Boring, but low on Angst, Great Friendship in the end.
I was curious to why The Blood of Youth had such high ratings. I knew there wouldn’t be a romance (well, it’s not heavily featured) but the cast seemed solid, so I thought to give it a go. I will have to say, I wanted to love it like everyone else, but it just simply okay for me. In fact, I would describe it as fairly boring and REALLY slow pace.I don’t need romance to be the focal point of the story, I enjoyed Joy of Life and the simple slow pace of The Untamed. I however I wasn’t a big fan of Sword Snow Stride, but at least that drama had better “romance”.
Overall, I found The Blood of Youth a little boring and not enough romantic gestures.
I did love the loyalty between the core cast. I enjoyed watching the little story arcs and the comical theme / tone of the drama. I didn’t really care for the palace politics and really did feel like the drama could have been shorten by 10 episodes at least.
The costumes were good, but there wasn’t enough variation and the hair and make-up was decent. I thought there was A LOT of story arcs to go through and I found some hit or miss for me. I tend to like the tragic side love stories more, than the tragic friendship / family ones.
The ML was the star of the show for me. I really appreciate his acting, it’s the cold stoic acting, but not too much under acting, which made him so cool. Love the different type of friends he made, for example, the silly simple one, the beautiful child-hood friend and the quirky non-practicing monk.
I think if you started the drama and was completely drawn, then go for it, continue the series. I was holding out for the more impressive scenes, like the epic fight scenes or “romance” exchanges you kind of get (but not really). I actually put on my calendar to force myself to watch at least 2 episodes a day.
To sum up, these friendship base dramas with lack of romance are hit or miss for me. I didn’t love it but I can see why everyone else did.
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Blood will out, and spill more blood.
"I want to travel north with the wind, watching the snow sweep across the land.I wish to travel east by boat to see the elegant fairy brave the wind.
I wish to travel thousands of miles with the clouds, even the Emperor ruling the court cannot stop me.
I will bathe in the sunlight at the top of Mount Kunlun.
I will witness lush mountains rise at the edge of the ocean.
We shall reunite after a long journey.
But I won't go home until I've seen the world."
- Wuxin, episode 5
If you needed a reason to watch 'The Blood of Youth', the above quote from Wuxin summarises the mood that this show wants to encapsulate. That period of time between infancy and adulthood - where you know enough about the world to believe it is yours for the taking, and not enough about it to realise the world is something no man can own. The moment where you feel so invincible; you manage to fool yourself into thinking you really are.
Xiao Se, a favoured prince, certainly believed he was untouchable; yet, after a humbling battle with a far more experienced opponent, he found himself crippled and alone - in a self-inflicted exile. That day, he thought, was the day that his childhood died; but when he met wandering traveller Lei Wujie, he saw his opportunity to step out of the shadows, and to reclaim the youth that was stolen from him.
If you like Wuxia, then this show is definitely for you, but any casual C-Drama watchers will enjoy it as well. Although at times the over saturation of tropes can be annoying, they are part of the appeal of this show (by now I've accepted that every female love interest in a historical or fantasy C-Drama is condemned to act like a whining 5 year old). Yet, for the most part; the women in this drama are portrayed well, and are not to be trifled with.
The issue comes in part with the pacing; the ending felt rushed in comparison to areas of the Drama which were given time they did not deserve, and for the sake of drama an entirely unneeded character death was thrown in, which seemed to have no other purpose than to shock. For example, one of the leads disappears for half the drama, only to return in an unforeseen but again, irritating way. Many of the plot points felt at times decorative rather than integral to the story.
I criticise the show so heavily in part, because it had so much potential. If the writing had been a bit more tidy and concise in places, it would have been 10's all around - but it's tainted by a seeming need to appeal to everyone, and consequently, not doing any one trope or theme entirely right. This is not to say the drama isn't filled with iconic moments that will leave you wanting more, but I wish it would have found it's feet, and picked a camp to settle down in rather than wandering around for 40 episodes: what should have been an emotional story of the pain and beauty of youth became a half-court, half-martial arts, half-revenge, half-romance, half-tragedy, half-comedy drama, which never really picked what it wanted to be.
Yet, as I said; the reason our sentiments about what went badly are so deep is because what went well was so enjoyable - and flaws and all, I would definitely recommend this show as an essential watch for any Wuxia or C-Drama fan.
