#ancient series

[vvrushsroom]

Monster High - Ammit OC WIP. [Ancient series]

Also still working in fashion and background, but she’s just to pretty.

[dilirebas]

My review of The Double / 墨雨云间

Xue Fangfei (played by Wu Jinyan) survives a murder attempt by her husband and takes on the new identity of Jiang Li, the eldest daughter of an imperial official. With the help of Xiao Heng (played by Wang Xingyue), she seeks revenge against those who wronged her.

This drama is very much carried by the incredible chemistry between the leads. Every shared scene is simultaneously explosive and subdued.

Wu Jinyan has a great track record for playing badass female leads in period dramas, and you can absolutely see why. Her take on Xue Fangfei is sharp, complex, and resolute.

Wang Xingyue's take on Xiao Heng is confident and charismatic, but as his relationship with Xue Fangfei develops, he becomes increasingly mischievous and...cute?

Shen Yurong, played by Liang Yongqi, was the supporting character that stood out the most for me.

The writing sucks, but it sucks in a way that's easy to overlook? The story is littered with plotholes, the leads have insane plot armour, most of the minor characters are two-dimensional props, the political landscape makes no sense... but if you don't take the drama too seriously, you can think of all of this as a mere backdrop to the leads having badass moments and magnetic chemistry.

I think most people will find that it's a very satisfying drama to watch. There was just one aspect about the ending that I found incredibly unsatisfying, which was Jiang Li's ending. It seems to say [SPOILER]: you get a free pass to be the world's worst father as long as a random person gives you absolution for your actual daughter's death.

Wu Jinyan and Wang Xingyue are both signed under the same company, and their outspoken boss has been quite responsive to fans, so I think there's a good chance we'll get to see them work together again :)

[dilirebas]

oh…

[dilirebas]

My review of My Journey to You / 云之羽

Yun Weishan is a trained assassin who infiltrates the powerful Gong clan. She finds a friend and protector in the young master Gong Ziyu, thus beginning a delicate dance between those who are tricked and those who do the tricking.

Massive compliments to all of the actors. Everyone is so expressive and convincing, and you can tell that they deeply felt their characters. This is especially impressive when you consider that the cast mostly consists of young idol-type actors.

The chemistry between Esther Yu and Zhang Linghe is crazy. The pureness of the glances between them, the held back emotion, the cadence of their voices, it's all perfect.

Among directors, Guo Jingming's dedication to ~aesthetics~ is unmatched. This drama is beautifully shot, with a consistent tone and look that fits the story perfectly.

(The whole cast also looks beautiful, which is definitely a Guo Jingming signature.)

Okay so... Chen Chusheng sang a lovely insert track, but tbh that song sometimes showed up a little too suddenly in the middle of a scene and it would give me a jump scare. What was up with that lol...

I thought the writing was very strong. The worldbuilding was unique and immersive. Each character was distinct and fascinating in their own way. And it's always a good sign when everyone is speculating about what happens next and looking for clues in the tiniest details. I saw so many interesting fan theories while the drama was still airing.

Not everyone loved the ending, but I honestly thought it was the right ending because it was true to the story.

I know I already mentioned the acting, but listen... Esther Yu is so impressive in this drama. It's a different character from the type she usually plays, but it's also the best performance I've ever seen from her. That girl can really act.

The fight scenes look fantastic as well.

Did I mention it's a wuxia drama? But it's not overly genre-focused and can definitely be enjoyed by those who don't have an interest in wuxia.

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous drama with a unique cinematic quality. I strongly recommend giving it a try!

[dilirebas]

My review of Story of Kunning Palace / 宁安如梦

I loved the premise of this drama. The wicked empress who meets her downfall but is reborn as her past self, so she gets a chance to redeem herself and change the fates of her loved ones.

They handled the past life very well, showing just enough to keep you on your toes without overloading on flashbacks. We know Jiang Xuening's original ending but not how she got there. So as she makes new choices, we also learn what went wrong in her previous life.

I honestly think the drama peaks near the middle. The effort to save Yan Lin is a great story arc because Jiang Xuening's relationship with him is developed so well and the stakes are so high. Both the writing and acting of Yan Lin were phenomenal. At the same time, we finally learn who Xie Wei really is and what motivates him, and this is some of Zhang Linghe's best acting in the whole drama. We're also finally being introduced to the mysterious figure of Zhang Zhe, the almost-perfect man who was Jiang Xuening's first love.

