Give it til 16-17th, when the register completely changes. Then decide, if you will :)
The first part of the flashback (3-33) is kind of silly, LOL, what with the schoolboy infatuation of LWJ for WWX (you can see it even if the adaptation is censored, it wasn't clear in the novel either because he's so restrained). But the second half is gruesome, be warned. There will be MC death, war, gore, personal hurt, sacrifice - there's a VERY good reason why this story is so well loved.
Ok, I absolutely didn't expect this to actually be THIS good: the story is really layered and the characters are…
I'd rec this order - 1. the novel, 2. the donghua, 3. the chibi donghua, 4. the audio drama, 5. the manhua (this one is still unfinished IIRC).
As for TLs - I read the fan TL, but also bought the SSE official TL, if you can get the books in print, get them - they look amazing and the TL is good.
It definitely has undertones of sexual tension. I've watched friendship bromance, and more is definitely implied…
FoF is on Youtube (most the Chinese networks do that), I can see all eps, I don't know if it's geo-restricted (and I recommend you use Firefox with an adblocker, just to not get interrupted mid-ep, LOL).
I looked at Female General (and I was also expecting it a lot because of the Mulan trope) - nope, the first ep was a total mess and I don't really liked it (though I like the FL actress, she was in one drama I watched and appreciated before).
I don't like Law and the City's title, LOL, so I'm postponing it even though I quite like LJS hahaha~ Yeah, it's the petty things LOL.
A Dream of Splendor was very good, finally two leads who are actually smart, that was certainly a nice surprise. I wish there were more stories with such a dynamic.
Myself, I'm swamped in work and there's been a relentless heatwave for weeks so I can't concentrate a lot on dramas. I'm making my way through The Wanted Detective ~ Calming Waves, and it's been really good so far. But it's not finished yet and I know I'll want to binge it til the end if I get the time. I'm trying to pace myself (as if that ever worked, LOL). Give it a try, if you're in the mood - it also has smart characters, and it's really pleasing on the eyes :D
Only on 18th - Zhuge KongYun is a smart as*hole! I really really hope he doesn't turn to the dark side and is a good one. And that he gets to be BFF with ML (I've wanted that since the very beginning). Don't spoil me on it if they don't LOL.
Damn, Chen YouWei is killing his part - I've known him since IDWTBBWY but he was just a kid. Here he's emoting like nobody's business. I think I like his character (Coroner Feng) the best, so far.
ok I just panicked I understand everything now, I think…
Theirs is a strange relationship. I mean, it makes sense for WWX and YanLi to call him Jiang Cheng or A-Cheng, but Jiang Cheng almost never calls WWX as Wei Ying either (at least I don't remember him calling him by his private name, LOL). YanLi, too, she only calls him A-Xian. I guess since he's adopted and basically martial siblings with them, they feel they have to respect him a bit more, as much as Lan XiChen does toward LWJ (he always calls him WangJi, too, never Zhan).
As for why everyone ELSE calls Jiang Cheng as Jiang Cheng... I assumed that was his actual courtesy name, LOL, and WanYin his private name.
Now that I think about it, LWJ always tries NOT to use any of Jiang Cheng's names, LOL, he's mostly calling him Jiang Lord or Master, and only once he calls him Jiang WanYin (on the rock where WWX falls from). Which makes me wonder why everybody else who were not family thought it would be okay, them being overly friendly with his name, and if that also played a part in his feeling of inferiority towards WWX.
I've only watched her in Namib, she was completely emotionless. I was not impressed. The plot was also a mess, but that's another thing - acting skill shouldn't rely on good plots (and the younger cast did what they could even with the bad script).
I guess people are allowed duds in their careers, but this was the drama before Mantis, so I guess I should also be allowed to wonder if I want to spend my time on it. The source is pretty strong, though, and with a good writer and director this could also be good. I just don't know if I want to invest time in it, that's all, based on my own previous experience with the cast.
ETA Your comment made me go look, the writer for this kdrama adaptation of The Mantis ONLY wrote movies before (I hope they have the skills to write a longer form and keep the plot together) and the director doesn't have much experience with dramas either. She DID direct Black Out, that is one of the better kdramas I've watched lately, so I'll give HER the benefit of the doubt. Still, I'll wait to see initial impressions before deciding.
It totally KILLED me they filmed most of ep 8 (General Huo's home) in the same set as the Lan Clan of Cloud Recesses…
For such a smart guy, Xiao BeiMing keeps getting ahead of himself, deciding who the killer is, taking action and then oops my bad he discovers things aren't as simple as he thought. Sooner or later he's going to get someone killed. Zhuge KongYun might be a bit slower, but that also means he's not as rash as XBM.
I hoped XBM would have learned to pace himself and THINK twice before making a move, but I guess that's who he is and he can't change it.
