Teen Artist Makes Jaws Drop with Adorable TGCF Hualian Animation

Let’s think back (and for some people all the way back) to when we were in high school. What were we doing at sixteen years old? I, for one, certainly wasn’t as accomplished as this young animator.

An artist who goes by the name of Deki has recently gained a lot of attention for their spectacular animation short of Heaven Official’s Blessing. And they’re just sixteen years old. Uploaded on their YouTube channel, the “Hualian Animation” shows all of the iconic moments from the popular danmei series written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu set to the melo beat of “Teardrop (Remastered 2019)” such as the ghost bride reunion, Xie Lian meeting San Lang on the ox cart, Hualian’s first kiss (and many other kisses), and a heartfelt embrace under a sky filled with lanterns and fireworks. The short, although just a little over three minutes, manages to succinctly capture the emotional progression of Hualian’s budding romantic relationship.

Since the upload at the end of August, Deki, who just recently finished high school, has uploaded the step-by-step behind-the-scenes footage of the animation from using herself as reference for movements, then rough animation, then clean-up, color fill, then adding dust particles before finally rendering. It’s fascinating to see.

In her caption that accompanied the tweet of the Hualian animation, Deki wrote:

“I’m Deki, I’m 16, and my goal is to become a great animator. A huge thank you to Mo Xiang Tong Xiu for creating such a heartfelt story and thank you to everyone who worked on the TGCF donghua. I admire you all, and one day, I’ll reach the same heights in creativity.”

In the ending credits, Deki said this animation took around a year to complete. Her goal is “to be a guiding star for others, and to prove by my own example that dreams do come true, no matter where you start from.”

Heaven Official’s Blessing follows an unlucky god named Xie Lian who was once a beloved prince among the mortals and god among the heavens. After being banished twice, Xie Lian has become the laughingstock of all three realms. When he ascends for an unprecedented third time, it turns the heavens upside down. With multiple palaces destroyed, Xie Lian now has to find some way to pay the damages but with no followers and therefore no power, he can’t do much except descend to the mortal realm to hunt down ghosts. There, he meets a mysterious red-robed young man who seems to know a lot about Xie Lian.

Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s story was adapted into a donghua in October 2020 with a second season released three years later. Since then, the donghua has opted to release only short films. While the future of the donghua remains uncertain, the TGCF fans can feel comforted that with talented animators such as Deki in the fandom, Hualian’s story will always be told in some shape or form.

Source: YouTube