Ximmich

Also i just saw more news, the crew of this dramas definitely has some issues, do they have no one to take care of the necessary stuff that needs to be done? And they are a lot of negative news surrounding this drama production team, sigh.It seems they have to stop filming because they didn`t obtained some permits before they started filming. And it seems they didn`t filmed anything in 28, and the filming shoud have started from today. A good thing in a way as it means they didn`t actually film with those costums.
Some sources, but this news, is easy to found in twitter at this point.

https://twitter.com/takewithsalt/status/1420742367183654913

https://twitter.com/welovedanmei/status/1420737780481671170 scroll down

Yes. Both Immortality and SPL has really good costumes, that actually fits the actors and the characters. I read they tried a new hairstyle on ZXW that made him actually look much more better. So i think they are open to suggestions

Yes. I had some moments when i was in denial too, in that i wanted to believe that they are really for reherseal, testing or whatever, but then when i was digging more info i find out from credible sources, including dramapotatoe, that dramas just don't do rehearsals or testing before they are filming, but only at most some checkings of things when the filming starts.
The reason is that is very costly to do this kind of things, like everyone can guess. I really hope the production team will change the costumes and hairstyles, make up as well really, because if this remains unchanged it will affects the actors, and how the drama is received when it will air.
ZXW is already negatively perceived because of those few photos. Before those photos, people were luckwarm , or indifferent to him bing cast as XL, but those photos don't do him any favor, like in my case it make me think it was miscasted. But i still chose to believe in him and ZLH as well and in the other actors too, that with proper costumes, make up, hairstyle, and good direction they can pull off the characters.
I hope people don't so easily made the conclusion that someone who criticize something about the drama, it means they hate a particular something or someone from the drama. There is a difference between constructive criticism that can actually made the production team of a drama consider making changes and a comment that sounds as someone hating something or someone in a way that defies common sense. Like, i hope that this generalization and exageration that i can see lately in the page will stop.

I just read that the issue with the costumes happened because the costume director Fang Zishe, who is the costume director of Love and redemption and The long ballad, that was rumoured to be in this drama, has ran away from the project last minute, so they have to recruit someone else in a hurry and the result is what we see. Wonder what happened, and if it would have been better if they postponed the filming. This production really has bad luck. It also seems even the art director and the cgi team has run away. After reading more carefully it seems they were dissatisfied with the budget allocated. Off, iqiyi is indeed not as willing to use as much money when it comes to their dramas as Tencent for exemple.
The source is this tweet, read the translated parts that are hidden.
https://mobile.twitter.com/purplelavenderj/status/1420601380171964416

Yes. I was about to say the same thing. This is also the reason why i just straightforwardly expressed my opinion. Like you, i believe if a large percentage of people are expressing dislike on something, even if is in this early stage, by being noticed by the production team, it can convince them to make changes. Even if is about something that is subjective, if things are not changed, people will not sudddendly decide they like the costume/style when the drama is aired, they will express their dislike even more and they have not excuses at that point. A lot of cdramas had the potential to be more popular if they had a better style, make up and costume, these things shouldn`t be underestimated.

This is good then. Let`s hope the style and the costumes will be changed.

Based on the new photos leaked, i am trying to not be too harsh but i just have to say this. Do the drama wants to shot itself in his foot, who made those costumes? Out of the options and creative choices they could came with, that is that the best they could do? I mean they look so cheap and not amount of post production stuff that they will make can change that. The person who designed those costumes should be fired, gosh how can you mess this out this much. Xie Lian wears one costume all the time, even if they will have to at least make him wear different white costumes to not be too boring, if this is what they could come with, i am scared to see more. And Hua Cheng costume too, why did they make it soo simple, it don't make sense.

One of the reasons the manhua and donghua was so well received is because of the design of the characters that you can tell how well were tought. Sigh, i don't know where it went wrong, do they rushed the filming and it would have been better to spend more time in planning.

