just some danmei feels

m's dumping ground for all things danmei. occasional doodles + audio drama reviews [sidebar credit: @banafria]

[maunnieh]

title: 针锋对决 (beloved enemy) by shui qian cheng

link | status: complete | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: director gu qingpei is asked by his boss to look after his son, the rebellious and bad-tempered yuan yang, who was forced to leave the army to work for his father. gu qingpei agrees and is ready to teach the youngster a lesson or two, but yuan yang isn't the type to take it lying down and fights back

notes: this story is part of the author's '188 group' that features notoriously scumbag gongs and i didn't have high expectations going in after listening to 'intoxication'. however, i'm a sucker for older gongs/younger shous as well as business/office settings, and ended up enjoying it despite my aversion to dog blood and scummy gongs.

according to the danmu, yuan yang is the least scummy of the gongs in the 188 group, and despite some of his questionable decisions, i'd agree. he's more like a violent wolf-puppy that can't control its emotions, but there's also a touch of innocence to him that was charming. yes he was crazy possessive and had a violent temper, but he didn't go out of his way to hurt yuan yang (it's a 188 story so the bar is that low lmao) and was quick to act as giver and protector when he recognized his feelings for gu qingpei.

as for gu pingqei, i liked that he was logical and reasonable and was overall a good 'master' to yuan yang. although he was strict, he gave credit when it was due and genuinely wanted yuan yang to grow and mature. i also liked that he didn't lose his sense of self even when shit went down, and just tried to move forward and keep doing his best like the level-headed businessman he is.

while the production and voice acting weren't standouts, i was still hooked on this AD and binged all 10 episodes in one sitting. the pacing was great as i didn't feel bored partway through and there were some really sweet moments that made me sigh happily (as well as a lot of exciting ~sexytimes that made me check if my headphones were on properly lol)

would rec if you can stomach the trigger warnings and also enjoy age difference and couples that are at odds with each other because of how different their personalities and circumstances are.

[tw: r*pe, noncon/dubcon, possessive lover, homophobia]

[maunnieh]

title: 一醉经年 (intoxication) by shui qian cheng

link | status: complete | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: quiet engineer he gu and arrogant celebrity song juhan have been fuckbuddies since their university days. he gu has secretly been in love with song juhan the whole time and stuck by him despite song juhan’s utter disregard for his feelings. eventually, he gu reaches his breaking point and song juhan is forced to confront the truth.

notes: let me just preface this by saying that i do not care for overdramatic (dog blood) stories at all so i’m definitely not the target audience for this AD. the main reason that i finished listening was bc of how hilarious the reactions from the other listeners were. 

song juhan is truly the worst kind of scum at the beginning of the AD and i laughed at all the comments disparaging him (with plenty of swear words and puking emojis). the part where he gu finally breaks up with him in the middle was so funny too bc everyone in the comments was celebrating and tossing flower emojis as if the AD had finished. it was also really funny seeing the listeners argue about whether song juhan was worth forgiving - most people had a change of heart after seeing the lengths song juhan went to to win back he gu, but some (like me), felt that he gu was better off finding another man.

jokes aside though, i did like the voice actors’ performance a lot and the editing/background music was pretty good for a freebie - the story was just far too unrealistic and overdramatic for my tastes. if dog blood is your cup of tea though, i think this would be a great listen but if it’s not, i’d only recommend listening with the danmu on to join the peanut gallery.

[tw: r*pe, a LOT of abuse (sexual, physical, emotional), controlling and possessive lover, side character with cancer]

[maunnieh]

title: 草茉莉 (Four O’Clock Flower) by Ashitaka

link | status: on-going | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: hairdresser qiao fengtian bumps into university professor zheng siqi when he tracks down his friend’s scumbag lover, who happens to be one of professor zheng’s students. fate - as well as zheng siqi’s cute little daughter - brings them together again and again.

notes: i adore realistic stories involving older characters (in their late 20′s/30′s) and this audio drama was honestly a dream come true!! all the characters and situations are believable and grounded, and there’s no overdramatics for the sake of overdramatics. the cute kiddos featured as side characters was an added bonus and the way mc and ml take care of them is heart-meltingly sweet. the romance is fairly slow-burn but i liked how realistic it is and how it wasn’t built on a physical attraction, but rather a genuine appreciation of each other’s character as they gradually grew closer.

