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Manji The Killer of 100 In The Flesh!

Takashi Miike's 100th film is based on a seinen manga by Hiroaki Samura about an immortal samurai who must kill 1000 evil men to gain redemption. I suppose it's understandable that those who are unfamiliar with the manga might compare it with Logan. There are certainly some similarities with Manji having lived long enough to become weary of killing and finding a new purpose to go on. Not to mention, his ability to heal wounds is very Wolverine-like. But the similarities end there. This is a story of revenge much like Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, but it's also about a man struggling to find a semblance of redemption before he finally succumbs to death. It's not as good as the manga, unfortunately, but it does well in bringing the characters to life and Miike is not shy about showing the brutalities the manga is known for. The movie lacks proper character development for the minor characters, including its main villain, but it's understandable considering this was based on a manga series consisting of hundreds of chapters that spanned years in the making. You can only do so much with a little over two hours of run time. I never would have imagined Takuya Kimura for the role but I had totally forgotten that I was seeing a former boy band member and thought only of Manji the Killer of 100. He was almost unrecognizable in the role. The fight scenes are well-choreographed and executed. There are no over-the-top wuxia-like flying or frantic sword fighting that made the Rurouni Kenshin movies so popular. But it does boast of nearly realistic sword play that you find in samurai films of old combined with Kill Bill-type of bloody fights, which make the film better in my opinion. Sorry Kenshin but Manji is the shit! Just try killing this dude, you can cut off his limbs, even his head and he can still re-attach them! Fans of Japanese cinema might find more than one familiar face in cameos and small roles. I just wish this was turned into a series instead of a movie so the characters can be fully fleshed out and Manji's immortality could be properly addressed. But on the bright side, there's room for a sequel or sequels. As samurai films go, I'd give this a 7.5. Highly enjoyable, great lead character and well-crafted fight sequences that make you cringe with all the blood and gore. It's certainly a win for Takashi Miike.

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A Review of the High & Low Drama and Movies...

After watching two seasons of the drama and three movies, I finally finished the Mugen/Sannoh Hoodlum Squad saga of this High & Low franchise. I'm not gonna lie, I did enjoy it to a certain degree, especially the drama, but the movies not so much. The films, to me, are like the Fast and Furious movies, they get bigger, crazier, and blatantly worse with each installment despite the flashy action choreography and huge action pieces. But I felt compelled to keep watching because I have grown attached to some of the characters, particularly Murayama, Smokey, Tetsu, Todoroki, Seki, and the rest of the guys from Oya Koko. The plot is completely bonkers! I won't even try to discuss that here. The characters, for the most part, are caricatures. The different street gangs appear cool at first but I grew weary of most of them as I kept watching. The Sannoh guys are quite possibly the most wholesome and boring bunch of gangsters I've ever seen on screen. Their leader, Cobra, is an emo kid with a default expression that he probably believes to be intimidating and eyes that are as dead as the black button eyes of Coraline's other parents. It doesn't help that the actor who plays him has the emotional range of a wet paper bag. Yamato and Noboru are slightly interesting but they don't get enough screen time, which is a shame since the actors that play those two can actually act.

The White Rascals are just plain creepy. They claim to have started their group to protect women and call themselves “scouts”, which is a nice way of saying that they are pimps. Okay, I get the sad backstory of their leader, Rocky, but come on, if they really want to protect women, then why are they selling them like pieces of meat? Instead of “helping” them become prostitutes, why not help them live decent lives??? Every time Rocky says he's only doing it to protect women, I cringe and get the urge to throw up. The actor who plays him also can't act well enough to sell that lie. This is why you shouldn't cast idols (who can't act) to play these roles. But do they listen? No!

The guys at Daruma are led by the psychopathic and drugged out Hyuga whose motivations have been questionable from the start. Hayashi Kento is a good actor but the character he plays is just despicable, I'm sorry. I can't blame him, though. He did the best he could to make that character sympathetic at least.

The Rude Boys are probably the most interesting bunch and their unique fighting style is the best in the whole series. Their fight choreography is a combination of parkour, gymnastics, and breakdancing, which is awesome! They are led by the self-sacrificing Smokey played by Kubota Masataka. He brought gravitas and soul to that character despite his relatively small part in the story. He rarely makes an appearance but when he does, he brings his A-game and manages to make the character memorable.

But my favorite among the SWORD gangs is the Oya Koko or Oya High school, which is home to the most notorious delinquents in the city, led by the legendary and charismatic, Murayama Yoshiki. Of all the characters in this series, Murayama sees the most growth both as a leader and a person, and that's what makes him the best written one. The fact that they chose to cast Yamada Yuki in the role also greatly contributed to how lovable the character becomes as the series goes on. Personal biases aside, he really does exude charm, wit, and an unmistakable humanity to him that you can't help but think of him as a real person and cheer for him as he fights for what he believes in and grows up to be a more reliable adult. It's no wonder that he became such a fan favorite that the producers of these movies decided to make a movie with him as the main character even though he was originally written to be just a supporting one.

The Mugen guys like Tatsuya and Kohaku are somewhat interesting, but I still couldn't care less about them. The Amamiya Brothers are probably more interesting in terms of their origins and personalities. The elder brother, Masaki, is funny and pretty badass. Takahiro plays him well. I have no complaints there. I have yet to see their movie, Red Rain, which is a kind of spin-off. I will get to that after I finish High & Low: The Worst, which features the Oya Koko characters and a crossover between the High & Low and Crows Zero franchises. The other groups like Doubt and Mighty Warriors are annoying and forgettable. I'm guessing they were included so they could cast and promote more EXILE members (more people who can't act). See, I almost forgot to write about them. Hahahaha. All in all, High & Low is a fun you-must-suspend-your-disbelief type of series with mostly bad acting, badly written characters, and a plot line that Vin Diesel would envy. But they're not meant to be taken seriously so you shouldn't.

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Of dramas and life lessons...

