This review may contain spoilers
Spectacular Wuxia Brotherhood
Didn't think I'd see this day happen when another costume drama got a perfect score from me. I'm notoriously picky so this is only the second one. I think what made me pick it up was that I heard the IP was great from trusted sources and that it was a wuxia. I have never seen any of the cast (save Cao Yu Chen who appeared in maybe 3 episodes as the deity that never left the mountain & when he did, he died) so it would be a totally new experience. A fully worthwhile experience that made me cave and purchase both the VIP & express on the rather crappy Youku international app. This series really was a spectacular Wuxia brotherhood I've always wanted to see fully realized. Let's get into it, shall we?Pros: The martial arts, special effects especially the explosions were a perfect representation of each character. Each had their very own blend of it. The way they grew and evolved within their styles was worth it in every episode even when there were less fighting scenes. That was by far my favorite part. Favorite character was Xiao Se as even before he regained his quite formidable power, he was a man who thought 17 steps ahead of everyone else and had a contingency plan for his contingency plans most of the time. This character had an aura about him that just screamed leader even when all he did was mumble grumpily under his breath about his best friends being shameless or boring. The actor who played him did so to perfection.
Every character was flawed in one way or another which was wonderful because it made them realistic. Both Wuxin with his comedic smirking and LWJ, the pure-hearted doofus with the open mouth, insert foot syndrome and little tact really combined into a great and complex trio alongside Xiao Se. Add Tang Lian, an intelligent hero except when it came to matters of the heart who acted as big brother to them all, they were a formidable bunch. The two women completed the initial group not to mention every other friend (and LWJ reuniting with his sister) they made along the way.
Usually I can't stand palace politics when introduced into a wuxia or any costume drama but here it was just the right amount without completely overshadowing everything else. The story couldn't really move forward without it. Another usual con that didn't strain this story was the introduction of a plethora of characters simultaneously and you had no idea who was whom and why they were needed. In this series, though the same happened, the characters stayed for as long as they needed to and then left properly. They didn't just vanish, they all had proper exits. This series never once dragged for me, I didn't have to fast forward anything at any time. I wanted to watch everything; in fact I would often rewind to watch a certain scene again and again.
Production was stunning especially the locations and costumes. I mentioned in the comments that Xiao Se's blue with gold or white were my favorite. But just about everyone had costumes that fit their character or personalities and the colors were rich and beautiful. OSTs were perfect everywhere they were placed; especially with Xiao Se's powerful lines, entrances, and exits. It was like "Elvis has left the building."
All of the antagonists were done very well and also were there for as long as they were needed until they got their just comeuppance. My favorite had to be Director eunuch dude that was setup by Chong with dad's help though I wish it was Xiao Se who killed him and destroyed not only his meridians but made every organ explode; he deserved nothing less. Still though, he definitely didn't see that coming from Chong and his back up crew. Even though the emperor was not necessarily a good person all the way around trusting the wrong people and letting 2 out of I don't remember the number of sons he ultimately had, get so badly injured plus killing his own brother essentially, I wouldn't place him in the antagonist pool. He was a power hungry fool but essentially a good emperor for his people.
Losing Tang Lian was really a blow and though I understand why they did that, I really do wish they had brought him back at the end of 40 though he did return in a special episode cut together by the producers though still waiting for it on the international app. Will be completely honest, when I saw him again reuniting with his friends, brought tears to my eyes!
All of the esthetics were beautiful, the comedy was great, this drama made you laugh, it made you tear up, it made you sympathize with many characters. It had many, many positives and wonderful moments. But it also had cons though not many.
Cons: The only character that didn't get the right costume nor hairdo for the majority of the time was Qian Luo; she looked like a child among adults especially with her giant spear. When looking at her doing interviews, didn't even look like the same person; they could have simplified things so much instead of just draping 7 feet of fabric in-cohesively on her. I also had a hard time with her character in general because though it was understandable that she was young; the whining, know-it-all 'tude, foot stamping tantrums were extremely unnecessary. There was zilch chemistry between her and Xiao Se throughout the entire series as all she did was follow him around like a disgruntled puppy. It was a huge turn off but thankfully they evolved her especially when she met Rou Yi and lost her martial brother. So though I wasn't per se a fan of hers throughout the show, she did show her strength when it counted, her fighting scenes were great but she didn't have much screen time, thankfully.
Secondly, wish they released the Tang Lian reunion on all apps simultaneously which if some viewers didn’t know and spread the word, international viewers would have assumed he was dead; unfair. Thirdly, Wuxin for being SML spent very little time on screen after he left in episode 7 and then only briefly returned during the Lei Fortress and Tianqi City arcs before becoming a drugged puppet. And just as he's rescued in episode 39, he leaves again in the beginning of 40. His character was so strong and needed especially in the establishment of the brotherhood of him, Xiao Se, and LWJ. There was a real gap of how he and Xiao Se became best friends other than their banter. It would have been more solid had he had more screen time. The entire comment section is filled with people saying how much they miss him and to bring him back.
