Ximmich

From what i know and think the majority of people consider as true is that, any cdrama adaptation that is based on a bl novel, being shounen ai ( who is a term that refers to the amount of romantic moments in a novel, that varies a lot from flirting, ambiguous moments, hand holding, declarations of love, kisses and at most some subtle sex scenes, and it stops there. Even a novel who shows only hand holding and some ambiguous declarations or implying the fact that the characters hasn't married anyone, if the novel is writed in a way that you just know is shounen ai is added in the sheounen ai category) or yaoi ( who has more skinship, many sex scenes and the story revolves more about the romance. The novel the drama A league of nobleman is based of is part of shounen ai category, i don't know why the author said otherwise in the recent interview, maybe she was pressured by something, who know what happened behind the scenes. I think if the novel was not bl in the first place, that interview the author made, was not neccesary, so it was probably made to clarify things because the drama production team has removed all traces of bl from the drama, who were scarce in the first place. It was still a shitty move on their part to make the author to say that, since she is an known danmei author.
Is possible that the novel was writed to not be a bl novel, but the timing of the interview made by the author is suspicious. Why the author has chosen now to speak about this?
But is possible, like even Priest has some novels that the story don`t have a couple at all.
The reason i said that the drama will most likely fit in the bromance and not promoted as a bl drama even through is a bl adaptation , is that the bl aspect is too little, it was writed to be this way, but is known for years that this is a bl novel, is just unfortunate what happened with this drama, with the scriptwriter and author and the production team who didn't worked things out.
Adaptation dramas that are based on bl novels, and try to at least show clearly that the relationship between the two main male characters is more than friendship should still be considered bl adaptation dramas and not added in the same category as bromance dramas, who the original script is intended to show only friendship and the production team of course has too make some interactions as ambiguous. In the end it all depends in what the original source was writed to be, friendship of boy love. That`s why productions like Untamed, Guardian, WOH and the upcoming bl dramas based on bl novels, they should still considered bl dramas, as a way to show respect to how the relationship between the characters was writed in the original source, because after all the censorship is an issue specific to China, and the production team has to comply after all, if not all these dramas will not see the light of the day.

No. Being that A league of nobleman will not be promoted as a bl drama, and because is also not a high budget drama, it will most likely be a quiet release, being promoted as any BG drama or bromance drama, so it shouldn't interfere with the release of Immortality or WIK. I mean Tencent has to release at least one bl drama this year not matter what, as next year the competition will be much bigger, they are at least two bl dramas that finished filming at the beginning of the year, Chasing the lights from Tencent too and Seizing dreams from iqiyi i think. The abyss and another drama based on a Priest novel will be finished filming soon, so at least 2 other bl dramas will be most likely released next year. I am frustrated with Tencent sometime, like with everything, being dramas and donghua, i mean the dramas they made are much better budget and quality wise, but the long wait and uncertainity of release make me want to curse this production company.

A live action adaptation will be made as the rights from the novel author to make an adaptation were brought, but is hard to tell when the production will start. Is rumoured it will be a tencent production and it will aim to start filming at the end of the year, but we can't never know when it comes to China, as things like this change all the time.

Yes. Possible. I just saw as well that it will more likely be released in august 9.Is a tencent production too, so i was surprised they will release this before WIK and Immortality, but it may be related to the fact that the drama will most likely not be promoted as a bl drama, but as a bromance one, and the bl content will most likely will be almost non-existent. But i still want to see it as an adaptation from the novel, even through the romance is hard to spot there too. I believe the novel was writed to be a shounen ai novel, even through the author has said that the novel and the drama too had a story revolving between two male leads and nothing more, as who know why she has to say that.

You explained this really well. Much more well than me. Thank you for sharing this.

The anime series of Given is even more amazing, it even has a movie animation in continuation of the series. The manga is good indeed and i usually don't miss watching anything bl released by Japan, being movies and dramas. Because i really liked reading mangas in the past, i read the mangas all the old japan movies are based of, now i don't have the same interests and time and only read mangas ocassionaly, but i never miss to read the mangas based on the bl movies and dramas Japan release.
Maybe i am biased, but in my opinion nobody can beat Japan when it comes to their bl movies especially, but dramas too lately, they have ŕeally come a long way, and i feel people should be more thankful and i don't know cherish the fact that Japan is the country that started all this bl fenomen, as they were the ones that make it popular and make other countries consider writing original stories or adapting their bl original sources, being novels, manhuas, webtoons etc. I can go all day writing of my love for Japan productions, and while Korea and China have good productions too, their releases are restricted by too many factors at this point in time. And for China is a pity especially since they have a huge selection of really good danmei novels, and i am sure some of the drama adaptations wouldn't be able to bring justice to how amazing the respective novels are.

