Yang Mi, Ethan Ruan, Gao Vengo, Liu Yi Jun, Zhang Ya Qin, Huang You Ming
Drama Rating: 7/10 Neck Score: A+
As soon as I heard about this one, I had to watch it. With both Yang Mi and Ethan Ruan, I just had to. Plus it sounded good with a good, strong female lead. It was a plus that many of the Peach Blossom's actors were also in it. It's a good example of a good epic drama. Prophecies, political intrigue, evil sorcerers and sages, princes in disguise. Plus lots of good fighting with on the better side wire work and less digital blood (cough cough, Oh My General, cough cough). The best part is that there weren't very many hateful people in it, mostly just "I love to hate them" type villains. And if there was a hateful villain, they didn't last very long. There were a couple of bad news bitcas who were the wooooooooorst! but they literally didn't last very long, which is probably why they had to have multiple ones.
So, it did feel like three separate dramas, or even chapters, based off of who the main villain was and where the OTP's love story was at. Chapter 1- Taiyuan or "Deep water" Kingdom. Introduced to our girl, Fuyao, and even before she learns martial arts she's totally bad-a. Crazy Bitca #1- fondly known as "Bad News" is introduced and is super crazy obsessive girl. We don't know who Ethan is really, but he is up to something, especially with that Cheshire Cat grin. Prince Crimpy Hair (also known as Dijun) appears and seems to be second male lead, but disappears before he can ever create a love triangle, weird. Political intrigue, throne stealing, bride picking, all very involved. Ends with a massacre of a stopped coup. This villain was the best villain. We love to love/hate his classy evil.
Chapter 2: Tianquan Empire. We know who Ethan is. More politics ensues, all the crap hits the fan, people try to mess with our girl, live to regret it. Fuyao takes over a city and protects it from a siege, people suck. Ethan has to get his girl to commit now that he can be honest cuz she knows who he is- which means that instead of pushing and pulling from chapter 1, we have him chasing her. Lots of brotherly "love." Also Messed Up Bitca is introduced and she is also bad news. I loved Wuji's (Ethan's) father's knit cardigan robe. He was also a good antagonist, although I didn't love him quite as much. Loved to hate him, mostly.
Chapter 3: we find out who Fuyao really is and everything comes to a crazy ending. Wrapping up the family feuds as well- it's messed up btw. We get sick of the flipping sage teachers who just want to kill her. We're sick of that Illusion woman's laughter. I'm impressed by their blood on the snow, it has some good orange to it, which fake blood usually doesn't. Lots of seemingly unnecessary sacrifice. Nice wrap up.
From these cryptic chapter summaries I hope there are not two many spoilers, I really just wanted to convey the feeling of how this drama takes many different turns. Each chapter has a new theme and flavor really, but since it all ties into Fuyao's quest that we were introduced to near the beginning, it works. It really does feel that out couple are using the messed up politics to avoid facing destiny a little bit, but there are reasons too, since seals must be broken and all that.
Really, it was quite enjoyable to watch, and it was easy to get attached to all the characters, even minor ones that were thrown in later. It was mostly just good fun and epic- the good kind of epic. The OTP has good chemistry, and even the other couples were fun to ship- such as First Older Brother and Bad News- I shipped them to the grave, haha. But Prince Crimpy Hair and Baby Girl, although I might have shipped Baby Girl with Dragon Boy too, but that was never going to happen. He was super cute though. I kind of shipped Prince Crimpy Hair and One Armed General's bromance though. I liked Ethan and PCH's bromance as well. Just a lot of good characters to let you get past the cheese at times, as well as the yucky "people need to stop messing with my girl" times as well. But it was a lot of fun and has kept my love of epic fantasy alive. Woot.
So, it did feel like three separate dramas, or even chapters, based off of who the main villain was and where the OTP's love story was at. Chapter 1- Taiyuan or "Deep water" Kingdom. Introduced to our girl, Fuyao, and even before she learns martial arts she's totally bad-a. Crazy Bitca #1- fondly known as "Bad News" is introduced and is super crazy obsessive girl. We don't know who Ethan is really, but he is up to something, especially with that Cheshire Cat grin. Prince Crimpy Hair (also known as Dijun) appears and seems to be second male lead, but disappears before he can ever create a love triangle, weird. Political intrigue, throne stealing, bride picking, all very involved. Ends with a massacre of a stopped coup. This villain was the best villain. We love to love/hate his classy evil.
Chapter 2: Tianquan Empire. We know who Ethan is. More politics ensues, all the crap hits the fan, people try to mess with our girl, live to regret it. Fuyao takes over a city and protects it from a siege, people suck. Ethan has to get his girl to commit now that he can be honest cuz she knows who he is- which means that instead of pushing and pulling from chapter 1, we have him chasing her. Lots of brotherly "love." Also Messed Up Bitca is introduced and she is also bad news. I loved Wuji's (Ethan's) father's knit cardigan robe. He was also a good antagonist, although I didn't love him quite as much. Loved to hate him, mostly.
Chapter 3: we find out who Fuyao really is and everything comes to a crazy ending. Wrapping up the family feuds as well- it's messed up btw. We get sick of the flipping sage teachers who just want to kill her. We're sick of that Illusion woman's laughter. I'm impressed by their blood on the snow, it has some good orange to it, which fake blood usually doesn't. Lots of seemingly unnecessary sacrifice. Nice wrap up.
From these cryptic chapter summaries I hope there are not two many spoilers, I really just wanted to convey the feeling of how this drama takes many different turns. Each chapter has a new theme and flavor really, but since it all ties into Fuyao's quest that we were introduced to near the beginning, it works. It really does feel that out couple are using the messed up politics to avoid facing destiny a little bit, but there are reasons too, since seals must be broken and all that.
Really, it was quite enjoyable to watch, and it was easy to get attached to all the characters, even minor ones that were thrown in later. It was mostly just good fun and epic- the good kind of epic. The OTP has good chemistry, and even the other couples were fun to ship- such as First Older Brother and Bad News- I shipped them to the grave, haha. But Prince Crimpy Hair and Baby Girl, although I might have shipped Baby Girl with Dragon Boy too, but that was never going to happen. He was super cute though. I kind of shipped Prince Crimpy Hair and One Armed General's bromance though. I liked Ethan and PCH's bromance as well. Just a lot of good characters to let you get past the cheese at times, as well as the yucky "people need to stop messing with my girl" times as well. But it was a lot of fun and has kept my love of epic fantasy alive. Woot.
