A short and to-the-point flip show.

A fair amount of this black-and-white short film leaves the viewer to soak in the ambience of Hokusai's work, asking us to view history through his eyes as well as the eyes of the poets of his time. The narration doesn't say very much, but when it does it's very pointed, drawing our attention to the everyday lives of the working class and the timeless bitterness towards the wealthy class overtaxing them to pay for "hired guns" (in this case, samurai).

The few live action sequences do a good job of demonstrating what the woodblock printing process is like and how it can be used to highlight the perspective that Hokusai strove for, yet I can't help thinking about how much impressive depth is lost in the absence of Hokusai's vivid colors.

Overall, it is a decent sampling of what Hokusai's portfolio has to offer and worth a look if you're curious.

Read More

Great concept, but questionable execution.

As of 2023, it looks like the subtitles have only marginally improved, but the audio is a disaster. If you're watching on the Mango TV Youtube channel, the three part compilation videos are the best quality the channel has to offer. I have to wonder if someone forgot to pay for their music because the sound sporadically cuts out for the entire length of a song in what appears to be a desperate bid to appease the Youtube copyright claim police. If I had to guess, I'd say the hidden episodes were unsalvageable. The compilation "fixed" that problem by just omitting the offending music tracks, so what we're left with is bouts of sudden silence interspersed with audio dissonance. The series loses out on a lot of ambience as a result.

If you're lucky enough to be able to experience the series in its originally intended form, it's significantly more bearable, but overall I still found myself feeling that a lot of the comedy was just a bit too forced. And yet, for a while, I was along for the ride as the story focused on the romcom shenanigans of the main couple... until the plot shifted into a secondary romance and I started picking up some uncomfortable implications.

The way Bao'er is treated like a child who can't take care of herself is presented as sweet, but it comes across as extremely patronizing to people who are blind. Sure, Wen Fang is an awkward himbo, but every choice he makes is horrendously wrong. His stalker-like behavior would unsettle anyone in real life and likely just make them feel afraid. Paying a busy street to suddenly be completely silent when just a second ago they were bustling around her feels more like a horrible prank than a romantic gesture. She can still see the blurred shape of humans nearby quietly watching her every move just outside of reach! I won't even get into how Bao'er's blindness is of the "plot convenience" variety because that's a whole other can of worms.

I'm also not a huge fan of the way that Bao'er starts touching and sniffing Wen Fang without permission. The show wants it to come across as romantic and frames her actions as okay just because she's blind, but real people understand that consent needs to be given! The show does briefly address her rashness and Wen Fang's stalker tendencies when she confronts him about creeping around, but it's still undeniably clear that the series treats Bao'er like a prop. She started out as such a cool and capable character, and then she was quickly stripped of her autonomy for the sake of a forced "romance." The writing tries to cover for itself by having her claim to be aware of his silent actions the entire time, even going so far as to consider it romantic, but this wasn't handled with proper respect at all.

Unfortunately, not even the "Chinese Spy x Family" plot can save this one for me in its current state. I love the concept, but the execution is underwhelming. Among other things, Xiao Nian is written as someone way too fond of wine because they needed to give her a flaw to contrast the expected "ladylike" image she tries to uphold as her cover, but there's a difference between liking wine and being an alcoholic. She is clearly the latter and those shots of her haphazardly pouring wine all over herself isn't as sexy as they think it is.

Maybe more accurate subtitles (and less headaches with the audio) would alter my impression of the series. As it is, I'm left wishing for so much more. If my gripes and nitpicks don't deter you and the plot sounds like your cup of tea, you may come away with a vastly different opinion!

Read More

Nice vibes. Light on content. Easy watching.

After episodes 1 and 2 had aired, Kim Ji Woong (Ji Ho Joon) and Yoon Seo Bin (Seo Jae Yoon) sat down together to experience the final cut of their hard work on the show.

Most of the time, they seem to be more absorbed in just watching the episodes for the first time because they don't have much of substance to say (or perhaps are choosing very carefully what to share), so it feels like we're just silently watching these cherry-picked scenes along with them as they occasionally ooh and ah and laugh at something funny. But even though it was few and far between, it is interesting when they do add a little bit of insight into the character acting in specific moments, what was going through someone's mind during filming, or how certain scenes were filmed.

