Mu Wang Zhi Wang: Qi Lin Jue

Please note, I've watched all 4 seasons of Mu Wang Zhi Wang before writing this review.

This donghua follows two opposing groups, a group of tomb raiders and a group of tomb guardians (with a hinted third group that doesn't show up much in this season). The story centers on the tomb raiding group, specifically Lou ManFeng, the white haired main character. He an a friend are raiding a specific tomb, aiming to obtain the "tomb clear" medallion, located in the tomb's deepest parts as proof of successfully reaching the deepest chamber.

The plot itself tries to present itself as complex, though it comes off as quite ... contrived and overly complicated. Since this donghua is an original story (not an adaptation), the story telling is quite weak and they rely on flashback/retcons to cover some unexplainable phenomenon (like how did the MC get that Qilin tattoo(?)). There was also some needless romantic drama in order to redeem some of the "villains" so that she would side with the MC's group.

When it comes to character design and animation quality, it is not bad. However, since this donghua season was released back in 2016, the "early days" of 3D donghua, the animation, especially the action/fights are quite stiff. Also note that this season was also originally released in 720p (you may be able to find 1080p upscaled though).

Overall, this donghua tries to build a larger world than needed creating complexity and drama where it is unneeded. It has some weak story telling and plot building. But as a first season, it's not bad and worth the watch, as long as you're not hoping for a deep and meaningful story.