From Now On We Begin Ethics is a surprising find for me. I only found out about it through a fellow Yuki fan and decided to give it a try as it was highly recommended. True enough, it turned out to be a gem of a series. The series revolved around an unconventional and eccentric Ethics teacher played by Yamada Yuki, whose unorthodox methods of teaching challenges his students' way of thinking and questions their morality and deep-seated beliefs. The series has a fairly simple plot that may seem like a rip-off of GTO or Gokusen. But it's not. Takayanagi is no hero and certainly not the meddlesome type of teacher who thrives in motivating his students and pushing them to be all that they can be. But he genuinely cares for his students and so he tries his best to be of help to them despite believing himself to be flawed and can only do so much to affect change in his students' lives.

Instead of positivity, he employs a different tactic, he treats them like human beings who have the freedom to decide for themselves. He doesn't tell them which way to go or what is right or wrong. He lets them decide by asking them the questions that no one else is bold enough to ask. I found myself seriously considering each and every thought-provoking question he asked his students, and there were times when I would nod in agreement and also disagree with his statements. What is the function of society? Why do we need to conform? Why do we need to sacrifice one for the betterment of others? What is evil and what is good? And how do we make the choice which path to take in a world that's full of options and complications? What is freedom and why too much of it can be fatal? These questions left me reeling with my own questions about humanity, society, and the very meaning of happiness. Not very many works of fiction can have that effect on me and that is why this short series has quickly become a favorite of mine. I'm glad I stumbled upon this. I would recommend this to anyone willing to take the time to learn and listen to what these characters have to say.

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To The Grand Line, Nakama!

This is my honest take of the live action action version of my favorite shonen series, One Piece. Subjectively, this is just an 8.5 out of 10 for me. I found it highly enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but there are some stuff that don't sit well with me and I feel that changing or omitting certain parts takes away some of the heart of the story. I don't mind them streamlining the narrative and combining subplots to create more moving parts in a single episode because, honestly, early One Piece is a slow burn. By doing so, they can move things along, improving the plot progression immensely. For the uninitiated, this is actually better because it introduces the world of One Piece more fluidly and hooks you fairly quickly. But as I mentioned, some of the parts that were taken out were integral to the characterization of some of the characters and would've further explained their motivations. Some of the emotional scenes were not executed as well as the anime that they just didn't have the same effect on me. Of course, non-fans wouldn't notice these things, so hopefully, they'll feel the same way us fans did when we saw these scenes in the anime. But for an avid fan like me, those scenes felt lacking and the payoff of some of the subplots just weren't as satisfying. But I still commend the writers for doing the best they could with the material that they were given. One Piece is probably the hardest story to adapt not only because of the massive world Oda has created but also the zaniness and goofiness of the characters. I imagine the writers were hard-pressed to balance the serious and comedic tones of the story because One Piece, at its core, is a comedy with dark undertones and serious themes. So for them to actually successfully adapt One Piece and pay tribute to what makes it one of the greatest works of fiction ever written is a humongous feat. I give them props for that. Still, there's room for improvement, and hopefully, they can improve upon it in the succeeding seasons.

The cast of actors, especially the first five Straw Hats, are phenomenal. Inaki as Luffy is not the Luffy I know from the anime but he exudes Luffy energy and that's what matters. He made this role his own and I'm cool with it. Mackenyu as Zoro is legit a brilliant casting choice. He is Zoro in every way. I just wish that some of the emotional beats regarding his back story were done better, though. They've made some changes with Sanji's character, which is understandable as Sanji's “perversion” would not sit well with the western audience. But they managed to keep what makes Sanji Sanji, so I'm okay with that. And Taz is great in the role. They couldn't have picked a better Sanji to be honest. I never doubted Jacob's casting as Usopp from the moment I saw videos of him talking and joking around. He immediately gave me Usopp vibes so I'm quite happy with this choice. I just wish they kept some of Usopp's heroic scenes because those are what made me respect the character and think that he's the bravest of them all despite his cowardly facade. Emily as Nami was not convincing to me at first as I've seen her in other projects and her acting didn't impress me at all. But to be fair, she did deliver. She did make me cry in that pivotal scene, which I'm not going to mention here as it's a spoiler for those who haven't seen it. But One Piece fans would know what I'm referring to. Mihawk, Buggy, Koby, Helmeppo, and Kuro are so spot on it was like watching manga/anime characters come to life. Steven John Ward, especially, is literally the real-life version of Dracule Mihawk! I do have some complaints regarding the casting for some characters, though. Ben Beckman, for example, just doesn't scream badass to me. The guy they got is too old and overweight. Makino is supposed to be younger but they chose an older looking actress.

And to be honest, I still have a problem with some of the costumes and wigs. I get that they're trying to embrace the goofiness of the original but there's no excuse for bad costuming and wigs, man! They can be very jarring and plain cringe. The sets and special effects are so on point, they made me feel like these places and creatures do exist in another world somewhere. I especially adore the news coo and the den den mushi or transponder nails. They made me laugh every time they appeared on screen. The boats are spectacular! I'm glad the showrunners opted to use as many practical effects as they could. Luffy's stretching didn't bother me, I thought it was nicely done. Same with the Fishmen. I really didn't have a problem with them using prosthetics or the choice to make them human-sized instead of unusually large. I understand why they had to do that. Besides, the guy they got for Arlong is menacing and he even got Arlong's laugh right.

The action choreography, for the most part, is pretty dope, especially the Zoro fight scenes. However, there are parts when you can clearly see the wires and props. Some eagle-eyed viewers have caught those boo-boos. Those could've been easily edited out. This reminded me of the Starbucks cup in the final season of Game of Thrones. lol They should hire better stunt coordinators and editors to avoid these kinds of mishaps.

The music, though not as epic and iconic as the anime's musical score, is pretty good. Some of the character theme songs got stuck in my head for days, especially Nami and Zoro's themes. I'm happy that they did their own versions of We Are and Bink's Sake as these are One Piece staples. A part of me wished they also made versions of Overtaken and The Very Very Strongest, though.

Yes, many changes have been made, some I'm happy with, some I'm not. Is it perfect? No. Is it the best live action anime adaptation? No. But it's undeniably entertaining and I can honestly say that it kept the spirit of One Piece unlike most live action adaptations I've seen and I've seen an unhealthy number of those types of films. Seriously, eight episodes is not enough. I want more! And apparently, many others feel the same way. Personally, I'm excited to see what they'll do with the succeeding arcs, especially the Alabasta arc. They better get Chopper right!