Lastly, the main antagonist aka Xiao Yu or Prince asswipe as I called him, had the most copout ending ever! After everything he did himself and orchestrated, the amount of people he harmed, killed, etc, they opted for him to kill himself with a knife to the chest? It was a pussy move for such a strong and angry person with a chip the size of the entire world on his shoulder that he himself created but blamed on others. He was a great antagonist and deserved karma on a much larger scale. Perhaps production ran out of time. So that's it.
Would I recommend it? With a perfect score, what do you think lol? This show will go into my permanent watchlist and I will definitely rewatch it over time. This was really a fantastic wuxia and if that's your thing, then you'll love this!
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1Sword in hand, righteous in heart. 手中握剑, 心中有义.
It was a windy and snowy day. Lei Wujie, a young swordsman wanders into a remote snow-capped inn. Xiao Se, the richly garbed innkeeper is set upon by bandits. The valiant Wujie intervenes and a fiery battle ensues. Appalled by the destruction, Xiao Se travels with Wujie to Xueyue City to collect usurious compensation. Along the way, they are caught in a vicious multi party melee over a mysterious golden coffin. They are swept out of harm's way by Wuxin, a powerful and enigmatic unordained monk. Thus begins the adventures of a loan shark innkeeper, an intrepid airhead and an irreverent monk. On their journey, they make as many deadly enemies as they do lifelong friends. Sword in hand, righteous in heart 手中握剑, 心中有义, the young friends set out on a quest for justice and their vision of jianghu or the martial world. In jianghu there is no absolute right or wrong, just an individual sense of morality and righteousness; the higher values that each swordsman is willing to give their life to protect.This addictive, high fantasy wuxia captures the spirit of rivers and lakes and the thirst of the wanderer to see where the skies end. The hilarious banter and unlimited friendship between the trio and their ever growing circle is immersive and exhilarating. I love that despite his superpowers, Wuxin needs Xiao Se to bankroll their travels and Lei Wujie has no sense of direction and gets Xiao Se lost all the time. Xiao Se (萧瑟; desolate) is a lonely and guarded character with a subtle air of loss and disappointment cloaked in sarcasm and arrogance. From the first instance he shares a curious understanding with Wuxin, another itinerant character with a cryptic past. They are both brilliant, complex and somewhat broken characters seeking answers and redress. Though younger in years, Wuxin is a wise, almost omniscient old soul, who is more at peace with his past than Xiao Se is. They find solace in Lei Wujie's simplistic, pure hearted idealism; his fearless youthful optimism and sense of invincibility. They are the core that attracts other great talents such as the redoubtable eldest martial brother Tang Lian, the strategic Ye Ruoyi, the divine healer Hua Jin and the sticky as fly paper Sikong Qianluo.
There is a lot to unpack in this story, beginning with the abundance of flamboyant and formidable jianghu characters. My personal favorite is Baili Dongjun, lush brewmaster and first city lord of Xueyue City. The prequel 少年白马醉春风 The Young Brewmaster's Adventure chronicles the youthful adventures of the colorful older generation of martial heroes. This explains the richly defined jianghu universe of legendary heroes and weapons and the fully realised characters with deep relationships and substantive backstories. Many surrounding characters are heroes of their own sub-plots that unfold alongside without seeming to digress from the main storyline. Loyalties notwithstanding, all five sword deities are moving and fascinating characters that make me want to know how their journeys begin. This drama is said to stay true to the original and the well loved manhua. This is likely due to the involvement of the novelist Zhou Munan (周木楠), whose prose is witty and simple, yet profoundly zen.
As the heroes converge on the capital, Tianqi City, the plot takes a political turn. The emperor is ailing and they are caught up in the battle for the throne between Prince Bai and Prince Chi. They race against time to unravel the old conspiracy that led to the downfall of Lord Langya many years ago. Fans of Langya List 琅琊榜 or Nirvana in Fire will recognise immediately that beyond the ranking of heroes, large chunks of this story pays homage to that masterpiece. The plot climaxes in an epic and heartbreaking denouement that reveals all the hard truths. While some villains could be better fleshed out and get off too lightly, the ending ties up all loose ends. Nirvana in Fire left me inconsolable but I am uplifted by how this version of the age-old battle for the throne story ends. Heaven's will does not always prevail over man's will; we have a choice in whether to take the lonely road or the one that is filled with friends.
It is obvious from the production values that the budget is modest at best but money is spent in all the right places. The styling of each characters is distinct and eye-catching and their weapons are badass. The fight scenes are intense, well choreographed, fast moving and exciting; the hallmark of a good wuxia. Each sect and swordsman have signature battle techniques and advantages that are well conceived and awe inspiring.
The acting is impressive and anchored by charismatic portrayals and compelling chemistry between Liu Xueyi's Wuxin and Li Hongyi's Xiao Se. Both characters are by far the fan favorites. Many characters were so well portrayed they deliver lingering impact beyond their screen time. The only notable exception is Sikong Qianluo, a cartoon character that has zero chemistry with Xiao Se. Someone must have sent them the wrong script because they seem to be acting out the role of the lovesick fangirl accosting a celebrity actor. But romance is peripheral in this saga and there are more riveting ones such as Li Hanyi and Zhao Yuzhen's story as well as that of Tang Lian and Fairy Rui.