It totally KILLED me they filmed most of ep 8 (General Huo's home) in the same set as the Lan Clan of Cloud Recesses (that room with the guardian lanterns is freaking iconic, and the General "destroyed" one of the lanterns. I know they probably had a copy of it there but still... LOL). That distracted me a bit.
Anyway, I REALLY REALLY hope already Xiao BeiMing and Zhuge KongYun get to be friends, they have an amazing relationship (or at least ZKY does, he's so obsessed with XBM LOL).
I had this in my watchlist since AGES and started it three times but always dropped it around episode 3.... now,…
They're also colour-coded, all the clans wear different colours, they're easily told apart once you notice (Lan - light blue, Wen - red, Jin - gold, Jiang - dark blue/purple, etc). Except for WWX, he wears black usually (but with a hint of red because it's striking and everything about WWX stands out anyway LOL).
ok I just panicked I understand everything now, I think…
Thank you :) but I'm not an expert, this is basically info gathered since watching TU (and reading the novel and then reading A LOT of danmei novels, most of them involving xianxia and/or wuxia), and then getting into a lot of cdramas, even if not danmei-based, LOL. The naming-rules are basically the same in most wuxia/xianxia, it just takes a bit of watching more dramas of this genre and it gets clearer :) (And I too had no idea about most wuxia tropes before TU got me into it LOL.)
For TU, there is a discussion forum above that's been here since before I even joined MDL, I think there are even topics on characters and other things. There's also a wiki (very detailed, as this is one, if not THE most talked-about danmei of them all) but it's also a bit spoilery.
(Be warned again that while there are many nice pieces of info, there are also spoilers, lots of them.)
But if you have anything to ask, there is ALWAYS someone in here ready to answer your questions :) I think even if there are not necessarily new comments daily, the fans still stick around (myself included). I hope you'll be one of us after watching the drama (and maybe also getting into all the rest of the adaptations :D)
Which reminds me they keep translating "Da Ge" as "Boss" and it annoys me no end, LOL. I mean, Big Bro just doesn't have the same energy and implies they're a lot more close than just a boss and an underling.
Trust those who watched it. Nobody fusses THAT much with an adaptation that stays at least partly true to the original, but then... some adaptations only borrow the title of the original and run away with their own ideas.
Actually, that's not a plot hole. They were respecting Confucianism (even ML gives her a lecture on the "keeping…
I finished first ep because it was so short LOL (it's about half an hour long, at most, if you take out the OP/ED).
Anyway, the bro could become a general because he has underlings who will do the hard work for him. He doesn't need to be a great fighter or maybe he'll pretend he got a big wound and can't get his sword up anymore (ha!), so he'll be spared actual combat and come back to Court for his ~merits or something.
The father really doesn't make any sense. It's like he pretended so hard for all her life that she was actually a boy that he forgot she's not and so had her sent to the army (even got her a Master who I don't know what was doing on that lake on that particular day on that particular spot to save her from drowning after being cut through with a sword and falling at a 50 degrees angle from a tall mountain (physics be damned, who's that Newton guy anyway?). I said in a previous comment he must be schizophrenic - maybe he imagined all the time her brother was the one in the army doing stuff. I didn't realise she actually HAD a real brother, I thought he was an imposter her father got duped into believing was his son or poisoned into being crazy to believe it. But I've read comments and it appears in the book there actually is a brother who comes back and personally kills the FL.
Anyway, if 30 minutes give so many tropes (like I could remember another scene from another drama for most of the important scenes in this one, LOL - seen it all before...) yet fails to make any logical sense... I don't really have much hope for it.
Actually, that's not a plot hole. They were respecting Confucianism (even ML gives her a lecture on the "keeping…
I'll take your point and raise another - so her father FORCED her to grow up as a male (speaking like one, moving like one, getting in the army etc) and THEN out of the blue he's like - LOL nevermind, go back to being a woman BECAUSE WE AS A FAMILY ALWAYS HAVE RESPECTED CONFUCIANISM and a woman's place is in bed/kitchen/being pretty for her man.
I was dumbstruck. It makes ZERO sense for him to switch so fast. At this point I'm like wait - she's a man, why does she have FEMALE dresses around? Who taught her to do makeup? Why is she suddenly moving like a woman in the temple?!
I know people say novel readers don't like this - I didn't read this novel, and I don't intend to... but the start of the drama makes no sense. I don't mind lower budget, but at least they should've picked a logical thread and stuck with it...
3 
As for TLs - I read the fan TL, but also bought the SSE official TL, if you can get the books in print, get them - they look amazing and the TL is good.
...Anyway, here's to placing second-to-last on the mid-terms this time :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vao_d4tuDAM&list=PLMbF4m5qx2m3O_d0oFtIWNprnBLaUiTLe&index=1
Definitely worth it!
I looked at Female General (and I was also expecting it a lot because of the Mulan trope) - nope, the first ep was a total mess and I don't really liked it (though I like the FL actress, she was in one drama I watched and appreciated before).