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Another Live Action Fail

I finally have the time to write a review for the live action iteration of the universally loved anime/manga series, Yu Yu Hakusho. It's no secret that I wasn't as overly pleased with this as I hoped I would be. But I kinda suspected I would hate it the moment I saw the trailer and found out it's only going to be 5 episodes. Yu Yu Hakusho was one of my favorite anime series back in the day so I expected so much from this.

Sadly, this live action series as a whole is mediocre at best. Not great. Not awful. Just mid. There are things I loved and things I hated with a passion. First, the positive. The action choreography is simply flawless, the long shots are fluidly executed, the creativity in how the fighters use their environment to gain advantage is pure unadulterated fun. Unfortunately, that's all it has going for it. The story is a mishmash of several story arcs that should've and could've been adapted properly if they had chosen to go with the first two arcs in the first season. The manga series is relatively short to begin with, they could've written a far better adaptation if they actually used the source material. But maybe it's a one-and-done type of series so they figured they should use elements from the other story arcs that made the series so beloved.

The characters are lackluster save for Kuwabara, who is actually my least favorite in the anime. He's the only one who goes through real character development and was the most interesting character in the whole series hands down! Yusuke is meh. Just a meathead punk I couldn't care less about. Hiei is an emo kid walking around with a humongous chip on his shoulder but you don't know why because he doesn't have a character arc unlike in the original. Genkai they just did dirty. Was I supposed to care about her? Really? I couldn't tell. Botan was not cute but annoying and the actress they chose overacted so much. Although I don't mind Keita Machida as Koenma, I wish they had opted to use his baby form instead because having a grown man walk around with a pacifier in his mouth is just gross. Toguro was not even the slightest bit intimidating and the CGI on his final form was laughable. He resembled a bread dough that has been kneaded for far too long and shaped to look like an anatomically incorrect human torso. But the biggest disappointment was Kurama. My god, why oh why did they have to cast Jun Shison for the role?! He looks like a cosplayer with a bad wig! He just doesn't look good with hair color that's not black. He is undeniably Asian-looking that whenever he dyes his hair, he looks like he's going to an anime convention wearing a cheap synthetic wig he ordered online. And the guy can't act his way out of a paper bag. There are plenty others who would've been more suitable for the part. Apart from his action stunts, which were solid by the way, he was not the Kurama I know. Faaaaaaar from it!

Maybe I'm just biased because I have fond memories of the original and I couldn't help but keep comparing the two. I wanted so badly to like this. In fact, I was looking forward to watching it. But the first episode already felt off to me. Everything seemed so cheesy from the way Yusuke acted to the dialogue and the overall vibe of the series. The CGI was hit or miss. Sometimes it appeared superbly executed, sometimes it was terribly cartoonish. If I were to rate this series, I would give it a 5.5 out of 10 for the action choreography, stunt work, and Kuwabara. It has very low rewatchability for me. I would probably just watch clips of some of the fight scenes, most especially the Yusuke versus Goki one. But that's about it.

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The Count of Monte Cristo Melodrama-style

The Double is a revenge drama that's very much in the same vein as the classic The Count of Monte Cristo. This is perhaps the main reason why it drew audiences. After all, who doesn't like a good revenge drama and root for the underdog? It follows the story of Xue Fangfei, the daughter of an upright magistrate who is betrayed by her husband whom a powerful princess coveted. She finds help in a young woman, Jiang Li, who shares a similar fate, having been betrayed by those closest to her as well. When Jiang Li dies, Fangfei decides to take on Jiang Li's persona and swears revenge on the people who wronged them. As she plots her intricately calculated revenge, she meets Xiao Heng or Duke Su (as he is more famously known) the loyal and coldblooded right-hand man of the Emperor charged to root out all the corrupt officials in the kingdom and bring his father's killer to justice. Their plans align and they form an uneasy alliance with the tacit understanding of one another's goals and trickery. As they maneuver through royal court politics, they discover a much deeper and more sinister plot against the kingdom.

What I like most about this drama is that the lead characters are highly intelligent, cunning, and almost always make smart decisions. The dialogues are well-written for the most part, the kind that forces you to read between the lines in order to understand the malice and hatred that are implied with each flattery and seemingly polite remark. It was fun trying to decipher the meaning behind each statement and watching the characters play an elaborate and deadly game of weiqi. I also like that most of the characters are layered and mature despite the fact that it is an idol drama. Xue Fangfei or Jiang Li, like Edmond Dantes, is a schemer set on revenge. Although I found some of her plans outright ridiculous that I'm convinced would never work in a real-life setting, she formulates some pretty interesting ones that are actually doable and believable.

This drama is quite difficult for me to review because even though I found it entertaining as a whole, there are some parts where you simply have to turn off your brain in order to enjoy them. There are scenes that just made me chuckle and scratch my head because I can't believe they did that. Just plain absurd! The inconsistency in the writing also made me lose interest at some point. But my biggest beef is the ending, especially the last three episodes leading to the finale. For the life of me, I really do not understand the need for overly dramatic scenes when it could've been done more simply with less melodrama. Nothing wrong with a straightforward happy ending, but these writers can't seem to grasp the importance of resolution and closure. Of all the C-dramas I've seen, only one gave me a truly satisfying ending and that is Zhang Ruoyun's Under the Microscope. The rest just couldn't quite stick the landing, while others completely missed it. This drama completely missed the mark. In fact, it crashed and burned and left a bitter taste in my mouth, reminiscent of Nirvana in Fire's ending that I still refuse to acknowledge. They had to film an extra 5-minute scene to fix the damage, but it was a little too late. Nothing can save that awful half-baked ending they concocted. Sure, the battle scenes look good, it makes Wang Xingyue's Xiao Heng all the more heroic and dashing, but damn it, you don't need that to make a compelling ending!

