This review may contain spoilers
a new top drama
Yang Yang's name was what drew me to this show initially, and I was over the moon when I discovered I would actually be able to watch it with my current subscriptions, but other than having Yang Yang as the lead, I did my best to find out nothing about it so that I could go in without any expectations, but in hindsight it wouldn't have mattered if I'd had expectations because Zhan Zhao Adventures completely blew them away.Yang Yang's acting was gorgeous (and so is he, naturally), but he wasn't the only one. Zhang Ruo Nan handled the complexity of her character wonderfully, balancing Huo Ling Long's personal desires with her familial obligations and still managing to pull off some excellent martial arts. Alen Fang was the real surprise for me, though. I'd not seen him in anything previously and his skills as an actor, especially his comedic timing, were a delight, and he also did a wonderful job portraying Bai Yu Tang's emotional growth from a petulant pest to a sincere friend. Credit, too, to Xu Wai Luo as Ming Zhi Er and Chun Yu Zhe as Chang Hong Bi. Those two young actors kept up with their more seasoned cast members and did a superlative job in every scene and I hope to see them taking on bigger roles as they grow up.
A final thing I want to touch on in this review are the martial arts on display in Zhan Zhao Adventures. Simply put, they are breathtaking. The fights are beautifully choreographed and the actors and martial artists perform with tremendous skill. I found myself wishing I could slow them down to appreciate them more fully, and had to make do with going back and re-watching them over and over. Seriously, Yang Yang and Alen Fang were incredible, and the stunt artists did their jobs convincingly. I loved the martial aspect so much.
This is easily one of my top dramas, and even though I've already watched it twice, I know I'm going to want to rewatch it again just to enjoy how exquisitely it was executed.
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I'm glad that I found out early in my watch that this show "doesn't have a romance," even if I disagree with that assessment. That said, the lack of romance is the source of the only complaint I have about this show. My soul yearns to see the hinted-at romance between Zhan Zhao and Huo Ling Long realized on screen. There are lingering looks, obvious pleasure in the other's company, and genuine concern for each other's well-being, but not even a press of hands, let alone a kiss. Obviously, I'll have to go looking for fanart.
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