I saw God Once When I Was Little

I have finally finished Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei. I really enjoyed the show. It had some major flaws, especially in regard to its female characters and its last story arc.


Still, it was still enjoyable thanks in large part to the cast. It also had some really beautiful shots and lovely moments between the characters. By the end, I really did feel like YZM was its own little family.


Overall, I would give the thirty episode series a solid B and I would rec it to friends.



BTW: Has anyone else heard that Liu Shi Shi, Hu Ge, and Wallace Huo have been cast in the drama adaption of a Chinese novel called Da Mo Yao? The OTP is going to be played by LSS and HG, but there is also a love triangle with WH's character. According to Koala, the love triangle is fairly epic.


The story: Yu Jin (Liu Shi Shi) was raised within the Xiong Nu, although her foster father is a Han. Under certain circumstances, she was forced to flee to Chang’an, the then capital of Early Han Dynasty,changing her name to Jin Yu along the way. Along her journey, she meets first the calm and kind Meng Jiu (Wallace Huo), and later the handsome, cold, general Huo Qu Bing (Hu Ge). Jin Yu falls for one, but was rejected. Will she untangle her love knot? Who will she choose in the end?


While I'd rather see LSS/WH get together and get a bit more romantic screen time, it's not happening. :( At least LSS/HG is finally happening in a drama. I'm sure it'll make many people happy.

Title: Numb
Song:Numb by H320 (Dubstep Remix) (edited)
Disclaimer: I do not own the song or the clips used. I just edited the clips.
Details: 1:49 minutes. WMV format. 14.13MB.
Theme: A look at San Niang and her relationships with her mother and Ge Xiao.
WARNING: Spoilers! Episodes 1-4; Episodes 8-13 used.
Vidder's Note: I'm so happy I got to do this video. I think the song really fits San Niang's character and her struggles with her feelings regarding her mother and Ge Xiao. It's not quite what I wanted it to be, but I hope you guys enjoy it. Comments are, as always, welcome.

Links:

Megaupload (download and streaming)

4shared (streaming)



( Streaming video here )

The Holy Pearl is a "fantasy-mythology" series that is loosely based on the Japanese manga/anime Inuyasha. I say loosely, because aside from the basic plot and a few similar characters, it really is a new story. (Though, I do think the creator of Inuyasha would have a good case if she decided to sue.)


The story starts off the way most of these types of dramas do, and honestly it didn't grab me until episode three or four. So far, what I really like about the series is the witty dialogue and most of the characters. I think the overall plot - girl from 2011 gets sent back in time and most recover lost pearls - is fairly standard in these types of time traveling stories. (See: Inuyasha and even Fushigi Yûgi - though she was looking for people there)


Dramawiki has the show summary as this: Jealous of her sister's popularity with the human they protect and the love she receives from the king, Mo Yin, the human form of Goddess Tengshe, colluded with the Demon Lord Shi You Ming to kill her sister Xian Yue. The act upset the balance between the God/ Human/ Demon worlds giving demons an upper hand. Xian Yue reincarnated as Ding Yao and returned to restore order. With the help of Wen Tian, a human-dragon hybrid, she set on a mission to re-forge the anti-demon vase using the holy pearls that Goddess Nuwa left behind from creating the human world. But, that's really just the first three episodes. Things get much more interesting and fun after that.


( characters and spoilery thoughts on them )


Eight episodes in, and I'm really enjoying the drama. The characters are more or less likeable, the dialogue is good, and the plot is fast moving. I'll keep it. (Also, what's interesting is that Yao Yao's Dad said she could have gone to one of nine different places/time periods. Anyone else feeling hints of an actual or semi-sequel with that one? Too bad Mainland China has decided to stop all time traveling dramas/films/novels/comics after 2011.)

Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei continues to be the best wuxia my f-list isn't watching. (Why, f-list?! WHY?)The show - like many wuxia series - has "mini" arcs, with an overlapping series long arc.


With episodes nineteen-twenty-two, we finish up Xiao Mei's family mystery and start with a series of flashback episodes.

( spoiler thoughts )


Anyway - just some thoughts. I'm loving this drama and can't wait to watch episodes 23-30. (I have episodes 23-26 downloaded and waiting for me.)


Also. . .if you aren't watching this - watch it!

I thought I'd give everyone (including myself) an update on what I'm watching. Since most of the series are half-way over, I thought it would also be a good time to discuss how I'm liking and disliking about the shows and where I think/hope they are going. (Spoiler Warnings for the drama!)


( Despite wanting rom-coms, I'm barely watching them )

I love wuxia series. I think they are amazing and great. . .but. . .I've always noticed that people usually sound the same. No one's voice seems to match who they are. I figured some people were dubbed, but I had no idea how many actors and actresses are dubbed. Apparently 98% of actors and actresses are dubbed in wuxia dramas. I often wondered why, and now I know the answers! Thanks to Ancient Chinese Series Website


( I don't think I've ever heard their real voices )


Sometimes actors (like Hu Ge) will dub themselves, but mostly people are dubbed by professional voice actors and actresses. They don't always voice the same people, which is why actors and actresses always seem to have different voices. Or why sometimes you'll hear the same voice coming out of two different people. I have to say that the voice artists do wonderful jobs, because sometimes I can't even tell the actor or actress is being dubbed.


Now, I know more about dubbing and so do you.

I've now seen the first episode (or more) of most of the dramas I wanted to see. I thought I'd share some thoughts on each drama. So far I have to say that the drama season is going well.


( Romantic and cliched dramas )


So - so far I'm really enjoying this drama season!