Tifa. Ace. She/her. Has a multitude of interests such as anime, manga, cosplay, mythology and folklore, horror, Japanese fashion, and travel. Fandoms include Thunderbolt Fantasy, Good Omens, WWDitS, and FMA. Over here, I lurk more than I post, and am actually more active on other social networks!
Another fan request that was picked during the opening-day performance at "A World Exhibition for a Tokusatsu Puppet Drama from Taiwan", the Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit:
Lin Xue Ya letting Shang Bu Huan smoke his pipe 😂 Is my mind just in the gutter, or does that sound like innuendo…🤭
I forgot to mention that the full context of the request was "Shang and Lin borrowing each other's weapons." Lin very gladly let Shang smoke his pipe, and yet when he asked to use Shang's wooden sword, Zhuo Jian...
(Sorry, my phone's case got in the way while I was filming this moment...)
One of the requests I put in for the opening-day performance of the Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit got picked: a crossover match between Lin Xue Ya from Thunderbolt Fantasy and Hua Xin Feng from the Pili Fantasy continuity!
Another fan request that was picked during the opening-day (July 25th) performance at "A World Exhibition for a Tokusatsu Puppet Drama from Taiwan", the Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit!
The request was quite detailed, so I'm paraphrasing here: Lin Xue Ya, who has never known what it's like to celebrate his birthday since he doesn't know when it is, wants Shang Bu Huan to celebrate his birthday with him.
Here's how Shang reacted:
Cue Shang's signature facepalm...
But in the end, Shang led the audience in singing the birthday song to Lin!
Another fan request that was picked during the opening-day performance at "A World Exhibition for a Tokusatsu Puppet Drama from Taiwan", the Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit:
Lin Xue Ya letting Shang Bu Huan smoke his pipe 😂 Is my mind just in the gutter, or does that sound like innuendo…🤭
Another fan request that was picked during the opening-day performance at "A World Exhibition for a Tokusatsu Puppet Drama from Taiwan", the Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit:
Lin Xue Ya wanting a headpat from Shang Bu Huan for behaving 😂
Yesterday, July 25th, marked the opening of "A World Exhibition for a Tokusatsu Puppet Drama from Taiwan", the special exhibit in honor of Thunderbolt Fantasy’s 10th anniversary! It really is a large-scale exhibit, with around 50 puppets, a whole lot of merch, and tie-up events such as live puppeteering performances. Just on the first day alone, there was already so much going on that I already knew I wouldn’t have enough time or energy to post everything from the exhibit.
For now, though, here’s one of my videos from yesterday’s performance, which featured Shang Bu Huan, Lin Xue Ya, and the Pili characters Su Huan Zhen and Hua Xin Feng! The puppeteers took requests in advance; one of the requests they picked was: Shang Bu Huan and Lin Xue Ya playing tag. 😂
Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th Anniversary Updates Roundup (As of Mid-June 2026): More Details of Tokyo Exhibit & Related Events, Taiwan Exhibit Announced, New Merch, Etc.
A couple of months ago, I shared the announcement that, in honor of Thunderbolt Fantasy's 10th anniversary, there would be a large-scale exhibit in Tokyo from July 25-August 9, 2026.
Since then, more announcements have been released, and it looks like TBF fans in (or visiting) Japan and Taiwan later this year will be in for a real treat!
I have been quite busy, so I haven't been able to share the updates right away, but I am now taking some time to compile the updates so far. There's a lot of info, so apologies if I've missed anything, as this post is already quite long...
Admission Tickets Now on Sale
You can now buy admission tickets for the exhibit.
Admission for the first two days is on a timed-entry basis. Since the exhibit's hours are 11:00 am-7:00 pm (last entry at 6:30 pm), the first time slot for the timed-entry tickets is 11:10 am, and the last one is 6:00 pm.
Open-date tickets are valid from July 27 (Monday) to August 9 (Sunday). There are two types of open-date tickets: one for admission only for JPY2,000 (plus platform handling fees), and another for JPY3,800, which includes a freebie gaji bag (a striped tote/shopping bag that's become one of Taiwan's cultural symbols) that comes in two randomly distributed designs.
You can buy tickets here (all pages in Japanese):
Timed-entry tickets (JPY2,000*): July 25 and July 26
Open-date tickets (admission only JPY2,000*; with freebie bag JPY3,800*): Link
*All prices exclusive of platform handling fees, service charges, etc.
Source: Games Glorious (the event organizer)
Performances, Talks, Screenings, and Photo Ops
For the duration of the exhibit, there will be various activities, mainly concentrated during the event's first and last weekends: puppet performances, photo ops with the puppets, screenings of Legend of the Sacred Stone and The Arti (both subtitled in Japanese); talks featuring Gen Urobuchi, Huang Jen-Jia (Pili's brand director), Pili puppeteers, the people on the Japanese side who handled the tokusatsu aspects of TBF; etc.