If you're looking for 17 minutes of trade secrets, juicy anecdotes, or the answers to your most burning questions about what it was like on set, this likely won't deliver to your expectations. But if silence doesn't bother you and you're mostly in the mood to sit back, watch the actors' faces and casual comfortable gestures as they process how the editing all came together, and smile along with them, this is probably for you.

It could be a good pre-drama teaser if you're still not sure if the series is to your taste, but it could also be a great post-drama watch, depending on your personal preference for spoilers!

Read More

The sparknotes version of a drama.

The fight scenes that bookend this miniseries are pretty cool despite the effects being a little distracting in places, but that has nothing on the absurd number of times the main couple swoons and falls into each other's arms while gasping in the span of just 5 minutes. After a point, I started to wonder if this had originally been filmed scene by scene for upload throughout production and then later compiled into 3 episodes for binge-watching.

Due to the short runtime, some transitions of minor importance are skipped in order to speed run directly into the next piece of plot exposition, which was a little confusing even for a web series like this. The romantic turnaround from "get away from me" to "actually I love you now" was way too rushed, but it's at least easy to understand the progression they were trying to set up. It would have been far more effective in a longer series where the plot could have been properly developed and their relationship properly established.

Overall, the costumes and set are nice to look at, and the story is an interesting watch if you're looking for something to whet your palate. While the ending doesn't exactly feel abrupt, it does feel like it's missing something. Usually with a scene like that, it doesn't end in the middle of the shot; it tends to linger a bit longer and we get to see the aftermath. So, if anything, it feels unsatisfying.

Read More

Romance with a twist!

This short story starts with some light comedy as Zhao Xiaoyu cheerily goes about her Shixiong-given mission to stick as close to Sect Leader Ye as possible and defeat any perceived challenger for her affection. It soon develops into a light romance montage of beautiful cinematography, pretty special effects, and a quick but fun fight scene which propels the two together. The costuming and atmosphere are gorgeous enough to pull you in before you even realize that the feelings have crept up in such a short amount of time. The characters have such natural chemistry that it's easy to believe a romance has been brewing and the twist ending is the cherry on top of this wuxia sundae.

With such effective storytelling and visual appeal, I don't even mind that it's not a full-length series.
That being said, I would absolutely watch a full-length series about these characters in a heartbeat.

Read More

An interesting concept. Could have been explored a little more.

This short film got off to a solid start. We can assume the scholar's reason for crossdressing and the actor does a fantastic job of showing her nervousness as she tries to keep a safe distance from the courtesan's advances, lest her secret be discovered. The courtesan meanwhile exudes so much natural charm; she is able to convey every unspoken thought with a single look, making it easy to understand her motives. I think maybe the scholar did too good of a job keeping her feelings in check because I wasn't entirely convinced by the end that she reciprocated the clear attraction the courtesan was putting on full display.

The subtle way the courtesan learns of the scholar's secret and how she processes it is a nice touch for a delicate subject, the handling of which is something I personally appreciate. Admittedly, I wish there had been at least another scene or two between here and the ending to provide more context for the lead up to the reveal, especially because the ending kind of lost me. Instead of repeated shots of the characters running into each other's arms - which felt like unnecessary filler despite being pretty to look at - the story would have benefited from perhaps a little more tension between the two, a moment where the scholar realizes and accepts her own feelings, or even a scene showing how and why the scholar decides to entrust the truth to the courtesan.

As it stands, the final shot is gorgeous and it's a nice short story despite my nitpicks.

Read More

If you can survive the painful sound mixing, you may enjoy this one.

Right away, it's clear that the sound mixing isn't great and that makes it hard to sit back and enjoy the ride. The music is louder than the dialogue, yet somehow the cutesy Xiaoshimei's screams were more piercing than the music. Combined with the dissonant sound effects, it just made my head hurt, which is a real shame.

That being said, it's still a cute story with a fun concept. We have seen the stoic/serious character partnered with the childish/cutesy character many times before, so it's at least nice to see a hint or two that the childish/cutesy act is being played up more than usual to gain sympathy and affection. By the end, I found myself wishing that this short film had been given a slightly longer runtime so that aspect of the plot could have been fleshed out even just a little bit more. Maybe then there would have been a bit more chemistry between the characters, although the actors both made a very commendable effort with the limited time they were given.

