Reviews

Great story with weak ending

I enjoyed the majority of this drama. It was bite sized, had great actors and the story was mostly enjoyable.
If you want to watch a couple manipulate each other, watch the FL to suffer and an overall toxic situation, you are in for a treat.
However, the ending felt a little rushed and as much as I like happy endings, this seemed a little weak.

(Heavy spoilers ahead)

Having our SFL kill her lover who has suffered any humiliation for her and was just lovable, felt a little over the top. I understand she just kinda broke, but it seemed quite unnecessary.
Also Pei Ji forcing our FL to stab him, even if it was to have her pardoned from treason, was a bit too dramatic. Him surviving that as well bothered me. I think either him not forcing her, him taking his own life (even faking it) or him actually dying would've likely been more impactful.

That's my only real issue to be honest.
I still recommend watching this drama.

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A recipe with too many ingredients

It’s a story packed with too many ideas, but the poor execution left me disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely good elements, and it was entertaining in the beginning, at least until about halfway through. After that, it went downhill fast. It honestly felt like two different writers worked on the script. The first half was brilliant, while the second half was painfully bad. If I didn’t know the production spent 300 million on this project, I’d have thought it was a low-budget drama. The cinematography was average. The wardrobe was average too (some side characters literally wore one costume for the entire show). They would change XQS's hair in one scene and change again on the next without reason. The editing was sloppy. The saving grace of the show was the fight scenes and fight choreography.

There are many more points I could bring up, but I’d have to rewatch episodes to fact-check, and I honestly have no interest in doing that, so I’ll leave those out. Here are the main thoughts that stuck with me:

First, I didn’t like how some of XQS’s greatest achievements, despite him being smart and quick-witted, ended up coming down to sheer luck: swallowing a 60-year power pill, being bitten by a mysterious white snake, receiving power from eight heroes, and so on.

Towards the end, I couldn’t understand why Chief Li knowingly drank the poisoned wine, then went back to the palace again fully aware he’d have to face the same poison and might not survive. He’s supposed to be one of the most powerful figures, yet he came across as utterly defeated. On top of that, the Emperor who gave him the poisoned wine acted surprised and even saddened when he learned of Chief Li’s death. It really makes me question the credibility of the writers.

A lot of questionable choices were made. Characters with strong martial arts skills and big entrances were introduced, only to be taken out by trivial things... Crazy Yan, Chief Li, Rong-er, etc. And just before the final fight between XQS and his second brother, why bother with the sand timer on General Wu instead of just killing him off directly?

The show also hinted at a love triangle between Tang Gege (LSF), Tang Fang, and Red Phoenix, then abandoned it, only to patch it up in the final episodes as if it were an afterthought. Honestly, I started losing interest once the story shifted direction and introduced a new villain, while suddenly making the old villains into “misunderstood good guys.” Their past crimes against the heroes were brushed aside and forgotten. For example, if it weren’t for the Power Gang, the Xiaos wouldn’t have been trapped in the safe house without water and would still be alive. But all was forgiven just because they preserved the bodies (of people they helped kill) as evidence and helped track down the killer. If I were XQS, I’d have held them accountable, maybe made them clean the graves every day for ten years or something.

LSF’s hatred of the Xiao family was so extreme that destroying them consumed his every thought. Yet he never truly got revenge on the person behind the massacre, nor did he apologize to the people he wrongly blamed, especially the Xiaos. He caused a lot of damage, but there was no “I’m sorry.” They just swept it under the rug. And with that, LSF’s purpose was lost. The feud between XQS and LSF disappeared without closure, and LSF ended up as a useless character. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one looking forward to their big showdown.

Another disappointing aspect was the lack of a strong sense of brotherhood. It was there, yes, and their friendship was solid, but within the trio, XQS shone brightly while the other two felt like dim little fireflies, simply existing in the background.

By the time the new villain came around, I had lost focus completely. He felt like just another bad guy I couldn’t care about, and I only kept watching to finish the story. There were still good moments here and there, but overall, the mishandling of the storytelling left me unsatisfied.

And a small rant: whoever invented that drinking cup/saucer design clearly intended half the drink to spill on the ground as an offering to ancestors, because otherwise it’s just a terrible design. The tea cups were perfectly fine. 😅 Okay, don’t come for me on that one, it was a joke.

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I saw no one give a review

First of all, I watched this drama because of zhang kangle. But, I like Jiang Wenhuan, Chong Yibiao and Asi character.

Sum up ;
Fresh youthful vibes – The drama feels energetic and focuses on friendship, dreams, and youthful passion.

Mix of history + light fantasy – Although set in a historical background, it’s not too heavy on politics, leaning more toward adventure and camaraderie.