I thought about why I was so drawn to this drama in spite of its many flaws. I mean, I didn't like the music, I thought the songs were all awful, especially the duet that plays whenever Xiao Heng and Jiang Li have their lovey dovey scenes. The qin music was nothing special. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. The visuals and cinematography are alright, nothing to write home about. It's obvious that this drama didn't have the biggest budget. The romance was non-existent, at least for me. I am not big on romance so I rarely see chemistry in couples, but when I do, there's always a good reason for it. Fans of this drama have all raved about the explosive chemistry between the leads but I just can't see it. I gag whenever I see them looking so chummy. I may like the character of Xue Fangfei/Jiang Li, but I'm not fond of the actress. I actually knew nothing about Wu Jinyan before this drama so I had no preconceived notions about her acting skills. Apparently, I'm not the only one who noticed how wooden she looks in most of her scenes and how her eyes look like those of dead fish. I can't seem to connect with her character because I don't feel genuine emotions from her. She always looks like she's performing with those eerie looking dead fish eyes. *shudders* And the fact that she's already 34 years old did not escape me. She does look her age (for an Asian woman) and I don't understand why they thought she could pull off the role of an 18-year-old. They should've gotten Bai Lu or someone of her caliber and looks instead. As for her supposed chemistry with Wang Xingyue, she has more chemistry with Li Meng who plays Princess Wanning, and Xingyue has more chemistry with his fan.

But I digress, I was trying to write about what attracted me to this drama, and I could only think of one thing, Wang Xingyue as Xiao Heng. The fact that he's only 22 years old and was 20-21 years old when they filmed the drama blows my mind to this day. He has this husband material aura and a tremendous screen presence that just makes him swoon-worthy to say the least. His charisma is so undeniable that I believe most women watched the drama just for him, I am not ashamed to admit that I am one of those women. His acting skills still need a lot of work, but I believe he will become an in-demand leading man pretty soon.

As for the rest of the cast, Li Meng as the psychopathic Princess Wanning stands out. I can't stand her character and I give props to the actress. I was even slightly sympathetic towards her character in the end because she expertly portrayed the role of a mentally unstable and damaged princess. And for some reason, I found her more attractive than Wu Jinyan. Joe Chen as the scheming stepmother, Ji Churan, is another standout. I also have to give credit to Liang Yong Qi as Shen Yurong, Fangfei's cowardly husband. The villains in this drama (save for one) are superbly written and acted! I completely understood their motivations and the drama explicitly shows how their questionable morals and wrong choices led them to their eventual demise. Lord Cheng, however, could've been incorporated into the story earlier so he could've been more fleshed out. For the supposed biggest baddie of the entire series, his character felt flat, insignificant, and formulaic. The other supporting characters are great as well, no complaints here. Although I would've preferred some of them weren't killed off.

Without these things I mentioned, this drama would be mediocre at best. But thankfully, they got themselves a captivating leading man, great villains, and intelligent writing (for the most part). I give The Double a generous 7. It's great fun, highly addictive, and you'll love it if you can suspend your disbelief and throw logic out the door from time to time.

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An Engaging Detective Mystery Drama

Under the Skin is a thriller mystery detective drama starring Tan Jianci as a gifted portraitist working for the police bureau. It's only 20 episodes long, which is relatively short for C-dramas. But the fewer episodes allow the drama to make full use of every scene; not a moment is wasted and everything serves a purpose. Hence, it is one of the most well-paced C-dramas I've ever watched to date. In fact, it is more similar to American crime dramas from the 2000's like CSI, Profiler, Lie To Me, Criminal Minds, Bones, and the like than any C-drama I've seen.

The story centers around Shen Yi, a troubled art prodigy who finds himself involved in the murder of a highly decorated police officer. Overcome with guilt and remorse, he starts working for the police as a sketch artist in hopes to make a difference and ultimately find redemption. Shen Yi partners with a rough-around-the-edges hotshot detective who despises and blames him for the murder of his senior officer. Their uneasy alliance soon turns into a deep friendship that's founded on trust, and this partnership is the core of the story. So basically it's a buddy cop drama.

It reminds me somewhat of the Chinese animated series, Link Click, but so much better in terms of writing and charactertization. Unlike Link Click, Under the Skin makes an effort to build up its main characters, making them more relatable and sympathetic, so you know exactly who they are whether you like them or not. The cases they work on are even more intriguing and compelling. I found the story about the teenage girl who developed a crush on a tomboy thinking she was a real boy especially interesting. Considering that China has stringent censorship policies and homosexuality is taboo, I thought the writers did a good job writing about lesbianism without being too overt about it. I also rather liked the case regarding two women who plotted the murder of their abusive lover. The supporting characters are also well-written because I learned to care about what happens to them.

Generally speaking, the writing is pretty good. The dialogues, most especially, are written quite well. But there is stuff that defies logic no matter how they try to justify it. Some are too farfetched for me to even consider them plausible. I wish they had used more believable scenarios instead. The production value could've been better as well. But I'm willing to forgive those flaws because the good outweighs the bad.

All in all, this is a solid drama with great plot progression, acting, characterization, and screenplay. I give it a 9 out of 10. Season two is in the works so you can bet your bottom dollar that I will watch it the moment it hits streaming.

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An Underappreciated Gem

Under The Microscope is another engaging series that stars Zhang Ruoyun along with his Joy of Life co-stars, Wang Yang and Wu Gang. It is one of those shorter C-dramas that truly benefits from its 14-episode length. Unlike longer period dramas of its kind, this one has a simpler, albeit more socially relevant plot concerning issues that people can identify with even to this day. The story centers around an autistic mathematics genius named Shuai Jiamo as he uncovers an insidious plot that involves years of corruption and tax evasion of those who possess the most power and wealth. This continues to be a problem in our modern society so it's highly relatable. The rich become richer because they can get away with evading taxes and stealing land from the less fortunate, while the poor become poorer because they're the ones paying the taxes.

