Not Perfect, But Worth the Watch!
This drama has been one of the most anticipated ones in recent years, and the hype was honestly huge. I’ve seen a lot of people disappointed, but let me share my take.
First off, I didn’t read the novel, so everything I say is purely based on the drama. For me, the plot itself is solid. The thing is, this show already went through so many issues before it even aired. One of the supporting actors got into a scandal, was removed, and even imprisoned—so his character ended up being replaced by AI. On top of that, because the original story had a “rebirth” element (which isn’t allowed in China), the drama was supposed to have 40 episodes but was cut down to 36. That actor’s role was actually important to the leads, so losing his scenes definitely affected the overall flow.
Another point a lot of fans keep bringing up is the female lead’s appearance. People complain she looks “too feminine” to convincingly pass as a man. But honestly, this is a drama—suspension of disbelief is part of the deal. Acting and story matter more to me than just physical appearance. And compared to other dramas I’ve seen, the casting here isn’t bad at all. They didn’t go out of their way to make her look overly girly—it’s just that her features are naturally delicate.
Now about the story. I’ll admit, it does get messy at times. The title “Legend of the Female General” doesn’t exactly fit, because while He Yan’s journey to reclaim her status is central, the plot also scatters into other directions. It sometimes feels more like “two generals facing off” than her personal legend. Honestly, with how much story there is, they should’ve extended it to 50+ episodes. There are so many questions left unanswered that probably only the novel explains.
But on the positive side, I actually enjoyed it. The leads are smart, and the villains never really outplay them, which was refreshing. Both the ML and FL are equally strong, whether in strategy or in fighting.
Acting-wise, Cheng Lei—I’ve only seen him in “Journey to You,” and he feels almost the same here. Personally, I find him a bit stiff, but maybe that’s just the character. Zhou Ye, though, really delivered. Despite criticisms that she’s too petite for the role, I think she carried it well.
The fight scenes are hands down one of the best parts—very well done. The music was also on point.
Overall, this drama isn’t as bad as some make it sound. I understand where the criticisms are coming from, but for me, it’s still worth checking out.
First off, I didn’t read the novel, so everything I say is purely based on the drama. For me, the plot itself is solid. The thing is, this show already went through so many issues before it even aired. One of the supporting actors got into a scandal, was removed, and even imprisoned—so his character ended up being replaced by AI. On top of that, because the original story had a “rebirth” element (which isn’t allowed in China), the drama was supposed to have 40 episodes but was cut down to 36. That actor’s role was actually important to the leads, so losing his scenes definitely affected the overall flow.
Another point a lot of fans keep bringing up is the female lead’s appearance. People complain she looks “too feminine” to convincingly pass as a man. But honestly, this is a drama—suspension of disbelief is part of the deal. Acting and story matter more to me than just physical appearance. And compared to other dramas I’ve seen, the casting here isn’t bad at all. They didn’t go out of their way to make her look overly girly—it’s just that her features are naturally delicate.
Now about the story. I’ll admit, it does get messy at times. The title “Legend of the Female General” doesn’t exactly fit, because while He Yan’s journey to reclaim her status is central, the plot also scatters into other directions. It sometimes feels more like “two generals facing off” than her personal legend. Honestly, with how much story there is, they should’ve extended it to 50+ episodes. There are so many questions left unanswered that probably only the novel explains.
But on the positive side, I actually enjoyed it. The leads are smart, and the villains never really outplay them, which was refreshing. Both the ML and FL are equally strong, whether in strategy or in fighting.
Acting-wise, Cheng Lei—I’ve only seen him in “Journey to You,” and he feels almost the same here. Personally, I find him a bit stiff, but maybe that’s just the character. Zhou Ye, though, really delivered. Despite criticisms that she’s too petite for the role, I think she carried it well.
The fight scenes are hands down one of the best parts—very well done. The music was also on point.
Overall, this drama isn’t as bad as some make it sound. I understand where the criticisms are coming from, but for me, it’s still worth checking out.
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