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The Best Wuxia Drama of 2022
For me personally i really like this drama because i watched i think 2 episodes of the great journey of young teenager (the donghua version of Blood of Youth) i hope i got the name of the donghua version of this drama correct but anyways back to what i was trying to say is that this drama is too perfect its too perfect so if you're someone here scrolling through reviews with doubts on whether to watch the show or not... watch the show you will not be disappointed ..One thing that stands out the most that people talk about is the production and story lineof the drama but for me its the cast . The cast has played their role so well that after finishing an episode you're tempted to watch the next episode it's crazy.
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This review may contain spoilers
Wuxia As It Should Be
The Blood of Youth is what live action anime/manga adaptations should be. Sure, it has its flaws and I have some gripes here and there, but it is still one of the best fantasy series I've seen, full stop. The story revolves around a young disgraced prince who was exiled and had lost his martial arts abilities, and his pursuit of the truth and justice. Along the way, he meets like-minded people and together they become celebrated heroes as they uncover a sinister plot that could very well destroy their world. It might seem tropey and simplistic enough but the political machinations and chess-like games the characters play are reminiscent of dramas like Shogun and even Game of Thrones, making it far more complicated than you think it actually is. The fantasy elements in this drama are what really drew me in from the get-go. The setting, the martial prowess of the characters, their magical weapons, and powerful inner forces reminded me so much of anime series like Gensomaden Saiyuki, Bleach, and even Fushigi Yugi. The swords that have consciousness of their own, especially, made me think of the zanpakutou of the shinigami in Bleach. In fact, one particular sword technique looked very much like Byakuya's Senbonzakura to me. If you're an anime fan like me, you would definitely appreciate this aspect of the drama.I'm glad that the Chinese have at least given me a truly enjoyable series akin to the shonen anime I so love watching. As I've said, it is not a perfect series objectively speaking. The length of this drama is one of its strengths but also its main weakness. Because it spans 40 episodes, the writers had enough time to build this rich pugilistic world of warriors with incredible powers, and flesh out its multi-layered characters. But it's also because of its length that the narrative seems to have lost its way somewhere in the middle with story arcs becoming convoluted and the previous buildup being ruined, resulting in some pivotal events feeling unearned. Some of the characters are forgotten and some are pushed into the limelight for no logical reason, while some supposedly important characters are introduced only halfway through the series with minimal to zero character development, making them a lot less significant and endearing. And then there's the underdeveloped romance. But as far as the writing is concerned, those are my only real complaints. The rest I can forgive.
One of the highlights of this series is the stunning aesthetics and cinematography. I immediately fell in love with the design of Snowfall Villa, Xiao Se's inn in the middle of a snowy countryside. The cinematography has a surreal and fairy tale-esque look to it that I can't help but want to live in that world. The visual effects could've used a little more polishing but they are more than sufficient for a drama series of this scale. I was actually surprised they were able to make it look that good! The costumes are a tad bit too colorful for my taste at times but I suppose the style suits the world of bold and adventurous youths. The fight choreography is superb! It's not as poetically beautiful as the one in Word of Honor or stylistically cool as Mysterious Lotus Casebook's, but they did remarkably well with the action scenes in this drama. Kudos to the actors who worked their butts off to make the scenes believable and aesthetically pleasing. The music is one of the best parts of this drama. The song Wind by Yu Zhao Yuan is quite possibly the best theme I've heard in a C-drama. But I'm probably biased because it's a pop rock track, which is relatively uncommon in C-dramas and more my cup of tea.
The characters, for the most part, are so well-written that at some point, you start to think of them as your friends and you become attached to them, growing fearful that some of them may not come out of their battles unscathed. That's how endearing they become as the series progresses. But I do have some beefs here and there, and it mostly concerns one female character that I wished wasn't part of this story at all. Ji Xie is a far more interesting character and yet she barely gets any screen time let alone character development. What a waste! I also wished they didn't do some of the characters dirty. Tang Lian and Wuxin are my favorites apart from Lei Wujie so to have them sidelined was gravely disappointing. There's a season 2 so perhaps these characters will get their due respect.
Overall, this is one very well made drama that deserves praise and certainly could use a sequel or sequels in the near future. It is based on a series of novels so they do have a wealth of material to work with. A season 2 is already being planned and it has a prequel series featuring the older generation of heroes like Baili Dong Jun.