It didn't immediately catch my attention as there's a lot of serious talk about taxation, mathematical equations, and calculations in the beginning. As I'm mathematically dumb, my brain kept shutting down, and I tended to nod off while watching the first few episodes. So I had to take a break from it. It wasn't until episode 5 when it finally picked up for me, so to me, it is a bit of a slowburn. But that's just me. If you're interested in mathematics and accounting, then this is right up your alley. By the time it picks up, though, it doesn't stop and ends in a truly satisfying fashion that it leaves you feeling happy for the protagonists because the little people won against those in power. This is the only C-drama I've seen thus far that really sticks the landing. And that ending alone is one of the major reasons why it is on my top 10 most favorite C-dramas of all time.

The characters are complex and easily relatable despite them supposedly existing hundreds of years in the past. Jiamo has the innocence and purity of a child who has yet to learn what mischief is all about and Ruoyun plays him to perfection. As I suspect that his character suffers from autism, he is often seen musing or mumbling to himself as he calculates complicated equations in his head and tries to make sense of what he has discovered. But when he starts talking about mathematics, he lights up with so much gusto, imparting his expert knowledge in accounting like a child telling his favorite bedtime story. He is, for a lack of a better word, amazing in this role. Wang Yang, who plays the lawyer, Cheng Ren Qing, is equally brilliant. In the beginning, he made me feel so frustrated as he battles wits with Jiamo and foils his plans. But by the second act of the series, he starts singing a different tune and you, as part of the audience, begin to wonder what his actual deal is. I grew to love his character by the end, which was the exact opposite of how I felt for him initially. Wang Yang plays this dubious role with such skill that he makes you genuinely dislike him at the start but you end up cheering for him. Talk about great character development! Jiamo's loyal best friend, Feng Bao Yu, is one of my favorites. You first meet him as a spendthrift playboy whose only real goal in life is to go to gambling houses and kill as much time as he can. But as the series goes on, you see a significant change in him as he grows more mature and responsible. His loyalty to Jiamo is exemplary and most definitely his best trait. It's his relationship to Jiamo that motivates him to become a better man. He is one of the funnier and more adorable characters in the drama. I also found some of the public officers funny and endearing, especially the Magistrate. Simply put, the characters and actors are all great!

As far as production value is concerned, I don't think it has the biggest budget based on the costumes and sets. But I kinda like the grittier and more grounded look of the drama. It makes it more believable and more like a historical documentary than a dramatic series. The music I wasn't very fond of, though. It didn't stand out to me so I can't say much about it.

All in all, this is a wonderful short series that I would most definitely recommend to anyone willing to give it a shot. It has great acting all around and a gripping plot about tax evasion and the shameless machinations of those involved to cover up their crime. It's only 14 episodes so it's very bingeable.

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A Good Enough Sequel

I can't say I loved this second season as much as the first but it was nice to see these characters again. It felt very familiar and pretty much a direct sequel despite the recasts and some of the actors obviously looking much older, bulkier or thinner because of the 5-year gap between seasons. I still enjoyed it but it doesn't have the magic of the first season. That was truly lightning in a bottle. And like most sequels that are used as setups for the final installment, it does feel like it doesn't have a beginning or an ending. There are some things that are introduced in preparation for the succeeding season. Thus, this should be taken as a transitional piece.

More characters are introduced in this season and I'm glad I finally got to meet the other princes, the dashing eldest prince and the bumbling idiot that is the youngest prince. They are both likable to say the least. But I'm disappointed that some of them just came and went without much ceremony. Some of the older characters like Gao Da only appear in some scenes and never return, which is a shame because he was one of my favorites in the previous season. I guess they are there for fan service only, nothing more.

The writing this season is a little bit all over the place. While the dialogues, political machinations, and plot twists are still superb, the plot progression is kinda slow, some scenes are dull and lackluster without the fight choreography from the first season, and there are subplots that just go nowhere. There are more illogical and you-must-suspend-your-disbelief aspects as well. I really don't get Fan Xian's motivations sometimes and why the overarching plot about the divine temple, androids, futuristic knowledge, and other sci-fi elements are barely mentioned and seemingly abandoned. I blame the original writer for this because even in the book, it is never fully explained. Again, why put science fiction elements into a story but never fully explore them??? From a writing standpoint, that is a complete waste of a concept and just lazy writing, period! He obviously excels at writing political dramas, so why not just write exactly that? Why introduce science fiction at all? Methinks this writer just wanted to set himself apart from the many Chinese authors that write historical novels, hence the ice age and advanced nation plot. But he may not be well-versed in this field and could not be bothered to actually do some research and incorporate science into his book. Such a travesty!

The music, just like in the first season, is hit or miss with me. If the first season had latin music, this one has a yodeling theme that reminds me of The Sound of Music. If you've seen The Sound of Music and are familiar with its soundtrack, then you'd know what I mean. Just horrible horrible choice in music! The costumes this season are better, though. At least they look more organic and worn unlike the plasticky costumes from the previous season. The cinematography is still excellent. But while the cast is one of the best I've seen in any drama, there's one I would rather not see again. Gina Jin is an awful choice for Ye Ling Er. They should've never recasted that role. And then there's the yogurt product placement that just takes me out of the drama every time it appears on screen. They even keep talking about it, too. Word of Honor did the same thing but they did it in a way that was hilarious, thus I was able to forgive it.

As a whole, this was a fun second season and probably better than expected considering it's the middle season and that most sequels are not as good as the original. I just hope I won't have to wait more than 2 years for the finale.

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One of the best dramas I've ever seen, period!

Oh No, Here Comes Trouble! is a gem of a series and one of the few I rated a perfect 10 out of 10 because of the original plot, relatable and well-written characters with great character development, balanced pacing, praise-worthy acting, and excellent overall production quality. This is a heartwarming drama about family, friendship, growing up, and coming to grips with our own shortcomings and sadness.

The drama centers around a teenage slacker named Pu Yiyong, who dreams of becoming a comic book artist. He comes from a long line of innately talented traditional calligraphers who possess a unique power. This is where the creativity of the writer comes in as I have never seen such powers portrayed in that way in any media before, not in Japanese manga or anywhere else. After surviving a freak accident, he comes into these powers that allow him to see things ordinary humans cannot. In this world, human obsessions that are so strong can give life and manifest beings driven solely by these desires and longings. Only he can see and help release them from their prisons. One example of this creature is the one born out of people's wishes to protect their children while crossing an accident prone road. This being that exists in the spiritual world becomes somewhat of a patron saint or guardian of children crossing that road. These beings seek him out and request for his aid.

