to JE, Nezha uses Earth Travel to go to Taiyi's abode and ask for help. It's activated by grabbing a handful of dirt and tossing it into the air. (Chapter 12)

Travel to the Celestial Realm - After Taiyi puts an invisibility talisman on him, he goes to wait for Ao Guang under the Celestial Realm's gates. (Chapter 12)

Dream Communication - Talking to Lady Yin in her dream after his suicide. (Chapter 14)

A generic ghost power, as shown by later instances of Wen Zhong and Yin Jiao's souls warning King Zhou in his dreams, before they go into the Terrace of Investiture. (Chapter 52, Chapter 66) 

Efficiency at granting prayers - After Lady Yin builds a temple for him, he is said to be able to fulfill all the wishes of his worshippers, from granting blessings to warding off disasters.  (Chapter 14)

Materialization - After Li Jing's destruction of his temple, Nezha goes to protest to Taiyi, and the narration says that “After receiving incense and worship for half a year, Nezha is able to take a form and voice himself to some extent.” (哪吒受了半年香烟，已觉有些形声)

It is implied here that ghosts can become corporeal again via people's worship, though, from the looks of it, Nezha has only become visible and audible, and doesn't have a physical body yet at the point of the temple's destruction. (Chapter 14)

Post-Resurrection:

Unusual height (Again) - He grows from 6ft to “1 Zhang 6 Chi��� after his resurrection, which is about 15-18 ft. (Chapter 14)

Spear arts - Taught by Taiyi. (Chapter 14)

Samadhi Fire - When Wenshu ties him to the Flying Dragon Pillar and orders Jinzha to whip him, he is described as “blowing out Samadhi Fire from his seven orifices” (打的三昧真火七窍齐喷). This may or may not be metaphorical. (Chapter 14)

It must also be noted that FSYY's Samadhi Fire is not the Red Boy-exclusive special attack of JTTW, and multiple Daoists from both Chan and Jie Sects are able to use it.

The best example is when Nezha and his brothers, Lei Zhenzi, Huang Tianhua, and Weihu try to burn Ma Shan with the Samadhi Fire on Jiang Ziya's orders, which doesn't work because he's a lampwick spirit, who proceeds to escape through the flames. (Chapter 63)

Lotus Body: Immunity to soul-based attacks - In Chapter 37, the narration then explains that all beings of flesh and blood possess the Three Souls and Seven Spirits, and Zhang Guifang's spell works by forcefully scattering them. 

Nezha, because of his lotus body, does not have souls, thus granting him immunity to the attack. 

This will become a recurrent thing. Here's a list of all the soul-based treasures and spells that fail against Nezha:

Zhang Guifang's Unhorsing Spell (Chapter 37)

Zheng Lun's nose beams (Chapter 57)

Chijing Zi/Yin Hong's Yin-Yang Mirror (Chapter 60)

Guangcheng Zi/Yin Jiao's Soulfell Bell (Chapter 65)

Qiu Yin's Red Pearl (Chapter 74)

Fa Jie's banner (Chapter 79)

Long Anji's Paralyzing Ring (Chapter 79)

Bian Ji's Spectral White Bone Banner (Chapter 84)

And here's a collection of his sassy responses: 

“Bastard, I'm staying on these wheels and you ain't calling me off them!” (Against Zhang Guifang)

“Dude, are you sick or something, blowing your nose at me like that?” (Against Zheng Lun)

“Idiot, it's just a red orb. What's so special about it, huh?” (When Qiu Yin tells him to take a look at the pearl)

“Your ring sucks, check out mine!” (To Long Anji, right before bonking him with the Qiankun Ring and killing him)

Lotus Body: Resistance to physical attacks - Spells can't knock Nezha off his wheels, but weapons like Yang Sen's Sky-opening Pearl, Wen Zhong and Zhao Gongming's whips, and Guangcheng Zi/Yin Jiao's Heaven-turning Sealstone can. (Chapter 38, Chapter 42, Chapter 47, Chapter 63)

However, he doesn't seem to suffer any lasting injuries afterwards. The only non-magical/poisonous injury that sticks for a while is some bruises, from getting hit in the face by Deng Chanyu's Five Light Stones. (Chapter 53)

Lotus Body: Immunity to diseases - When Lv Yue puts his plague pills into Xi Qi's water supply, the entire city falls victim to the sorcerous plague, save for Nezha and Yang Jian, because of the former's lotus body and the latter's Ninefold Mystic Arts. (Chapter 58)

Later, Yu Hualong's five sons create five bushels of poisonous poxes, which are spilled all over the Zhou camp from the air, giving everyone magical, five-colored smallpox.