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What's not to like?
I really enjoyed this excellent production -yes, some of the other reviewers had some valid criticisms but these had little impact on the overall quality. Excellent cast, fascinating journey in first half, admittedly a little more repetitive in second half, but refreshingly free of std palace harem machinations, focusing more on the dynamics between the friends, and different people in the martial arts world. Strong plot mystery which holds its suspense till the end - not who's the baddy?, but what choices will ML make?Well-designed sets & costuming, also Good script (at least in English subs that I rely on). Only niggle is Wuxin receding too much in background towards the end. Maybe another season with him as main protagonist?
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A Freaking Amazing C-Drama
I thought The Blood Of Youth drama was freaking amazing. It was such a remarkable drama. Everything from the plot, score(music), costumes, crisp production quality, and special effects was fantastic. The storyline was intriguing. The costumes were unique, polished, and refined. The special effects were pretty breathtaking.The acting performances were above and beyond. The acting performances blew me away. The actors acting was so compelling and enthralling. The main protagonists were amiable even though they were pretty arrogant at times. Out of all the main protagonists, Xiao Se is my favorite. He was a complex character but also charming and personable.
I don't have any complaints about the drama. As I previously said, the drama was freaking amazing. Every episode hooked me like a fish if you know what I mean. And this is all I have to say about the drama.
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Best Drama in all aspects!
This drama is truly the best I have yet watched. I have to say, it is my #1. The most devastatingly heartbreaking and incredibly fun story I have ever encountered. That is difficult to do. Hands down one of the best stories ever written. The best characters to witness. And the most fun adventure to ever go on.It is perfectly cast. The sets are robust. The costumes are amazingly gorgeous, The visuals and CGI are stunning!
I do adore our ML Xiao Se but also Wuxin and Lei Wujie as characters, they perfectly come together as brothers through their adventures. It is so heart warming and fun but deep and piercing at the same time. The roles must be perfectly csat to bring out the qualities of each character. It was also really fun to see the special project as well.
This is a shounen drama. So we are going to see fight scene after fight scene. This is going to be lots of high action scenes.. Our characters will be constantly meeting new opponents and having epic quests. The plot is wrapped up in the character growth, with especially a focus on heroism and perseverance of the ML. There are usually strong themes of friendship and personal growth and minor emphasis on romance. Think Dragon Ball Z or Jujitsu Kaisen or Naruto. These type of series have open worlds with open endless stories and are focused on the characters moving through experiences.
For me the theme of brotherhood is very strong in this series. And it is so deeply experienced on every level, especially between Xiao Se and Wuxin. There is sorrow for our antagonists as well. Which I value. I want to have feelings for them and not just a desire to see them lose.
Be sure to check out the prequel Dashing Youth which is fantastic as well! Tales of Dark River will be airing in OCT 2o25 and I can't wait!
Thank you so much to the cast and crew who brought this story to life, thank you for all your hard work. What a beautiful job.
If you didn't know, there is an animation/donghua of this title Shao Nian Ge Xing! Here is the link from youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMv3bOugc-2iZfRA8Pt20Pe1Cn_vvFj2c
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Fan of wuxia genre? A must watch!
One of the best wuxia dramas in recent years. If you are a fan of wuxia, this is legit! It has many of the wuxia tropes; sects, court politics, secret arts, assassin's guide, youths who dream of justice and adventures, and especially; ranking and ranking of swords!! You can sing the national anthem of ‘Dugu Qiubai’ here lol. They certainly did not cheap out on the production nor the choreography, because it was just simply so beautiful. You can tell they spent ALOT of time on it. I saw the directors and checked some of their past works, now I understand why the choreography and sequences are so well filmed, I love some of their past works!The sword names, fighting, and even the details for all of it…hollyyyy crappp, this is wuxia’s fan wetdream. I'm really glad I didn’t watch it when it first came out, because I woulda gone crazy waiting for it. But now, I can binge it. You have to trust me, if you really love wuxia and appreciate great fight choreography and sequences, this show is a must!