Pu Yiyong enlists the help of his friends and a policewoman who aspires to become an accomplished detective. Together they solve mysteries relating to these supernatural incidents and help both humans and spirits come to terms with their tragic experiences and move on. And in turn, they help him deal with his own personal problems. I love how his character matures as the series progresses. From an irresponsible and self-centered kid, he becomes a more reliable and emotionally intelligent adult who wouldn't think twice about extending a helping hand to those in need. In short, he transforms into the hero he only writes about in his comics.

The rest of the characters are equally great. His mother is such a badass woman, I can't help but like her. His dad is an awesome person inside and out. Watching him interact with his father made me feel all warm and fuzzy, reminding me of my relationship with my own father. I wish his relationship with his grandfather was a little more fleshed out, though. That's my only beef with this drama. His partnership with Chen Chuying is amusing and their banters are some of the funniest in this drama. But it's his rivalry/bromance with Cao Guangyuan that stood out to me. They go from being mortal enemies to best friends who positively affect each other's lives.

It's amazing how much I loved this drama when I used to avoid watching Taiwanese dramas in general because I found them overly cheesy and melodramatic with subpar acting. But this one hits all the right spots and more. One minute you're laughing out loud, the next minute you're bawling because of the well-placed tonal shifts. I have to give props to the writer for accomplishing this feat because tonal shifts can often feel disruptive and awkward.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this drama whether you like fantasy stories or not. It's one of the best dramas I've seen to date. I wish they'd make a second season. There are certainly more stories to tell.

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A Live Action Remake That Could've Been Better

Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed the anime version of Oshi No Ko. I thought it had an interesting enough concept and I loved that they showed the dark reality of the showbiz industry in Japan. But this live action version is a hot mess. I only watched this out of curiosity because I wanted to know how they'd adapt certain aspects of the story. I haven't read the manga so I don't know how it ends. I heard the ending is divisive to say the least. We'll see.

The story is about the most popular J-pop idol, her life, her achievements, her children and the people she affected, and her tragic death. But it also has bits of magical realism and fantastical elements in it since there's a reincarnation angle. Anyways, I can't really delve further into the plot because I've already spoiled a lot just by giving a brief background. Let's just say that the story is full of twists and turns, intrigues, scheming characters, murders, and disturbing events. In other words, it has a lot going on.

The anime did quite well in juggling all this, but the drama, with just 8 episodes in total, didn't. In fact, it nearly made it unwatchable for me. Like practically every anime live action done in Japan, it tries too hard to be like its animated counterpart and that's why most live action adaptations fail. Having (supposedly) naturally blonde-haired Japanese characters is way too uncanny valley for me. They look so unnatural in their blonde wigs, like dollar-store cosplayers attending an anime convention for kicks. The plot progression is weird and confusing with exposition dumps and mostly narration ruining the flow of the story and making it downright cheesy.

Thankfully, the acting was mostly good. I did like the two female leads and the actresses they chose to play them. The male lead is kinda cute. He reminds me so much of the Chinese actor, Xiao Zhan, so I can't complain. I hate how they infantalize women in this, though. I understand that many of them are teens. But come on! Do Japanese teens actually act and speak with annoying baby voices like grade school kids?! Yes, I know that's how it is in the manga and anime, but you see, this is live action where realism is important to sell your story and make it more relatable to the general audience. Japanese filmmakers/writers, in general, seem to have missed that fact. If only (mostly) fans of the source material, J-drama fans, and domestic viewers can understand and appreciate it, then it's not very well made. This is why Japanese media, for the most part, aren't suited for international consumption. They tend to stick to their own style of filmmaking and storytelling, and focus on creating content solely for their local audience.

I'm also disappointed that they took out certain parts and replaced them with far inferior substitutes. One very good example of this is their decision to not adapt the 2.5D stage play and turn it into a drama instead. I understand that the auditorium where the play was held no longer exists in Japan so they can't film there anymore, but they could've just used a regular stage. Stage play adaptations of manga/anime are massively popular in Japan. The drama could've capitalized on that and even promoted them to overseas fans by showcasing that industry in this drama. That was actually one of my favorite parts of the anime because it gave me a glimpse of how stage productions are done in Japan. Instead, they turned Tokyo Blade into a cheap live action drama and gave the actors uninspired and awful-looking costumes. They even changed the story of Tokyo Blade. Was it because of budget constraints? I don't know. I just can't get behind this change.

The dialogues are copy paste from the source material. But most of them fell flat for me because the scenes just didn't have the same impact as the ones in the anime. The payoff wasn't quite there either. The music I just didn't care for. Save for some of the rock songs used for the opening and ending themes, the music is utterly forgettable. As a matter of fact, I had to skip some of the “music video” type scenes because they felt so out of place imho.

This live action drama could've been brilliant if they had done it justice, made it more grounded and realistic, and had a better script, not to mention a more capable director at the helm. But sadly, it pales in comparison to the anime because it doesn't try to do something uniquely different. I wouldn't have minded slight changes to the plot and characterizations as long as they could make it work. They also crammed way too much stuff in just 8 episodes, making the drama feel rushed and underdeveloped. This is your garden variety live action adaptation that further justifies the idea that some things should not be turned into live action at all.

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A Food Drama With a Side of Romance

I'm a sucker for food dramas so this is right up my alley. It's like a cross between a historical drama and Food Wars minus the ecchi, so I had a great time watching this. The characters are endearing and the historical aspects quite intriguing. It made me dig deeper into the real history the story was based on and read pages of historical facts about the notorious Yeonsangun of Joseon. To me, this was a kind of elseworlds type of story, a “what if” the true events that transpired were distorted to fit the narrative of those in power. After all, history is written by the winners.