Once again, Nezha is immune, and Yang Jian, knowing that the Yu brothers are up to something, gets the hell out of dodge before the pox spell is unleashed. Cue Nezha complaining of them “Pulling a Lv Yue again”. (Chapter 81)

Immunity to the Soul-Killing Banner (戮魂旛) - The treasure in question belongs to Yu Hua: when raised, it unleashes/turns into multiple streams of black smoke that covers the victim and whisks them away. (Chapter 32)

Subsequently, he tries to use it against Nezha, but Nezha just grabs the smokes, seizes the treasure, and stuffs it into his Leopard Skin Sack. This may or may not fall under the umbrella of “Immunity to Soul-based Attacks”. (Chapter 33)

Counterspell: Pearl Attack - Feng Lin can blow a cloud of smoke out of his mouth, which contains a bowl-sized red pearl that functions as a projectile weapon. Nezha just points his finger at the smoke, and it fizzles out. (Chapter 36)

Supernatural endurance: Red Sand Formation - One of the Ten Formations, it contains three bushels of red sand, which can create a giant sandstorm that reduces any humans and immortals who enter the formation to powder. (Chapter 44)

Nezha and Lei Zhenzi are assigned to protect King Wu, the only person who can break the formation…because Fate Says So, but is also Fated to get trapped in there for 100 days. So naturally, Nezha and Lei Zhenzi get stuck in there alongside him. (Chapter 49) 

When Old Man of the South Pole breaks the formation, Nezha and Lei Zhenzi are fine, but King Wu is already dead and has to be resurrected via a magical pill. (Chapter 51)

I'm not putting this under Resistance to Physical Attacks because, unlike the weapons, I'm unsure as to whether the red sand is magical in nature.

Resistance to poison: Blood-melting Knife (化血神刀) - Limited, since Nezha is still severely injured and incapacitated by Yu Hua's new treasure (made by his master Yu Yuan). However, for mortals, a wound from the knife is pretty much an insta-kill. (Chapter 74)

Three-headed, Eight-Armed Form - After Nezha is injured by Yu Hua's knife, he's taken back to Taiyi's abode to recover. When he's ready to leave, Taiyi offers him three cups of wine and three “fire jujubes”, which gives him his iconic multi-headed and armed transformation.

Unlike in JTTW, FSYY's Nezha has 8 arms instead of 6. Presumably, the 2 extra ones are used to wield the Yin-Yang Swords, the pair of weapons Taiyi gives to him alongside the Nine Fire Dragon Bell Cover…which never get used afterwards.

Upon switching to the multi-headed and limbed form, his appearance also changes into a blue-faced, red-haired, fanged monstrosity, which is not too dissimilar to the fierce guardian deities of esoteric Buddhism. (Chapter 76, Chapter 79)

Also, amusing reaction to his new transformation: “Dangit master, how am I supposed to use all these arms? They are like ugly branches on a tree.” (Chapter 76)

Sagehood in Flesh (肉身成圣) - Nezha is said to attain the status post-war, alongside his brothers, Li Jing, Lei Zhenzi, Wei Hu, and Yang Jian. 

Basically, immortality and godhood, but it doesn't require you to die in Ancient China's Bloodiest Bureaucracy Recruitment Program first. (Chapter 100)

[acoraxia]

the celestial gang of 12 but make it SWK, Nezha, Ao Lie, Iron Fan, Erlang Shen, Peng, Li Jing, Jiang Ziya, Kui Mulang, Nuwa, Su Daji (honorary) and Lei Zhenzi

[siphersaysstuff]

Now added to @tfwiki.net, pics of the "Nezha Team Pack" toys from the ill-fated Chinese-market-exclusive Nezha: Transformers toyline.

