Ahaaaa so this is how it is... Ok, I see. I haven't read novel yet, but I want to during the summer break and…
I haven't read the novel either. I read in other comments here that the ending of the novel is a bit different anyway. As I said, this is just my interpretation, but it explains things, so I'm sticking to it until somebody changes my mind. ;)
I'll try to answer your questions. That's just my interpretation of the series, not the book. LJS was so lonely that he hallucinated a whole universum where he has love and friendship. People, who he saw around him and knew their names but never dared to talk to, in his hallucinations became teammates for life or foes to death. As for love - apparently, he never even fantasised about loving someone real, so he completely invented RZM without basing him on any existing person. His real-life friend, with whom he reportedly planned to create a game, turned out to be just one of his school colleagues, who he wasn't close to at all - LJS didn't even know what studies that guy had taken up and couldn't recall his face - the character in the hallucinations always wore a hood. When LJS woke up after this imaginary experience of closeness and affection, he didn't even try to change and to be more outgoing, so that he could find closeness in real world. Instead he dedicated his life to recreating his hallucinations in the form of a VR game.
This is a beautiful interpretation and I wish I could accept it - instead of the gloomy interpretation of mine (you can check my review here). BUT. How do you explain that the guy, who LJS referred to as his close friend, programmer, co-inventor and creator of the game... Is actually an economist? With no interest in games? And why is this character always wearing a hood?
"why was the face of the programmer friend from university never shown but hidden inside a hoodie?" Because there never was such a person. He based the character of the programmer on a colleague from school, who he never was close with, couldn't recall his face (that's why the hood) and didn't know what studies he chose. The real person by that name studied economy, not programming.
"1. It was all a "dream"--ok, but why would Ling Jiu Shi's dream reveal to him the names and even personalities of people he sees after the dream and not before, and why isn't Ruan Lan Zhu amongst these people?" That's easy. The people he dreamed about are people had seen in real life: the twins are gamers who come to the same arcade, the actress is a known influencer, the doctor might have treated him earlier and so on. He knows their faces and their names only, and bases his hallucinations off of that. Ruan Lan Zhu is the only person who he invented from scratch - he doesn't exist in real world. Yes, spending 50 years on recreating the game IS self-deception - that's kinda the whole point. To me, this ending makes sense and clarifies all the loop-holes that you pointed out earlier in your review.
It's a bit unfair to deduct them points because they are unlucky to live in a totalitarian country. I'd add points for bravery - regardless of censorship, they still try to create "dangerous" content. You can read in the comments here that their precautions still weren't enough - apparently, you cannot watch this show in the Communist China.
It's a bit unfair to deduct them points because they are unlucky to live in a totalitarian country. I'd add points for bravery - regardless of censorship, they still try to create "dangerous" content. You can read in the comments here that their precautions still weren't enough - apparently, you cannot watch this show in the Communist China.
Yeah you're right, the theming around it was present but I just felt like the plotline of the Naga wasn't properly…
"I wish they either made an entire show based more on the mythical elements or the detective elements" - here I am completely with you, if they make such shows, I will watch like crazy. :D
"the Naga was added on too late in the show" - didn't a Naga already appear in the first episode, when Phaya was drowning? I mean, I understand how you feel, but this one thing seems to be inaccurate.
As I said, this is just my interpretation, but it explains things, so I'm sticking to it until somebody changes my mind. ;)
LJS was so lonely that he hallucinated a whole universum where he has love and friendship. People, who he saw around him and knew their names but never dared to talk to, in his hallucinations became teammates for life or foes to death. As for love - apparently, he never even fantasised about loving someone real, so he completely invented RZM without basing him on any existing person. His real-life friend, with whom he reportedly planned to create a game, turned out to be just one of his school colleagues, who he wasn't close to at all - LJS didn't even know what studies that guy had taken up and couldn't recall his face - the character in the hallucinations always wore a hood.
When LJS woke up after this imaginary experience of closeness and affection, he didn't even try to change and to be more outgoing, so that he could find closeness in real world. Instead he dedicated his life to recreating his hallucinations in the form of a VR game.
BUT. How do you explain that the guy, who LJS referred to as his close friend, programmer, co-inventor and creator of the game... Is actually an economist? With no interest in games? And why is this character always wearing a hood?
Because there never was such a person. He based the character of the programmer on a colleague from school, who he never was close with, couldn't recall his face (that's why the hood) and didn't know what studies he chose. The real person by that name studied economy, not programming.
That's easy. The people he dreamed about are people had seen in real life: the twins are gamers who come to the same arcade, the actress is a known influencer, the doctor might have treated him earlier and so on. He knows their faces and their names only, and bases his hallucinations off of that.
Ruan Lan Zhu is the only person who he invented from scratch - he doesn't exist in real world.
Yes, spending 50 years on recreating the game IS self-deception - that's kinda the whole point.
To me, this ending makes sense and clarifies all the loop-holes that you pointed out earlier in your review.