But alas, the writing in this is far from perfect. There are many suspend-your-disbelief moments, inconsistencies, and obviously contrived instances. But my biggest beef is that while it started with a bang, it ended with a whimper. I didn't mind that they spent too much time on the cooking as I saw this as a food drama with a side of romance and not the other way around. However, the ending was a bit of a letdown to me because they didn't even bother to show how the King ended up in modern-day Seoul, his misadventures prior to finally finding the love of his life, what happened after he disappeared in Joseon, and why he was allowed to travel to the future. I would've rather they ended with just them laying eyes on each other in a tearful poignant scene after showing those “missing” pieces of the puzzle. But they chose not to and so their reunion didn't really feel earned. I can forgive the hiccups in the writing, but the rushed ending, I cannot. They could've just made a special episode to wrap things up more properly. I mean, it was enjoying some of the highest ratings in a K-drama in the last 10 years, an additional episode would've been most welcome. In fact, it warranted one more episode.

Despite all its flaws, I can't deny the fact that this was one of the more entertaining K-dramas I've seen to date. It made me look forward to the next episode and it didn't bore me, not one bit. It's the kind of drama that you would definitely enjoy more if you just took it for what it was, a tropey, silly but fun little food drama/rom-com that had the old school and formulaic K-drama vibes.

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Finally, A Medical K-drama I Can Get Behind!

Let me start by saying that this is, by far, one of the most engaging K-dramas I've ever watched, and certainly one of the better written ones imho. To be honest, I don't think much of medical K-dramas because I generally find them too unrealistic, concentrating mostly on the romantic entanglements of the characters or intricacies of hospital politics. Yes, they're good entertainment but I found them too dragging because of all the romance, personal relationships, and side stories, which are very typical of your garden variety K-drama. This, however, got my undivided attention from the first few minutes. It's only 8 episodes long and it doesn't have a complicated plot but it expertly hooks and reels you in and you feel like an overeager fish that just can't resist the bait. You don't know much about the personal background of the main characters, but it doesn't matter because their motivations are made clear and they show enough personality on screen that you feel like you know them. Show don't tell, I always say. And they did so marvelously.

Dr. Baek Gang Hyeok is the epitome of an arrogant egotistic bastard who marches to the beat of his own drums and confidently believes in his acquired skills. But that's because he has practically seen and done everything, and he's most likely the best in his field. So he doesn't just talk the talk, but walks the walk too. He puts his money where his mouth is, so to speak. If the role had been played by a lesser actor, I wouldn't have gravitated to him like I did. But Ju Ji Hoon can act like a total asshole but still be charming and likeable. I don't know why, he just exudes that kind of red flag but irresistible aura ever since I saw him in Princess Hours many many years ago. Besides, I rather liked his gung-ho attitude and his character reminds me so much of Dr. Gregory House and I love that bastard! lol Like House, he exhibits undeniable vulnerability and humanity that I can't help but sympathize with his obsessive desire to save every patient, and to think I normally find characters with hero complex tiresome.

Some have mentioned that he's like an unrealistic Marvel comic book superhero with a scalpel. But you would be surprised to find out that there are indeed doctors that have all-knowing superhero-ish vibe to them. I remember looking up to my family doctor like some kind of god-sent savior because he used to just take one look at me and ask a few questions, and he would know exactly what was wrong with me. His knowledge and skills came from years of practice, experience, and studying. He was the best doctor I've ever had and was deemed one of the best general doctors among his peers. Sadly, they don't make doctors like him anymore. That's why I don't think Baek's character is totally unrealistic. Plus, he's actually based on a real-life trauma surgeon, Dr. Lee Guk Jong, whose feats in this field are recreated in this drama to pay tribute to his contribution to Korea's healthcare system.

Sure, there are fantastical elements in this drama. No movie or show is totally realistic, if they were, then they wouldn't be half as entertaining. Writers have to create drama and tension for theatrical purposes and that's fine. I certainly don't think doctors are allowed to practically duke it out inside an operating room. lol It's a drama, what do you expect?! Even reality TV shows are not real. I must admit the mercenary doctors subplot was a bit much. I suppose they could have done it differently to make it more believable because it's certainly possible. Many doctors are deployed overseas for medical missions in war zones, so it's not improbable for some of them to serve as medics for mercenary organizations. If they had toned down the James Bond-ish and comedic aspects, it would've made the series grittier and closer to reality.

Ha Young as Cheong Jang Mi was probably my favorite. Her quiet strength and determination made me love her so much. She perfectly exhibits the struggles of overworked (and underpaid) nurses who have to plaster a smile and act cheerful in front of their patients despite all the exhaustion and frustration from stress and working with very little rest. Unfortunately, they don't get enough credit for that. I have many friends who are nurses and I would only sit listening to them in horror at how they're forced to sleep for merely a few minutes in the most uncomfortable places. Heck, some of them had to sleep standing up!

Choo Young Woo also did well as Dr. Yang Jae Won. His character development was quite compelling. He grew so much from being the uncertain and panicky fellow who was contented settling for a safe course in this medical journey, to someone who wasn't afraid to take risks and do it with much gusto to boot. But the character with the best development is definitely Han Yu Rim. My god, I hated that prick in the beginning! But he grew on me and I started to root for him. I like that he's a devoted father and he knows how to show gratitude. Even their hospital director got my respect in the end.

The production value of the drama is one of the best I've seen. I can tell they spent money on making the hospital look as real as possible. The writing is solid with minor flaws here and there, but I can suspend my disbelief and forgive the faults. I'm no medical expert, so I can't say the procedures or terminology are realistic, but they made it feel natural that I could believe it.

I liked this drama as a whole. It's not perfect but it's entertaining from start to finish. It has great characters that I want to cheer for and the emotional beats left me teary-eyed. Hoping for a season 2! Let's go!

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An Idol Drama That's Unexpectedly Enjoyable

I initially expected to drop this drama by the second episode since I'm not huge on romance, not to mention I'm not overly fond of Esther Yu. But color me surprised, I actually ended up enjoying it! Not only did I enjoy watching it, it was all I could watch for the past week! I'm still not a fan of Esther Yu's, but she did manage to convince me that she can act (unlike some of her peers) because of this drama. She can actually speak without her usual cutesy “aegyo” voice and knock her dramatic scenes out of the park. But even with her childish mannerisms and squeaky voice, I somehow became less annoyed with her as the drama went on.

