{ "id": "eppawqdaf8", "slug": "rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series", "title": "Rakshasa Street (镇魂街) (2017 TV series)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia", "label": "East Asian drama series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials", "label": "East Asian web and streaming serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "label": "Titles My to So", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020: Titles My to So", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials", "label": "East Asian web and streaming serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "label": "Titles My to So", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Rakshasa Street (镇魂街), also Zhen Hun Jie, is a 2017 Chinese fantasy web drama on Youku adapted from Xu Chen's manhua, starring Jiro Wang as guardian general Cao Yanbing; first live-action guoman web drama, 24 episodes, over 1 billion views in three weeks, Douban 5.9.", "snippet": "Rakshasa Street (镇魂街), also Zhen Hun Jie, is a 2017 Chinese fantasy web drama on Youku adapted from Xu Chen's manhua, starring Jiro Wang as guardian general Cao Yanbing; first live-action guoman web drama, 24 episodes, over 1 billion views in three weeks, Douban 5.9.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "markdown": "# Rakshasa Street (镇魂街) (2017 TV series)\n\n**Rakshasa Street** (镇魂街) is a 2017 Chinese fantasy web drama adapted from Xu Chen's (许辰) manhua of the same name, starring [Jiro Wang](https://www.edgepedia.org/jiro-wang) (汪东城) as the guardian general Cao Yanbing and An Yuexi (安悦溪) as Xia Ling, a college graduate who accidentally crosses into the spirit realm. The series, produced by Youku, Alpha Entertainment's drama arm (奥飞剧业), Xiong Haizi Media, and the comics platform Youyaoqi (有妖气), premiered on Youku on August 2, 2017 in 24 episodes, and was promoted as the first live-action web drama adapted from a Chinese comic (guoman).[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) • [2](https://pdf.dfcfw.com/pdf/H3_AP201712151066887559_01.pdf)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original run | Premiered August 2, 2017 on Youku; 24 episodes; free updates four days a week, with two episodes early for VIP members on Wednesdays[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) • [3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1522321.html) |\n| Production | Directed by November (十一月); written by Wei Tianyi (魏天一) and Xu Chen; produced by Youku, Alpha Entertainment, Xiong Haizi Media, and Youyaoqi[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) |\n| Cast | Jiro Wang as Cao Yanbing (曹焱兵); An Yuexi as Xia Ling (夏铃); Hou Minghao, Tang Guozhong, Liu Zhaohong, Fang Chutong, and Zhang Ziwen in supporting roles[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) |\n| Viewership | Over 100 million views in two days; 300 million by August 10, 700 million by August 14, and over 1 billion by August 20, 2017[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) |\n| Source material | Xu Chen's manhua, serialized on Youyaoqi since 2010; click counts cited between 2.6 billion and 3.2 billion around the drama's release[4](https://ent.rednet.cn/c/2017/08/09/4387401.htm) |\n| Adaptation change | The drama replaced the manhua's undead spirit premise with a science-fiction framing and renamed the spirits \"Yiren\" (异人)[5](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1558777.html) • [6](https://movie.douban.com/review/8714757/) |\n| Reception | A Douban score of 5.9 within days of launch, with criticism focused on divergence from the manhua, though the visual effects drew praise[7](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1527817.html) • [3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1522321.html) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Story and setting\n\nThe drama follows Cao Yanbing, a descendant of [Cao Wei](https://www.edgepedia.org/cao-wei)'s royal family who serves as the guardian general (镇魂将) of [Rakshasa Street](https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street) (罗刹街), one of the streets that absorb malevolent spirits and connect the human world with the spirit realm (灵域). Only \"寄灵人\", people who carry a guardian spirit, can move between the two worlds. When the spirit-medium Xia Ling stumbles into the street and a mysterious evil force destroys the barrier between the human and spirit realms, the two set out together across the spirit world.[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296)\n\nThe setting draws on [Three Kingdoms](https://www.edgepedia.org/three-kingdoms) history and folklore: Cao Yanbing's guardian spirits include the general [Xu Chu](https://www.edgepedia.org/xu-chu) (许褚), and the drama's tagline, \"At the end, Yu Jin is willing to brave fire and water for the Cao family for generations\" (末将于禁，愿为曹家世代赴汤蹈火), became a signature line of the franchise.