As the story continued, I would've liked better character development for the protagonists. The drama departs majorly from the source novel halfway through, but the screenwriters' takes on these characters was...just okay. The writing in the second half was also a bit careless and overly convenient, and the resolution of the final conflict just felt incredibly low-effort.

I think some problems in Jiang Xuening's character development stem from Bai Lu's acting choices in the final third. I do think she was up to standard for an idol historical, but I also think she can do better.

For example, Jiang Xuening's relationship with her sister changes significantly, which is clear in the plot but doesn't reflect clearly in her line delivery and tone. Maybe we could've also seen more intermediate stages in her attitude towards Xie Wei (or at least a bit less of the wide-eyed and shocked stage). These things would have made Jiang Xuening a more complex and charismatic figure.

This drama gets bonus points because the pacing was fast enough that I didn't need to watch on 1.5x speed lol

A note on the director, Zhu Ruibin: he gets a lot of criticism from c-netizens for "unflattering" or "weird" shots of actors, but I will always defend him for this. Good actors aren't afraid of looking ugly. Actors are hired to portray a character and tell a story. If a camera angle adds to the viewer's experience of the story, then it's the right call. So many cdrama directors churn out footage on factory default mode. Zhu Ruibin is one of the few who actually puts thought into delivering interesting shots and has his own vision for what dramas should look like.

It's not a perfect drama but I still enjoyed it a lot. I just wish the second half lived up to the first half.

[dilirebas]

My review of The Blood of Youth / 少年歌行

So um... here's a review I wrote months ago and forgot about in my drafts haha 😅

The Blood of Youth is a wuxia story which follows a group of young fighters who are thrown together under unexpected circumstances. While they make their names in the martial arts world, there are also old scores to settle in the political world of the imperial court.

I honestly wasn't sure about this drama at first but it really grew on me. It's very much in the spirit of wuxia, and while it's not a perfect drama, there's so much to love!

A quick gloss of some of the main characters: Xiao Se is an innkeeper with a quick mind, a sharp tongue, and a mysterious past. Lei Wujie is an optimistic pugilist who has left home for the first time in search of a challenge. Wu Xin is a prodigy whom the whole martial arts world seems to be hunting for. Tang Lian, brooding and internally conflicted, is the eldest disciple of the legendary martial arts city of Xueyue City. Sikong Qianluo is the fearless and energetic daughter of Xueyue City's third master. Ye Ruoyi is the perceptive and clever daughter of an imperial general.

Okay so I totally shipped Xiao Se with Ye Ruoyi even though it was obvious from the beginning that they wouldn't end up together, but I couldn't help it and I have no regrets!!!

But honestly I feel like this is a drama where you can ship everyone with everyone. There's such a wonderful friendship between the main characters and I just loved seeing the core group together.

For me, the opening episodes of the drama were the weakest, and I'm so glad I kept watching. The story moves quite fast at first and you're introduced to a lot of characters in a short span of time. It almost felt a bit messy and random because I initially wasn't sure how important each character was and I hadn't developed any emotional attachments to anyone so early on. If you can't keep up with everyone, that's totally okay, and it definitely clears up.

I think the story really takes off once they reach Xueyue City, and it just gets better and better from there. Xueyue City puts into perspective how powerful each fighter is, which forces are aligned with which, and the significance of each character's past. This is also where imperial politics start to trickle in.

A lot of the recent wuxia dramas like to integrate imperial politics into wuxia stories but I feel like most of them end up becoming political stories where the characters can fight really well. That's fine and I like political dramas, but I often wish there were more wuxia dramas. But I think The Blood of Youth really gets it right. Even at points in the plot that focus on the political struggle, and even when they reach the capital, it very much feels like a wuxia story. Hidden martial experts lurk at every corner of the capital. The protagonists behave like wuxia heroes who hold onto their own values, dictated by xia and not realpolitik. If anything, the fight scenes get better as they enter the more political arcs.

So I have mixed feelings about the fight scenes. I feel like the choreography is quite strong but the CGI is a bit mid. And boy did they use a lot of CGI (since the drama takes a fantasy-like approach to martial arts). But I saw behind-the-scenes footage of the actors doing their stunts and I was impressed by how much of it they actually had to do themselves. I think the CGI made the stunts look faker than they actually were. I also got used to the fantasy-like fighting style and came to like it by the end.