The "Protector of the Human World" Nezha himself, "Thunder Wielder" Lei Zhenzi, and "Earth Mover" Tu Xingsun. These are rrrrroughly analogous to the Cyberverse "Scout" toys (the shoddy ones that only half-transform in to vehicles) size-wise, making them a little bigger than the modern Generations "Core Class" figure.

This three-pack was supposed to come out back in 2019... probably? I don't think it was ever officially announced, but a few boxed samples appeared and then... nothing. For all we could tell, these just never happened, and the cartoon these toys were based on entered development limbo and, to this day, has not been officially canceled but sure as hell ain't going forward, dooming the toyline.

Fast forward to June 2023, and Chinese shopping site Temu suddenly has a bunch of the 3-packs, and at a very reasonable price. Warehouse find? Who knows? They didn't last long. I managed to get a set when a second batch showed up and sold out relatively fast, lord knows if more will arrive ever. But if you're keen, no harm in signing up for Temu and asking for notifications, I suppose.

These are certainly interesting pieces, but nothing mind-blowing in and of themselves. You're not missing out on anything here toy-wise without them... but I wanted them for the story. This is a weird corner of TFdom, something rare and unusual with a strange and possibly-cursed development. And that kinda stuff's been way more interesting to me than the normal TF output these last several years.

[kukuandkookie]

Awww, this is genuinely so interesting because when I watched Nezha 2 in theatres in China, the trailers preceding it included Chinese live-action but also animated films. 🥺

I was actually super excited by the trailers alone LDNFKSJS. Mostly because it was through the theatre that I even learned there was going to be a Big Fish and Begonia 2!

We also got a trailer for Shuofeng: Po Zhenzi, a film from Nice Boat Animation that I’ve been waiting years for, so you can imagine my joy seeing it get a trailer on the big screen in 2025, which indicated to me the project is still alive and well (donghua often go quiet for really long lengths of time because of how arduous animation can be, and while sometimes this leads to speculations of cancellation or hiatus, many come back eventually).

There was even an ad for Fei Ren Zai, a popular donghua series, that made it to the big screen… I think it was for a game or a game collab?

And while Chinese animated films release slower and they’re not all to the level of box office or critical success as Nezha, there have still been some really good ones. Most recent was I Am What I Am 2, a sequel to a really acclaimed film about “left behind children” who take up lion dancing.

So yeah, the animation industry in the west has been an absolute mess these past few years, and Hollywood has never taken animation itself very seriously… But this is also why Nezha 2’s success is so exciting, and I hope more people will join me in finding fun and appreciation in what China’s animation industry has to offer as it begins taking animation more seriously while also offering a perhaps familiar to yet still new/different product from anime!

Something kinda sad about the two and a half hours of awesome that was Nezha 2 being prefaced by trailer after trailer for uninspired live action remakes and stupid unnecessary franchise movies.

[kevinhongblog]

Xu Zhonglin-Investiture of the Gods

Ming dynasty Category: Book/Ancient Chinese Mythological Fiction

Investiture of the Gods is a fictional tale set in the Shang and Zhou periods that depicts Ji Fa's revolt of King Zhou with the assistance of Jiang Ziya and a group of generals.

The odd appearances of several immortals, such as Yang Jian's eyes, Lei Zhenzi's meaty wings, and Ne Zha's three heads and eight arms, were what drew me in to the novel the most, aside from the revenge narrative. For instance,Tu Xingsun can use the spell to walk on the ground, Yang Jian has 72 transformations, and Ne Zha can fly through the air while wearing wind and fire wheels on his feet.