Hahaha. Yes. I totally get what you mean, you put it really nicely😁

This hairstyle does suit him better. When a drama adaptation is made, even if the characters are given a certain look in art or donghuas adaptations released previously, or even how the characters are described in the novel, is better for the style, make up, costumes to fit the actor to a certain level, because not everything described in a novel or the way the characters look in art photos, donghuas will look good in a drama. As a fan of danmei novels for a long time, is one of the few changes i agree with. This is acceptable, but what i can't accept is when the drama adaptations changes the background, personality and important things and events related to the main characters. I am done with any danmei drama if they change the characters until i can't recognize them anymore. So to look at the bright side of things, i think this hairstyle is a good change, because even through i have the guts that ZXW was miscast as XL, they will not change him at this point.

This is good. But they should have changed more than only his belt, and actually give him a costume which is more pleasing to look colour wise and i don't know a different material. I saw they improved the costume of XL too and it really looks more acceptable, so hopefuly they update HC costume to look much more different than that uninspired red, who burns my eyes. I haven't seen a costume until now that make me think- "what the f" as much as HC and XL costume was close, like they messed up this really bad. Glad they at least listening to the criticism, they at least have conscience hahha😅

I was just posting about this too.
I think this is the new hairstyle thu.
You will see the photos if you scroll a bit down. The post that has Cr. Neptune0528·翟潇闻 added. They were released not even one hour ago.
But the ones you posted are similar with the ones i posted, the difference is that the hairstyle from your tweet has not got the final touch.
https://twitter.com/welovedanmei/status/1420748977163567115
Like you said, is good that they are listing to the criticism, this gives hope.

Photos with the newly improved hairstyle for XL. Scroll down a bit for this one as well.
https://twitter.com/welovedanmei/status/1420748977163567115
It does look better.

Also i just saw more news, the crew of this dramas definitely has some issues, do they have no one to take care of the necessary stuff that needs to be done? And they are a lot of negative news surrounding this drama production team, sigh.It seems they have to stop filming because they didn`t obtained some permits before they started filming. And it seems they didn`t filmed anything in 28, and the filming shoud have started from today. A good thing in a way as it means they didn`t actually film with those costums.
Some sources, but this news, is easy to found in twitter at this point.

https://twitter.com/takewithsalt/status/1420742367183654913

https://twitter.com/welovedanmei/status/1420737780481671170 scroll down

Yes. Both Immortality and SPL has really good costumes, that actually fits the actors and the characters. I read they tried a new hairstyle on ZXW that made him actually look much more better. So i think they are open to suggestions

Yes. I had some moments when i was in denial too, in that i wanted to believe that they are really for reherseal, testing or whatever, but then when i was digging more info i find out from credible sources, including dramapotatoe, that dramas just don't do rehearsals or testing before they are filming, but only at most some checkings of things when the filming starts.
The reason is that is very costly to do this kind of things, like everyone can guess. I really hope the production team will change the costumes and hairstyles, make up as well really, because if this remains unchanged it will affects the actors, and how the drama is received when it will air.
ZXW is already negatively perceived because of those few photos. Before those photos, people were luckwarm , or indifferent to him bing cast as XL, but those photos don't do him any favor, like in my case it make me think it was miscasted. But i still chose to believe in him and ZLH as well and in the other actors too, that with proper costumes, make up, hairstyle, and good direction they can pull off the characters.
I hope people don't so easily made the conclusion that someone who criticize something about the drama, it means they hate a particular something or someone from the drama. There is a difference between constructive criticism that can actually made the production team of a drama consider making changes and a comment that sounds as someone hating something or someone in a way that defies common sense. Like, i hope that this generalization and exageration that i can see lately in the page will stop.