voice acting wise, qiao fengtian is voiced by the yang zai (a.k.a. baby goat) who’s famous for his brash and loud-mouthed characters so it was a real treat to listen to his more subdued and gentle voice acting (the dude is the real deal and his emotional range is honestly amazing). as for post-production, i can write paragraphs about how perfect the music is and how fitting the song choices are and everything added together just amplifies the incredibly warm, gentle ambiance of this story.

this audio drama gave me the same vibe as 穿堂惊掠琵琶声 - another one of my ult faves - and it truly is a must-listen if you enjoy realistic, mature characters and a story whose loveliness makes your heart ache. ;u; 

[tw: homophobia, mention of past sexual abuse,  flashbacks include implied r*pe and attempted suicide]

[maunnieh]

title: 初恋选我我超甜 (pick me as your first love, i’m real sweet) by 睡芒

link | status: on-going (season 1 complete) | setting: modern, high school | price: 37.60 rmb

premise: the rich and handsome slacker lou cheng bumps into new student ding xuerun and catches him smoking. he assumes that ding xuerun is a slacker like himself and takes the boy under his wing and is oblivious to the fact that ding xuerun is actually a top student.  

notes: ngl i picked up this audio drama bc of the voice actor (tangcu paigu) who plays ding xuerun but i ended up liking both characters a lot as the story progressed. this is your typical jock-meets-nerd high school romance and is cute, funny and sugary sweet. it’s a pretty slow-burn romance but i personally enjoy the friends part of the friends-to-lovers trope and the friendship between the two boys was very heart-warming! i was definitely biased going in but both voice actors managed to make characters feel very refreshing, youthful and surprisingly genuine. i grew to love lou cheng, who is basically a giant sorta-dumb puppy, and although ding xuerun might seem bland at first, i really liked how humble he was and how, despite being a genius, he never treated lou cheng as ‘lesser’. plus, he has a very strong sense of self and reveals his playful side later as well.

if you enjoy wholesome stories about first loves with some comedy and adorable fluff mixed in, then i’d definitely recommend! the concept may not be entirely original but i had a fun time living vicariously through the characters to experience that pure, picture-perfect high school romance that i never had lmao 

[shandian-translations]

[ENG SUB] Settle Up - Episode 1

I wanted to sub this audio drama as soon as I finished listening to it and the first episode is finally done! It's one of the funniest AD's I've listened to and I love that the relationship dynamics of the main characters aren't exactly conventional (both are gong's lol). Also, there's enough fluff + papapa that it's super satisfying on all levels and is a great listen, especially for a freebie!

[maunnieh]

title: 还债 (settle up) by 奶口卡

link | status: complete (7 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: wen xunchuan is your typical douchebag gong and bumps into he linzhou in the bathroom of a bar. he linzhou - another typical douchebag gong - claims he knows wen xunchuan (and had been deceived by him) but as it turns out, he had actually been catfished by someone using wen xunchuan’s photos. 

notes: god this AD was SO FUNNY and i couldn’t stop laughing from the very first episode!! both mc and ml have very strong (read: top) personalities and the way they butted heads at the beginning was hilarious. their relationship is purely physical at first but gets sweeter near the end as the ~feelings start developing and overall i really enjoyed the deviation from the traditional strong gong pursuing weak shou dynamic. there’s a bit of melodrama and homophobia in the middle but for the most part, it’s a lighthearted listen with a happy ending and each episode has one scene or other that left me cackling like an idiot. 

definitely on my highly recommended list both for the humour and the switching (pls give us more switching @ danmei audio drama producers!!). 

[maunnieh]

title: 新时代 新地付 (new times, new hell) by 林知落

link | status: on-going (season 1 complete) | setting: modern, supernatural | price: 19 rmb

premise: computer programmer!yu zhengdu joins a start-up company and realizes that it's run by ghosts from the underworld. also, his new boss, shang que, is apparently a ghost king.

notes: this was a super fun listen and I loved the hilarity brought about by combining high tech with traditional ghost antics. yu zhengdu's initial (over)reactions to his ghostly work environment were very amusing, but i liked that he quickly reverted to his nerdy, care-free self once he got used to things. shang que doesnt have too many lines so far but it was enough to show the hilarious contrast between his ghost king image (terrifying, all-powerful) and his everyday self in the human world (immature, petty, prone to jealousy). there isn't any obvious romance between the two yet but there are a few nuggets suggesting that the ~feelings will come in the next season. the side characters were also likeable and unique and the spooky sound effects were fantastic too! everything combined just really added to the world-building for this drama, so serious shoutout to the studio. I can't recommend this enough and am really looking forward to season 2!