I don't have the time/energy to list everything out, but a Japanese fan kindly made and auto-translated an event schedule here. The translation is wonky, so feel free to ask me for clarification if you need it
However, do note that tickets for these activities went on sale two weeks ago, and slots are very limited, so most are already sold out.
As of now, though, there are still slots for the photo op with Su Huan Zhen (from the main Pili series) and Lin Xue Ya / Rin Setsu A, and for the photo op with Su Huan Zhen and Hua Xin Feng (from the Pili Fantasy continuity). I may be helping someone sell off their Lie Mo Xian / Retsu Ma Gen and Lang Wu Yao / Rou Fu You photo op ticket, so let me know if you're interested.
Sources: Games Glorious; Games Glorious's ticketing page
Taiwan Exhibit Dates Announced
The exhibit will also be held in Taiwan from September 12 (Saturday) to October 12 (Monday) at the Syntrend mall in Taipei. No further details as of now, but fans presume that there will be concurrent events as well.
Source: Thunderbolt Fantasy's official Facebook page
Takanori Nishikawa as 10th Anniversary Exhibit Ambassador
Takanori Nishikawa (a.k.a. T.M. Revolution), the voice behind Lang Wu Yao (Rou Fu You) has been named official ambassador of this exhibit. The event organizers plan to give away signed posters to some lucky fans, and they've posted a special message from Nishikawa (in Japanese; subbed in Mandarin on YouTube).
Here are the points worth noting from the video:
There will be around 50 puppets on display
The exhibit will also be devoted to the tokusatsu aspects of TBF, so tokusatsu fans will also find it appealing
You can also see him surrounded with new merch, like Wan Jun Po (Ban Gun Ha) and Demon King plushies, and a Ling Ya (Ryou Ga) pillow/cushion(?). And while I initially thought that the plushies of the main trio were from the NuiPal line that was released last year, a friend pointed out that they look slightly different, so we might get a new line of plushies.
Source: Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit June 17, 2026 press release
New Themed Perfumes for Wan Jun Po and Demon King
Last year, fandom-/character-themed perfume maker Primaniacs released four TBF fragrances for Shang Bu Huan (Shou Fu Kan), Lin Xue Ya (Rin Setsu A), and Sha Wu Sheng (Setsu Mu Sho).
Now, fans can also imagine what Wan Jun Po (Ban Gun Ha) and A Qì Nu Sī (Akeidosu) the Demon King smell like, as Primaniacs has announced two new TBF perfumes.
Both are now available for preorder here (for Wan Jun Po) and here (for the Demon King), with shipments to start arriving in July. They will also be sold at the exhibit's official shop, and at Primaniacs' physical shops in Tokyo and Taipei.
For fans ordering from outside Japan, do note that perfumes can't be sent in the mail. To my knowledge, most professional proxy-buying services will not be able to ship perfumes for you, either.
Source: Primaniacs official Twitter account and website
New 10th Anniversary Shang and Lin Puppets Revealed
Pili has created new puppets of Lin Xue Ya (Rin Setsu A) and Shang Bu Huan (Shou Fu Kan) in celebration of TBF's 10th anniversary!
These will also be on display at the exhibit, and a very limited number of replicas will be available for sale: only one of each in Japan and Taiwan. The selling price will be JPY1,298,000 (approx. USD8,050) for Lin and JPY1,188,000 (approx. USD7,370) for Shang.
Source: Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary exhibit June 17, 2026 press release
Other Merch Announcements/Teasers
In addition to the new perfumes, the merch teased in the aforementioned promo video, and the 10th anniversary puppets, a new photo book called Thunderbolt Fantasy Project -Moment- will be released in conjunction with the exhibit. It will feature newly took photos and never-before-seen photos from the project’s archives.
Prints of various TBF characters (and some from Pili) and their emblems/seals will also be given as freebies to event attendees and merch buyers (at the exhibit's shop) whose purchases meet a certain minimum amount. You can click on the links below for photos.
Sources: Pili's official Japanese Twitter account (tweets 1, 2); Games Glorious
Plugging Our Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th Anniversary Fanzine!
Features:
- JIS B5 trim size (182 × 257 mm, or 7.17" × 10.12")
- Perfect bound (paperback) with a matte cover
- Approximately 300 pages*
- F
With just about a day left until preorders on our main international platforms close, let me make a last-ditch effort to plug what some friends/acquaintances and I have been working on for the last few months: a fanzine to celebrate Thunderbolt Fantasy’s 10th anniversary!
Preorders are open until 11:59 pm of April 19 (Sunday) UTC-11. this might be sometime on April 20, depending on where in the world you are (countdown timer here).