And i think many people will not like what i will say next, and i also think maybe is too early, but i firmly believe they miscast Xie Lian. After seeing the pictures i just can tell, and the main reason is that ZXW don't look good in ancient costumes. Didn't they make them wear costumes when they did the casting?
ZXW face looks like he don't belong there, like being in this period and that costume is a mistake. I am refering that he is similar with the case of some actors ( and this happen a lot more tthan people think) that can't pull off the ancient look, like the face make me not see the character in front of me, but only the actor. Maybe is the overall vibe too, i don''t know. An exemple i can give is the casting of Darren Chen in ancient dramas, especially in Sleuth of ming dinasty, where the misscast can be seen from miles away. Or how Willian Chan looks better in ancient dramas than the modern one, and Yang Yang does look better in modern dramas than in his ancient ones.
I am just pointing out things that i can intuite from my experience of watching cdramas, and asian dramas in general, i don't want to discourage people in what expectations they can have.
I also want this drama to do well but things don't look good. I am disappointed in the director this time, and in all production team and maybe the company too, because i think they didn't allow from that much freedom in choosing the cast. Like for Sleuth of ming dinasty i wonder if things would be different if the drama would have been produced by another company, like Tencent or Youku.

I think this drama will most likely don`t manage to attract the attention they expect, similarly with The sleuth of ming dinasty if things are not changed at this point in time. Later it will be too late to make changes, so let`s hope they will listen to the criticism that comes their way.

The second volume of the manga actually ends with Kyouchi chasing after Imagase who was in an nearby bus station when Kyoichi returned to his home after breaking up with his fiancee. In the manga , Imagase didn't left that morning, but both has a discussion then when Kyoichi ahas said again that he will break up with Tamaki, and has asked Imagase to wait for him to come back. Imagase then he did left like he did in the movie, as he was getting impatient when he realised Kyouchi was getting late. This is a significant thing that the movie changed. Imagase left as well, but only to the bus station, he hesitated to leave further and when Kyoichi returned he saw him. Then Kyoichi did said that the wants to try to be in a serious relationship with him, they were tears involved and they decided to move in together. There is an extra chapter too when they are shown still living happily together. Actually in the manga Kyoichi already changed and he already made his mind about being serious with Imagase, when he was talking to Imagase to properly date, but the movie didn't manage to properly show what kind of personality Kyouichi has, but they do portray him as close as they could, the manga is really long, they couldn't have done better.

I did a quick search and indeed they are not many articles about this. This is the only one o found related to this topic. You can check it out, it's interesting.
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/masters-of-japanese-cinema-who-were-ahead-of-their-time/

I will speak as someone who has watched japanese dramas and movies for years, and who also watched in the past various productions feom Korea, China, Thailand etc. Like xingkelei that has commented previously, this is Japan style of filming, they are very little changes made compared to the past, mostly when it comes to the camera they used, like for dramas from 2000-2015 is easy to see the quality of the filming is really low compared to those in the recent years. But when it comes to the technique they use, filters and things like that, is consistently the same for years, and i think it will remain the same in the future. Honestly i hope it will remain like this, and will not change, because then the productions from Japan will lose that something that is unique to their dramas/movies. The way they are filming their dramas and movies is really realistic. I am so used to it and i love the fact that the filming don't stick out and i can focus on the story, that i will be sad if they change this. For example take Cornered cheese and Life sejou no bokura, the filming has a melancholic, nolstalgic feeling to it, and it would not be the same if they would have been filmed differently

Yes. After ep 9 the drama has kind of gone downhill, and because it has done so well until then, it`s makes it much more obvious. Is like how can someone mess the drama this much and in the last couple of eps. Taiwan always manage to do this with their bl dramas lately, i don`t know what they are thinking.

Here.https://tgcfmxtx.carrd.co/
We are lucky the translator make the novel available for download. At least for the main chapters. The extra chapters can be only be read online.

