Weapon Soul (Photo : Sohu TV)
China continues to keep the ban on Korean Hallyu, but it remains open to anime, games culture and manga influenced by Japan. On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Chinese video streaming Sohu TV aired the premiere of a new TV series, “Weapon Soul.”
The new program is part of the popular Japanese magical weapon genre which features “Soul Masters,” or people who could wield weapons which change into human beings. Ma Te, an executive of Sohu TV, said “Weapon Soul” is one of the site’s key dramas for 2016 since it would bring dramas made in the mainland to an all new level, Global Times reported.
The plot of “Weapon Soul” revolves around an ordinary boy who unexpectedly becomes involved in a conflict between two groups of spirit agents. His discovery of the existence of “Qi Ling,” a collection of seven antique weapons which transform into beautiful women ready to engage in battle, shocked the boy.
He could not trust the women who say they are his friends. The boy often finds himself in one danger after the other. He could not explain his predicament to his friends or family concerned over his well-being, according to TVdramswiki.
The actors are Peng Yu Chang as Mo Ming and Chen Ruo Xuan as Liu Ming Rui. Before “Weapon Soul,” Peng Yu Chang played a supporting role as Jiang Gong in the 2015 TV series “Go Princess Go.” Chen Ruo Xuan has 12 TV shows to his credit since 2015, the latest of which is “Distressed Beauty” which is in post-production.
To build audience interest, Sohu TV followed the example of TV streaming sites in the U.S. which release preview episodes one month before the launch of the series. The preview episode of “Weapon Soul” was viewed almost 70 million times, hinting of a potential wide audience.
Season 1 of “Weapon Soul” would have 15 episodes which Sohu TV would broadcast every Wednesday and Thursday.
