Synopsis
In ancient times, Jiang Ziya, the foremost student of Jingxu Hall, fought alongside his master in a catastrophic war against demonic forces, eventually defeating the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon. As the first to ascend the Heavenly Ladder, he was fated to become the leader of the gods. Yet during his final task to destroy the Nine-Tailed Fox, the demon crafted an illusion showing an innocent girl trapped within its grasp. Plagued by doubt, Jiang Ziya freed the fox spirit to rescue the girl. As punishment, he was banished to the North Sea, his divine powers sealed so that the Nine-Tailed's illusions could never torment him again. Ten years later, Jiang Ziya lives in the North Sea with his companion Shen Gongbao and his pet Si Bu Xiang. One night at a tavern, he meets Xiao Jiu, who looks exactly like the girl from the illusion. Spotting the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon's bracelet on her ankle, Jiang Ziya asks about it and learns that the ornament points to a place where black flowers bloom. Torn between doubt and curiosity, he chooses to travel with Xiao Jiu to Mount Youdu. Their journey ahead will not only reveal the truth Jiang Ziya seeks but also expose shocking realities about the ancient war.
Background
Jiang Ziya is loosely based on the Ming-dynasty Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin. The animated feature was initially scheduled to premiere on January 25, 2020, but was delayed to October 1, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It earned over 240 million dollars worldwide, ranking as the eighth highest-grossing film in 2020. The movie was released on Blu-ray and DVD in North America by Well Go USA Entertainment on February 9, 2021. In the same year, Jiang Ziya received three nominations: Best Feature at the Annecy International Film Festival, Best Screenplay for an Animated Film at Golden Screenwriters' Night, and Best New Director at the Huading Awards.