This is a must watch wuxia, one that delivers all the best loved aspects of the genre. It has small flaws but I enjoyed it too much to want to pick at them. I will just leave it at that it would have been nice to see more of Wuxin and while the final fight scene was meaningful and satisfying, there were a few other clashes I would have loved to see. All considered, I am happy to rate this 9.0/10.0 and crown it the best wuxia of 2022.
PS - Don't forget to watch the 5 minute special ending episode.
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Constant Barrage of New Characters
I like this show but it was a bit difficult for me to follow at first. It was a bit confusing because there's constantly new characters coming in... like almost every single episode there's someone new. Actually when I was on Ep 3, I had to go back to Ep 1 and rewatch the small monologue in the beginning to make sure it was actually related to the show I was watching.It's a bit like this:
-There's introductions and then fighting and then someone thinks they'll win but the evil ppl are like, "We're gonna kill you", but no one really dies (until much later), and ppl lose and then they flee or the other person lets them go and then they meet someone new and then there's fighting and then there's fleeing, then there's more threats and someone lost again... Someone is always either praising the other fighter or the fighters are overestimating or underestimating each other as one describes or narrates their martial art prowess or weapons. Wash, rinse, repeat.
-Then there's the ML, Xiao Se, who either does an inner dialogue and we learn what's going on or he's telling someone what's what and who's who, or he'll say, "There's a rumor or story about this person or this event and I think that it's related..." So basically after 16 episodes, the ML is like a narrator rather than a real ML. He's basically narrating, fleeing, watching, directing the fight or bluffing or being stupidly chase by a lady acting like a little girl chasing after him. (The romance between these two is so dumb btw. He calls QianLuo "pretty" once and next thing you know she's constantly chasing him for "sparing", when really she's just stalking him. You have no idea why they like each other.)
Other things that are kinda repetitive are the same special effects like the firecrackers and fireworks and spraying sparkles and more flying swords and more flying knives. Let's not forget spraying fountains of water. How many times do we have to see two sword tips meeting at the center and then being frozen in place behind these magic barriers? And just as you're learning all these new characters, you realize that someone or everyone is a "Deity" of something like swords or knives (blades) or wine-making or fleeing... lol. If names of the constant new characters aren't confusing enough, don't forget the sword names too. Seems like everyone has one of the top 10 swords and each sword gets their own introduction. If it's not the sword names then it's each fighter's signature martial arts move or what phase they've reached or how long they've been training.
-Then there's the same constant clothing. Everyone wears the same thing day in and day out majority of the time or the same colours. With the exception of Tang Lian, the bad guys are usually clad in black.
-Seems like all the guys are falling for the women like "love at first sight" because they're beautiful like "fairies" but most of them average in looks so it's a bit overrated and hard to find the chemistry in all these love plots believeable or to feel anything towards them. All the love plots are awkward. I can't ship any of them. (I feel like it's a common cdrama thing, where the majority of male actors are always better looking than their female counterparts.)
-It's also confusing trying to follow the name of the clans and where they'll traveling to because really, there's no navigation or like map for viewers to see this "world". Like where is Tianqi or the Beili Kingdom exactly to all these places? And exactly how many Princes are there?
-Every time someone gets injured they spit out blood... Every. Single. Time.
-The dialogue and subtitles can go really fast sometimes that I have to rewind it back and pause it to read what they said. I feel like by now it should be more explained in depth what exactly kind of treason did Prince Langya commit? There should be more background story as to what unfolded by now and more hints or possibilities of who framed Prince Langya. So during his time in exile, Xiao Se didn't try to uncover the truth but rather just twiddled his thumbs as the owner of a villa?
- I also feel like Lei Wujie is more of a ML because he's done majority of the fighting. The problem I have with Lei Wujie is that he hasn't shown any character growth. His fighting improves throughout the show but he still just rushes into all the fights and hasn't show any maturity each time he faces a new adversary. Xiao Se says this every time they fight.
-Overall, the acting is just okay but I feel like we're just constantly waiting to see if the ML, Xiao Se, will recover from his injury and actually start fighting.
I finished this a while back and came back to update my rating but it remains the same. By the time the ML started fighting, the show was almost over.
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Wuxia show featuring friendships, youth and ethics
I loved this show so much, i was watching it on VIKI and then paid subscription to YOUKU so i could watch the latest episodes! The actors playing the characters did a great job, and I enjoyed all the fight scenes/CGIs. Every episode has been nail biting and i havent felt it has dragged on at all. I usually fast forward drama shows with annoying jealous 3rd parties thankfully theres none of that here. The show focuses on friendships, integrity and forgiveness towards self and others.I feel the romance between Qianluo and Xiao Se is a bit extra, not feeling any chemistry between them. Ao Ruipeng is the perfect actor to play the gullible but loyal Lei Wujie. Li Hongyi captured Xiao Se's disdainful looks and elegance well. Lie Xueyi gave a moving portrayal of Wuxin, who is plagued with a troubled past. Some scenes really moved me, like when Wuxin saw his master before he departed for good. There seemed to be many lessons on life in this show. All the side characters and stories enriched the show without being too long/complicated either.
Overall a great show which i had stumbled upon and im so glad i started watching it!
