The Island of Siliang Season 1 has 15 episodes, and let me just say the graphics are insanely good. The art style isn’t like your typical anime, it’s unique and absolutely stunning. You can really tell that the Chinese animation industry is leveling up big time. They’re not just working on their donghuas anymore they’re crafting masterpieces.
Genres:
Fantasy, Costume and Period, Animation
Summary:
Since ancient times, the worlds of Gods, Immortals, and Humans have been strictly separated, each bound by their own rules and realms. The Gods, serving as both rulers and enforcers, exile disobedient immortals to Siliang Island,a remote prison where they’re stripped of their powers and forced to live as ordinary mortals.
On the island, three powerful families, the Chengs, the Xus, and the Shangs, struggle to earn forgiveness from the heavens and reclaim their place in the immortal realm. Our story begins with the downfall of the Shang family. The only survivors of this once-noble household are the son, Shang Jingxuan, and his foster sister, Tu Li.
The story fast-forwards ten years. Tu Li has grown up, unaware that during the catastrophe, Shang Jingxuan didn’t die, he survived, saved by a mysterious woman known as Feng Mian. The islanders call her Elder Feng.
Meanwhile, the Cheng and Xu families believe Tu Li should not be allowed to live either and consider her a threat. Fortunately, an elder named Elder Heng takes her in and adopts her as his own.
The reason isn’t entirely clear, but the Xus and Chengs seem to fear Elder Heng. Tu Li grows up into a strong, resilient woman who knows how to defend herself and survive among the hostile islanders.
As it turns out, Elder Heng the one who adopted her is actually Shang Jingxuan, the heir of the Shang family. However, due to certain circumstances, he never reveals his true identity to Tu Li. Perhaps he believes that staying in disguise as Elder Heng is the best way to protect her.
Even after ten years, Jingxuan hasn’t moved on from his parents’ death. Still haunted by it, he begins investigating, convinced that someone else was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
He sneaks into the island’s forbidden library normally only accessible to the Xu and Cheng families when the security is lax. While searching for clues, he accidentally stumbles upon a forbidden spell that unleashes a horde of demons. Not wanting to alert anyone or blow his cover, Jingxuan takes them all down himself and escapes undetected.
When the Cheng and Xu families arrive, they find no trace of what happened but the incident raises their suspicions. They sense something big is coming.
With the long-awaited heavenly redemption approaching a once-in-500-years chance to leave the island and regain their sealed powers the tension rises. The Chengs and Xus, already wary of Elder Feng, now begin to suspect Elder Heng as well.
On the other hand, Tu Li encounters some mortals at sea and ends up saving them. One of them, Xiao Ji, possesses a bead string that once belonged to Tu Li’s father, Tu Hou. Xiao Ji keeps pestering her, so she eventually tells him how to enter the island. But as soon as he does, both Tu Li and Xiao Ji are captured by the immortals, who suspect them of being in cahoots and plotting something.
Once again, Elder Heng steps in to protect Tu Li. By now, it’s clear he has fallen in love with her but he still can’t bring himself to reveal that he is actually Jingxuan and not dead. When he sees Tu Li showing concern for Xiao Ji, jealousy begins to creep in, though he hides it.
Xiao Ji asks Tu Li about her father, which reminds her of something important: her father once took the “Inclusive Cube” made by Jingxuan’s father and never returned it to her. She wants to ask Xiao Ji if her father is still alive, but the opportunity never comes.
Meanwhile, the immortals grow more suspicious of the whole situation and decide to inspect the ship that brought Xiao Ji to the island. Father Xu an old friend of Jingxuan’s father and several other immortals board the ship for inspection. Xiao Ji becomes hesitant but can’t stop them. To be honest, at this point, everyone is suspicious especially Xiao Ji, who never told Tu Li that the bead string was from her father and that something had been hidden in a mysterious box.
During the inspection, the immortals find the box. But just as they attempt to open it, the ship is attacked by water dragons.
Or so I thought but apparently, they weren’t called water dragons. They referred to them as Black Tortoise. These creatures attacked the ship, killing some of the immortals. Xiao Ji, who was also on board, came to realize that the immortals were actually afraid of water touching it could kill them. Maybe that’s why they were jealous of Tu Li, since she could freely enter the water without harm.