The real revelation in this drama is Ding Yuxi, though. I tried to watch two of his other dramas, Love You Seven Times, which I dropped (I don't even know why I considered watching it), and White Cat Legend, which I put on hold. They didn't pique my interest and I thought he didn't quite have that leading man charisma. Boy was I wrong! Mu Sheng is definitely his breakout role and he even stole the spotlight from his co-stars. Let's just say that I'm totally giving White Cat Legend another go after this.

Storywise, Love Game In Eastern Fantasy is pretty much an isekai reminiscent of series like Re: Zero and The Rising of the Shield Hero. One of the reasons why I decided to check this out is because I do like this subgenre of fantasy. True enough, it did grab my attention from the get-go. It follows an ordinary girl named Ling Miaomiao who somehow finds herself inside a novel written by her favorite author. And in order to return to her world, she must play a game of love and win the heart of the crabby and standoffish, Mu Sheng. She must maneuver her way into this world, join the demon hunting team led by Mu Yao, and learn how to fight demons to survive. The story within this world is nothing new, though. I've seen a lot of xianxia and xuanhuan dramas and read fantasy books that follow similar plots. But I have to give credit to the writers for making it seem fresh and entertaining. For an idol drama, it's actually pretty good.

In terms of production value, I can't say it breaks new ground, though. It looks and feels like every other idol C-drama I've seen. Even the sets are the same. I know I saw those exact same sets in The Double and probably from other dramas I can't recall right now. The music, for the most part, is good. But again, the song choices are pretty much the same as other idol dramas I've seen. I feel like one of the reasons why people liked this is because it's familiar. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel or do anything innovative. It relies solely on its well-established story, which was adapted from a popular novel, and the acting prowess and star power of its actors. I read somewhere that this is an S+ drama but I was disappointed to see the same production quality I normally find in other dramas of its kind. I expected it to actually have better CGI, costumes, cinematography, color grading, and set designs, but it doesn't.

I was also disappointed with the second couple. I'm sorry but they are sleep inducingly dull. Every time the main CP weren't on screen, I dozed off. Zhu Xudan is actually not bad as Mu Yao, but her partner is just plain meh. The actor who plays the second male lead looks half-dead throughout the drama. Sorry, but I think if they had gotten a more capable actor for that role, who actually has an ounce of chemistry with the second female lead, the second CP would've been far more interesting. I found myself getting bored every time the story focused on them. That rarely happens to me as I often find the second couple more engaging than the main couple. I just wasn't invested in them at all. The rest of the cast are great, though. The kid who plays Cuicui is so cute! And of course the veteran actors excelled in this.

Now for the ending. I can't say I liked it but I can't say I hated it either. I know many viewers complained that it ended abruptly with no real resolution or explanation. But I do get why they ended it the way they did. They don't need to show Miaomiao and Mu Sheng reuniting, it's already implied in that last scene. Of course we all want to see that happen, but the writers left the ending to our imagination. And in my book, they found each other again and they got their happy ending. That's what I choose to believe. I guess I'm used to open endings in Japanese stories that it didn't bother me one bit. I do understand the frustration of some of the viewers, though.

All in all, this is a cute romance drama that'll take you on an adventure in a magical world filled with demons and demon hunters. It'll make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with the first male lead. Oh wait, that's just me! Hahaha! I give this a solid 8 out of 10.

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A Faithful But Lackluster Adaptation of A Popular Sci-Fi Novel

Took me a while to write a review for Three Body because I honestly don't know how to start. All I know is that it's a deeply provocative drama about the nature of man. The drama is based on the Hugo Awardee science fiction novels by Liu Cixin entitled The Three Body Problem. It was also adapted by the same dudes who nuked Game of Thrones for Netflix. Sorry, I chose to forget their names. Hahahaha. I haven't seen that one yet so I can't say anything about that, but this C-drama version doesn't skimp on the science aspects of it. In fact, it never forgets to school you about physics, nanotechnology, space science, and so on. But the very core of this drama is about the good and evil side of humanity, our triumphs, failures, ability to create and destroy, and inability to appreciate life itself and see past our own flaws. The story follows an idealistic scientist specializing in nanotechnology and a scrappy police officer determined to get to the bottom of a series of murders connected to a particular cult-ish organization. At the center of this is a highly intelligent but troubled woman who made a regrettable mistake in her youth that led to a catastrophic mess involving the fate of humanity.

I like the drama for the most part as it is so brilliantly written that you'll either feel as if your IQ has increased after learning so much sciencey stuff or you're dumb AF because you can't comprehend any of it. Hahahaha! The characters are also well-fleshed out that I couldn't bring myself to hate even the antagonistic ones. Production-wise, it's pretty good but you can really tell that this drama could've used more budget for the CGI stuff. I found the computer generated imagery used in the scenes where they were inside the Three Body game very clunky and distractingly bad. The CGI versions of the characters showed very little emotion and moved awkwardly, I thought. They should've just used real actors for those scenes, it would've looked a lot better. This is one of the reasons I found the “game” scenes flat and dull. Another complaint of mine is they spend too much time inside the game with the characters being played by those horrid CGI versions of them. It was not interesting at all! I found myself dozing off every time they entered the game.

As a whole, this is a solid 8 drama and that's already a generous rating. The reason why I can't give it a higher score is because of the pacing. I watched the shortened version of the drama, cut down from 30 episodes in total to just 26, but I still found myself getting bored because of the slow pacing. I also felt that they should've made the science stuff more accessible to the masses, spelled it out in laymen's terms so to speak. I'm not saying they should've dumbed things down, just made them more comprehensible to those who aren't as well-versed in science. I understood the science elements for the most part but some flew over my head, and some I just didn't care for because I didn't feel like understanding them anyway. I was sick and tired of hearing the actors drone on and on about this and that. I think maybe the Netflix version did a better job at this. I haven't watched it yet so we'll see. But if you're into science, especially physics, then you'll appreciate this more, I suppose.

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