Flist Help -Wuxia/Historical Dramas

[walkwithheroes]

Lately I've found myself itching for a good wuxia/historical c-drama.I've started on Paladin in Troubled Times, and dispute some issues with the male lead, I've enjoyed it. Since I don't have much going on this summer, I have a lot of time to marathon dramas, which means I'm nearly done with Paladin. (It helps that I fast forward through the political stuff) Anyway. . . I've been thinking of what I should watch next. But, I can't seem to make up my mind. I thought I'd ask for the opinions of my f-list.




The Book and the Sword - Based on a Jin Yong novel, the story tells of the legend about the great eighteenth-century Manchu Emperor Qianlong which claims that he was in fact not a Manchu but a Han Chinese as a result of a "baby swap." The series tells of: secret societies, kungfu masters, a lost desert city guarded by wolf packs, and the mysterious Fragrant Princess.

Good:
- It's based on a Jin Yong novel, and I've loved all the past dramas I've seen based on his novels.
- The characters seem likeable, and there are many.

Bad:
- It was changed quite a bit from the novel; even the ending was changed.
- Reviews have been mixed.


Sword Stained with Royal Blood - Singer/actor Bobby Dou stars as Yuan Chengzhi, son of a general who has been killed by the emperor. He comes across a beautiful girl named Qingqing, portrayed by Eva Huang from Kungfu Hustle, and they embark on exciting adventures together, with Yuan still bearing in mind his desire to avenge his father's death. On his journey, he befriends another girl, Jiu, which after they have formed a close relationship, she reveals her real identity as the royal princess, daughter of the emperor who killed Yuan's father.

Good:
- I've heard very good things about this. That its plot-filled, with interesting characters.

Bad:
- Jin Yong himself once called the male lead one of the most boring characters he had ever written; because, he was just so noble.


Big Shot - Naïve, young Tian Si Si, the apple of her father’s eye and the sole heir to her family’s riches, believes that she is in love with the great romantic hero, Qin Ge of the Meteor Clan. She dreams of traveling the martial arts world, actually meeting Qin Ge and having adventures just like many of the stories that she has read and heard. From childhood, she has been betrothed to the younger son of General Yang, Yang Fan, whom she despises.

Handsome, melancholy, talented Yang Fan has been on a mission for his father to secretly investigate the Meteor Clan whose upright reputation and strength has been rising in the martial arts world to rival that of Shaolin and Wudang. He comes back injured and somewhat changed, troubled with memory loss after an investigation. He marries Tian Si Si as his father ordered, but Tian Si Si has other plans for her life and runs away at the first opportunity. She quickly becomes entangled in plots and counter plots as she discovers the real world. Both Yang Fan and Qin Ge are ordered to go after her. All is not what it seems as the Meteor Clan and its members, rivals and government agents are at work behind the scenes.

Good:
- From the fanvids I've seen, it's beautifully filmed.

Bad:
- I watched the first episode, years ago, but thought it was boring.


Royal Tramp - Masterfully interweaving fictional characters and events with those from history, Jin Yong's last wuxia novel tells the story of an unconventional hero who achieved fame and success due to sheer luck and clever gimmicks. Born in a Yangzhou brothel, Wei Xiao Bao is naturally cunning, witty and lazy. Thinking he's learned everything there is to know about heroes since the beginning of time from patrons of the local teahouse, Xiao Bao decides he wants to be one too. On a whim, he aids Mao Shi Ba, a chivalrous man who'd fallen on hard times. Xiao Bao then convinces Mao Shi Ba to bring him to Beijing, where the real adventures begin.

After being captured and brought into the palace, Xiao Bao tricks Head Eunuch Hai and takes over the identity of Xiao Gui Zi, a little eunuch. One day while wandering around, Xiao Bao chances upon young Emperor Kang Xi, who is practicing martial arts. After exchanging a few bouts, the two develop an unlikely friendship. Throughout the series, Xiao Bao serves as Kang Xi's right-hand man in disposing of the power-hungry Ao Bai, weakening Wu San Gui's rebellion, and dealing with all sorts of other challenges while trying to keep his other identity as designated mole for Tian Di Hui, an anti-Qing organization, under wraps.

Good:
- I love anti-heroes, who become greater than even they thought they could be.
- Huang Xiao Ming

Bad:
- I love a good romance, but Xiao Bao has seven wives. I could work with that, but. . .Jin Yong has said that Xiao Bao is a bad husband. Do I want to watch my wuxia crush, Huang Xiao Ming, be a bad husband. Especially after his turn as Guo in Return?