Xu Zhonglin，Investiture of the Gods，Ming dynasty

[hime-yuu]

dynasty warriors stage! I really love dynasty wei cast! 😆💕 well.... of course because shiramata is there lol 😂 and I really like shiramata and matsuda chemistry 💕 I rarely like female actress, but I like her immediately! 😂

[butterbunmilk]

christma prompts day 4! sweaters

[singlebraincelledgoat]

So guess where I’ve been

Yeah I watched the second COTG movie and it’s taken over my life. If I had a nickel for every time I got violently fixated on a sequel media about Chinese mythology that received a lot of mixed reviews because of certain animation styles and possible budget cuts mainly because it had NeZha I’d have 2 nickels

*looks at LMK s5*

Anyways, I guess we doing art dumps now

You know I got a bit worried if I was deviating too much with my design of Yin Jiao’s 3 head 6 arm form, but given what he looked like in the actual movie I think I can implore a little self indulgence (every time I draw him I think of sharks and I think it shows a little lol)

Also Yin Jiao and NeZha have a lot of parallels that I’ve been absolutely eating up (NeZha stop taking other people’s backstories and looks in mythology challenge /j). Also would love to see NeZha and Lei Zhenzi interact more as the only kids on the immortal team. Also the only guys on the team who can fly, you can't tell me they wouldn't have taken advantage of that

I’m definitely not qualified to do any sort of rewrite of these movies, but I’m all for ending the trend of cutting the Huang family out of FSYY media when they’re so pivotal to the original novel. TianHua come back, they loosing it without you...

And some final miscellaneous doodles

I saw Yang Jian, Ji Fa, and Yin Jiao all get shipped together frequently and honestly I heavily fw the poly version of them. Yin Jiao has 3 heads to kiss after all /j (what would their poly ship name be? JianJiaoFa???)

Also please ignore how bad my Ji Fa design is, I'm still trying to figure out how to draw him

[the-monkey-ruler]

The Incredible Monk (2018) 济公之英雄归位

Director: Lin Zicong Starring: Chen Haomin / Lin Zicong / Zhong Jiufu / Zou Wenzheng / Chen Guokun / Ye Jinghan / King Kong / Wang Jing / Luo Jiaying / Yang Neng Genre: Comedy / Fantasy / Costume Country/Region of Production: Mainland China Language: Mandarin Chinese Date: 2018-02-16 (Mainland China) Duration: 95 minutes Also known as: Jigong: Catching Demons and Conquering Demons / 济公之捉妖降魔 Type: Reimanging

Summary:

According to the legend, Jigong's magic power is boundless, and no monsters or ghosts dare to cause trouble. Only water monsters occasionally cause mischief in the Qianjiang River, injuring the people with floods. One day, the water monsters ganged up to cause mischief, turning up thousands of huge waves and crashing into people's houses, destroying all lives. The water monsters gained power and turned into a huge waterspout, vowing to swallow up the whole world. At the moment of despair, the hero came, Jigong burst out of the air and beat the water demon to pieces with a thunderous force. Thinking that the world would be peaceful from now on, he discovered that Dapeng was planning a conspiracy to conquer the three realms of humans, gods, and demons. With the help of Fat Fairy Boy, Jigong found the Jade Emperor and ordered to summon Erlang Shen, Lei Zhenzi, Nezha, Jiutian Xuannv, and Fuhu. The Arhats go to the mortal world to conquer demons and monsters together, and engage in earth-shattering battles between immortals and demons. As disasters occur one after another, the human world is in danger of being outlawed by the demon world. Is it the Tao that is higher, or the Demon that is higher?

Source: https://chinesemov.com/2018/The-Incredible-Monk

Link: https://www.nunuyy5.org/dianying/2622.html

[ryin-silverfish]

Do you have any thoughts on the dynamics between the generals of the Zhou army? I know JinZha and MuZha are described together a lot. NeZha seems to spend most of his time with YangJian and TianHua (and I’m assuming Lei ZhenZi since they get captured/beaten by the same guys in a few instances). NeZha also seems to shift in personality when TianHua and TianXiang die, making a lot less snarky remarks and killing opponents much sooner in battle (at least in Gu Zhizhong’s translation). Just a few examples

Ohhh, I have a bunch of headcanons regarding their dynamics. But before that, some infodumps:

-Nezha and Yang Jian's close relationship in FSYY may be a result of the novel taking inspiration from the "Emperor Zhenwu Kicks Demon Asses and Takes Names" genre of tales.

