This post is part 2 of my response to @dnana-2809-blog’s ask. They actually asked me to rank my top 10 faves, but I couldn’t decide how to rank them so imma do this differently
I tend to like certain archetypes more than others, so my blorbos can be categorized into the following groups:
This group goes first because it’s the type I instantly get attached to. No backstory or character development required.
Unless they’re a major character or primary antagonist, these characters typically only show up once in a while to challenge strong guys or attempt dangerous stunts just for the thrill of it before disappearing into who knows which next episode/chapter. Their presence in the story often makes the scene much fun and lighter no matter how dark it initially was.
2. Emotionally Constipated “Villains”
Some of these guys turned into “bad” people because of one or two moral failings (naturally brought about by being human) and are forever misunderstood for it, while others are assholes right from the beginning and don’t know how to act in any other way even when they finally want to. Either way, both types tend to be dunked on by fandom. Unless they’re Hot or in a popular gay ship, characters in this group get so much hate, and I just wanna adopt all these “unlovables” as my own.
“Do I condone their ‘evil’?” Nope! But I do think it makes a character more interesting. Seeing them struggle without much-needed-therapy is an eye-opener on how humans, when pushed hard enough into the wrong direction, is capable of doing evil just as much as they’re capable of doing good if only the opposite had happened. It reminds you that there is no set category on Evil People, and that even the average guy who’s unlikely to do any big mistake can also turn into a villain.
3. Losers Doing Anything to Survive
Xia Fei (middle) doesn’t quite fit into this list, but I’m putting him under here because it was his loser energy that captivated me :3c
Also in the list but just have no images are:
Lin Yun from I Am a Flower Vase in an Infinite Flow World
Mu Ke from I Became a God in a Horror Game
These are the guys who, at the beginning of the story, are all too ready to throw away their principles just to ensure their survival. Sometimes, it results in something funny and meme-worthy. Other times, they just end up utterly pathetic and miserable. Still very endearing, though.
I just like how honest these characters tend to be. Once their life is on the line, they instantly act on their human instinct of self-preservation, regardless of how it might affect others. I think that’s better than other characters who pretend they’re holy while still doing the same thing as the losers.
In the middle of binge watching rn and i just- i cant with this fucking show here you go
This show has the fucking gall to ask if "are you ok" I WAS AND NOT ANYMORE I WAS IN IT FOR THE COMEDY AND CHARACTER EXPLORATION---NOT SUPRISE TRAGIC ANGST
Watched You Yao (Are You OK) to feel better only to end up being absolutely obsessed with the most tragic pairing of ALL THE CANON COUPLES. Like excuse me my boy Li Ke spent 1 week with a dude obsessed with vengeance and immediately though "eh I could fix him" AND THEN HE DID BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. And so he looked at the remains of his beloved and thought "eh I did it once metaphorically I can do it literally" AND HOW DARE YOU (Cheng He Ti Tong) IMPLIES THAT HE SUCCEEDED.
It's funny to think that Zhou Rongqi was all "Oh no I need to protect Li Ke so he stays innocent in this mess I started, he's so kind to me and my guards 🥺👉👈" meanwhile Li Ke is like "I will go to hell to be with you and if I need to commit the irreparable to get there then fuck it". HE'S AN ART STUDENT.
I love them so much. I really liked You Yao. I'll go read the novel now because the translation for the last episodes on YouTube was very wonky and I didn't understand much of what was happening. But I vibed with it very much.
Based on a rather old Russian joke, originally about mushrooms for the mother-in-law (such a lamest joke).
My friend and I were accidentally remembering stupid jokes while watching You Yao and I accidentally made this joke about Prince Yu and Li Ke, so... (sorry not sorry)
Li Ke and Zuo Yunqi were captured then forced to join Tuo Huang organization where unregistered transmigrators have gathered against imperial court's discrimination with violence in mind. (Audio Drama episode 4 Tuo Huang, Donghua s1 episode 9 Tuo Huang)
The transition from the comedy when Zuo Yunqi mistook Li Ke poisoning into scary serious ambiance, Oh we're trapped in ACTUAL evil organization. The audio drama did so good in this arc. I really like how cunning book Zuo Yunqi is and book Li Ke is not naive but comically clever.
I'm not saying the donghua Tuo Huang is not bad. Its still has evil members like Jiao Jiaoran but the donghua tone it down and make it more dynamic. Instead of only consisting of evil people because they killed those who defect in the book, donghua showed there are good people but just too dumb to be mixed in their group. Resulting Lou Zhu becoming less a villain in the donghua adaption. Because some can still be saved. There's still cure in the donghua. Comparing that to the evil cult Tuo Huang in the book, its understandable why some characters were changed to match the changes in the donghua adaption.
I'm not excusing that Book Lou Zhu did profit from it but I like to believe Lou Zhu need to become a villain in the book because he need to fight evil people with violence as well. He has no choice because they can't be saved anymore. They are far gone. While in the donghua, they can still rehabilitate their enemies except for actual evil Jiao Jiaoran who stripped away her people to make a choice. Book Lou Zhu might be questionable but he is her exact opposite, Lou Zhu still give his own people their agency to choose. (Book: Fall to Villainhood for a cause vs brainwashed Evilness. Donghua: Dumb Hero vs Dumb Enemies.)
Even the righteous Book Zuo Yunqi who treasured his own agency, has this intrusive thoughts (or a secret plan in case if Lou Zhu's plan didn't work) to take away these people's agency because they are too evil to be saved. There's no cure to save them. Hence why I said, Book LouZuo is a pair who decided to be trapped in the darkness they can't cure while trying to grasp a light from a far distance but they can't reach it no matter what they do. But the fact that they decided to be trapped in the abyss together thinking they might find a cure even if there's none is what beautiful about them as a pair. They are not the strongest but they support each other.
Actually Zuo Yunqi also had a vague plan. But he didn’t want to bring it up with Lou Zhu. He’s ashamed to let anyone know it.
“How you dealt with Prince Yu, is how I will deal with the Tuo Huang.” Zuo Yunqi coldly said, “If they can’t be stopped, I will manipulate them to willingly stay.”
