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This review may contain spoilers
Like Miao Miao's quest that's stuck at 99%
As mentioned in my headline, my feelings for this drama are stuck at 99%, and can't exactly pick out what the missing 1% is. Let me first point out all the strengths. The cinematography, music, CGI, stunts, costumes, make-up, and plot are all top-notch!
Firstly, their acting. All the actors and actresses expressed their characters very well. However, in my case, I'm not much of a fan of Esther Yu. I mean, I'm not very fond of her acting but she possesses her unique qualities. Yes, I watched her act, but sometimes don't feel very much convinced. It's a mixed feeling, but that's not always throughout the drama. Maybe it's because of her character? On the bright side, I loved her interactions with the father figure (the county official) the most. It was so heartwarming and beautiful. Ding Yu Xi? God... Just wow. The way he portrayed Mu Sheng/Ziji was on point! What attracted me most was his sad and crying scenes. His eyes say it all. Ziji's like a misunderstood child or a defensive cat, and his portrayal is convincing. Zhu Xu Dan and Yang Shi Ze also played their roles well, too. They're so well-matched! And my DuDu, she graced the small screen with her elegance as the mirror demon. So pretty! X3
Secondly, the costumes, hairdo, and make-up suit them all, even the supporting and guest roles looked extremely stunning in their unique fashions~ Be it the demons that popped up here and there, or the main and supporting characters we see all the time, the cast is donned perfectly from head to toe. They paid attention to all intricate details like the small hair pieces and braids the multiple layers of 'Hanfu' and extra accessories for every character. EVERYONE'S BEAUTIFUL!
Third, it's about the editing department. Cheers people. It's a 10/10 from me. This is one of the best, high-tiered level editing! I fell in love with how the transitions changed, the backgrounds, and especially when the characters used their powers. It didn't feel out of place. Everything's just flawlessly done. The OSTs are breathtaking, exciting, and bittersweet in some. Fighting scenes are so cool!
Lastly, the plot. As someone who's already read the novel version, I can see they've tweaked some, which I think is much better in terms of storytelling. I started reading the Manhua first actually, but the updates were SUPER SLOW! Hence, changed to the novel version. To be honest, the translations were bad so I couldn't make out much of the story back then but I do remember they changed several parts like where (1) Mu Sheng's dreams of Miao Miao (almost every time he sleeps X3 It was quite a torture for him in the novel & manhua), (2) Miao Miao's wedding (I'm not sure but I think there was no character named Zhao Ruo Shi in the original versions; Miao Miao was under the influence of the bracelet given by Mu Sheng), (3) the temple part (manhua & novel plot is about offering a bride or something, and both Mu Yao and Miao Miao fell victim. It happened quite early and MuSheng saved MuYao first, left Miao Miao to fend for herself, but came back for her. He still doesn't trust her yet when this happened), and etc. However, the storyline in the drama makes much more sense as an adaptation. The final ending scene reminds me of "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo", but with a more positive and hopeful feeling.
To sum up, I think the remaining 1% lies in my comparison between the drama version and the original novel & manhua versions. Afterall, it's best to enjoy them as stand-alone works. Mix them up? You won't feel as content as you'd thought. They shine in their own right and I'd say LGIEF is a masterpiece with great potential.
Firstly, their acting. All the actors and actresses expressed their characters very well. However, in my case, I'm not much of a fan of Esther Yu. I mean, I'm not very fond of her acting but she possesses her unique qualities. Yes, I watched her act, but sometimes don't feel very much convinced. It's a mixed feeling, but that's not always throughout the drama. Maybe it's because of her character? On the bright side, I loved her interactions with the father figure (the county official) the most. It was so heartwarming and beautiful. Ding Yu Xi? God... Just wow. The way he portrayed Mu Sheng/Ziji was on point! What attracted me most was his sad and crying scenes. His eyes say it all. Ziji's like a misunderstood child or a defensive cat, and his portrayal is convincing. Zhu Xu Dan and Yang Shi Ze also played their roles well, too. They're so well-matched! And my DuDu, she graced the small screen with her elegance as the mirror demon. So pretty! X3
Secondly, the costumes, hairdo, and make-up suit them all, even the supporting and guest roles looked extremely stunning in their unique fashions~ Be it the demons that popped up here and there, or the main and supporting characters we see all the time, the cast is donned perfectly from head to toe. They paid attention to all intricate details like the small hair pieces and braids the multiple layers of 'Hanfu' and extra accessories for every character. EVERYONE'S BEAUTIFUL!
Third, it's about the editing department. Cheers people. It's a 10/10 from me. This is one of the best, high-tiered level editing! I fell in love with how the transitions changed, the backgrounds, and especially when the characters used their powers. It didn't feel out of place. Everything's just flawlessly done. The OSTs are breathtaking, exciting, and bittersweet in some. Fighting scenes are so cool!
Lastly, the plot. As someone who's already read the novel version, I can see they've tweaked some, which I think is much better in terms of storytelling. I started reading the Manhua first actually, but the updates were SUPER SLOW! Hence, changed to the novel version. To be honest, the translations were bad so I couldn't make out much of the story back then but I do remember they changed several parts like where (1) Mu Sheng's dreams of Miao Miao (almost every time he sleeps X3 It was quite a torture for him in the novel & manhua), (2) Miao Miao's wedding (I'm not sure but I think there was no character named Zhao Ruo Shi in the original versions; Miao Miao was under the influence of the bracelet given by Mu Sheng), (3) the temple part (manhua & novel plot is about offering a bride or something, and both Mu Yao and Miao Miao fell victim. It happened quite early and MuSheng saved MuYao first, left Miao Miao to fend for herself, but came back for her. He still doesn't trust her yet when this happened), and etc. However, the storyline in the drama makes much more sense as an adaptation. The final ending scene reminds me of "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo", but with a more positive and hopeful feeling.
To sum up, I think the remaining 1% lies in my comparison between the drama version and the original novel & manhua versions. Afterall, it's best to enjoy them as stand-alone works. Mix them up? You won't feel as content as you'd thought. They shine in their own right and I'd say LGIEF is a masterpiece with great potential.
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