This is primarily a fluffy and hopeful drama, although there's also a surprising amount of depth and angst. If wuxia is up your alley, I think you'll have fun watching this!

[dilirebas]

My review of Love Between Fairy and Devil // 苍兰诀

This was one of the most popular dramas of 2022, and you can definitely see why. It's such a fun, easy, and enjoyable drama to watch. Even though xianxia as a genre isn't for everyone, I feel like anyone can enjoy this one if you don't try to be too serious about it and just think of it as a sitcom.

I honestly had some prejudices about the cast and the character archetypes before watching this, but the drama definitely proved me wrong! Yu Shuxin really captured Xiao Lanhua's simplicity and kindness, while Wang Hedi really captured Dongfang Qingcang's badassery.

(They also play each other really well in the body swap scenes lol)

I found that I didn't mind Xiao Lanhua being less of a "strong and independent" character, because she brings so much joy and humour into any situation. It takes a special kind of courage and strength to see the goodness in the feared Dongfang Qingcang and to go through such efforts to save him.

Of the supporting cast, I also enjoyed Zhang Linghe's Chang Heng and Xiao Run (& the hilarious contrast between them)

But the rest of the supporting cast...idk... I ended up skipping a lot of scenes.

The soundtrack is a lot of fun! I actually sat through the opening theme a bunch of times because I liked the song haha

I loved the way they designed the different sets and costumes between the different realms. The look of the Moon Tribe reminded me a lot of how Magnificent Century looked tbh

I honestly don't consider this a must-watch drama, but it's definitely one that I enjoyed. There are some hyped dramas that have me like ?????? but this is a drama where I absolutely got the hype. If you haven't seen it already, I recommend giving this drama a try!

[dilirebas]

My review of Ancient Detective / 侠探简不知

Jian Buzhi is a detective who embarks on a journey through the martial arts world to uncover the truth about his father’s death. He meets Zhao Wohuan, a brave but slightly airheaded bladesman, and Zhan Shiqi, a trained assassin who hides a pure heart beneath her cold exterior. They become a found family, later joined by others like the shapeshifter Ye Xiao Xiao and the clever doctress Gong Que.

These days, it’s hard for a wuxia fan like me to find a new drama that does the wuxia genre right. Not many are made anymore, and the few that do get made have mostly been disappointments. We’ve been plagued with bad fight scenes, unsuitable acting, messy writing, and stories that that are labelled “wuxia” but end up mostly being fantasy or political intrigue or idol romances.

But Ancient Detective has been the exception. It’s genuinely such an underrated gem! It has all the things you look for in a classic wuxia drama, while also keeping it modern with faster pacing and more realistic visual effects.

The action scenes were done really well. Every character has their own style of fighting and every fight scene tells a story. The horse-riding scenes look fantastic too.

It has all the tropes I love in wuxia dramas: the hero’s journey, brotherhood, doomed love, poisons and antidotes, nefarious sects, protagonists living in the aftermath of the previous generation’s mistakes, eccentric heroes, cool villains, mysterious in-betweeners, and more!

The mystery element is also well-integrated into the story. As a detective, Jian Buzhi stumbles across a series of mysteries. Each mystery arises specifically in the context of the martial arts world and ties directly into Jian Buzhi’s journey. If I had to criticize one thing about this drama, I would say that I found the second mystery subplot (when they arrive on the island) to be less interesting than the rest of the story.

The cast was full of actors that I had never heard of before, but they truly did an excellent job. Each character is bold and memorable, with their own eccentricities and demeanors. They bring well-timed humour in light moments and convincing emotion in dark moments.

I want to take a moment to mention that Wang Ruoshan (who played Zhan Shiqi, the female lead) was really phenomenal in this drama. She has a kind of epic demeanor that you rarely see in actresses her age. She brought out both the cold poise of a trained assassin and the vulnerability of an exploited young woman.

Basically, if you’re a fan of the wuxia genre, I think this is a must-watch. They just don’t make dramas like this anymore, so I was thrilled to discover Ancient Detective. If you’re new to wuxia and curious, I also think this is a great starting point because it’s by far the best recent take on a genre that many of us grew up loving.