Yi Tian Tu Long Ji - The Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre takes place during 14th Century China during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty, roughly 100 years after the events of Return of the Condor Heroes. After decades of struggles, famine, and bitterness which the Chinese citizens blamed on the Yuan Dynasty's misgovernment, the Martial Arts sects have begun to rebel. Prince Ruyang asks Cheng Kun, a Shaolin monk with an ulterior motive, for a plan on how to deal with the rebels. "The wielder of Heavenly Sword and/or Dragon Sabre rules the world." This well known legend in the Martial Arts community is the impetus for the tale of Zhang Wuji. The story begins with how his parents met, then tells his trials as an adolescent, proceeds to relate his rise to prominence and reveals the secret behind Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre and ends with the confluence of Wuji's love life, the Martial Arts sects' long standing grudges, and cruel fate..

Good:
- An interesting plot and a strong cast.
Bad:
- I don't really care for some of the leads. I could get over it, but. . .well, yeah.

Shanhai Bund - Xu Wenqiang was expelled from his university when he was captured by the police during a protest. That was the last time he saw his university love, Fang Yanyun. After he got out of prison, he went to Shanghai. He quickly got in touch with Fang Yanyun again. But soon he found out that she had changed. She was now the woman of Shanghai's mob boss, Mr. Feng Jingyao, the most powerful man in Shanghai. After Wenqiang got off the train in Shanghai, he unexpectedly saved a pretty lady, Feng Chengcheng. At that time, he didn't know that he would later fall in love with her. Chengcheng was the daughter of Mr. Feng. Mr. Feng helped Wenqiang and his best friend Ding Li become powerful men in Shanghai Bund. Wenqiang was always reluctant to follow Mr. Feng's orders, for he was extremely principled and righteous. Finally, when Wenqiang found out that Mr. Feng was helping the Japanese smuggle drugs into China, he turned against Mr. Feng. . .

Good:
- Huang Xiao Ming
- I saw the first episode ages ago and really enjoyed it.

Bad:
-In all the historical c-dramas I've seen - the plots drag.


Knowing that I love great characters, wonderful interactions and chemistry between characters, solid storylines, and a great romance. . .which one(s) should I watch next? Or is there a drama I'm missing. Thanks for any opinions.

Comments

[isanah.livejournal.com]

I'd recommend Yi Tian Tu Long Ji--Deng Chao didn't look that great in the stills as Zhang Wuji, but he exceeded expectations a great deal with his charisma, oddly. That takes talent, in my book.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I'll have to look at more Yi Tian Tu Long Ji fanvids. I still have mixed feelings on this one. (Weirdly, I find the least attractive C-drama stars have the most charisma.)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh God, avoid Heaven Sword - it's beautifully filmed but horribly boring and makes no sense at all. I suffered through 14 eps (!!!!).

Shanghai Bund is excellent and the OTP is gorgeous. It's not fully subbed yet though so mmv.

Royal Tramp - not my thing so I never watched it.

Big Shot - it's cute and sweet but yeah, starts out a little slow and is generally ff-able throughout. It's a good watch though IMO, but I am Nic Tse-biased.

SSWRB - haven't watched yet :)

TB&TS - the adaptation looks gorgeous and if they changed the ending, I don't mind because I read the book and hated book ending :) Plus, one of the characters fights with a flute. A flute! I am about to start on this adaptation.

If you don't mind straight period as opposed to wuxia, how about Romantic Red Rouge (also known as Red Snow) - it stars Wallace Huo and Fan Bing Bing and I love the characters - it's sort of a period family drama with an awesome OTP.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I probably will start Shanghai Bund. It seems to be nearly fully subbed, and I really liked the episode (or two?) that I saw ages ago.

TB&TS - I have to watch that, if only to see someone fight with a flute. How's the plot? And, because I'm a hopeless romantic - hows the romance?


You know, ages ago (like a year) I downloaded Romantic Red Rouge, but never got around to watching it. I do want to, but I'm thinking of waiting until after Strange Hero. Because, I love Wallace Huo, but so few of his dramas are subbed. I want to be able to get a Wallce Huo fix for a whole year, as opposite to a few months. If that makes sense. (My Wallace Huo crush is growing an an embarrassing rate)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I liked a couple of romances in TB&TS.