[maunnieh]

title: 每天都梦到死对头在撩我 (provoked by my nemesis in my dreams) by 墨西柯

link | status: complete (8 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: university roommates mi le and tong yi start off on the wrong foot and are constantly at odds. to take revenge, tong yi finds away to enter mi le’s dreams and intends to teach him a lesson (with his fists), but ends up discovering that there’s more to mi le than his icy exterior.    

notes: i started listening to this because i really like the voice actor for mi le (who also did 前夫来电) and because it’s the first time that the voice actor for tong yi acted in a ‘top’ role. the drama itself turned out to be more lighthearted than i expected and so funny i legit laughed til there were tears in my eyes. i love the enemies-to-lovers trope and also both mains are very likable - mi le is a bit standoffish at the beginning but his dream self is very sweet/vulnerable and tong yi is an airhead jock with a heart of gold who is basically a human version of a golden retriever. i also have to give a shout-out to tong yi’s equally airheaded dad for being so supportive and also so obscenely rich that he was able to solve all our heroes’ problems. overall, a great drama to get into if you want some laughs and that sweet, warm ‘ah, young love’ vibe ;u;

[maunnieh]

title: 合久必分 (those long united must part) by 春溪笛晓

link | status: complete (6 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: timid school doctor!yu zhou and hot-headed young master!shao rong have been friends with benefits for a while, but their relationship gradually starts to change after shao rong brings yu zhou home to meet his parents as his pretend boyfriend.

notes: oh boy this is another one with a whole lotta melodrama (you know shit’s going down when amnesia and car accidents are involved). yu zhou was a pretty bland character and tbh his painful past was almost ridiculous in how tragic it was. i wasn’t fond of shao rong at first either, and his initial possessiveness and fits of jealousy were a bit of a turn-off but overall, he’s not a bad sort, just immature and thoughtless. the side characters were also a bit stereotypical though i did like shao rong’s (very progressive) family. the sound editing was also well done, especially given the number of flashbacks, and the voice acting was solid as well and i do feel the studio did their best given the convoluted plot. if you enjoy the relationship dynamics of old-school yaoi pairings (think arrogant/aggressive top + sweet/gentle bottom) and don’t mind the overdramatics then this one may be worth a listen.

[maunnieh]

title: 彼此彼此 (in the same boat) by 秦三见

link | status: on-going (4 episodes so far) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: artist!yao zhan and pediatrician!qu yiheng meet again after 15 years at a funeral. they resume the physical relationship they had in high school but Feelings get in the way.

notes: the original novel was written by the same author as 前夫来电 so i had a feeling i would like this drama and i'm happy to report i was in love from the very first episode! i adore stories about working adults dealing with realistic work/life problems so this was right up my alley. the vibe was definitely more melancholy than 前夫来电 and i found struggling artist yao zhan and overworked qu yiheng very relatable. the fact that they start off as friends with benefits means a good dose of (very well executed) papapa but what i really loved was the characters' yearning for an emotional connection, which they both suppress because they're world-weary adults who are trying to be practical. i was really impressed with the voice acting and production considering this is a freebie and even the side characters brought their a-game to fill out the story. verdict's still out since there's still a few more episodes to go but for now it's definitely on my recommended list!

[maunnieh]

title: 落池 (falling into the pond) by 余酲

link | status: complete (8 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: high school romance that then fasts forwards to the future, featuring spoiled young master!ye qin and top student!cheng feichi. 

notes: yet again i was fooled by the cutesy cover art but boy oh boy was there a lot of angst in this one. to be fair the beginning was indeed very fluffy but given the way in which the two characters met, there was bound to be a misunderstandings or three. young ye qin wasn’t my fave but i suppose his actions can be attributed to the ~follies of youth. i did enjoy his character development after the time skip and the voice acting was fantastic and really brought him to life. as for cheng feichi, he endured so much hardship and heartbreak, but i liked that he still managed to retain his compassionate nature. there’s also a nice variety of side characters - a fair number that you love to hate, and a rare few who are actually supportive of our heroes. melodramatic 狗血 aside, this was a solid drama with great production that you might or might not accidentally binge in one night n - n;;;

[maunnieh]

title: 前夫来电 (ex-husband’s call) by 秦三见

link | status: complete (10 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: after a year of marriage, teacher!tong qiu brings up the topic of divorce with his husband, police officer!huo zixing. huo zixing agrees but vows to win his husband back.