New but lively cast – Most actors aren’t big names, but their acting is natural, and the chemistry between the group of friends feels genuine. And Li Zhouzhao actings really delivered a mix feelings coz how's he handle the scene.

But ...

1. Some of the eps feel a little bit draggy with filler like moments, while others rush through key developments.
2. Low-budget CGI - Scenes that should look epic (battle sequences, magical elements, wide landscapes) feel cheap or unfinished. Instead of enhancing the story, the effects sometimes distract viewers. [ Reminds tht this drama shoot 5 years ago ]
3. Kunwu’s portrayal – His delivery can feel stiff or unnatural at times, which breaks immersion. Some scenes that should be intense or emotional instead feel awkward. Maybe he's still new to industry, but honestly he just looks so awkward. But his acting really improved in LOTFG
4. Shallow conflicts – Villains and obstacles often lack depth, so the stakes don’t feel that high. I can said the some of the villains so unnecessary and that Gongsun Wuyu story is unworthy.

Sum up characters -

Jiang wenhuan - a good leader, he often thought about his members esp kunwu. And i like his character. His acting might not be so good but he handled his job.

Kunwu - first thought, during their first meeting with wenhuan i just feel his character is weird. Maybe because he is portrayed as a protagonist

Chong yibiao - his look so fierce.Wiser than others, often the voice of reason. He brings balance, though his arc isn’t as fleshed out. But his betrayal so unnecessary

E shun - useless stand still character even he helped asi ( if i can choose, i choose kunwu ) He even didn't met yibiao till his last breathe

Xinjia - his character is like an entertainer of the group. A warm, supportive presence among the youths. More grounded, but doesn’t have much standout character growth.

Asi - She so loyal! The comic relief and loyal companion. Brings lighthearted moments, though sometimes feels like filler.Symbolizes friendship and loyalty in its purest form.

Gongsun wuyu - One of the supposed “big villains.” Generic and cliché in execution — power-hungry, but without depth.More noisy than dangerous, so never really scary. No wonder I hate her from day 1

Jiang wenfeng - useless. He so underdeveloped — he could have been a layered character with conflict, but ends up flat.Feels like wasted potential.

Guxi - the good helper. Strong-willed, caring, and righteous — balances the boys’ impulsiveness. One of the more likable characters, though romance arcs around her feel undercooked. Luckily she killed the stupid king

Zhong li - is he a king? Should have been a commanding political figure, but is bland and passive.Adds little tension — a “useless king” archetype.

Yiyao - Elegant and intelligent, but somewhat distant. Could have been a mysterious female ally, but her depth isn’t fully explored. Works more as supporting eye-candy than a driver of plot. Her death so unnecessary

Ning ziyu - Villain but ain't villaining? Ambitious but shallow — his plotting feels predictable.More of an annoying antagonist than a true mastermind.
...
The Dauntless Youths is a light, feel-good historical adventure with themes of friendship, loyalty, and youthful courage. But it suffers from weak acting (especially Kunwu), cheap CGI, shallow villains, and underdeveloped character arcs.

If you watch it for fun, camaraderie, and bright youthful vibes, it’s enjoyable in a casual way. But if you’re expecting epic wuxia, strong political intrigue, or polished acting/visuals, it will likely disappoint.

And if you ask romance, this drama aren't a romance drama.

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Best things come in pairs… and season 3 proves the third time is definitely not the charm!

Season 3 landed, and honestly, it struggled to justify its return. The surface-level spectacle is undeniable...the visuals remain stylish, the action choreography is polished and the CGI is praiseworthy. But once the gloss wears off, what remains is a story that seems desperate to convince that it still has depth, when in reality it’s just circling the same drain with more expensive props.

Starting with the positives, I enjoyed most of the games. Following the legacy of the previous two seasons, they were imaginative, tense and shot well. The sets were grand, and the larger-than-life vibes were definitely there. The adrenaline rush was present, reminding me what made AIB unique.

But once that wears off, I found it a bit underwhelming. The main issue was the set up itself especially Usagi's return to the Borderland. The reason wasn't justified enough, plus the idea of dealing with trauma and getting closure was very questionable. She was always this resilient, voice of reason kind of person and grounding force for Arisu, but the writers kind of shoved her emotional arc into the background.

Arisu was still the guy trying to strategise his way out of impossible games and succeeding. He really tries to keep it together, but life keeps dealing him impossible hands and somehow, he still manages to play them like a pro.

In previous seasons, seeing them together gave a humane side to all the chaos and tension. Like an escape for us and them...but this season that bond felt eroded and side-lined. In theory, yes, we did see them together, but it barely translated on screen.

