Douluo Continent (2021)

This is not a gameplay story about leveling up, it's a story about growth, change and maturing

I really don't understand fans of the anime who come here to say this adaptation is not like the anime. It's not because it's the adaptation of the book, not the anime. I'm a fan of the novel and I'm really satisfied with the effect of Douluo Continent drama. It's not like the usual wuxia drama, it's an emotionally charged story about people and their motivations and I really appreciate that. You won't find it in the book, and that's why the drama hits harder. It has its own, unique style and when you are watching it, you want to explore this world more and more. I'm very glad that the creators didn't try to copy the anime because that's not what I'm looking for. That's something new, and I really like it. The casting is very good. Tangs San, his father and the Master are perfect. I really like the casual approach to music. Everyone expects amazing melodies, grandiose harmonics, but creators of this drama do things on their own. I really appreciate it. The rewatch value is really high because there are too many good things in the drama to be spotted at first watching. I hope it's another chapter of this kind of dramas because the flops of some other latest titles show that this genre needs changes.

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It was a pretty enjoyable watch. (For someone who have not read the manhua and watched the anime)

Tang San, the male lead, has had my heart from the get-go. He's definitely the "Protector" type of protagonist who is all about putting everyone else's safety above his own. He's smart, selfless, kind, and has a great sense of justice. He immediately occupied a space in my heart and I think this review is a bit biased because I love him too much.

As for the female lead, honestly, I did not like her much in the first few eps. Maybe because the chemistry was just not there for me. Them sticking together at the very beginning felt rushed.

So for the first few eps, I watched the show solely for Zhan Xiao's visual and the friendship that's slowly forming in the show. I think it was already on the 15-20 episodes when I started to feel a spark of chemistry between the leads. I started to understand the personality of the female lead and her character has definitely grown on me. And they started to look good together too. Some people have a hard time getting past their sibling relationship which I understand as well because the show's focus is not on the romance so there's really not much going on for them as a couple.

Overall, I liked this drama. Not gonna say it's the best drama out there but it did serve its purpose of entertaining me. I truly looked forward to every episode and there were times when I felt frustrated when subtitles took too long to get uploaded. I loved it. Definitely gonna wait for season 2.

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Can’t wait for Season 2!

At first, I was hesitant to watch but the picture was catchy. I watched the first episode and I was about to give up. Then I kept watching and tried to really understand the story. Let me tell you, you won’t be disappointed. The show is refreshing, cute and funny.

It was my first time to really watch Sean and realize His a super b, hot and amazing. I am in the mid of watching the Wolf and just finished the Jade Dynasty. His good... I am hoping he would still be the main lead in Douluo Continent season 2.

The show is amazing... it has a good story line.. its funny! I really like Wu.. she did her character really well. Her acting is refreshing. Partnered with Sean, they look good together. The script was done well, mixed with romance, mystery, adventure; it was exhilarating. This is my take, don’t get me wrong, I love romantic comedy show, even though , I kept waiting for Sean and Wu’s relationship to go to the next level. So, hopefully in season 2 , they would really hit it off. When they fought the final battle with the chief i was really sad I thought Wu would die and even though the ending was like saying good bye I am hoping. That Wu and Sean will become stronger together on the next season and able to become the chief. I like how they did very well as a team to help each other grow and defeat all their opponents.

Overall, i would recommend this show. This is the second amazing tv series i’ve watched in 2021. I can’t wait for the second season.

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… wtf???

I get this prob has high reviews due to the ML but come on…
He was super annoying in jt and somehow can produce endless tears. Every time he had to make a hard decision or do something he just cried and cried and cried.
I basically skipped and scanned through the episodes since most of the time it was slow mo wasting time crap. It was like watching one of those older preteen shows where friends get together and learn about teamwork. But they’re all 20-30 years old … right.
The plot was odd and confusing. I mean ML mom was a 100,000 year old plant that turned human? What????
The FL is supposed to be over 100k years old too and acts like a 5 year old… just what is going on…..
they basically skipped anything that could be interesting (supposed to be some big fight at the end w the dad and they showed one move and bam ok done )
There were some silly humor in it tho so it’s not. 1/10…
Skip it
Oh ALSO it’s a multi season show so these 40 episodes could have just been summed up into one short film.