-Basically, in those stories, Emperor Zhenwu is sent to the mortal realm during the Shang-Zhou transistion to subdue demons and assist King Wu.

-FSYY kinda makes JZY take over Zhenwu's role. And in Yuan Zaju plays, Erlang and Nezha are often said to work under the Demon-Vanquishing Mansion of the North Pole, which is led by either Zhenwu himself or Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole's Central Sky (going by the variant where Zhenwu is one of the 4 marshals of the North Pole).

-Thus when JZY gains Zhenwu's role, he also gains his two employees from Zaju plays.

-Since Jinzha and Muzha only become a thing after Nezha, likely to flesh out the "Third Prince" thing and fulfill the classic folk tradition need to put characters in groups of set numbers, on a meta level, they aren't that close to Nezha either.

As for HCs, brace yourself, because there's a lot.

Thoughts on the Chan Junior Dynamics

-The Nezha + Yang Jian + Tianhua trio is certainly the most fun dynamic wise. Sadly, Huang Tianhua always end up getting ignored in favor of the Jianzha relationship.

(btw, I really dislike the "Yang Jian is Nezha's mentor/surrogate parent figure" take. Like, Nezha's actual master, Taiyi, is right there, and though these two are senior and junior brothers, they still come off more as equals in terms of status and abilities.)

-Nezha and Tianhua always has that vitrolic best buds vibe to me. Like, it doesn't take much for Nezha to acknowledge Yang Jian as senior brother, because their first interaction is a pretty good one, and his impression of Yang Jian is this polite, but not humorless guy with some OP shapeshifting skills.

-Huang Tianhua, though? They are both hotheaded, prideful youths prone to impulsive behavior, who've butted heads in-story. You bet Tianhua has tried to pull the senior brother card before and gotten a load of snark in return.

-Yep, whether Novel! Yang Jian has a sister or not, he's gotta be pretty skilled at acting the unofficial brother and breaking up arguments before they become too mean and heated.

-Complicating the matter: both Nezha and Huang Tianhua have brothers who fight alongside them on the battlefield, yet these brothers are practically strangers to them.

-Huang Tianhua is…well, spirited away from his family garden by Daode Zhenjun at the age of three, and when he joined the war to assist his family, he learned that his mom and aunt were dead because of Daji's plotting, and he has three younger brothers he'd never met before.

-Nezha's brothers aren't complete strangers, but they are distant enough to be unrecognizable during Nezha's first encounter with Muzha (probably because they spend most of their time away from home and studying under their respective immortal masters).

-And considering how the Patricide Arc went, I'd say Nezha isn't exactly eager to know them, at least during the first few years on the battlefield.

Tianhua: "Wait, why's Tianxiang crying? I'm just trying to lighten the mood!" Nezha: "If my brothers find one more excuse to 'make up for lost time' I'm gonna brick them. Both of them."

-Strangely enough, their mutual awkwardness around their actual brothers becomes something they bonded over, and Nezha becomes quite friendly with Tianhua's younger brothers, to his mock contention.

-Which is my explanation for his angry reaction to Huang Tianxiang's headless body being desecrated by the Shang side.

-Interestingly enough, Nezha says: "He's your enemy, and if it's out of loyalty to your kingdom, decapitation is enough! What has he done to you that warrants hanging his body on the gate tower?"

-My HC is that he has more or less accepted the fact that people he knew might die on the battlefield just because Fate Says So, but isn't quite ready for the depth of personal hatred and cruelty war can inspire yet.

-Also, I feel like the Yang Jian & Tianhua brotherhood is just as strong. Like, when he heard the news that Tianhua had died to Kong Xuan's subordinate, he got pretty angry, if the poetry is any indication.

杨戬听得黄天化已死，正是：道心推在汪洋海，却把无名上脑来。

-It isn't enough to make him lose his cool in his subsequent battle with Kong Xuan, but it's probably the most explicit description of anger we've seen from this guy.

