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Sungkyunkwan scandal meets Attack on titan
A new fave.I was never really into mainland Cdramas, now i have finished, mid way thru 6 different one since finishing AMA.
In particular I powered thru the other Bia Lu Xu Kai drama The Legends [also very good].
The girl as a boy trope is a personal favorite and Lu's acting and manners were one of the only times in this type of drama where I bought how she could be seen as a boy [ another drama was Ella in the Taiwanese version of Hanazakarino Kimitachihe]
Its been weeks since I finished and I already miss it, a HUGE recommend
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Good adventure series!
There is no drama.I mean there is no huge moral dilemma, revenge or redemption. There is no big tragedy in the past.
Well, yes, in the beginning it’s a bit, but only as an excuse for her to enter Military Academy. So, there is no drama, but there is every element of good adventure series.
It’s good played adventure story of a girl who stayed as a man in soldier academy in the 30s of XX century. The scenography is outstanding. I may say, perhaps there is no limit of their budget. We can enjoy the beautiful costumes, ladies’ outfits, military uniforms, oldschool cars and stylish environments.
It’s easy to watch till the end, because there is no psychological tense, great tragedy and so on. Generally it’s light, nice, fast and funny. It has a good balance between historical issues and romance-bromance. And I have to mention about sparky girl friendship! The moral decisions made by protagonists are easy to understand and nothing is odd.
Cast:
The best skills of acting has Wu Jia Yi who plays Qu Man Ting – the singer with a broken heart. She can steal every scene, she creates multidimensional character, sensitive artist, bit naive, with a big heart and she always has this hope for the great love.
In the review of “Arsenal Military Academy” it’s impossible not to talk about main leads, but for not to make spoilers I will not say who the main leads are :) Anyway, the military guys and girls play in satisfying way and for sure they have a lot of fun during the filming and we can feel the actors’ enthusiasm.
Music:
10/10. Absolutely.
Script:
Script is OK. In the second part of the series the action take places outside the Academy and we participate in gun wars, kidnappings, chasing and fighting. But the first one tells about living in the academy and this is very entertaining and funny with all gender-bender stuff.
It stands out from other China productions (that I started to watch) that lack good script and they were not able to tell about any reasonable closed story, and I give 9/10. I know that some fans will give 10, but I think it’s enough for light, entertaining series. Well, because we don’t wonder if Japanese will conquer China, but only who will be a sweetheart of this cute girl in military uniform.
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I don't like military-style movies or drama I will make an exception on this one.
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This review may contain spoilers
PERFECT! EXCELLENT! SUPERB!
EVERYTHING IS PERFECT!*Contain some spoilers*
Seriously this is the best Cdrama I have ever watched. I want to show my respect to the writer and the director of this drama~ The storyline is AMAZING! There is no plot hole, no cliche, and always full of surprise. Every episode has its own charming and important scene. Although this is about military drama surprisingly it has a lot of humorous scenes. The political scenes always are kept short and continued with them doing missions afterward so there is no boring part at all (no skipping). And to be honest from the beginning till the end of the episodes, I kept on praising the writer for the storyline. Always give what I want and sometimes much better than I have expected. The director also did a good job especially in the scene of fighting and war.
Next, I want to salute all the casts including the main leads and also the supporting casts. Thank you so much to the director for casting all of them. They all play their role perfectly. They are all visuals too! And I really love how the main leads play their characters. The best thing in this drama is the writer made the ML, Gu Yan Zhen has characteristics of childish, immature yet brave, can fight, and also has leadership. His childish character seriously made the drama is so funny. He is good at giving different types of expression. His smile, his smirk, his wink, and his mischievous look are all so cute! Despite him being childish but he also can lead the team whenever they have missions. He is a really dependable ML. Anyway, thanks to the writer for these characteristics for the ML, and of course Xu Kai is the best and the most suitable actor for this role > <. He is so handsome in this drama, i really love his hairstyle! Every time he appears, my mouth couldn't stop saying he is cute and handsome~~
Besides ML, I also want to praise the FL, Xie Xang for her perfect acting as a man. She is doing a great job in portraying the man character especially when she is in the military academy. The writer made the FL as a tough girl who can deal with the bad person and can fight. Although she has a physical weakness but this doesn't stop her from doing her best and eventually become among the best in her classmates. Plus, I love all the scenes when the ML and FL bickering with each other. Their chemistry is no joke. They are so cute and funny ^ ^. Bai Lu's acting as FL is so perfect as sometimes I see her as a man because of her character as well as her hairstyle. So handsome > <
I like some other characters too. Huang Song, Xie Lianchen's best friend is so cute but I am shocked by his fighting scene. He looks so manly there > < Shen Jun Shen, Ji Jin, Yan Lin, and Xiao Jun and many more also makes this drama complete.
#Some things I dislike about the drama (but cannot beat the good things about this drama):
I hate the love triangle !!!! Especially between Gu Yan Zhen and Qu Man Ting. I seriously don't like Qu Man Ting character. OMG, she is so annoying! At first, I can withstand her liking Gu Yan Zhen. Well, we cannot control our feeling. But after Gu Yan Zhen rejects her so many times but she still being clingy to him is what I hate the most. Can you just please accept your fate?? He is already in love with someone else so please stop! Arghh I hate the writer for making their scenes become annoying. Sorry to say but every time Qu Man Ting appears, it kills my mood > <
Next is about the romance between the ML and FL. I think supposedly because their chemistry is so good so why not make more romance scenes especially when after they got together. I barely see their romance/chemistry after they become a couple compared to the beginning scene where there are much cuter and fluffy scenes between them. It might be because the story is more focused on the war in the second half of the story. But I think there should be 2 or 3 more episodes added to the drama as the last 5 episodes seem like a little bit rushing where there are no episodes showing the love between the ML and the FL.