Just when Xiao Ji was about to be killed, Tu Li came to the rescue. At the same time, Jing xuan who had been secretly following the ship spotted her. He rushed to save her. The animation here is absolutely stunning; the visuals during this scene are breathtaking.
Tu Li and Jingxuan meet, but she doesn’t recognize him. She tells him that she’s going to save her friend on the ship. She dives into the water but before she can reach Xiao Ji, Jingxuan gets there first, saves him, and even kills the last Black Tortoise.
But just as he thinks it’s over, someone sneaks up from behind and binds him.
Phew! Just when I thought he was going to be discovered, they actually mistake him for an upper immortal and apologize to him. Honestly, that makes sense his powers are still intact, and no one has seen him for the past ten years, so they have no idea who he really is. So, they take him back to the Island of Siliang.
Meanwhile, the mortal Xiao Ji has fallen for Xu Lingxi, the daughter of the Xu family. I’m kind of excited to see where their story goes, but even more than that, I’m curious how will Jingxuan reveal his identity to Tu Li? And how will their romance unfold?
Anyway, Jingxuan somehow persuades the immortals to let him live in a secluded house which just so happens to be the same house Tu Li lives in. They agree, and Tu Li offers to show him the way. Of course, Jingxuan already knows the way, but he plays along.
While they’re on their way, a monster suddenly attacks them. What shocks Jingxuan is that the monster uses the exact same formation that was used to kill his family. Then the scene cuts to Elder Cheng, the patriarch of the Cheng family so it turns out the Chengs were pulling the strings all along.
It’s all getting kind of confusing now, but super intriguing too.
Favorite Quote:
Life is like a dream that is bound to end, but their are always people risking their life for the illusion called “Hope”
Final Thoughts:
The story is a bit slow, but the visuals and graphics are so stunning that I’m completely hooked. The characters’ expressions aren’t stiff at all they’ve really worked on it! It almost feels human, especially the subtle blinking and detailed emotions. The scenery feels alive and enchanting.
However, the ending of Season 1 of The Island of Siliang is quite abrupt. Jingxuan seems to suspect that Tu Li might also be an immortal but how? Tu Li was clearly brought to the island accidentally by her father. What exactly happened to her father?
There’s really only one big mystery in the whole season: the death of Jingxuan’s family, which was caused by a strange star formation. But the mystery becomes even more tangled at the end, because Elder Cheng is shown to be controlling that formation. Is he the true mastermind, or is someone else behind it all?
There was another scene in the last episode that confused me even more Elder Feng is seen looking at a frozen image that includes both Jingxuan’s mother and father. So… is Elder Feng actually Jingxuan’s mother in disguise? Or someone who knows the Shang family well? So many questions!
I really hope all these mysteries get answered in Season 2 and that the story doesn’t drag on too long. Sadly, since this is an original donghua, there’s no novel to turn to for spoilers so I’m stuck waiting!
Still, I absolutely loved this anime and I’m hooked. The visuals of Tu Li and Jingxuan together are insane. The fight scenes are intense and epic. I really hope they continue using this level of animation quality in future donghuas.
Rating:
I would give it a 4.5 rating because of the stunning graphics, but the story feels a bit dragged out.
The song at the beginning of this donghua is my favorite just read the lyrics, they’re so beautiful.
In between the night sky and sea, the stars gradually appear
An ocean of household lights immortals among mortals
Asking numerous times how to resolve this fate at the sacrificial altar
Even the deities fall silent, only saying words of sympathy
Unable to see an old acquaintance makes one feel nostalgic
Restrained by mortal fate, the exiled immortals suffer through the flow of time
Life is like an ever changing chess game, hard to plan and turn around
My longing is separated by light years, stars and clouds scatter and time distorts
The vicissitudes of life cannot dispel my long cherished wish
As the immortals powers break through the sky’s edges, who’s willing to join me?
There’s no answer to right or wrong. I’ll use my sword against the raging waves
Fear not the abyss; life may end but love lives on
Heaven’s secret will reveal again to cut all gratitude and grudges alike
Despite all the tribulations, I do not regret my love
You can watch the donghua here 👇👇
The Island of Siliang season 1
You can read my review of You are my Glory 👇👇
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