Read More

Gorgeous visuals make up for everything.

If you read "set within the universe of the martial arts MMORPG Justice Online" in the description and worried that you were missing important context, fear not!

I have never played Justice Online - and I hear that it's a premium only game anyway - but if you've played one wuxia-themed MMORPG before you get the basic idea. It is an eye-catching world of fantasy and martial arts, where the characters belong to sects that compete in trials/competitions and train to be the very best so that they may one day be harbingers of justice.

Fortunately, you don't need to know anything about Justice Online or the novel it is based on to get swept up in the atmosphere of this short story. Instead, you can sit back and treat yourself to a collection of scenes where a student and her teacher bicker about anything and everything. The dialogue seems to hint at some kind of emotional love triangle with another character that isn't featured - perhaps a reference to an NPC or an in-game mechanic, but it didn't affect the narrative beyond piquing my curiosity a bit.

Overall, the hair and costumes are immaculate, making this non-story worth every second of screen time and honestly I would recommend it for that alone. The short film itself has the same energy as a fan project and I can't help the nostalgia it gives me for the days when I enjoyed playing games like this with my friends.

Read More

Great visuals for a cute teaser.

Have you ever crushed on someone so hard that the only way you could think to end the pining and get their attention was to be as dramatic as possible?

This extremely short film is a sweet music video with some light fanfiction romance vibes. The titular Tea-Picking Girl saves the Young Master's life, they grow closer as the Young Master recovers, and then eventually the Young Master must leave. There isn't much to grab onto, but the subtle framing of certain scenes - a look here and there - leaves behind fascinating implications (intentional or not) about what might have led up to their first meeting on the road.

Unfortunately, the whole story is left up to the viewers' imagination, but for a quick online project this is pretty fun! It is written and feels like a teaser for a longer project (or like a fan trailer for a well-loved work of fiction), though it can be appreciated on its own humble merits. For one thing, even though the characters barely speak, their mutual attraction is undoubtedly clear and the ending does have a slight bit of closure. For that, I think we can be grateful.

Read More

There is an extremely cute rabbit. Need I say more?

While it helps to watch the prequel first for the extra bit of context it provides, the opening line is meant to fill the audience in on how the characters ended up working together, so you can follow along just fine without it. Regardless, I would still highly recommend it for the beautiful cinematography and strong meet-cute vibes.

As far as character dynamics go, the rabbit spirit is cutesy and the doctor is cool as a cucumber. The story starts in media res with the rabbit spirit apprenticing under the doctor, treating the audience to a sweet collection of scenes that establish how much she cares for humans. Over time, we see her grapple with her own heart as she learns how humans feel about spirits bringing tragedy to their mortal lives. As the doctor steadily puts the pieces together, she is able to offer her own perspective as a human and a physician who is tasked with protecting human life.

In the limited runtime this short film has, it is able to use these character interactions and limited exposition to effectively weave a story about the importance of trust in a relationship and how love breeds the desire to keep our loved ones safe.

Read More

A short but sweet palate cleanser.

As far as Cultivator x Demon wuxia romances go, this short film does a decent job of delivering its own take within the confines of its budget.

The title removes any surprise that the plot twist may have provided, so the story ends up being less about a hidden identity and more about an underestimated woman trying her best to prove herself in a male-dominated trade. She may be childish and naive, but she has a big heart and a strong will that never cracks. Watching her play off the demon cult leader's more stoic personality is a treat and it's a shame that there wasn't enough time to really develop their budding relationship.

The ending leaves behind more questions than answers and the holes in the story are glaring, but overall it is worth the watch.

Read More

An attempt was made, but unfortunately falls flat.

Imagine if, after Rosaline scorned Romeo, she suddenly decided that she was jealous of Romeo's new love affair with Juliet and went out of her way to pick on the poor girl instead of just talking about her feelings... You still wouldn't have the plot of this movie, but it's the closest you're going to get!