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A New Age Wuxia
Unlike wuxia by Jin Yong and his contemporaries, this is a nontraditional wuxia drama. Though still embodies the basic wuxia elements of chivalry in social and moral codes, its heavy use of CGI in depicting the exaggerated inner energy and superpower with people flying like birds, has rendered it more like, rather, feel like a xianxia drama. And that makes this drama stand out from the other wuxia dramas.There are a lot of firework displays in the fighting scenes with characters showcasing their powers and prowess, zipping through buildings and landscape, moving mountains and dividing seas. More serious wuxia buffs may not appreciate such exaggerations, but the story and the characters are captivating.
Like most wuxia stories, there are many characters here and together with their criss-crossing relationships, it can be confusing. Some characters can also have multiple shifus (teachers) with different skills. On top of that, some characters may appear at the beginning episodes, never reappear until at very much later episodes. Therefore, watching with a character map can help greatly if spoilers are acceptable, at the same time, take notes.
All the characters are complex, interesting and lovable, and the selection of actors is spot on. I love Li Hongyi’s indifferent demeanor which is just perfect for the role as Xiao Se who has lost all his strength and doesn't seem to care a bit even if the sky is falling. Liu Xueyi’s cheekiness and funny aura are ideal as the hilarious Wu Xin the monk who makes me laugh whenever he opens his mouth. Ao Ruipeng looks and acts like a big baby, and fits seamlessly as the innocent and chivalrous Lei Wujie who has a terrible sense of direction. Every other character matches its actor, giving viewers a convincing performance. The dialogs are unexpected but logical and humorous.
The story spans from the initial episodes of adventure, meeting people and making friends, to later episodes of intense palace politics with deadly scheming and assassinations. There are several characters whom I like a lot but they either die early or never appear again. Thanks goodness there's no romance between the main leads, though there is some subtle love interest.
My Verdict
Fast moving, intense, humorous, captivating, lovely characters, great acting, superb directing, editing and production. Indeed kudos to the new and refreshing way of telling a wuxia story.
A must-watch. Two thumbs up! BRAVO!
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The gem of 2022 and a must watch for all wuxia lovers
This is the best wuxia c-drama I have watched in a while, and certainly the best of 2022. I binged watched and completed the first 12 episodes in a day, and after that it was torturous waiting for new episodes to be released. It was everything I had hope for in a wuxia drama, and some. Not a perfect drama though, but certainly top on my enjoyment list as I thoroughly love every bit of this drama and a tad sad after it concluded airing after 40 episodes. There are only a handful of c-dramas that gave me such vibes, and “Blood of Youth” (BOY) is one of them.What makes this series so special is its storylines. This is the adventure of Xiao Se – the fallen sixth prince and his best buddy, Wu Jie in the martial arts world of jiang hu. Along the way they picked up other like-minded swordsmen and fighters, and together they tried to mould the political landscape of Beili Kingdom. The palace politics is portrayed through the battle for the throne and each prince/party is supported by various martial arts sects with their own Swords-Masters and Swords Deities. In this world of martial arts, all these swordsmen fight for the supremacy to be the best in the world. These martial artists are ranked accordingly by the mysterious Baixiao Sect ala Langya List in “Nirvana in Fire 1&2”. Meanwhile, the skills of these swordsmen are categorized to denote expertise, and they gained level as they get more experience just like Dungeon & Dragon games.
While this premise is not unique and has been adopted by various wuxia novelists since time immemorial, BOY is different because each character - be it main protagonists or supporting characters - are unique and entertaining, with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies with their own interesting storyline and character development. This is the real strength of BOY. Xiao Se is the moody and enigmatic sixth prince; Wu Jie and Ma Chunfeng are both naïve and innocent members of distinguished clans; Sikong Qianluo is the haughty and impulsive daughter of a Swords Deity ; Tang Lian is an honest and loyal disciple of Tang Clan and Xueyue City ;Ye Ruoyi is the regal and dignified daughter of a General commanding thousands of armies ; Wu Xin is the playful and charming demon sect’s leader who happens to be the half brother of Prince Chi; Prince Bai is the virtuous and honorable, yet blind second prince eyeing for the throne; Prince Chi is the evil ninth prince jostling for the throne, and practically responsible for all evil things happening in this c-drama ; and myriad other interesting characters like Li Hanyi (Xueyue City Swords Deity), Sikong ChangFeng (Xueyue City Third Lord), Luo Mingxuan, Li Fan Song (Mount Wangcheng disciple), etc.
Blood Of Youth has plenty of light-hearted moments with playful bantering among the characters. It provides relief and brief interruption from the serious undertone concerning the life and death of martial artists and the struggles for throne among the princes. Even the interaction between the Divine Healer, Hua Jin and the third Master of Ma’s Clan, Ma Chunfeng brings smile to my face. There are funny scenes everywhere: from the awkward way Wu Jie tried to strike a conversation with Ruoyi at the Flower Festival, to the way Wu Jie tried to correct Xiao Se’s pronunciation of a cursed word, etc. Wu Jie’s character is a gem because he always becomes a fodder for Xiao Se’s deadpan humor. Even Wujin’s character sometimes acts silly in the presence of these two protagonists. Basically anything involving Wu Jie and Ma Chunfeng is funny, and I think these two characters really steal the show.