Yes. I have watched TA donghua, and is really good, like MDZS donghua level of good, and is a really faithful adaptation as it follows what it happens in the novel, in a procent of 80%. The most important thing that is changed is the meaning of some of the actions of YWS. YWS as a character is basically the same as in the novel, i mean his personality, attitude and badass like, don`t want to mess with vibe, his general intention in wishing the country to be in peace is still there untouched, but him as having really bad intentions towards SQ are changed. The changes are still not too much, as for people who read the novel is easily to spot that he don`t have good intentions ( as a lot of scenes are kept ambiguous and exactly the same as in the novel), but for people who didn`t read the novel they will see their relationship differently most likely, as more romantic than he is. This is because they don`t only made YWS less crazy and lunatic than in the novel at the point in time, they hinted that he keep coming around SQ because he has come to like him, and not because he wants to harm him/use him for his purpose. They used a potential falling in love to hide his evil nature.
But i still liked the donghua a lot because they left untouched a lot of things and events where i could see the events that happens in the novel being adapted in the donghua, i can only wish the live adaptation will be as good as the donghua ( if you don`t know they are restrictions in China in how characters that are bad can be presented: usually they have to be redeemed in some way, or they have to die or be punished for their bad actions, so based on this the donghua did a really good job). But YWS is harmed/ defeated at some time in the novel too, he gets what he deserves in a way ( just like what happens to WWX in MDZS, that`s why the changes done to Untamed were few), so the donghua and live action too don`t have to change that much, so in a way i think the second season of the donghua and the live action too will not have to be changed that much as well, that`s why i predict the drama can be really succesful if they don`t mess wih the story.
The donghua (1st season) has covered the first 55 chapters from the novel only. Season 2 is in production right now, it will probab;y be released next year.

I consider TA to be Meng Xi Shi masterpiece, just like i consider MDZS and TGCF to be for MXTX, and Silent reading for Priest.
The way TA is writed is just really artistic and it feels like a valuable piece of literature, and i think the majority of danmei fans agree with this.
I encoutered many people who are having a hard time liking some Priest novels, but most people just love Meng Xi Shi novels. I think the way this novel is writed is just genial, i become an instant fan of MXS. I like this author more than MXTX, she should be as popular as MXTX, and MXS has more experience , has wrote for a long time and has more novels under her.
The reason this novel is so diferent from others is because of how different the main characters are. The main characters beliefs, values are totally different, one of them is the leader of a righteous sect and is really kind, gentle, mature, but lacks real life experience and his vision of things is really narrow (the MC, Shen Qiao), and the other is an evil, villain character, don`t be deceived be him, no one should be deceived by him that he is better than is presented, as is not, he wasn`t writed that way, but he has vast nowledge about a lot of things (the ML, Yan Wushi). But this is where the story gets different since a lot of novels has a premise similar to TA- Yan Wushi has really bad intentions towards SQ at the beginning and only pursue his interests when it comes to his interactions to almost anyone, but is honest about it, it don`t hide this from anyone. He is who it is, he acts accordingly to this, he is proud of it, and his attitude is much more righteous and honest than those from the righteous sects. The romantic relationship between MC and ML is really realistic, slow and YWS coming to like SQ is earned, as he is showed how SQ is different over and over until he changes his mind about him, and for SQ the same, it don`t happen overnight, it will come a long while until he come to like YWS, and YWS will work for a long time to make it happen.
The story has a lot more going one than this, is writed at a really grand scale level. The novel is is a mix of cultivation/wuxia and historical, as it has some political intrigues going on, and it has a lot of characters, including strong female characters too, some side characters gets some focus as well.
I forget to mention, the relationship between MXS characters is really healthy, without violence, problematic scenes or things like that, even more than Priest, but some novels, especially TA and Peerless has a betrayal event that happens between the characters, so that it will bring changes in their relationship.. Also the intimate scenes are as scarce as in Priest novels, but i think somehow the kiss scenes and hinted intimate scenes are more impactful and memorable than Priest, like i remember them even now.