We were also introduced to new characters this season and sadly, most of them didn't leave an impact on me and felt like background noise. Some have tragic backstories, sure, but with barely any screen time, it’s hard to actually care. I still remember deaths from season 1 and not from season 3 that I watched yesterday and it is self-explanatory.
You know how we discard the Joker card while playing most games. I had hoped this season would give the Joker card some real weight, but instead, it turned out to be the weakest leader we had so far.
Ryuji caught my attention as a character but the story never fully allowed him to shine. Whether it was the six-episode format or the uneven pacing, many of his traits and potential arcs felt rushed or underexplored.

And then there’s the great “mystery” of Borderland. I was hoping this would flip the tables for me but why give clear answers when you can always drown us in psychological symbolism that looks fancy at first glance but ultimately is all smoke and mirrors.

By the end, instead of feeling like I had been on a gripping, mind-bending journey, I felt like someone had reheated leftovers from the first two seasons. It technically fed me, but there was no flavour.

Acting-wise, it was good. We have some big names in the cast, and they deliver. It's the writing that held them back. The visuals are really good and polished. Also, Netflix needs to stop milking every golden goose. First Squid Game and now this... *sigh*

So would I recommend it? Honestly, yes and no. If you have already come this far, I am sure it's hard not to give in. It's not unwatchable, but if next to its predecessors, it's pale and weak.
But if you are new and considering starting from season 1...I would recommend to stop at season 2.

Thank you for reading my review! <3

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Better than expected

I LOVED it, even slightly more than I thought I would.

Japanese romcoms are usually a hit or miss, so I keep a my expectations within reach because I don't like dropping dramas, and Jdramas tend to be short most of the time so I can safely say it was a safe choice to pick it up.

Surprisingly, this was much more than just average romcom.

1- I loved the story, cast and execution.
Pros: You almost rarely find a drama that has everything, acting was great, story was well executed, cast had great chemistry, no annoying characters or huge misunderstandings, not boring and can be binged easily.
Cons: they danced around the parent acceptance topic, but it can be discarded as they showed their point, "some old folks would accept Cross-Dressing and some wouldn't, let's show that and end it here."

Which is also something I really liked and was surprised to see in asian dramas, specifically in Japan, they always shows one side, either too accepting or against all the way, like, parents are against an idea and that's it, nothing else, but showing another parent that accepts the foreign idea or different preferences is a good addition.
So it's not old people Vs young people, it's just opinions of different people despite their age.

2- Cross-Dressing in a straight drama
Pros: this would really sound weird but I'm glad this wasn't a BL, I watch BL I've actually seen too many, but cross dressing would be for gays only or the feminine males that wanted to be women or feel like women, act like one and be pretty, that's not the case here and i loved that, mainly all drag queens or cross dressers were gay men, but I find it refreshing that also straight men can also do whatever they want, dress and do makeup whatever they like, and also be normal straight men, the duality of the character was like a breath of fresh air.

Cons: not really a con, but there is no background story for the ML and why he love drag, I don't know if it was in the source material but I would like to see that.

3- not the average route for romcoms.
Pros: I think at this point we all were expecting the breakup then getting back together at the end of the series, fortunately, that didn't happen. Also I like that once they got together everything went fast, they didn't drag the story more than necessary, everything was good and happy ending.


I believe those are the main reason I rate this drama high, for me it's quite different than average romcom dramas, not that it's way better, but simply it fixed what usually bothers me in other Japanese dramas, that's why I highly recommend this drama ~~

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Self-sabotage and for what

Had potential with the tropes and whatnot. Definitely didn’t live up to that potential, though.

Acting:

So like, not horrendous, for sure. But, how did I put it? I could feel they were acting a lot of the time, ya know? Like it was watching an actor playing a character rather than watching a character played by an actor, does that make sense? So not the best acting all around. Perth and Nat did great with their scenes, though. But obviously they weren’t in much of the story.

Writing:
I struggled to love the characters. Palm was FAR too submissive and docile all around. I needed him to grow some fight or something but he stayed the same the whole time. Also, there was 0 mystery as to who the culprit was, which would be fine if anyone was doing anything about it. The conflict was a little too one-sided for too long. Like everyone involved knew who it was but for some reason didn’t do anything about it? And I understand that they wanted Chopper to have his big boy moment and everything, but the decisions they had to make for that to happen didn’t make much sense. Drama logic a little too drama logicy in here. 100% of the conflicts in the relationship between young master and Palm were caused by self-sabotage by one of those dumb asses. Self-sabotage conflicts need a certain type of story for them to be done well and this is not that type of story. I think it was trying to be too many things here.

Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:

There’s something there. I think they worked well in the first few episodes with the whole strangers to forced proximity to maybe friendsish to pining idiots. I love a good pining idiots situation. But, I didn’t get high levels of chemistry from them as a couple. Part of that is definitely due to the fact that Palm, as a character, was far too submissive and docile all around, though. At its core, this trope is a good romance but I don’t think this particular story executed it well. The kissing was fine. The kiss scenes didn’t feel like they held much importance to the story. A little awkward but, also they’re young dudes playing young dudes so awkward is kind of the name of the game.

Music/SFX:

Interesting amount of english indie music in this. Felt a but out of place sometimes. SFX were fine, didn’t really stand out as an issue.

I think they could have done a better job with this starting with the plot and the characters. Not a bad watch, but not a very good one either.

Now, for some highlights from my notes:

- Phuwin looking fresh looking clean
- PERTH my BELOVED
- Oooooh Pond a working man
- Mr bodyguard Unc needs to relax jesus
- Perth looking FINE as HELL in that black and white shirt
- This Ben guy is fucking weird I don’t like him
- Bro is PINING for bro who is also PINING
- It’s always the Qixi festival lmao
- My poor baby Chopper I can’t stand a Perth sad face someone make my boy smile ASAP
- Ben is such a decent guy so far but I just can’t get myself to like him
- Dumb young dudes being dumb young dudes stop being dumb young dudes
- Fighting at the local ballroom dance establishment party is wild why are we cracking bottles
- Papa bodyguard SUCKS 3/10 father
- So many people pissing me off here
- Maggie a sweetie for real boy should just fall for her frfr
- Ben moved from like a 7/10 character to a -4/10 real quick there
- I’d be mad, Palm is WAY too docile and accepting and forgiving for me
- Baby got that aura now
- Hey now, don’t you be yelling at my Chopper
- There are for sure ways out of this why are we acting like there aren’t Unc doesn’t have that much power
- Far more people have been shot in this show than I was expecting lmao
- Palm is annoying tf out of me rn
- 100% of the problems in their relationship were created by them lmao

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Low Budget Foreign Actors are Ruining this Show

I really like how the episodes weave in the specific illness of the main patient into the overall theme of the episode going through several characters lives, as if the issue being treated is not confined to just one character in that world, but actually the larger whole- the collective. For example, in the dominos episode- the beginning scene starts with Michiko knocking over dominos in the hospital made by kids. Then later a patient comes along who is a domino teacher and the surgery being performed is a liver transplant with a kind of domino effect- liver was taken from one donor to give to another and that second patient’s liver was given to a third like a domino effect. Then at the end after the beautiful display of dominos created by Michiko and the children, another scene as a playful tribute to the domino effect shows the surgeons who are in the bureaucracy- one falls and knocks over each surgeon in succession like dominos. It was pretty funny. So by treating that core illness, Michiko who represents the divine or Spirit is healing the whole One Mind or “collective.”

Same thing happened with the Alzheimer’s episode where the opening scene starts with Akira San forgetting that he already fed Ben Casey the cat. Then Michiko had one or two moments of absent mindedness herself, as she treats the mother of Ushio (a hopeless surgeon) for some rare disease that the AI misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s. Then I think the politician/minister guy who keeps making gaffes also comes in this episode and it shows how different people are being absent minded, not just any one specific patient- it actually alludes to One Mind- the one mind is suffering from these various ailments and how the Spirit in the form of Daimon Michiko treats and heals these cases is the story and miracle. The true mystic is performing surgery on this One mind everyday to weed out the false and implant only what is true.

The worst part of the series are the low budget foreign (Caucasian) actors. Their acting is so bad and unnatural as if they’re imitating humans instead of just being a human being. The worst is Seven, CEO of Goldberg bank- I guess he’s supposed to be an American but his accent sounds Eastern European while his wife sounds American and speaks Japanese. The guy couldn’t act to save his life and I wonder why they picked such an awful actor to exist in this series. The foreign actors really bring the quality down. Even when Michiko speaks in English, she behaves weird and unnatural. Why is it that even the white purple can’t speak English without sounding like weirdos? This happens in all East Asian and south Asian entertainment - hiring low budget white actors who speak and act extremely weird. It ruins such a quality series.

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The plot is riveting

I love that finally after such a long wait,#LovesAmbition is here. I’ve watched the first four episodes, and I couldn’t contain myself on how good the plot is. So far , I have not noticed any fillers , all scenes are crucial to the flow of the story. Zhao Lusi as Xu Yan is completely different from all her other roles. Her acting phew, top notch! I love that Zhao Lusi and Chen Weiting have great chemistry 🔥🔥🔥. Xu Yan’s scene with her dad in ep4 is heartbreaking to watch. Lusi’s acting in this particular scene is guaranteed best actress . Lets not forget to talk about her clothes and styling in this drama, oh my goodness she is a great stylist. Lusi was her own stylist in this drama. What a dedication.

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