This series could have been a huge TV rating bonanza had it featured A-list actors such as Yang Yang, Yang Mi, Dilraba, Zhao Liying, Wang Yi Bo, Xiao Zhan, etc. The producer casts three (3) great looking and up & coming actors as the main male leads. Li Hongyi, Liu Xueyi and Ao Rui Peng play their parts convincingly, may have their loyal coterie of fans but they are not A-grade . The chemistry among this trio, and towards the leading female leads (Flora Dai & Lin Bo Yang) are palpable for viewers to see. Not a single actor/actress hogs the lime-light and the screen time is shared across all cast. I thought the casting of Lin Bo Yang as Sikong Qianlou was the weakest link in the drama, and would have preferred to see either Yuan Binyang or Gulinazha in that role.
I love dramatic fighting scenes and there are plenty of them in any wuxia movie, and BOY is no exception. The fight choreography is at par with the best of Wuxia films/dramas I have watched to date. I am even inclined to compare the work of high-budget Chinese New Year’s blockbuster – Sakra: an adaptation of JinYong’s work – to BOY, and the result was not disappointing. Sakra involved tons of money, a gazillion of stuntmen, machines and props and the fighting choreography may not be much superior to that of BOY. If anything, BOY’s fight scenes are more realistic as the director tries to tone down on the more complicated and back-breaking stunts by not going overboard with the action flicks or wire works. However, at times the choreographed fights become too simple especially the ones involving Sikong Qianlou.
There are however a few post-production “errors” which stand out to me but it does not take away from enjoyment of BOY. For example, Tang Lian disappears from the scene by jumping to a roof and into the horizon. The scene is comical because the fast motion was overdone. Similarly, the same technique was overdone when Sikong Qianluo and Ye Ruoyi are on horsebacks trotting slowly while leading the army to Tianqi City after successfully battling Prince’s Chi surrogate army. The scene is out of sort, because the horses are moving at a snail pace, almost reluctantly, while the post-production tries to simulate the movement of an army marching on. But these “spoofs” are few and far between.
A thoroughly enjoyable wuxia flick. The gem of 2022 and a must watch. 10/10 rating. My only disappointment is that it has only 40 episodes. Off to another Li Hongyi’s drama – Wulin Heroes.
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What a Way to end 2022!!! Amazing (Updated 3/1/23), Updated 22/1/23
Firstly need to say I usually do not watch much of Wuxia Series as I prefer originals but oh wow this series is really amazing at the start.Story: Adapted from a Novel, however the story so far has been amazing. Very intriguing and the action scenes are really well done. I have not read the novel myself, however based on sources I have read this is a very good adaptation. I do not wish to spoil the story so will post more next update. (Update 3/1/23) - well the story has just turned it up a notch and legit hate the wait…….great story so far, it hasn’t dragged on and after the first 10 episodes you very much start to get the feel of what this story is about and how it may play out. Draws the audience in thoroughly, (subjective). Update 22/1/23 - well not going to lie here peeps this series started off amazingly. Story was fast paced and done well, what lacked it for me was the slight drag from about episode 23 onwards…..story still good and til the end was still ended well. Brotherhood galore if you all are up for a series that emphasise on mateship and loyalty. Romance/Chemistry sorry it’s a no for this series. The ML/FL to me did not gel well, unlike most other Wuxia series this one is not for that genre, please don’t expect this.
Acting: This Trio, omg this could really be the asian/chinese three musketeers, they are in sync and great chemistry in their roles. Big fan of Liu Xue Yi and seen many of his series, glad he is doing something I have not seen him done before. Acting so far for me is the highlight of the series. (Update 3/1/23) - way more characters get involved now, the martial arts and cgi is very well done, if you are a fan of both these things especially if you are into a fantasy type of cdrama omg you need to watch this. The acting from all the main characters is very well done, personally love how they have their own unique personality and yet still be able to function as a team and yes with added humour as well. Update 22/1/23 - acting still great the main 3 characters have done really well, the side characters played their parts well too up to the end. No issues there, are some characters annoying, to me yes but it’s their acting done well that makes me think they are annoying which means they did their job lolz (subjective).
Music: Quite ordinary for a Wuxia TV series, however nice music based on the setting and the story line so far.
Rewatch Value: I think I have watched the first 1-6 eps x 3 times and watched 7-9 once, but will be rewatching again to catch anything I may have missed. So far very much worth rewatching. (Updated 3/1/23) - watched up to ep 14 and rewatched up to this point several times. Can dare say the rewatch value of this series is a massive 10/10 at this point. (Update 22/1/23) 9/10 is my final decision for rewatch as this series is by no means perfect but for a good series where I want some loyal brotherhood genre with great martial arts and CGI. Yep I’ll watch this for sure. Every ep, likely not but majority yes.
Overall: Great start so far, my only hopes it will not get ruined near the mid/end parts of this series. Great acting and dialogue, story is good as well. Very well worth watching this just before 2022 and into early 2023.