Yes. I strongly recommend TA. Thousand autumns is my second favorite novel after Silent reading, and it only come second to Silent reading because of Fei Du, who is my favorite character from the danmei universe. I mean i love Yan Wushi equally, but Fei Du has my heart in all possible ways, he managed to wake my maternal instinct, while Yan Wushi from TA make me want to be like him, since his charisma is something else.
If you ever like to read TA use the mydramalist thread made for the novel:
https://kisskh.at/discussions/qian-qiu/62235-thousand-autumns-english-novel NU page has some missing chapters.
The novel will be completely translated soon, it has 126 ch done at this point, but it will take some more weeks until it will be finished. If you are a fast reader, is better to wait until the tl is finished.
Meng Xi Shi style is really sophisticated, even more than Priest, her novels are plot focused and the romance is blended in the story similarly to Priest,. But a thing specific to MXS is that she writes more fleshed out characters, really individualistic ones, strong, mature, who likes to bicker, and won`t accept help easily.
Actually, similarly with Priest, her characters don`t behave according to the shou/gong stereotype, they have equally strong tempers, especially the characters from Thousand autumns and Peerless.
The ideea is that MXS writes her characters to be witty, she also like to insert situations on her story that make the characters diss each other, and because of this it has a much better balance between light/funny and heavy/mature moments than Priest.
I will write you another reply about the overall story of Thousand autums, but making sure to keep you away from spoilers.

Here. The translation from Northwest flower moved from wattpad in a new webste with a improved and revised version, but it seems it has problems in being linked to NU again, it has enountered some problems probably.
https://www.northwestflower.net

Your comment has opened the chance for people to give their honest toughts about a really interesting topic, thank you for this. It was fun reading all the comments, thank you guys as well.
So, i will also give my opinion.
@Eddie Brooke comment has touched the essence on how Priest as an author differentiate from others authors.
Priest characters don`t only has a lot of flaws, the flaws are easy to spot, and are there to be used as a explanation of why the characters make the choices they make.
Her novels, not matter the earlier or later ones, also have a really realistic development, being character or relationship development.
I might be biased but i think only Meng Xi Shi and FTYX does a better job in telling realistic stories, other than Priest. Especially for Meng Xi Shi, i love how she had the courage to write Thousand autumns and All under heaven the way she did. The things that happens in those novels are painfully real, and despite what the story is about, she still make the main characters stay together for the same reasons that people stay together in real life.
Maybe because i read too many books until now from a lot of different authors, even MM books in the past, and danmei novels from different genres, I come to the conclusion that the best authors are the ones who their characters are behaving similar to a real person and has flaws that are easily spoted. Who their novels, taking in consideration the background of the characters, their weaknesses and personality, manage to show a consistent progression of the subtle changes the characters suffer over the course of the novel. Changes that i can approve, that make sense to me.
This preference of what i consider good novels are the reason i really dislike Meatbun, and a lot of other danmei authors. Letting aside the fact that i don`t like reading novels with a lot of angst and problematic content, after reading 2HA i can see the inconsistencies in the construction of her characters, and how she have them do actions that just don`t make sense, only to add more drama. Is like she likes to have her characters suffer for not reason but to make the story more appealing to readers. Her characters has flaws too, suffer some character development, but those are hard to spot, and are not in sync to the actions the characters make, don`t influence their behaviour, they are not consistent, i don`t know how to say it better.
But this is just my personal subjective opinion, i am really picky and critical towards what i chose to read, since in the past i wasted a lot of my time in reading novels, only to not be able to finish them.

I don`t know exactly what companies has brought exactly what adaptation rights beside the ones mentioned until now, but i will look unto it as i am also curious and i will inform you about what i found out. Hope to find about Peerless expecially,

Even if Huanrui don't have the best track for producing dramas, they at least don't butcher them and their editing skills are good.
Mango tv are known for sucking at editing their dramas, scroll down and you'll see other discussions about this ( they are some more older conversations, from about 2 months back). I mean they edit the scenes in a sequence that don't make sense. Like for exemple in Killer and Healer made by them, i was talking with someone who told me that there was a scene where one main character has hurt his arm, and immediately after came a scene where it don't show at all he was hurt and was behaving normally. And their dramas are full of this, the editing ruin the dramas they produce. And they are known for this, is something that it happens for years.
Another reason- Mango tv don't promote their dramas well, they have a small platform, provide eng subs late in youtube and don't have the influence other production companies have when it comes to pushing their drama to pass censorship easily. They don't take risks when it comes to censorship basically.
I think being a Huanrui production, they will also sell the rights for TA to Tencent and other companies to air it at the same time, like how they did with Love and redemption. . For Huanrui they don' have that many stellar dramas, but the ones that aren't that good, aren't too bad either, i don't know how to say it better.

No. Is real and is everywhere, which is a sign that is more like not only a rumour.