[8](https://www.gdalpha.com/News/getnews/413.html) • [9](https://www.1905.com/m/news/touch/1584209.shtml)\n\n### Place in the franchise and the manhua-adaptation market\n\nThe 2017 drama was one of several live-action versions of the property. A manhua-based live-action film had been announced as early as 2015 by Alpha's film units, and a 2024 live-action sequel series, *Rakshasa Street: Hero is Back* (镇魂街之热血再燃), aired on Youku with a new cast in September 2024.[16](https://static.cninfo.com.cn/finalpage/2015-08-19/1201455918.PDF) • [17](https://thetvdb.com/series/rakshasa-street) A live-action film directed by Cheng Wei-hao was filed with the National Film Administration in late 2024.[18](https://www.ithome.com/0/809/600.htm) The IP also extends to games, including the mobile game *Zhenhun Street: Born to Be King* (镇魂街：天生为王) authorized by Bilibili and Youyaoqi.[19](https://ep.ycwb.com/epaper/klsh/resfile/2023-01-10/20/klsh2023011020.pdf)\n\nIn the wider manhua-adaptation market of 2017, the drama's mix of strong viewership and mediocre ratings was typical: domestic live-action comic adaptations of the period generally received lukewarm Douban scores, and commentators used Rakshasa Street's experience, detailed world restoration but altered plot, as a reference point for the difficulties of moving between two-dimensional and three-dimensional media.[20](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1579413.html)\n\n## Adaptation from the manhua\n\nThe source manhua, which Xu Chen began serializing on the Youyaoqi platform in 2010, had accumulated click counts cited by various reports as 2.6 billion, 3 billion, and 3.2 billion between 2016 and late 2017, and the 2016 animated adaptation had drawn over 350 million views.[4](https://ent.rednet.cn/c/2017/08/09/4387401.htm) • [2](https://pdf.dfcfw.com/pdf/H3_AP201712151066887559_01.pdf) The animated series, and for many viewers the manhua itself, formed the benchmark against which the live-action version was judged.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1522321.html)\n\n**Deliberate changes.** The production made large-scale alterations. The manhua's premise of a world of the dead was changed to a science-fiction framing: screenwriter Wei Tianyi said the original script kept the manhua's \"undead\" setting, but amid a period when many web dramas were being pulled for regulatory review, the team decided to rework the worldview into one with a \"scientific\" basis.[5](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1558777.html) The term for the beings of that world changed from 亡灵 (the dead) to 异人 (the altered), and the villainous \"Kingdom\" organization, a Western-styled group in the manhua whose members draw guardian spirits from Western fantasy, appeared in the drama with a jumbled mix of cultural references, including a Western-named character whose guardian spirit is the Japanese Sengoku-era lord [Shimazu Yoshihiro](https://www.edgepedia.org/shimazu-yoshihiro).[6](https://movie.douban.com/review/8714757/) • [10](https://news.sina.com.cn/o/2017-08-08/doc-ifyiswpt6061346.shtml) Producer Ding Heng (丁恒), a senior director of self-produced drama at Alibaba's Youku entertainment unit, said the script also toned down the manhua's male-oriented hot-blooded qualities and added more comedy.[11](https://m.1905.com/m/news/vivo/1522243.shtml)\n\n## Production\n\nFilming took place in 2016 at Xiangshan Film City, with Youku announcing the project at its 2017 upfront event in Shanghai in October 2016.[12](https://ent.ifeng.com/c/7e2H0EsnLPi) The production team surveyed fan communities and forums about plot direction and casting during the planning stage, and the director, November, joined during the scripting stage to keep the creative style consistent, spending about half a year studying science-fiction works because of the changed worldview.[4](https://ent.rednet.cn/c/2017/08/09/4387401.htm)\n\n**Effects workload.** [Post-production](https://www.edgepedia.org/post-production) ran two to three times longer than the shoot, and Alpha's drama division head Shen Jia said a mature film-team crew was used, with effects accounting for about half of the 24 episodes.[4](https://ent.rednet.cn/c/2017/08/09/4387401.htm) • [8](https://www.gdalpha.com/News/getnews/413.html) A preview screening of the first two episodes was held in Beijing on July 25, 2017, where the theme song MV \"Zhan Ding Bu Tui\" (战定不退) was released.[13](https://ent.cnr.cn/zx/20170726/t20170726_523868967.shtml)\n\n## Release and viewership\n\nYouku released six episodes on launch day, August 2, 2017, then updated four episodes a week for free, with VIP members able to watch two episodes early each Wednesday.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1522321.html) Play counts rose quickly: the series passed 100 million views within two days of release, 300 million by August 10, 700 million by August 14, and over 1 billion by August 20, 2017.[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) By September 20, 2017, a report citing Guoduo network-video statistics put total clicks above 2.65 billion, and described the drama as a pioneering work among live-action manhua web dramas.