Thanks again everyone for liking the review, appreciate this muchly, ^_^
Happy Chinese New Year Everyone,
Shing
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This review may contain spoilers
This show had all the right ingredients, but the time constraint eventually crippled it.
After binging this show in 2 days, I am very much torn. Do I recommend watching it? Yes, definitely. However, because a lot of story needed to be crammed into 40 episodes, what could've been an exceptional show instead became only a good show. I want to note that I've never read the novel that this was adapted from, so I can't compare the two.The entire time I was watching, I felt like I got a rough sketch instead of a final draft. The weakest part of the entire show for me was how the relationships were first developed (both platonic and romantic). The story/writing doesn't do a good job of conveying and pacing how these bonds formed. It felt like one moment they're strangers and then the next they'd die for each other. Unfortunately, since the entire show centers around these bonds, it was difficult for me to fully invest myself into the story. Because of that, emotional moments were hit or miss. (A small peeve of mine was also the weird choice and timing of music that jarred me out of the story at least once per episode.)
That's not to say that I didn't like the show. The actors really do the best they can with what they were given, and some shining moments redeem the flaw I mentioned above. Like I said earlier, I'd definitely recommend giving the show a watch. It has all the elements that I love to see in wuxia, and despite its short length, the plot was surprisingly well paced. When I finished, I found myself missing the characters.
It's just a pity that more time wasn't given to really flesh out and test the early bonds between our main characters. I truly believe that this show would've been legendary if it had been given that breathing room.
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This review may contain spoilers
Watching the Blood of Youth is like running a marathon.
TDLR: The first half of the show is very fun and interesting, however the second half becomes too political and loses the adventurous charm. Overall a decent show, however minus points because of the low screentimes of more interesting characters and dragging relationships.Non-Spoiler:
And the beginning, the race was exhilerating. I watched episode after episode as they came out. But sometime after the main characters went to Tianqi, the drama began to drag out and I skipped or sped through large portions in order to find out what happens at the end.
To start off with, the story is not bad. The plot is very interesting and the motivations of everyone is complex. The problem is that the first half of the show is adventure based, where the main characters travel to fight different people and discover their newfound power. Hence, the blood of youth. This half of the drama is very fun, getting to know the characters and their powers is a charm of this part of the show. My favorite moments have to be the characters meeting Wushuang and Lei Wujie going up the tower to become a disciple. When the characters went to Tianqi, this adventurous arc for them was cut short and instead the story became about the next Emperor. The problem with this change in setting is that Xiao Se gives away his true intentions and who the Emperor will be by saying what he and his brother's chose when asked what type of Emperor they would be. Because of this, a lot of the scenes that were about the Red Prince or the Second Prince went over my head.
Spoiler:
As for the characters:
~ Xiao Se started off as a funny character during the adventurous phase. His cunning side came out a lot and often times would be in the background, making sarcastic jabs at Lei Wujie. During the second part of the plot, his character became more bland and I felt as though Li Hongyi made the character flat as cardboard in the emotions department. This especially is true during more emotional scenes or ones with Qianluo. I read a few chapters from the novel and found myself surprised at how animated the Xiao Se in the novel came off as. I personally would have preferred a more forward actor for Xiao Se, but there were some fun moments like him running away from Qianluo or bragging about the worth of his sleeves.
~ Wuxin was very funny and the actor was ever so charismatic. I have zero complaints about the actor, but I was very sad that he did not have much screen time during the plot when the characters were in Tianqi. His character was basically used as plot armor so that Xiao Se, Wujie, Qianluo, and Rouyi could stay alive during difficult times.
~ Lei Wujie was a consistent character who stayed humorous and brazen even during difficult battles in the latter half of the show. I thought the actor did well and definitely felt the character grow on me as the story went on. His relationship with Rouyi did not have any chemistry just like Xiao Se and Qianluo, in my opinion, however it made more sense and was cute when responding to her.
~ Rouyi was an interesting addition, at first I felt as though it was a little weird for her to be in the story as a strategist instead of one of the pillars, but she grew on me as time went on in the story. I definitely think it is such a shame we couldn't see more of her power, the use of leaves in the CGI was so pretty.
~ Qianluo was a very likeable character for me, I feel like this is an unpopular opinion though. She definitely comes off as childish in the beginning, but in Tianqi she shows her resilience and seriousness when it comes to her position as the Vermillion Bird. I find that the writers did not give her many extravagant fighting scenes which was a bit sad, even Rouyi had the scene with the dance with Wujie.
~ Tang Lian was probably the most likeable character and by the time I came to realize that, he passed away. I have seen the small special ending clip, but it did not make enough reparations for me. I definitely think it was cruel how the most powerful of the Four Pillars ended up dying first, because the fights that come after his death are lackluster.
~ My personal favorite characters who weren't part of the main line up was Wushuang and his box of swords, truly he was given some of the best lines and scenes. I really liked the disciple and Fairy Luoxia, the hint that they would probably be endgame was everything to me. I also really liked the Huajin and her rich disciple.
My notes so far may seem pessimistic, but I still did tune into every episode even if I skipped quite a bit later on. A lot of the characters are worth meeting such as Tang Lian, Wuxin, Wushuang, Huajin, and many others that make up the supporting cast of the show. Also the general production felt very high, great styling for the most part with grand background sets. The CGI is among the best, I never skipped a fight sequence due to the intricacy of the fighting scenes. Overall, 7.0/10 which indicates that it is a great show that loses steam as it goes on.