Instead, this is a collection of melancholy moments that use Romeo & Juliet as set dressing to convey a high school story about love and loneliness. Typically with media centered on high school kids putting on a Shakespeare play, I end up wishing that the entire story could have just been the play because the final act production tends to be far more interesting than the character interactions leading up to it - and, while the version presented in this movie is no great shakes, it brought forth a lot more entertainment than anything else the writing had to offer.

The pacing is deader than Romeo and Juliet, but at least I can appreciate that the characters are allowed to be awkward kids. There were more than a few moments that didn't feel properly explained either through subtext or exposition, but the second the movie suddenly broke into a stop-motion segment it officially lost me.

Admittedly, the story clearly tries to take Shakespeare's dialogue and juxtapose it with the feelings of present day teenagers in an effort to show that the more things change the more they stay the same. It's unfortunate that the movie doesn't seem to show any deep understanding of the play's themes, but evidently that wasn't the point. Just like Seon Hwa, the audience is expected to float along in a haze for the nearly two-hour runtime as the characters contemplate what it means to be in love.

Whether a tragedy or a comedy, I just wish I had been allowed to see an interesting love story unfold, but there was so little romantic chemistry anywhere to be found. The main friend group had the most believable chemistry and were more enjoyable to watch whenever they were casually hanging out.

Overall, the cinematography tries its best to be pretty and sometimes succeeds. It just couldn't make up for the rest of the elements not coming together despite everyone's best efforts.

Read More

A brief examination of love and romance.

Do you have a love-hate relationship with the wrist grab trope? Are toxic male leads the bane of your drama-watching existence, their every interaction making you want to shake them for having the emotional maturity of a toddler?

This web series subtly dissects the formula of a typical romance kdrama by having the male lead reflect on his behavior through the lens of each emotion he picks up along the way, applying what he learns to the relationship he cultivates with the female lead. In the process, he has to face the consequences of his actions and choose to do better instead of falling into the trap of many male leads who act solely on their emotions as though being aggressive is somehow romantic. As a result, many common tropes are subverted both for comedy and for character growth. I have a personal appreciation for the way the wrist grab is used twice as a form of commentary on the trope.

Overall, Kiss Goblin is a beautiful exploration of human emotions and a fantastically wholesome romance! We love to see honest depictions of emotional health! It's all about that accountability, baby!

Read More

Cringey and very sexist, but occasionally cute.

The gimmick of the series is bizarre to grab the audience's attention, but it immediately lets you know that sexism is very much a baked in part of this world and you're just going to have to make peace with that if you want to watch it. I have never read and hadn't previously heard of the manga - I just know that the show didn't make me want to pick it up despite leaving so many unanswered questions in an attempt to pique my curiosity - so don't let my observations color that experience for you.

Unfortunately, the poster is much cooler than the actual show itself. At first, I appreciated that Hina has a backbone and is more than willing to stick up for herself, but then the writing decided that it was more important for the guys to pass her around like she has no autonomy. Even her younger brother (for what it's worth, they call him a siscon) is possessive of her and treats her like she can't make her own decisions just because she suddenly forgot her backbone and acts naive in clearly dangerous situations!

Despite trying to enjoy it for what it is, I kept getting the feeling that the show was trying to help itself to some of Ouran's pie. The plot does a really half-hearted job of showing a "reverse harem", instead focusing on what is very clearly the endgame relationship and occasionally reminding the audience that there is "third wheel" pining from the sidelines. That being said, the hate ships between the Student Council and main 5 + Hina bred such complex ship geometry that I struggled to keep up. There was so much potential in the budding friendship storyline that I wish more opportunities had been taken to really flesh it out, but I suppose there weren't enough episodes to focus on that.

Like Ouran, the finale tries to be big and raise the stakes to get the audience interested in the manga. It's admittedly a fun episode to watch and some of the character interactions from earlier in the season come full circle, but it just left me wishing that more of the season had been like that or that the story had been built up better to earn the emotional payoff it was hoping for. I think the actors did the best they could with the script they were given and it looked like they were at least having fun, so after a while I was able to feel like I was having a nice time with them.

If you can suspend your disbelief for the plot, easily ignore the overt sexism, not get caught up on unanswered questions and open endings, and reign supreme against secondhand awkwardness... this show is a pretty good way to spend your free time!

Read More