This review may contain spoilers
IT STARTED SO GOOD BUT...
Despite its low ratings, I immediately dove into "1000 Years Old" because I rarely let ratings dictate my viewing choices.
This series tells the whimsical story of Pun, a goofy, unserious 900-year-old vampire, and Yoh, a student obsessed with aliens. Yoh's curiosity about Pun leads him to follow the vampire to a pork blood soup diner, eventually prompting him to move into the same apartment building.
While 1000 Years Old features a vampire, there's no need to brace for scares. This series is a lighthearted, funny, and at times silly watch with just a touch of drama. The humor often lands, and thankfully, the acting is not cringeworthy unlike some other vampire shows (yes, "OMG Vampire," I'm looking at you!). I particularly enjoyed witnessing the delightful friendship that blossomed between Pun, Yoh, Kaemsai, and Shin.
Honestly, this show could have been titled "HAIL PORK BLOOD SOUP" given its central role in the story, lol!
The acting is decent, not particularly compelling, but certainly not bad. However, the series suffers from a slow burn pace that could be frustrating for some.
Despite the pacing issues, 1000 Years Old managed to keep me engaged up until episode 8.
It was a pleasant surprise to realize that the director of this series also helmed "I Will Knock You" and "2gether the series." While "2gether" left me disappointed, "I Will Knock You" just satisfied me.
Character Insights
Pun:
Pun is a sweet, kind-hearted, and refreshingly innocent 900-year-old vampire. He boasts a messy but colorful room and a surprisingly fashionable style, a unique blend for a half-human, half-vampire. He's also the proud owner of a black cat. I found myself instantly drawn to his character, and it felt like the attraction between him and Yoh was mutual. Pun's past struggles centered on his inability to die, but after meeting Yoh and opening the pork blood soup business, he finally feels a sense of purpose. He's the only vampire I know who openly declares his vampirism to anyone, though, amusingly, no one ever believes him! For a vampire, he's incredibly calm and sweet, yet a voracious eater of pork blood. It makes you wonder what his livelihood was before the pork blood soup business.
Yoh:
Yoh is a university student with an alien obsession, shared by his group of friends. While he has a keen eye for detail, his character can be quite annoying, especially his nosiness when it comes to Pun. In the earlier episodes, he constantly devises ways to prove Pun is a vampire, from placing crucifixes on doors to giving Pun a bunch of garlic. His behavior often veers into stalker-like territory: wanting to see Pun at the diner, moving into his apartment, and even searching his name online. It's frustrating to watch him accuse Pun of killing people in the neighborhood one minute, only to barge into Pun's room to sleep the next. For a university student, Yoh comes across as surprisingly dim-witted. He seems oblivious to Pun's obvious flirting and advances, and inexplicably, he's unaware of the health benefits of eating pork blood. His younger sister, in contrast, appears far more sensible. Yoh even jeopardizes Pun by bringing him in to the police. He doesn't take anything seriously when it comes to Pun, pivoting from alien obsession to vampire obsession, and he shows little consideration for Pun's feelings, either playing ignorant or simply being plain stupid. The relationship between Pun and Yoh often felt shallow to me, with Pun clearly more invested and Yoh failing to reciprocate his energy. Yoh's character almost made me give up on the series entirely.
Observations:
I found myself pondering a few things:
* How does a 900-year-old vampire know so little about vampires, their dangers to humans, or even how to ride a train?
* The series started to drag significantly around episode 8. It would have benefited from fewer episodes, focusing only on the crucial scenes. It felt as though the story was stretched merely to fill all 12 episodes.
* Yoh's continued testing of Pun, despite already believing he's a vampire, made little sense, especially with Pun passively allowing it.
* Yoh's inability to express himself clearly was also incredibly annoying and contributed to the slow pace of the show.
* How come the vampires' wedding was held in a Catholic church?
* While the series started strong, the writing became noticeably duller as it progressed into the later episodes.
* The twist at the end turns out to be interesting as it explores reincarnation.
On a positive note, the cinematography and production value were excellent. The vibrant and colorful environment perfectly complemented the overall mood of the series.
Don't go into 1000 Years Old expecting anything spicy; it's from the same director as "2gether" and "I Will Knock You," after all! 😋
At its core, 1000 Years Old offers a bit of everything – romance, friendship, and of course, vampire antics. The overarching lesson to be learned is one of perseverance and following your heart's desires, alongside a celebration of the deep friendships formed between the characters.