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10/10
Let's for once not argue points, nor explain anything and give this show a 10/10. I had it on hold for so long but when I decided to watch, I wasn't disappointed.I got to be reminded of the Nirvana in Fire vibe as much as possible. Romance and playful FLs aside... minimized to the least, let's breathe to that. Mature characters and omg I love the actors and the story.
Though I think the SFX department would have done better for the fight scenes like in Alchemy of Souls or Island 2022. But to the OST and music department I loved the main theme song and the episode ending song. WOW!!
Last disappointment is the random cutting of an episodes last second. Who did that editing and who reviewed their work?? When you cut an episode you get an intense scene that will create the required suspense and will to walk into the next episode.
Generally a good piece of story, costume, character and fantasy no one would want to miss out. Go ahead!!
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It completes my imagination of Shao Nian Ge Xing!
For a story to be adapted into various mediums (comic, animation, and live action), it definitely speaks quality. For us who read Shao Nian Ge Xing (Song of Adolescents) the novel and follow the donghua (animation series), having a live action is a real treat for fans. It is very very rare for an IP to get this opportunity. This drama itself completes my imagination about the world of Shao Nian Ge Xing. I see how it is well coordinated with the novel and donghua version, so that each version complements one each others despite several differences in some places.After completing all episodes, I am not hesitant to say it is really a superb adaptation. The worldbuilding is complex but clearly explained through the course of the story. This drama has all ingredients of a great wuxia: geographical landscapes, actions, sects, skills, and weapons, imperial politics, culture, and philosophy. There are diverse landscapes: cities, temples, and palace, mountain, jungle, river, and sea. There are actions almost in every episode which is pleasant to eyes because of good CGI. There are philosophies from Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism giving the story some moral weight. The Chinese cultural presentations are so rich, from music, paintings, poetries, dance, outfits, and interior design of places.
The imperial politics and the damage it caused to the jianghu is pretty complex since it involves the grudge of two generations. However, the story is able to balance external conflicts, who finally win the thrones and who finally get recognition as the best martial experts, and internal conflicts: familial love vs anger among siblings, forgiveness versus revenge among loyalists, repentance versus self-righteousness among those who did wrongdoings, solitariness versus togetherness among friends. So, the best aspect of this drama is the strong themes it holds tightly from the beginning to the end: brotherhood and friendship. This story tells a lot about love to siblings, parents/ children, and love to friends. This makes it meaningful to fans and general audience.
This drama is so loved, so it lies solid ground for future movies/ drama, for prequels and sequels.
Final thought (5/2/23)
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This story follows the journey of the youth: Xiao Se/ Xiao Chuhe (the main character), the four guardians of Tianqi (Lei Wujie, Sikong Qianluo, Tang Lian, and Ji Xue) a.k.a his guardians, Wuxin the shameless monk his best friend, and Ye Ruoyi his advisor.
It starts uniquely as Xiao Se is portrayed as anti-hero. His back story is quite heart breaking. He was a prince and prodigy that had fallen to the lowest. After involved in Langya Mutiny, he was demoted to commoner, exiled, harmed by his enemy, and lost his martial arts). People loved and remembered him as a hero, but now he was nobody and gone missing. However, in his heart, he always desired to clear his uncle name and wanted to come back to capital city, Tian Qi. He never lost his pride and principles. He is a person with a very strong character. Xiao Se journey started from coincidental encounter with Lei Wujie, a newbie with pure heart, whose journey aimed to be the greatest expert in jianghu. Later, they both travelled together and found more friends along the roads, especially Wuxin whose life unexpectedly was related to all of them. Their brotherhood is amazing.
Throughout the story, all characters experience character development. The naive Lei Wujie finally climb the ladder of skills as well as learn about love and having cute romantic relationship with Ye Ruoyi. The strong but shy Tang Lian learn to follow his heart and his principles rather than following duty blindly. Wuxin realized that he was not alone in his journey. Sikong Qianluo stopped being a bratty and spoiled girl. Xiao Se got the most extreme character development, from nobody to somebody again as a prince and a martial artist. He was still cunning and sharp tongue, but his traits were somehow refined by his past downfall and adversities. He faced his inner demon. He became more humble and grounded.
The story and interactions between characters are funny and entertaining, but also can thrill and create suspense. I found that all character are strong and badass. Nobody is weak here, even the princes learn martial arts. Nobody is stupid, as each character is reasonable and use their intelligence to face the challenges, including the antagonists.
Personally, I don't mind with the romances, even though some audience complain it, wanting it to be just focused on pure wuxia and indifferent friendship to feeling, because no chemistries among couples. The romances are told in the novel, so it is not wise to omit it from the story. To keep the drama stay true to the novel is appreciation for the writer/ IP. As the cultural background of the story believes in the concept of Yin and Yang, romance between man and woman even in martial arts world is a good thing and needed to balance things. People cannot keep doing physical fighting, action, and getting injured or experiencing setbacks without cure and consolation. The best consolation for man is the love from woman; people naturally seek for his/her soulmate. So, it is good to have a hint of romance. This drama does better in telling romantic relationship in comparison to the donghua because it gives more screen for couples. We know how relationships start, evolve, and end among couples here, both for main characters and supporting roles. All is wrapped well.
