scientiae

Compared to all the other shenmo-type dramas I've tried watching, this is by far the best. It's a pretty low bar, unfortunately. The production values are unparalleled for the genre and close to Longest Day in Chang'an's. The actors are better than most other young actors of their generation (which, again, makes it a pretty low bar they must pass), the stars of other "idol dramas" who are cast for their faces, not their talents. Does that make this a perfect drama? By no means. But is it a fun watch that offers a not-too-shabby Chinese alternative to Harry Potter? Definitely.

Qingshan looks 13. Mu Chen looks 16.

But what's your point? Does that invalidate the drama for you? A drama which, indeed, is about students in a school!

Thanks. Must've been a pretty significant typo for them to correct it. I don't know if I've ever seen a single episode of any drama without plenty. I'm on episode 19 right now, so I guess I'll go with the edited version when I get to it.

Episode 20 has two versions on YouTube, one marked "Edited". Anybody know what's going on with that?

Not familiar with the young actors? You've definitely missed out. They are my three favorites. Leo Wu is probably my favorite Chinese actor (tied with William Yang), having starred in my first Chinese series, Fights Break Sphere, while Lareina Song has become my favorite actress after such productions as Novoland and, more specifically, The Dark Lord. Kerry Wang was great in Eagles and Youngster.

I really hope this airs soon. I need one of these historical epics to fall into.

I'll take statues over the "interesting" delivery of Handsome Siblings, where they so painfully overact that I can't even bring myself to keep watching it.

Actually got released! First two episodes are on YouTube (raw).

If you look at each book individually on Wikipedia, they have lists of adaptations, if that helps.

This is a bizarrely appealing poster. It looks like something you'd expect from a good show. It isn't hyping the looks of the stars; it is simple, emotional, and inviting. It looks mature and intimate. I just hope the filmmakers did as good a job at conveying all this as did the poster-maker.

I just hope this is comparable in quality to the 2017 Legend of the Condor Heroes. That's the show that made me fall in love with China and Chinese and indelibly changed my life. It has been a great sadness that I can find nothing else nearly as good as LOCH. I don't expect many stories in any language to compete, but just the high quality and feeling of youthful joy that I felt throughout the series, that is what I yearn for from this.

Gotta wonder if maybe there are some better holiday-watching shows that didn't make the cut, not being available via Kocowa.

No, I don't think the subtitles were up yet when I wrote that comment. Haven't checked yet. But I tried a few different shows - L.O.R.D., Young Blood and I think one or two others - and gave up within minutes because, frankly, the Chinese made more sense to me than the English (which should never be the case, my Chinese isn't that good to begin with!).

Yeah, but they have the worst quality subtitles I've ever seen. We'd honestly be better without iQiyi doing subtitles, because then somebody who actually knows both English and Chinese might be doing it, rather than Google Translate.

I get the feeling that the vast majority of CGI-using movies and dramas of the last 20 years would have been better had CGI never been born. A few have good, high quality CGI. Most have nasty, distracting, cartoonish CGI that ruins the entire feel of the show. Puppets, models, wires, imagination, all vastly superior to the majority of CGI.

It is an adaptation of the novel by Jin Yong (AKA Louis Cha), who also wrote such classics as Legend of the Condor Hero, Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, and Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

I still see no indication outside of MDL that this show has yet had set a release date. Additionally, Baike suggests the show has several fewer episodes than indicated herein.

I know, so sad: It has been so long since last we've had a decent wuxia drama to watch.

A little bit too slapstick, but still a fun plot, while featuring some hypocrisy in the form of snake-meat eating monks. It was the little things I liked, like the worm and the birds, while the fighting was a little too - shall we say - extreme.

Highly recommended. It is on Amazon with clear as day picture quality, Mandarin audio, English subs. A good enough story, if a little small compared to the expansive wuxia dramas China used to release (and hopefully will begin to release again).

The countdown is on to see if we finally get another wuxia. Any bets it'll be pulled last minute?