[2](https://pdf.dfcfw.com/pdf/H3_AP201712151066887559_01.pdf)\n\n## Reception\n\nCritical response split along the line between fans of the source material and general drama viewers. Within a week of launch the drama held a Douban score of 5.9, below passing, with most complaints centered on the gap between the drama and the manhua.[7](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1527817.html) Some fans rejected any adaptation of a work they credited with making them \"burn and cry\"; others judged it the limit of what a domestic manhua web drama could achieve, praising the sets, Jiro Wang's likeness to the character, and the use of the animated series' voice cast, while finding the script weaker.[14](https://www.sohu.com/a/162301532_695778)\n\n**What critics credited.** Reviewers singled out the effects budget: the Rakshasa Street set drew notice for its cyberpunk-style depiction of a narrow, neon-lit street with Hong Kong walled-city flavors, and some viewers noted the effects exceeded those of many television-broadcast dramas.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1522321.html) Netease Entertainment praised the series for retaining the manhua's \"burning\" quality and the protagonist's youthful passion in its battle scenes, while noting the pervasive \"chuunibyou\" feel of the plot, props, characterization, and dialogue.[1](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296) The Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper was less convinced, arguing the drama stalled its fight scenes and suspense, and that the guardian spirit Xu Chu's design was neither imposing nor appealing.[10](https://news.sina.com.cn/o/2017-08-08/doc-ifyiswpt6061346.shtml) A people.cn year-end survey placed the drama among 2017's notable adaptations of hit comics, aimed at the post-90s and post-00s audiences of the originals.[15](https://culture.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0104/c1013-29744937.html)\n\n## References\n\n1. [镇魂街（2017年汪东城，安悦溪主演奇幻网络剧）, Baidu Baike](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E9%95%87%E9%AD%82%E8%A1%97/20109296)\n2. [Alpha Entertainment research report, December 15, 2017 (东方财富 PDF)](https://pdf.dfcfw.com/pdf/H3_AP201712151066887559_01.pdf)\n3. [这条镇魂街，还真不是你说了算, Jiemian News (ACGx)](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1522321.html)\n4. [优酷剧版《镇魂街》热播 汪东城神还原\"热血+中二\"的曹焱兵, Rednet Entertainment](https://ent.rednet.cn/c/2017/08/09/4387401.htm)\n5. [《镇魂街》：希望\"二次元\"打开次元壁, Jiemian News (编剧帮)](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1558777.html)\n6. [作为老原著党的一些看法和吐槽, Douban review](https://movie.douban.com/review/8714757/)\n7. [二次元出大事了？, Jiemian News (三文娱)](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1527817.html)\n8. [终于来了！国漫顶级IP《镇魂街》剧集上线, Alpha Entertainment official site](https://www.gdalpha.com/News/getnews/413.html)\n9. [热血国漫《镇魂街》真人系列电影启动 程伟豪执导, 1905.com](https://www.1905.com/m/news/touch/1584209.shtml)\n10. [剧版《镇魂街》：不燃也不爆, The Paper via Sina News](https://news.sina.com.cn/o/2017-08-08/doc-ifyiswpt6061346.shtml)\n11. [高分国漫拍真人版 南派三叔编剧能破次元壁吗？, 1905.com](https://m.1905.com/m/news/vivo/1522243.shtml)\n12. [国漫IP 剧《镇魂街》探班：汪东城拍打戏踩坏三双鞋, ifeng Entertainment](https://ent.ifeng.com/c/7e2H0EsnLPi)\n13. [《镇魂街》点映 汪东城安悦溪惊喜现身亲密互动, CNR Entertainment](https://ent.cnr.cn/zx/20170726/t20170726_523868967.shtml)\n14. [\"中二偶像\"汪东城主演的漫改网剧《镇魂街》到底有多中二？, Sohu](https://www.sohu.com/a/162301532_695778)\n15. [国产剧集2017年大盘点 内容与渠道的春天, people.cn](https://culture.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0104/c1013-29744937.html)\n16. [Alpha Entertainment asset purchase plan, August 19, 2015 (cninfo PDF)](https://static.cninfo.com.cn/finalpage/2015-08-19/1201455918.PDF)\n17. [Rakshasa Street (2017), TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/series/rakshasa-street)\n18. [国漫 IP《镇魂街》真人电影备案立项, IT之家](https://www.ithome.com/0/809/600.htm)\n19. [《镇魂街：天生为王》game launch coverage, Yangcheng Evening News digital edition](https://ep.ycwb.com/epaper/klsh/resfile/2023-01-10/20/klsh2023011020.pdf)\n20. [从《秦时明月》到《镇魂街》，国产真人漫改到底差在哪？, Jiemian News](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1579413.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › East Asian web and streaming serials › Titles My to So*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Rakshasa Street (镇魂街) (2017 TV series)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Rakshasa Street (镇魂街) (2017 TV series)](https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series](https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Rakshasa Street (镇魂街) (2017 TV series)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/rakshasa-street-2017-tv-series. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Rakshasa Street, also Zhen Hun Jie, is a 2017 Chinese fantasy web drama on Youku adapted from Xu Chen's manhua, starring Jiro Wang as guardian general Cao Yanbing; first live-action guoman web drama, 24 episodes, over 1 billion views in three weeks, Douban 5.9." }