It’s hard to believe a series as long-running and popular as One Piece could ever be defeated in terms of popularity, but the anime world was turned upside down today. Despite its massive fame earning it a run of over 980 episodes, the legendary show is being beaten out by a surprise historical drama with stories of demons and the supernatural.
Mo Dao Zu Shi: Wanjie Pian, the third season of Mo Dao Zu Shi (known as The Founder of Diabolism in the west), has recently been dominating the anime streaming world. Now, according to stats from MyAnimeList, the show has even beaten out the legendary likes of One Piece in terms of popularity.
Mo Dao Zu Shi: Wanjie Pian is based on a novel written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu — one of the most prominent danmei authors in China. It is set to be the final season of the series, covering the book’s Yi City Arc. According to the synopsis on MyAnimeList, “the story follows the two main characters Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji as they try to finish solving the mystery behind the haunted arm of an unknown corpse.”
The series has always been a bit of a hidden gem outside of China, but that seems to be changing with this recent wave of popularity. The first three episodes of the English dub are currently available for free on YouTube with new uploads every Saturday available immediately for members of the YouTube channel.
As the series has previously won several animation awards in China, it’s a visual treat that any anime fan should take the chance to check out while it’s so easily available.