There is also some part of scenes where it is not well explained/not shown/not really complete. For example, they didn't show how Xie Xang as a girl has passed the health examination to enter the military academy. And there are a few more similar scenes like this but no so many.
Overall, this drama leaves a big impression on me. I never expected this drama would be this good. I promise to watch it again next time because it's worth my time! I will surely recommend this drama to my friends so you guys don't hesitate to watch because you will not regret ^ ^
Thank you for reading~
*Pardon my English (it's my 2nd language)
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This review may contain spoilers
i really liked the summary when i read it i thought : yesssss .... this is going to be different
then, i got shocked ... this is going nowhere
literally for me it was like standing in the middle of no where
many many many things were totally illogical
the romance didn't take it's place well
even the FL didn't tell the ML till the end she loved him :\
there were lots of side stories which could be brilliant if they took a good space and place
but it was totally political and historical and i felt the romance just to fill the drama
the writer was talking about a specific period in china .. OKAAAAAAAAAY -_-
i got the idea that this period was hematic and full of traitors
but he made me feel like I went into a dark tunnel and he left me there
what happened next ?? sure chine got out of that all sh** so why you left us there and killed most of the team i loved why, you loony meniac ??? >_<
and the most provoking woman for me from the beginning till the end was ( Man ting )
she is a real selfish B**** i hated her
it was really unfair for Ting Bai to stick with such a B**** like her took him for granted and humiliate him at every available moment
really not fair to get back to her after all what she has done
i hated her even much more than ( xian rong )
i was disappointed :(
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Surprisingly Good
I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did.The Pro's
The acting was fabulous by the whole cast. The story was very well written and engaging even the ending was one of the best wrap ups from a C-Drama that I've yet to find. Even though there was one part at the ending that had me roll my eyes -the "cliché" was just too much ;-) - but it fit, never the less.
Recently I happened to watch a short documentary about the Japanese invasion into Asia and China during the early 1900's. I had no idea that documentary would deepen my understanding of the events surrounding this drama. However, I do not believe it's necessary to know this background but it did give me greater appreciation.
The OST's were beautiful and the whole production was top notch.
For the Con's:
There were a few holes in the storyline, and maybe a few editing blunders. But not enough for me to give this any less than a 10.
All in all, this is not my usual drama to choose to watch. However, this drama will be at the top of my list as one of the best I have ever watched.
Well worth the time.
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A 10 out of 10 masterpiece
If there had been 48 more episodes, I would have watched every single one with the same excitement and curiosity! This is one of the very few series I’ve enjoyed entirely without ever needing to fast-forward — a true rarity. Everything about it is top-tier: from the flawless performances and beautiful sepia-toned cinematography, to the enchanting soundtrack (who wouldn’t love a jazzy rendition of Greensleeves?), including both the opening and closing credits.The wardrobe is a masterclass in sartorial elegance, with each outfit perfectly styled to reflect both character and era. Even the quieter, transitional scenes are beautifully crafted and full of atmosphere.
You can’t help but fall in love with every single element of this series. I truly cannot recommend it enough — it’s captivating, refined, and unforgettable.
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All time favorite drama!!
"Arsenal Military Academy" is a remarkable Chinese drama that seamlessly blends romance, patriotism, and historical intrigue to create a captivating narrative that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish. With its well-developed characters, strong performances, and compelling storyline, this series deserves every bit of its 10/10 rating. Set against the backdrop of China's turbulent Republican era, "Arsenal Military Academy" transports audiences to a time of political upheaval, espionage, and resistance against foreign powers. The story follows the resilient and tenacious Xie Xiang, played brilliantly by Bai Lu, who disguises herself as a male cadet to attend the prestigious Arsenal Military Academy. Her journey of becoming a soldier with a mission adds depth and layers to her character, making her an incredibly relatable and admirable protagonist. Within the confines of the academy, Xie Xiang forms close bonds with a group of young male recruits, each with their unique personalitie. However, both Gu Yan Zheng and Shen Jun San find themselves entangled in a complex web of emotions, both harboring feelings for the enigmatic Xie Xiang. The chemistry between Xie Xiang and the enigmatic Gu Yan Zheng, is undeniably electric. Their blossoming romance, while complicated by the fact that Xie Xiang is masquerading as a man, is beautifully depicted and adds an extra layer of tension and intrigue to the plot. Their love story is filled with touching moments that will tug at your heartstrings. The supporting cast, including the lovable and hilarious group of cadets, each with their unique quirks and backgrounds, adds a perfect balance of humor and camaraderie to the show. The camaraderie among these characters is one of the highlights of the drama, showcasing the importance of friendship and teamwork in times of adversity. Furthermore, "Arsenal Military Academy" does an outstanding job of weaving historical events and real-life figures into its fictional narrative. This historical authenticity adds depth and weight to the storyline, making it both educational and entertaining. The attention to detail in the sets, costumes, and military tactics is commendable.Furthermore, "Arsenal Military Academy" does an outstanding job of weaving historical events and real-life figures into its fictional narrative. This historical authenticity adds depth and weight to the storyline, making it both educational and entertaining. The attention to detail in the sets, costumes, and military tactics is commendable. The drama's pacing is on point, with a perfect balance of action-packed sequences and quieter, character-driven moments. The suspenseful plot twists and cliffhangers at the end of each episode will leave you eagerly anticipating the next instalment. In conclusion with its engaging characters, brilliant performances, and a well-executed plot, it's a must-watch for fans of the genre. Whether you're drawn to the romance, the action, or the historical backdrop, this drama has something to offer everyone.Was this review helpful to you?