The zine costs US$32 + shipping from Japan. It features creations from 107 contributors from around the world: fan art, fanfics, and even alternative media like photos of cosplays and fan-made plushies! The cover art is made by our amazing design/layout mod @kimartings .
Almost all characters (with the exception of a few minor ones) are featured, and the works range from heartwarming tributes to the show, to fanmade recreations of certain iconic scenes, to what-ifs set after The Finale. You can check the account @tbfantazine for previews, which we've been posting on a near-daily basis since March!
Shipping will start in mid- or late May. Since the zine will be printed in and shipped from Japan, non-US fans, especially those in Asia, can rest assured that international shipping shouldn’t be as expensive.
Though there isn't much time left to preorder, we hope you’ll grab a copy if you’re interested! If you’re a Thunderbolt Fantasy fan, it will surely be worth your money. Given how niche this fandom is (as well-loved as it is within its niche), we are unlikely to do a reprint, so click on the link above to preorder now while you still can!
Just a day to go until we close preorders for our Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary fanzine on Ko-Fi and BOOTH! We aren't likely to do a reprint, given how niche this fandom is (as well-loved as it is within its niche), so if you're interested, grab a copy now while you still can!
Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th Anniversary Exhibit Coming to Japan This Summer (July 25-Aug. 9, 2026)!
July 8, 2026 will mark 10 years since S1E1 of Thunderbolt Fantasy was released! In commemoration of TBF's 10th anniversary, there will be an exhibit on the 8th floor of the Yurakucho Marui department store (Google Maps) in Tokyo from July 25 to August 9.
The exhibit's name translates to "A World Exhibition for a Tokusatsu Puppet Drama from Taiwan" (or, more literally, "From Taiwan! A Tokusatsu Puppet Drama World Exhibition"). Exact details, like which puppets will be on display (presumably the ones in the promotional photo, but who knows if there will be more), have not yet been announced.
However, there will definitely be some other Pili puppets on display as well, as Games Glorious (a Japan-based company that Pili has been partnering with) recently held a poll for fans to pick which characters they think would be popular in Japan.
When I attended some events in Taiwan and Japan last year, Pili teased that there definitely would be events to celebrate TBF's 10th anniversary. So unless their plans have changed, there should be more events/activities (and maybe even merch) to come in Japan and Taiwan, especially during the summer months!
7 Days Left Until BOOTH & Ko-Fi Preorders for "Across the Sea: A Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th Anniversary Fanzine" Close on April 12
7 days left to preorder our zine via Ko-Fi and BOOTH! They will close on April 12 at 23:59 UTC-11.
Although this is an international project led by Anglophone fans, this zine will be printed in and shipped from Japan, so for non-US based folks, especially those in Asia, please rest assured that international shipping shouldn't as pricey! We priced the zine such that the price will (hopefully) cover our costs, while still being relatively affordable for fans in as many regions as possible.
In other news, Taiwan 7-11 preorders and reservations for pick-up at "Raimei ni Tsuzuke!" in Tokyo are still ongoing until 23:59 of April 30 UTC+9!
For more information about preorders and the countdown timers until preorders close, please visit our Carrd site: http://tbfantazine.carrd.co
I haven’t checked my Tumblr in a while, but let me take this opportunity to plug the Thunderbolt Fantasy 10th anniversary fanzine that some friends and I have been working on for the last few months!
It’s truly a labor of love: an international project featuring many wonderful submissions in English, Mandarin, and Japanese from 107 contributors from around 20+ different countries.
I’m so excited for my fellow Thunderbolt Fantasy fans to see it; I hope you’ll love it! (You can check @tbfantazine for previews; we’ve been posting them on a near-daily basis for about a month now.)
Preorders on our Ko-Fi shop will close less than a week from now, so if you’re interested in the zine, please don’t miss the chance to grab a copy!
Here’s the Ko-Fi link: https://ko-fi.com/s/164c4fd0e4
Features:
- JIS B5 trim size (182 × 257 mm, or 7.17" × 10.12")
- Perfect bound (paperback) with a matte cover
- Approximately 300 pages*
- F
From an idea I got last year, the zine is now gonna become a reality, and it couldn’t have happened without such awesome and passionate people also being on board with the idea and stepping up!
As I do not have the bandwidth to oversee every aspect of such a large-scale fan project as this zine, I am not the head mod; S./Wu_Ya_Zui is. But I definitely am giving my all as one of the mods
I’m glad to be working with TBF fans on the same wavelength and very excited for how the zine turns out!
Since the character lineup for last weekend’s Pili fan meet in Tokyo wasn’t just Thunderbolt Fantasy characters but also other Pili characters, there were fun crossover moments here and there, like this one:
Leng Jian Bai Hu from the Pili Fantasy series (the reboot that started with War of Dragons, the 2019 Pili show that was viewable on Netflix until a few years ago) got to spar with Wan Jun Po briefly!