notes: this is honestly such a delightful listen with a great balance of humour and fluff (and a generous amount of implied papapa!). tong qiu came across as very serious/aloof at first but his monologues reveal his dorkier side and perfect husband huo zixing has his goofy moments as well. my favorite part about this drama though is definitely the idealized world they live in, where literally every family member, friend, co-worker and even NPC is openly accepting of their sexuality. it’s just a nice change to have characters who don’t feel the need to hide their relationship, is all i’m saying! overall, a great well-rounded drama that’s like your favorite bag of snacks that you can’t get enough of :D 

[tw: mention of suicide]

[maunnieh]

title: 不谈恋爱就去死 (if you don't fall in love you'll die) by 龙柒

link | status: on-going (4 episodes so far) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: wealthy young master ye chen has a drunken one night stand with accomplished actor ren jing, whom he’s always disliked. the next morning, ye chen gets in a car accident that should have killed him but is saved by a 'system' who forces him to complete lovely-dovey missions involving ren jing in order to earn life points to stay alive.

notes: this is a super fun listen and I really enjoyed all the ridiculous tasks ye chen was forced to perform and the way the system would tease and poke fun at him throughout the process. ren jing is your typical Perfect Boyfriend Material ml and I Iiked the way he indulged ye chen and also his occassional bouts of jealousy/possessiveness. overall, a fluffy and funny audio drama and I'm really hoping we'll get more episodes soon~

[maunnieh]

title: 共生 (symbiosis) by 你爸爸

link | status: complete (2 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: the story of a blind boy (lu jiu) and his kindhearted childhood friend (cai dongdong) through the years.

notes: this drama was a lot darker and angstier than the cover suggests and the way that (calm, gentle) lu jiu treated cai dongdong was a bit shocking, especially near the end. at the beginning, it felt refreshing to have a disabled character in a story but i’m not sure i enjoyed lu jiu’s character development…i did enjoy cai dongdong’s voice a lot though and i wish i could give that poor kid a big hug considering everything that happened…if you’re looking for a cute childhood friends to lovers story, this is definitely /not/ it. but, if you’re into angst and drama and twisted relationships then this 2-hour listen is an efficient way to get your fix!

[maunnieh]

title: 社交温度 (social outcast) by 卡比丘

link | status: complete (6 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: song yuanxun's friend jokingly installs a dating app on his phone and he accidentally matches with college classmate fang zhaomu - and thus begins song yuanxun’s new life as an...unwitting catfish. 

notes: full disclosure, the main reason i listened til the end was because fang zhaomu had an adorable (read: twink-y) voice and was great at acting coy and a little flirty but still came across as a very sweet and genuine kid. song yuanxun was...not the world’s biggest asshole to be fair, but made some pretty asshole-ish decisions in the name of love... i generally enjoy stories where characters meet online and form a bond even before they meet IRL, and this one did deliver despite being a tad heavy on the angst. a solid listen overall, especially for a freebie :)

[maunnieh]

title: 影帝 (the actor extraordinaire) by 漫漫何其多

link | status: on-going (4 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen!

premise: rookie actor jiang chi stars opposite actor extraordinaire ye lan in a BL movie and feelings ensue. 

notes: when i first started this i saw someone ask in the danmu if there would be fluff and someone else answered ‘yes!!’ and i am happy to report that there is, indeed, plenty of fluff. and despite the fact that jiang chi is your typical pure, hard-working shoujo manga heroine, i found his character endearing rather than cringey. i also really enjoyed the way (sugar daddy) ye lan teased bby jiang chi and how, despite his fame, he never really acted like an asshole. yes, it’s tropey, but if you’re looking for fluff and lots of kissing then you can’t really go wrong with this one :D

[maunnieh]

title: 穿堂惊掠琵琶声 (the flustering sound of the pipa from the hallways) by 高台树色

link | status: complete (7 episodes) | setting: modern | price: free to listen! 

premise: researcher meng xintang meets doctor-slash-hobbyist lute player shen shiyan and the two develop a warm, gentle, friends-to-lovers romance 

notes: i really enjoyed the soft ahjussi vibes (i say ahjussi even though they’re only in their 30′s) as well as the realistic portrayal of adults who have Real Jobs. even though nothing grandiose or overdramatic happens in the plot, i was surprised to find myself moved to tears on a few occasions. overall, a lowkey but very heart-warming listen that soothes like a warm cup of barley tea on a wintry day ;u;