Easy to watch adaptation true to original story, with good visual atmosphere
Having read the manga, watched the donghua, and loved the first live action adaptation of Soul Land, this drama was a satisfying watch that was definitely closer to the original story than Douluo Continent (DC). First time watchers with no prior understanding of the story might be a little thrown off by the first episode, which kicks off in the middle of a fight, but stay invested and the plot plays out coherently after. But if you are like me, who really loved the original story and the donghua music, the opening of this drama was perfect, where the combination of the epic donghua OST, good CGI, decent visuals made me hooked from the get go.
Pros:
- I hate to admit this but I actually thought the chemistry between the leads here were better... (even though my personal bias is Xiao Zhan). The supporting cast also felt better/more appropriately casted here, be it in terms of cast chemistry, characterisation of their roles and even the way they were styled. Ma Hong Jun in DC was totally different from the original which was somewhat strange but Ma Hong Jun here was perfect (albeit thinner lol).
- Good plot pacing and plot that followed the original story closely.
- Way better set costumes and good CGI (but game-like, which might not be the preferred vibe for some people) that blended in decently and made the drama setting look much more immersive and enjoyable to watch.
- The drama-specific OSTs were not super memorable but were complementary to the show at least.
- *Liu Yuning appearing towards the end in his guest role cracked me up so much but he nailed it regardless!!
Cons:
- It's been a while since I've watched it and nothing particularly bad stuck out, other than taking some time to get used to the characters who are all played by completely different characters. And the ending only stops midway of the original story, in the midst of one the more interesting arcs so I do hope there is a sequel because the set visuals of that arc were beautifully portrayed in this drama.
Tldr if you loved the original novel/donghua, this would be a perfect watch! Also a great watch for anyone who enjoys fantasy themed shows and...likes games I guess lol (the fighting dynamics in the show is somewhat like that of games like Dota, LoL, Honor of Kings, MLBB etc.
Pros:
- I hate to admit this but I actually thought the chemistry between the leads here were better... (even though my personal bias is Xiao Zhan). The supporting cast also felt better/more appropriately casted here, be it in terms of cast chemistry, characterisation of their roles and even the way they were styled. Ma Hong Jun in DC was totally different from the original which was somewhat strange but Ma Hong Jun here was perfect (albeit thinner lol).
- Good plot pacing and plot that followed the original story closely.
- Way better set costumes and good CGI (but game-like, which might not be the preferred vibe for some people) that blended in decently and made the drama setting look much more immersive and enjoyable to watch.
- The drama-specific OSTs were not super memorable but were complementary to the show at least.
- *Liu Yuning appearing towards the end in his guest role cracked me up so much but he nailed it regardless!!
Cons:
- It's been a while since I've watched it and nothing particularly bad stuck out, other than taking some time to get used to the characters who are all played by completely different characters. And the ending only stops midway of the original story, in the midst of one the more interesting arcs so I do hope there is a sequel because the set visuals of that arc were beautifully portrayed in this drama.
Tldr if you loved the original novel/donghua, this would be a perfect watch! Also a great watch for anyone who enjoys fantasy themed shows and...likes games I guess lol (the fighting dynamics in the show is somewhat like that of games like Dota, LoL, Honor of Kings, MLBB etc.
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