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Love the Story & Character Development

I have been waiting for this drama since like... forever, so I'm super excited when it comes out. I'm bit bias since I'm Xiao Zhan fans but when I watched the first 2 Eps, I'm hooked.

What I like about this drama...

1. The best thing about this drama is how the seven character, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhu Qing, Ou Si Ke, Ning Rong Rong, Dai Mu Bai, Ma Hong Jun grow together, learn to be better person and find true friendship. I overall likes the story and I even watched the anime (in which more complicated story) to understand better, which not yet completed so let's see. I grew fond with all characters and not only to the two ML, each and one of them has problems and completely different characters, but they are the best team when they are together.

NRR grew from childish young lady to a brave girl who will stand for her friend.
DMB starts from arrogant and proud aristocrat to a team player guy who manage to fall in love.
OSK finds his true passion and embrace his true talent proudly.
ZZQ able to find friendship with NRR and XW, and her obsession with DMB ends up sweet.
MHJ manage to overcome his own power and find family.

I wish Xiao Wu would also have more character development, but coming from who she actually is giving me better understanding on her behaviour. Tang San already has strong character from the beginning so his development is not as much as the others but still meaningful.

2. No romance, romance. It's such rare to find drama with little romance but meaningful, that's how I describe the two ML relationship, and I love it. They started of as friends, and more like two lost soul without family, so their feelings grew more as family first than lovers. ZZQ and DMB love story also an interesting one, and kinda cute to watch.

I give this drama over all 9, the cast, the acting, the story and the character development are the perfect combo for me. The production quality can be better of course but since this drama has been on the shelf for a very long time it manage to looks good in 2021.

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A true hidden gem, we need another season!

I must admit I enjoyed this adaptation much more than I expected. From a production perspective, this drama is nothing out of the ordinary. Its settings look a bit shabby and the background music can be out of place at times. I almost gave up after 8 eps but I'm glad I didn't cause the story really picks up from there.

I'm genuinely surprised how this small-budgeted drama was able to attract so many pros, I mean we got the Joy of Life's screenwriter, The Untamed's costume designer and last but not least Xiao Zhan. I know this was before they all blew up but still... the INSANE luck.

While I do like the manhua, the characters in the drama are much less... sparkly and fantastical. They seem more down-to-earth and human with raw emotions and short-comings. I LOVE all of the new Shrek students and teachers, I feel like their unique personalities and quirks stand out a lot more in the drama. The casting is absolutely amazing! They're really complementary to their roles, especially the bubbly Xiao Wu and the goofy Ou Si Ke. There are many big-budgeted dramas that just flop because of bad chemistry.

And Xiao Zhan, what can I say? I'm even more in love. I think this role is perfect for him since Tang San is caring and gentle but also very determined and righteous. His acting has really improved from filming The Wolf and The Untamed. While the character here is not as dramatic and complex as Wei Wu Xian, it has its own charms. And yes, I'm obsessed with Xiao Zhan's new hair and his OST has been on repeat ever since it's out.

Overall, I think you need to have an open mind when approaching this adaption. Sure it might be tough to get through the first few eps since Xuanhuan might not be everyone's cup of tea as we're more familiar with Wuxia and Xianxia but the reward is totally worth it. Based on enjoyment alone, this drama is already in my hall of fame. It's a modest drama that leaves you begging for more, a true hidden gem indeed.

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I don't know what to say. Firstly, this show was very interesting, it took me three days to finish and it was wonderful. It wasn't slow at all. Just on ep one a lot of things happen. I love the storyline, and I just love Tang San. He is a guy you don't or you wouldn't normally meet. My favorite character would be Ma Hongjun, he's like a Wen Ning, in the untamed. My favorite scenes are the fighting scenes and when they kill monster to collect soul rings, I found them very fun. The animals are all unique, scary, and cute. I really want a season two so bad, the show is so good. I'm normally very strict when it comes to rating shows but this was a 10 for me. I also didn't like the fact tht we didn't get to see the big fight with Bi Bi Dong, and Tang Hao, I think that would be a really interesting fight.