-I can see Nezha and Yang Jian becoming much closer after Tianhua's deification yet also feeling deeply guilty about it, like they are hurrying to fill in the missing space, further complicated by the "deification isn't perma-death yet the person you know is still lost" factor.

-For Nezha specifically: he is destined to be the Vanguard of the Zhou army, but for over half of the novel, he doesn't seem to have that official title, while Huang Tianhua does introduce himself as "Vanguard with the Formal Seal".

-Only after Tianhua's death does JZY give the seal to Nezha and make him the head vanguard.

-Like, imagine if these two have bickered about the vanguard thing before, and Nezha finding out that his destiny——the fated position he always viewed with a mix of pride and entitlement——only comes true at the cost of a friend's life.

-There's probably shared anger and guilt at not being able to protect Tianhua's remaining family, even though their fate is sealed long before the war itself.

-Which is how I read Yang Jian's most ruthless deed, when he tricks Zhang Kui & Gao Lanying into slaying the former's steed and elderly mother while they are attempting to execute him, for the explicit purpose of destroying their morales.

-Like, it actually gets a disapproving line out of the Ming annotator of the novel, who comments that "Those who are the nicest and most obedient are often the most cruel, too." (可见极乖巧之人，是极恶毒之人)

-It also happens right after Huang Feihu, his brother, and the other four future Five Mount Gods died at Zhang Kui's hands. Though Yang Jian rationalizes it as military tactics and psychological warfare, personally, I feel like an element of "an eye for an eye" is at play here too.

-As for Huang Tianhua himself? This piece of old rambling in JTTW Discord pretty much sums up my thoughts.

-Finally, Lei Zhenzi...kinda like Wei Hu, he doesn't get a lot of spotlight or character. But if you wanna expand on his personality, I feel like a potential point of focus will be his relationship with King Wen and King Wu and the Zhou lineage.

-Since he's born from a great thunder, adopted by King Wen (then immediately taken away by Yunzhong Zi as a student), and transformed into a fierce winged warrior via eating magical apricots in order to rescue his father.

-Not only is there awkwardness from meeting the adoptive dad and brother he's never seen before, but also the whole monstrous transformation thing——like, King Wen has 99 sons prior to adopting Lei Zhenzi, yet he'll always be the odd one out.

(His fellow Chan juniors are of no help whatsoever when it comes to learning about normal family interactions. Not that they don't want to, but theirs either have zero presence in their lives until very recently, or are exemplars of How Not To Family.)

-I'd love to read a story where Lei Zhenzi is trying his best to integrate himself into this huge family, during or after the Investiture War, and eventually finds out about Boyi Kao...

-Also, in pre-FSYY novel version of the story, Lei Zhenzi and Yin Jiao essentially serve the role of Nezha and Yang Jian in the novel: both are born to destroy the Shang.

-Novel! Yin Jiao no longer has that association, considering that his destined role and Patricide Arc get taken over by Nezha, and he is rewritten into a tragic betrayer instead.

-But I'd love to see adaptations that add in some interactions between these two sons of opposing rulers——the Thunderborn Child vs. Last Heir of the Shang.

-Both become monstrous warriors via magical consumables. Both oppose the Shang (at least initially, for Yin Jiao). Yet what Lei Zhenzi wants (a father, a brother, a family) is what Yin Jiao can never escape, and it ends up dooming him.

[lotus-duckies]

Teddy: F SHENGONGBAO ALL MY HOMIES HATE SHENGONGBAO

[baublology]

Shimmy Shimmy: Fringe by miriam-witte featuring above the knee boots ❤ liked on Polyvore

Giuliana Romanno wrap blouse / Fringe poncho, $47 / Zhenzi layered skirt, $42 / Yoki above the knee boots / Neiman Marcus chain strap handbag / BERRICLE tassel jewelry

[askvectorprime]

Dear Vector Prime, do human deities exist within any of Cybertrons universal streams?

Dear Divine Diviner,

Certainly. Recently the Autobots and Decepticons met up with Nezha, Lei Zhenzi, and Tu Xingsun, as seen in Nezha: Transformers.