This series tells the whimsical story of Pun, a goofy, unserious 900-year-old vampire, and Yoh, a student obsessed with aliens. Yoh's curiosity about Pun leads him to follow the vampire to a pork blood soup diner, eventually prompting him to move into the same apartment building.
While 1000 Years Old features a vampire, there's no need to brace for scares. This series is a lighthearted, funny, and at times silly watch with just a touch of drama. The humor often lands, and thankfully, the acting is not cringeworthy unlike some other vampire shows (yes, "OMG Vampire," I'm looking at you!). I particularly enjoyed witnessing the delightful friendship that blossomed between Pun, Yoh, Kaemsai, and Shin.
Honestly, this show could have been titled "HAIL PORK BLOOD SOUP" given its central role in the story, lol!
The acting is decent, not particularly compelling, but certainly not bad. However, the series suffers from a slow burn pace that could be frustrating for some.
Despite the pacing issues, 1000 Years Old managed to keep me engaged up until episode 8.
It was a pleasant surprise to realize that the director of this series also helmed "I Will Knock You" and "2gether the series." While "2gether" left me disappointed, "I Will Knock You" just satisfied me.
Character Insights
Pun:
Pun is a sweet, kind-hearted, and refreshingly innocent 900-year-old vampire. He boasts a messy but colorful room and a surprisingly fashionable style, a unique blend for a half-human, half-vampire. He's also the proud owner of a black cat. I found myself instantly drawn to his character, and it felt like the attraction between him and Yoh was mutual. Pun's past struggles centered on his inability to die, but after meeting Yoh and opening the pork blood soup business, he finally feels a sense of purpose. He's the only vampire I know who openly declares his vampirism to anyone, though, amusingly, no one ever believes him! For a vampire, he's incredibly calm and sweet, yet a voracious eater of pork blood. It makes you wonder what his livelihood was before the pork blood soup business.
Yoh:
Yoh is a university student with an alien obsession, shared by his group of friends. While he has a keen eye for detail, his character can be quite annoying, especially his nosiness when it comes to Pun. In the earlier episodes, he constantly devises ways to prove Pun is a vampire, from placing crucifixes on doors to giving Pun a bunch of garlic. His behavior often veers into stalker-like territory: wanting to see Pun at the diner, moving into his apartment, and even searching his name online. It's frustrating to watch him accuse Pun of killing people in the neighborhood one minute, only to barge into Pun's room to sleep the next. For a university student, Yoh comes across as surprisingly dim-witted. He seems oblivious to Pun's obvious flirting and advances, and inexplicably, he's unaware of the health benefits of eating pork blood. His younger sister, in contrast, appears far more sensible. Yoh even jeopardizes Pun by bringing him in to the police. He doesn't take anything seriously when it comes to Pun, pivoting from alien obsession to vampire obsession, and he shows little consideration for Pun's feelings, either playing ignorant or simply being plain stupid. The relationship between Pun and Yoh often felt shallow to me, with Pun clearly more invested and Yoh failing to reciprocate his energy. Yoh's character almost made me give up on the series entirely.
Observations:
I found myself pondering a few things:
* How does a 900-year-old vampire know so little about vampires, their dangers to humans, or even how to ride a train?
* The series started to drag significantly around episode 8. It would have benefited from fewer episodes, focusing only on the crucial scenes. It felt as though the story was stretched merely to fill all 12 episodes.
* Yoh's continued testing of Pun, despite already believing he's a vampire, made little sense, especially with Pun passively allowing it.
* Yoh's inability to express himself clearly was also incredibly annoying and contributed to the slow pace of the show.
* How come the vampires' wedding was held in a Catholic church?
* While the series started strong, the writing became noticeably duller as it progressed into the later episodes.
* The twist at the end turns out to be interesting as it explores reincarnation.
On a positive note, the cinematography and production value were excellent. The vibrant and colorful environment perfectly complemented the overall mood of the series.
Don't go into 1000 Years Old expecting anything spicy; it's from the same director as "2gether" and "I Will Knock You," after all! 😋
At its core, 1000 Years Old offers a bit of everything – romance, friendship, and of course, vampire antics. The overarching lesson to be learned is one of perseverance and following your heart's desires, alongside a celebration of the deep friendships formed between the characters.
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