Also, Li Hong Yi should really try out for ventriloquist, because for the whole freaking drama the biggest I see his mouth move is to this extent *o* it is like he talks in all lower cases I swear. If you take a shot for any time you can see his set of upper teeth, you can only be drunk after rewatching the whole drama 3 times. Lmaoo
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This review may contain spoilers
An Exciting but Mysterious Drama
This Wuxia drama is one of the best I've seen in a while! Going into this show, I didn't have high expectations and only knew Li Hongyi (Xiao Se) and Ao Ruipeng (Lei Wujie). However, I am truly impressed by the production and acting of this drama. From an encounter with a young swordsman, who would've known that Xiao Se was going to end up where he did?The story starts when Lei Wujie, a young swordsman from the Lei Clan with dreams of becoming a sword deity, ends up destroying a inn while helping the rich innkeeper, Xiao Se, get rid of a few bandits. After seeing his beloved inn being torn up, Xiao Se ends up traveling with Lei Wujie to XueYue City, where he will collect his compensation. On the journey, they meet Wu Xin, a highly skilled monk, and Tang Lian, Tang Clan and XueYue City's best disciple. The duo soon will meet many other talents including the mischievous Sikong Qianluo, the calculated Ye Ruoyi, the talented young divine healer Hua Jin, the young sword deity Wu Shuang, etc.
Overall, the story was very interesting, although it was quite confusing to understand at times. The special effects were very cool and creative, every character had their own touch and style of martial arts. We were able to see character development from each character throughout this drama. Personally, my favorite character was Xiao Se. A smart, mysterious young man who was always another step ahead of everyone else, Xiao Se kept many secrets about his true identity. It was clear that he cared a lot for his friends, even though he wouldn't show his affection physically.
The actors and actresses themselves portrayed their characters very well. The costumes and styling of this drama were spectacular, each outfit matched each character's aura and style. My only complaint is that the romantic aspects of this drama were lacking. Many of the characters did not have great chemistry, although it was clear that they were pretty close behind the camera. Despite this, there were a selected few relationships that were well depicted, one of them being Li Hanyi and Zhao Yuzhen's story.
Each character on the screen was there because they had a purpose. I do like how the production crew left out characters that were not necessary at the moment. However, there were characters that I would have liked to see more of, especially Wu Xin, who got a small amount of screen time for a main lead. After his return to TianWaiTian, he only appeared a couple of times again.
There is not much to say about the music in this drama. It is typical Wuxia music. The songs were good and enhanced some scenes.
Overall, it was a beautiful drama that portrayed the JiangHu well. Definitely would recommend it to others who want to watch a drama that includes a lot of brotherhood and teamwork.
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the bestest wuxia drama out there!
This one of my favourite and the most awed wuxia drama ever, I never could stick to a historical drama plot for longer but this drama... there wasn't a single episode that didn't make me clench my fists in anticipation of the next. Every single episode is packed with so much thrill, new plot twists and the acting, was just spectacular.I love this story so much maybe cause the donghua was one of my favourite and I've also read the novel cause I couldn't wait anymore and wanted to know how the story progressed. and this live-action truly made the novel justice..I can't believe how truly amazing this series it, now I wish I could watch it all over again.
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Wuxia that borderlines on Xianxia; Superb!
I used to watch Wuxia movies before when I was young but as I grow old my orientation to details just can't get past the failures in the props or dragging story.But was I surprised by this series! The costumes, make up, martial arts, and the use of CGI was almost perfect!
And the story connects from start to finnish. As well as the main drive of the main protagonist.
The political battle was also worth it.
And the ending, God, I love the ending! The wit is still there. It doesn't pretend that to be best or greatest you have to be the God of the Universe or something like that. It's about choice! That's why I love the main MC.
I don't know how much is the budget for this series but it was so well done.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is one of the best wuxia dramas I’ve watched.
I loved the plot ,storyline and how it started to make sense . I love how everyone grew physically ,emotionally and also in their abilities . I loved it when I saw some of the cast members from other dramas like word of honor etc. The romance didn’t dampen the story and every episode has something going on .We are introduced to each character whenever they feature . There’s the friendship between the group of friends and that even gets stronger when they become guardians protecting Xiao Se(ie the 6th exiled prince). They were willing to die for him and he was also willing to die for them . At some point ,it gave me word of honor feelings and nirvana in fire feelings especially since Xiao Se lost his martial abilities ( if he used his inner or true qi,it will cost him his life) but he still takes the risk for his friends .
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