Here's MV about flute guy because fighting with a flute always amuses me:



Also, another wuxia to rec is Warriors of Yang Clan with Alec Su - it's about as close to a purely romantic drama as wuxia gets - I've only seen a couple of eps but I liked it.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I'm beginning to think wuxia heroes are very creative with their weapons: fans, umbrellas, flutes. . .they're just that good.

I've seen (and loved) the Young Warriors of the Yang Clan. This one, with Alec Su, I think I've seen parts of it. I liked it, but didn't love it. Yes, I love my romance, but the plot wasn't grabbing me.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Where did you get that Yang series?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Jdramas has it :)

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Jumping in: I found it here (http://sharecentral.net/2529/warriors-of-the-yang-clan-2004/#comments). It has several wuxia dramas and c-dramas and films.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Paladins: Eventually, I realized that most/a lot of my problems with Mo Le (who I usually like well enough) were caused by the fact that (like the most recent Yang Guo) having an actor at least a decade over the character makes all the bad traits and immaturity multiple times as bad as they'd be with a younger actor.

But who cares about that when you have Ling Shuang and Wuxia Borgias?

I like Sword Stained With Royal Blood a lot. The lead wasn't my favorite in the series and there were defintely more interesting characters, but I remember liking him, and don't remember finding him too boring.

HSDS-Watched a bit. Liked his parents, could tell the lead would anno6y me and the story didn't sound my thing.

Haven't seen the rest.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Paladin: I agree about the age.With the 2006 Yang Guo, the actor was 28 and playing Yang Guo from ages 18-40-something. So, I was slightly able to over look it. I thought he was terribly annoying for the first few episodes, but I slowly got over it. Here, the actor was 37, playing 22. And, the story is only taking place over a year or so. All his immaturity (and the fact that he can't see the other sides of things) makes me want to hit him. I think, for me, it's that he's too noble. He goes with the hero code, and never tries to see that other side. Like, maybe some people have to do things that he disagrees with.

That said, I watch for Ling Shuang (a great character), the Wuxia Borgias, and even KongKong'er.

I think I've see some of your Sword Stained with Royal Blood posts, and I remember you liking the characters and getting into debates about the lead's love life. lol.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

SSWRB: LOL, yes. I was all "People! For the first time ever the guy doesn't get distracted from his adventuring BGFF when the hot enemy princess comes along, and you complain? What, you flakes that appealing?"

Paladins: I agree about the one-sided POV he has and the being overly righteous, but I feel the show itself is pretty critical about that, and where I last watched (ep 25? Epic Wuxia Borgias Episode of Doom.) he seemed to be starting to realize that to some degree, And KongKong'er and Yan Yu have both chewed him out over it. I also like that two of our protagonists basically started out sociopaths (Yan Yu more than KongKong'er) in the they were both basically nice and well intentioned, but the available influences in their lives were negative, and their "villainy" was essentially loyalty to people who deserved it, to some degree. (KongKong'er gets over it fast, but I like that Yan Yu continues to have problems there throughout, because while Kong Le really is Wuxia Cesare Borgia in all possible ways, he also seems to have largely been a good brother to her. He may not have taught her morals, but he did raise her with respect and affection.)

I am fond of KongKong'er too! I loved when people were all "He is REALLY REALLY USEFUL but kind of a flake and there is ONE WAY to always get him to do what you want, so let's do that. Hey, where is Ling Shuang, anyway?"

Ling Shuang, shockingly, is MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. (And then kong Le, then Yan Yu, then KongKong'er.)

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

SSWRB: lol. Not every wuxia hero has to fall for the beautiful princess.

Paladins: I love that both KongKong'er and Yanyu have told him off over his black/white view of the world.

I also like that two of our protagonists basically started out sociopaths (Yan Yu more than KongKong'er) in the they were both basically nice and well intentioned, but the available influences in their lives were negative, and their "villainy" was essentially loyalty to people who deserved it, to some degree.

I agree completely. I actually really love that the story shows both sides of things: that the "villains" are (sometimes) people, who are just doing things out of loyalty or out of not knowing any better. I also love that Yanyu is still very loyal to her brother, even though she knows he has done things that aren't very good. Simply because he was a good person toward her - he treated her well.

I am fond of KongKong'er too! I loved when people were all "He is REALLY REALLY USEFUL but kind of a flake and there is ONE WAY to always get him to do what you want, so let's do that. Hey, where is Ling Shuang, anyway?"

lol. So true.


I knew I loved Ling Shuang when she took that beating, and afterward told the man that ordered it, that he is a villain. She can be fairly awesome.