For you who never read the novel or watch the donghua, this drama completes the donghua in several ways. The donghua is a little bit confusing at telling the background, context, and things happened in the past. This drama delivers it well so we know what actually happened to Lord Langya, the history of four guardians, the history and relationships of characters, etc. The drama also improves the pacing and sequence of events so that the storytelling is smoother. This drama also changes some parts/ adds things that are not in the novel or Donghua, which is make the story stronger. For example: It differs in the time identity of Xiao Se as a prince is exposed to his friends, when and where Xiao Se met Xiao Chong and Xiao Lingchen for the first time, who involved in Three Party Meeting of Baxiao Hall, the romance during lantern festival, how the Dark River assassin syndicate got its ends, how Xiao Se got his swords, the options given to Xiao Yu before his demise. etc. I personally hope the drama has more episode so we can see the war between Beili and Nanjue, Xiao Se versus Ao Yu, the prince of Nanjue he beat in gambling repeatedly told before, and how he won it.
The drama also moderates some depiction in the novel that are too bloody. We don't see the bloodshed in Tian Qi and how every character always thrown a mouthful of blood after getting hit. In my opinion, it is good so that the story is acceptable for younger audience and thus family friendly. I also like the details in drama showing gestures, especially the fingers movement when a character is thinking of something and their face expressions (such as in the scene when Lei Wujie telling his Insulting Sword Technique to Xiao Se, Xie Xuan, and Wushuang). Even though many people saw Xiao Se expression is emotionless, I personally saw it accurate because that is how Xiao Se should look like.
I recommend this drama for you fans of the donghua and all of you who love historical and wuxia drama. Dear fellow fans, waiting for season 3 may be long. This drama can fulfill our thirst in the mean time.
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Will the 6th prince win the throne?
Tang Lian, the senior disciple at XueYue City was assigned the task to bring back a golden coffin to the city. He had no idea what or who was in the coffin. Along the way, he was waylaid by a number of different sects, demanding that he handed it over to them.Around the same time, a naive but highly skilled Lei Wu Jie was on his way to XueYue City. He stopped by an inn for a meal when a gang came in to rob. Out of righteousness and eager to demonstrate his ability, he defended the inn against attack only to have the money-minded and shrewd owner Xiao Se demanded that he paid for the damages. Convinced by Xiao that his action was redundant and therefore at fault, he suggested Xiao followed him to XueYue City where he would get the money to compensate him. Having another agenda of his own, Xiao Se agreed. Xiao Se appeared to have no martial art skills but exhibited excellent agility.
It is widely known that the 6th prince was a righteous man, highly talented and well-skilled in martial arts, possessing great inner force. But he offended his father, the emperor by siding with his uncle, the Lord Langya and was stripped off his princely title. While on his way to exile, he was attacked and seriously wounded by a mysterious attacker.
The parties met and teamed up together. Later in the drama, the content of the coffin was revealed and so was the true identity of Xiao Se.
What I like about this drama:
1. Hygiene factors: like a lot of good Chinese dramas, it satisfied most of the hygiene factors: good looking cast, excellent acting, lovely costumes especially that worn by the main leads, Li Hong Yi (Xiao Se) and Liu Xue Yi (Wu Xin - yes, a monk), the lovely backdrop and cinematography.
2. Special effects: it is packed with special effects as every fight is a show of the inner forces of each opponent. If you love martial arts and special effects in dramas, this is it.
3. Humour: although by and large, this is a rather serious drama, there are lots of comic relief. Wu Xin (acted by Liu Xue Yi) was hilarious when he asked the Marquis why he was looking at him - was it because of his good looks. He was always demonstrating his narcissism in this drama, which was quite funny.
4. Hook: to keep the audience chasing a long running drama, there must be a hook. The main hook of this drama was whether
the 6th prince's was going to escape further harm, recover his inner skill, be eventually reunited with the emperor and find out who was behind the attack that disabled his fighting skills, with the help of his new friends. And this is a strong hook.
There are not much I do not like about this drama but I am going to nitpick at some:
1. The theme of rivalry for the throne is so cliche and overused. I am sure this happened at every generation of every dynasty. But watching repeatedly as a storyline is kind of monotonous, even if the story develops differently.
2. Music is alright but not outstanding.
3. The on-screen chemistry between the main male and female leads is quite cold. The woman is keen but the man is distant. There is not much romantic feelings in this drama although there are a lot of couples. The main story is centred around the fight for the throne and the scheming of the 7th prince and how the other princes handle it.
4. Like a lot of Chinese dramas, the capable and righteous walks away from the throne, which is another element I find very cliche. I dislike this sort of ending as it goes against my personal belief. I believe it is only when there are capable and righteous people at the top that a country can prosper. Have people in leadership who are capable but unscrupulous and corrupt, or with good intent but incapable are all scenarios for disaster. Look around you, you may probably agree with me.
Overall, I think this drama is worth watching.
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