I don't like Law and the City's title, LOL, so I'm postponing it even though I quite like LJS hahaha~ Yeah, it's the petty things LOL.
A Dream of Splendor was very good, finally two leads who are actually smart, that was certainly a nice surprise. I wish there were more stories with such a dynamic.
Myself, I'm swamped in work and there's been a relentless heatwave for weeks so I can't concentrate a lot on dramas. I'm making my way through The Wanted Detective ~ Calming Waves, and it's been really good so far. But it's not finished yet and I know I'll want to binge it til the end if I get the time. I'm trying to pace myself (as if that ever worked, LOL). Give it a try, if you're in the mood - it also has smart characters, and it's really pleasing on the eyes :D
What have you been watching lately? Stumbled upon Fangs of Fortune (amazing xianxia) or The Wanted Detective (historical wuxia detective story) yet?
Everybody is stupidly beautiful in FoF, the music is AWESOME, the story is good, and there are even great fighting choreos :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1RDhHJWHgI
Damn, Chen YouWei is killing his part - I've known him since IDWTBBWY but he was just a kid. Here he's emoting like nobody's business. I think I like his character (Coroner Feng) the best, so far.
If only work didn't get in the way... T_T
As for why everyone ELSE calls Jiang Cheng as Jiang Cheng... I assumed that was his actual courtesy name, LOL, and WanYin his private name.
Now that I think about it, LWJ always tries NOT to use any of Jiang Cheng's names, LOL, he's mostly calling him Jiang Lord or Master, and only once he calls him Jiang WanYin (on the rock where WWX falls from). Which makes me wonder why everybody else who were not family thought it would be okay, them being overly friendly with his name, and if that also played a part in his feeling of inferiority towards WWX.
I guess people are allowed duds in their careers, but this was the drama before Mantis, so I guess I should also be allowed to wonder if I want to spend my time on it. The source is pretty strong, though, and with a good writer and director this could also be good. I just don't know if I want to invest time in it, that's all, based on my own previous experience with the cast.
ETA Your comment made me go look, the writer for this kdrama adaptation of The Mantis ONLY wrote movies before (I hope they have the skills to write a longer form and keep the plot together) and the director doesn't have much experience with dramas either. She DID direct Black Out, that is one of the better kdramas I've watched lately, so I'll give HER the benefit of the doubt. Still, I'll wait to see initial impressions before deciding.
I hoped XBM would have learned to pace himself and THINK twice before making a move, but I guess that's who he is and he can't change it.
Anyway - 9 eps in, this is GREAT so far!
Anyway, I REALLY REALLY hope already Xiao BeiMing and Zhuge KongYun get to be friends, they have an amazing relationship (or at least ZKY does, he's so obsessed with XBM LOL).
For TU, there is a discussion forum above that's been here since before I even joined MDL, I think there are even topics on characters and other things. There's also a wiki (very detailed, as this is one, if not THE most talked-about danmei of them all) but it's also a bit spoilery.
https://modao-zushi.fandom.com/wiki/Grandmaster_of_Demonic_Cultivation_Wiki
(Be warned again that while there are many nice pieces of info, there are also spoilers, lots of them.)
But if you have anything to ask, there is ALWAYS someone in here ready to answer your questions :) I think even if there are not necessarily new comments daily, the fans still stick around (myself included). I hope you'll be one of us after watching the drama (and maybe also getting into all the rest of the adaptations :D)
On 6th now, this is great so far.
Anyway, the bro could become a general because he has underlings who will do the hard work for him. He doesn't need to be a great fighter or maybe he'll pretend he got a big wound and can't get his sword up anymore (ha!), so he'll be spared actual combat and come back to Court for his ~merits or something.
The father really doesn't make any sense. It's like he pretended so hard for all her life that she was actually a boy that he forgot she's not and so had her sent to the army (even got her a Master who I don't know what was doing on that lake on that particular day on that particular spot to save her from drowning after being cut through with a sword and falling at a 50 degrees angle from a tall mountain (physics be damned, who's that Newton guy anyway?). I said in a previous comment he must be schizophrenic - maybe he imagined all the time her brother was the one in the army doing stuff. I didn't realise she actually HAD a real brother, I thought he was an imposter her father got duped into believing was his son or poisoned into being crazy to believe it. But I've read comments and it appears in the book there actually is a brother who comes back and personally kills the FL.
Anyway, if 30 minutes give so many tropes (like I could remember another scene from another drama for most of the important scenes in this one, LOL - seen it all before...) yet fails to make any logical sense... I don't really have much hope for it.
Like what they did to ORV? LOL.
I was dumbstruck. It makes ZERO sense for him to switch so fast. At this point I'm like wait - she's a man, why does she have FEMALE dresses around? Who taught her to do makeup? Why is she suddenly moving like a woman in the temple?!
I know people say novel readers don't like this - I didn't read this novel, and I don't intend to... but the start of the drama makes no sense. I don't mind lower budget, but at least they should've picked a logical thread and stuck with it...