What I think happened at the end (read if you want to)
So in the comic, Xiao Wu dies, but I think since it left us with a cliffhager, I think that Xiao Wu might have killed herself, so Tang San could get anothersoul ring.

My questions:
Is it possible for a person to have like 5 soul rings, and lets say they have 2 yellows, 2 purple, and 2 blackish-blue, is it possilbe for them to like get rid of a yellow one, and get a better soul ring? Cause when we saw Bi Bi Dong's rings, she had 1 red one on the top, and the rest were all the blackish-blue ones, so how was she able to not have a limit?

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The pure joy of natural fantasy

Knowing nothing about the novel and the anime, I tried this drama only because they started translating it in my mother tongue. What a pleasant surprise! Absorbing, refreshing, beautiful fairy tale for all ages, approximately fast growing without useless scenes.

Absolutely adorable and sympathetic cast combined with their great acting, both building up memorable characters - this is what gives this drama its unique charm. Exceptional team work, girls and boys! In addition, there are perfect and perfectly fitting visual effects, very good background music and excellent cameramen work. All these turn up this fantasy drama to look so natural.

Eagerly waiting for Season 2.

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Good pacing! finally!

TLDR: A well paced wuxia drama with flawed characters, rare for the genre! (this review contains spoilers)

I should say first that this review will be very biased since the manhua this show is based on was one of my favorites back in 2015. I was familiar with the story going in, but it had been a while since I had read it so I had forgotten a lot of it. Overall I really liked this series, it's in my top 3 for sure. When I watch a show I mostly pay attention to the characters and their arcs, and less to the plot, so my review will also be mostly about what I thought of the characters in this story (and how it differs from what I remember from the manhua). This is my first review, so feel free to tell me if I write something wrong ^^

CHARACTERS:

TangSan:
Major main character plot armor, and reckless to a fault. He's super trusting of people, and so he quite the colorful collection of friends over the course of the story. He is also a lot more flawed in the show than he is in the manhua, and I felt that this was handled appropriately by the script writer and I enjoyed it. The reason he overcomes so many obstacles so quickly is because of his parents, and the practical treasure trove they left him as far as magical items go. The only reason he even survives the last boss encounter in the last episode is because of his dad. I love all the characters in this story, but I would've enjoyed his character arc more if he didn't give of rich boy vibes.

XiaoWu:
Best Girl ^tm. I love her, and all her character stands for. I'd say shes a good example of a flat character arc, and when it's just as important for a character to stick to their values even when they encounter plot obstacles. I just hope she gets more development in the second season. Some people probably think her relationship with TangSan is weird, but it's pretty much the same in the manhua so I was already used to it.

The other Shrek Seven Devils:
All with justifiable flaws according to their characters. I especially enjoyed the drama's interpretation of MaHongJun, giving him visible trouble with his anxiety in stressful situations. Often characters with fire powers are shown to have issues with anger, so I thought is was interesting to see his fire control be rooted in not feeling overwhelmed/threatened.

Spirit Hall:
For the first half of the show I was pretty disappointed with the series's portrayal of the spirit hall organization. Towards the end though, I enjoyed the interactions between TangSan and HuLieNa. I really liked how the issues they have with their parents are mirrored, and they have this unspoken understanding even though they don't know each other's real identities.

TangHao (TangSan's father):
A horrible father >:( I wish we got to know more about him, but since the story is from TangSan's perspective, he doesn't show up very often. His exact ties to spirit hall was actually a twist I didn't see coming, I hope we get to know his backstory more in the second season.

DuguBo (aka poison master):
My personal favorite character. I can't help but love those hard to deal with, overly truthful characters I guess lol. The interactions between him, TangSan and XiaoWu are really funny to me. I liked him even more in the manhua, since he shows up more.

The other titled douluo masters :
Props to the author for making this world seem so big with so many different levels of characters. One of my favorite parts of this story is how many unique power sets there are, from your basic fire manipulation, to animal-inspired fighting characteristics, to an especially good hammer lol. I thought that chrysanthemum master specifically was a really charming character and his powers were super interesting, though it sucks that he's a bad guy.