I just read that the issue with the costumes happened because the costume director Fang Zishe, who is the costume director of Love and redemption and The long ballad, that was rumoured to be in this drama, has ran away from the project last minute, so they have to recruit someone else in a hurry and the result is what we see. Wonder what happened, and if it would have been better if they postponed the filming. This production really has bad luck. It also seems even the art director and the cgi team has run away. After reading more carefully it seems they were dissatisfied with the budget allocated. Off, iqiyi is indeed not as willing to use as much money when it comes to their dramas as Tencent for exemple.
The source is this tweet, read the translated parts that are hidden.
https://mobile.twitter.com/purplelavenderj/status/1420601380171964416

Yes. I was about to say the same thing. This is also the reason why i just straightforwardly expressed my opinion. Like you, i believe if a large percentage of people are expressing dislike on something, even if is in this early stage, by being noticed by the production team, it can convince them to make changes. Even if is about something that is subjective, if things are not changed, people will not sudddendly decide they like the costume/style when the drama is aired, they will express their dislike even more and they have not excuses at that point. A lot of cdramas had the potential to be more popular if they had a better style, make up and costume, these things shouldn`t be underestimated.

This is good then. Let`s hope the style and the costumes will be changed.

Based on the new photos leaked, i am trying to not be too harsh but i just have to say this. Do the drama wants to shot itself in his foot, who made those costumes? Out of the options and creative choices they could came with, that is that the best they could do? I mean they look so cheap and not amount of post production stuff that they will make can change that. The person who designed those costumes should be fired, gosh how can you mess this out this much. Xie Lian wears one costume all the time, even if they will have to at least make him wear different white costumes to not be too boring, if this is what they could come with, i am scared to see more. And Hua Cheng costume too, why did they make it soo simple, it don't make sense.

One of the reasons the manhua and donghua was so well received is because of the design of the characters that you can tell how well were tought. Sigh, i don't know where it went wrong, do they rushed the filming and it would have been better to spend more time in planning.

And i think many people will not like what i will say next, and i also think maybe is too early, but i firmly believe they miscast Xie Lian. After seeing the pictures i just can tell, and the main reason is that ZXW don't look good in ancient costumes. Didn't they make them wear costumes when they did the casting?
ZXW face looks like he don't belong there, like being in this period and that costume is a mistake. I am refering that he is similar with the case of some actors ( and this happen a lot more tthan people think) that can't pull off the ancient look, like the face make me not see the character in front of me, but only the actor. Maybe is the overall vibe too, i don''t know. An exemple i can give is the casting of Darren Chen in ancient dramas, especially in Sleuth of ming dinasty, where the misscast can be seen from miles away. Or how Willian Chan looks better in ancient dramas than the modern one, and Yang Yang does look better in modern dramas than in his ancient ones.
I am just pointing out things that i can intuite from my experience of watching cdramas, and asian dramas in general, i don't want to discourage people in what expectations they can have.
I also want this drama to do well but things don't look good. I am disappointed in the director this time, and in all production team and maybe the company too, because i think they didn't allow from that much freedom in choosing the cast. Like for Sleuth of ming dinasty i wonder if things would be different if the drama would have been produced by another company, like Tencent or Youku.

I think this drama will most likely don`t manage to attract the attention they expect, similarly with The sleuth of ming dinasty if things are not changed at this point in time. Later it will be too late to make changes, so let`s hope they will listen to the criticism that comes their way.

The second volume of the manga actually ends with Kyouchi chasing after Imagase who was in an nearby bus station when Kyoichi returned to his home after breaking up with his fiancee. In the manga , Imagase didn't left that morning, but both has a discussion then when Kyoichi ahas said again that he will break up with Tamaki, and has asked Imagase to wait for him to come back. Imagase then he did left like he did in the movie, as he was getting impatient when he realised Kyouchi was getting late. This is a significant thing that the movie changed. Imagase left as well, but only to the bus station, he hesitated to leave further and when Kyoichi returned he saw him. Then Kyoichi did said that the wants to try to be in a serious relationship with him, they were tears involved and they decided to move in together. There is an extra chapter too when they are shown still living happily together. Actually in the manga Kyoichi already changed and he already made his mind about being serious with Imagase, when he was talking to Imagase to properly date, but the movie didn't manage to properly show what kind of personality Kyouichi has, but they do portray him as close as they could, the manga is really long, they couldn't have done better.

I did a quick search and indeed they are not many articles about this. This is the only one o found related to this topic. You can check it out, it's interesting.
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/masters-of-japanese-cinema-who-were-ahead-of-their-time/