Who would have thought that a successful live-action adaptation of an anime/manga would come from a Chinese drama?
The original story and characters are already rich, so the drama's main challenge is adapting them to a Chinese setting. It's a blessing that Go is also deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and the screenwriting did an excellent job with that transition. The only minor drawback is Chu Ying's outfit, which feels a bit out of place. But it's understandable, as they needed to preserve Sai's iconic look from the original.
As a coming-of-age youth sports drama (with the main characters in middle to high school), the directing, music, and acting are all solid. The bromance, friendship, and teamwork that fans love in sports anime like Hikaru no Go, Slam Dunk, or Chihayafuru are all present here. This is very much an ensemble drama, though Shi Guang is the central figure and Hu Xianxu delivers the strongest performance. Every character experiences a growth arc, as expected from a coming-of-age story. You can feel the passion for Go in characters from all backgrounds, ages, and genders. The professional Go player path is niche and bittersweet; only a rare few geniuses like Shi Guang and Yu Liang achieve successful careers, but the love for Go transcends professional status. The bromance is strong across generations, from teenagers to young adults to the elderly.
The director even makes a cameo, and his character is quite interesting too.
That said, the drama does have a few flaws. There is a hint of overly patriotic sentiment toward the ending, which, while understandable, feels a bit typical. Additionally, the portrayal of the young Korean Go prodigy leans into racist stereotypes. He is loud and arrogant, and the actor can't even speak natural Korean, which feels off, especially when many real-life famous Korean Go pro-players are known for their calm and introverted demeanors
The original story and characters are already rich, so the drama's main challenge is adapting them to a Chinese setting. It's a blessing that Go is also deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and the screenwriting did an excellent job with that transition. The only minor drawback is Chu Ying's outfit, which feels a bit out of place. But it's understandable, as they needed to preserve Sai's iconic look from the original.
As a coming-of-age youth sports drama (with the main characters in middle to high school), the directing, music, and acting are all solid. The bromance, friendship, and teamwork that fans love in sports anime like Hikaru no Go, Slam Dunk, or Chihayafuru are all present here. This is very much an ensemble drama, though Shi Guang is the central figure and Hu Xianxu delivers the strongest performance. Every character experiences a growth arc, as expected from a coming-of-age story. You can feel the passion for Go in characters from all backgrounds, ages, and genders. The professional Go player path is niche and bittersweet; only a rare few geniuses like Shi Guang and Yu Liang achieve successful careers, but the love for Go transcends professional status. The bromance is strong across generations, from teenagers to young adults to the elderly.
The director even makes a cameo, and his character is quite interesting too.
That said, the drama does have a few flaws. There is a hint of overly patriotic sentiment toward the ending, which, while understandable, feels a bit typical. Additionally, the portrayal of the young Korean Go prodigy leans into racist stereotypes. He is loud and arrogant, and the actor can't even speak natural Korean, which feels off, especially when many real-life famous Korean Go pro-players are known for their calm and introverted demeanors
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