PLOT:

The first plot really only exists for the three main characters to meet, its not really addressed in any plot points later on. It's whatever. The part of the show I enjoyed the most was when the Shrek Seven Devils are forming and training together, I could feel the chemistry between all of them and the pacing was good. The tournament arc was more boring because you knew that they were going to win the entire time, the stakes weren't that high. I wish there was more time spent with DuguYan and in the inter-layer space, since that was a really interesting part of the manhua, and helps explain TangSan's past a bit more thoroughly. The last two episodes were pretty drawn out, but other than that, my only real complaint though is that there isn't more! I'm not a fan of cliffhanger endings >:(

COSTUME / MUSIC / SETS:

This was pretty average compared to other recent wuxia dramas I've seen. I don't really like the opening or closing songs, but the instrumentals that played during the episode were effective. Their costumes were more fantasy rather than historically accurate, and each character had a very distinct style. This made the costuming seem kind-of disjointed, but made it easier to memorize all the characters. I would say that this is not the most realistic or convincing drama as far as the art direction goes, but I can forgive that since the original story takes place in a loosely earth-based fantasy world.

RE-WATCH VALUE:

I generally don't re-watch series so I can't give a fair judgement of this category, though I think I might re-watch this in a couple years once I've forgotten some of it. I'm definitely going to watch the donghua though, since I hear that the story is interpreted differently in it.

Thanks for reading my ramblings, Here's hoping for a season 2!

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A Variety of People forming the most Formidable Team + I Lost it when Calvin Chen went Topless~!!

Definitely on my Top 10 BEST Chinese costume drama EVERRR~

I will never get enough of this. I honestly need the S2 as soon as possible, as in, 'A.S.A.P'~!!

I never really thought I would enjoy this drama to this great length. I mean, it started really interesting with a rather mysterious yet usual fantasy-wuxia concept and as time passes by, issues and negative stuff arises but this show is on a completely different level compared to those I've watched so far.

It may look similar or even identical to some but 'the-hell-I-care'. This drama has its own spice that keeps it on top of the rest of its kind. I can't exactly explain how it is better than other dramas but one thing I know is that it completely catched and locked my attention into it. It's probably just my personal preference after all, but, who cares? what's important is that it was able to cater and satisfy my liking beyond expectation.

In terms of story phasing and progression— I admit, it was a bit slow-paced at first and I felt like many sequences were wasted just to build things up but then after a while you'll just realize that it was created for a purpose. Mostly those scenes were setup as a way to give us proper intoduction for the main cast and I just learned to appreciate and accept them as it goes on.

The whole vibe of the drama is really light and entertaining; Probably the reason why I was so indulged and fascinated by it and of course, who even wanna watch a heartbreaking and complicated story when you can have something light and this entertaining?

Some of the scenes may look ridiculous and the power scaling may not make sense at times but it was able to fill those flaws by how efficient and tactical they are in presenting fighting scenes and story build up. Up until the very end it was able to keep my interest so alive even when it off screened the most hype fights. I will definitely wait for the next season to come and I just wish for them to keep the same cast as much as possible.

Story - 10, I contemplated so much about this but after so much consideration I still decided to give it a full mark. Story may not be completed and we're left with a cliffhanger but it was understandable because S2 was expected and planned in the first place. Slow-pacing should've affected my rating as well but they were able to redeemed themselves by giving us impressive fighting and entertaining scenes. Although towards the end it has become a bit fast-paced and they off-screened lots of things but as I mentioned in my bio some of these things doesn't matter as long as I got extremely entertained by it.

Acting/Cast - 10, Outstanding set of Artists! I can never ask for more. It feels like they are created for their characters and they just owned it. I'm very satisfied with everyone's execution and performance and god know how I wish for them to retain their roles when S2 happens.

Music - 10, Refreshing choice of Music. I really commend how this drama went with a Fantasy-Journey theme and sounded song as an opening. It reminded me of Fushigi Yuugi's opening theme. I really love the songs used in this drama.

Rewatch Value - 10, Of course!! I might even rewatch it once the next season comes out. Come on! This drama is just a cut above the rest for me. No discussions needed!

Overall - 10, Despite all the negative things I still commend this drama for making my 'watching experience' one of the best. It may have struggled when it comes to pacing overall but they were able to turn those around with all the other great stuff they incorporated in this production. Highly Recommend!

If you find my review helpful please let me know

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