Eleison

The main leads' chemistry is SO good, oh my gosh. I think they're knocking all the other Cdrama couples I've seen out of the running, and I've seen some really good Cdramas. 😅

The Double had a lot of flirting and banter like this, but I didn't understand a lot of it (I think a lot of it was lost in translation). 😅 The banter in this is much more my speed.

Also, I know the ML can be super harsh and blunt, but he's never wrong. He's an expert at reading the room, and never misses a thing (I love a guy that's not oblivious!). He always says exactly what people need to hear, and it always comes from a place of care (and I love the FL knows it, too; you can tell it's one of the things she respects about him). And he respects her loyalty, compassion, cleverness, charm and tenacity.

Love them!

I wanted more of him, too!

So true! There are so many youthful 20 something Asian actors, but the actor playing the l7-year-old monk is not one of them. 😅

Yes, the "romance" did zilch for the story. Just make them chums! Probably the least amount of chemistry I've ever seen in a drama. 😅

I agree, there are other Cdramas with lower scores that I thought were better. The world building did not feel very grounded to me, and there's SO much fighting technique exposition. 😅

Very unusual for IMDB to have a higher rating than MDL! 😅

It will be probably drop a bit over time. I think it went up because the original rating was based on the first few episodes, which were the weakest of the drama. After it improved, people upped the rating after it finished airing. Just my theory! ☺️

Also, Ouyang is reminding me ever-so-slightly of Shen Yurong from The Double, who you kind of feel bad for at the beginning of the drama since you think he's trapped by people around him to do despicable things. You realize, eventually, that he's been a scheming jerk from the beginning. Is Ouyang like that? Is he using "protecting Pan'er" from the Gao family who is "out to get him" if he slips up as an excuse to ladder climb? I just feel like he can't be that kind-hearted and simple...?

I'm all about the leads being endgame, but as of Episode 11, I feel kind of bad for the guy. Which is why I'm wondering. I don't like feeling bad for him. 😅 But I have hope I'll shake the feeling, since something seems fishy about him.

The 6th Prince, you mean? It's a bit of both. He has struggled with some illness, but much of his bad health is exaggerated so people in the palace don't see him as a threat. He's just waiting for the right time to make his move as he is still quite young and not powerful enough to take on his older brothers yet. But he gets special treatment from the palace tutor who sees a special spark of talent in him, and he helps him gradually work into a better standing with the Emperor. :)

There is some angst with Hao Jia and the Crown Prince, and misunderstandings and such, but as far as most dramas are concerned, this is pretty chill. It's the closest thing to slice of life/family drama I've seen in a Chinese costume drama.

By the end of the first 1/3 of the drama, but it takes a while while for them to get together properly. But their romance at the end is very sweet and satisfying (I think).

He is the only humanized, fleshed out male character in the show, really, but his arc is great. This is where I got introduced to BJT, and now I love him. I give them a pass for caricaturing the other men because this is satirical. It's meant to exaggerate so a point can be made.

Without realizing this FL was the actress from the Disney live action Mulan, as I was watching Episode 1, I immediately began to wonder why her acting felt unique. There was something about the way she carried herself that feels mind of American. Did anyone pick up on that? I know she's lived in both countries, but her mannerisms feel different from the typical Chinese actress to me (compared to any other FL I've seen in a Cdrama). There's an assertiveness and casualness that smells American. 😅 Just wondered if anyone else noticed these differences!

He doesn't have "idol" type handsomeness (which I find refreshing), but he is a very good actor and his flirting (I love it)/banter/chemistry with the FL is extremely good (so far!).

I'm still at the beginning, but so far it feels more realistic/historical than New Life Begins (not that dramas ever feel super realistic, haha), which felt like pure fantasy, and even anachronistic in a lot of ways.

Oh phew!

Wait, does this have a sad ending?

Ah, so who gets the special name for only close family and friends?

But I did hear him call her Man Man a few times, which is her "close fanily" name! I assume it's a patriarchal cultural thing?

Loved the cameo from Seta, and always love watching Saito kick butt while multitasking. 😉 Sano must actually be a cat because the guy has an infinite number of lives. I guess if you're in the Kenshin Squad, you're basically indestructable! 😅

Enishi was also my favorite villain. His connection to Kenshin made this movie more heartwrenching and powerful, especially after watching The Beginning.

I also loved that they kept key scenes from the first movie that were flashbacks there as part of the story in The Beginning that they built the rest of the story about Tomoe around.