Sean Akizuki's East Asian Drama and Movie Blog

Yes, I'm already done with Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain . I could say that the 37 episodes haven't been so fun but can still be fun. The first half focused on the anti-villain Tianlun. The second half starts to have them hit with Xue Boren (where the wolf siblings are mistaken to be eating humans when they aren't). There are some plots that just try to balance the show's comedy with seriousness as to avoid it from turning into a slapstick. But sometimes, I just wish a comedy were total nonsense rather than this show that tries to balance it.  The conclusion of the Qianling Sect had its leader Tianlun try to seal the darkness away. The darkness arrives yet again in the second half. I would admit that the three wolves arc and the Fengling love story are interesting. The views between Wang Lu and Yunfan regarding the mythological demons is something. Yunfan just sees mythological demons as scum such as the honorable werewolf brothers. Boren just wants his wif...

Perhaps one of the best definitions of what makes a good antagonist isn't necessarily evil for evil's sake. Sometimes, some villains just need to have a motive beyond For the Evulz (such as the Masters of Evil villain group in Marvel Comics) which can be very common in superhero shows. In the case of Qianling sect leader Tian Lun - his atrocities are coupled with a much greater aim. I always found the whole bloodletting thing creepy. Okay, no human sacrifice was made by the sect members. However, it turned out that Tian Lun massacred his own family while leaving one daughter Li Xian alive until now. Did his whole family agree to die in his hands? The whole purpose behind the lives of thousands was to save millions. It was to create a Blood Matrix that will eventually seal off the Black Tide Seal - something that may reveal an even greater evil into the world. I was really thinking of some RPG villains with that kind of aim. I'm thinking about how Tales of Xillia 2 had...

Image Source Watching Lingjian Mountain does have me fill a bit of nitpicking. I could go ahead and enjoy the action BUT I'd love to nitpick. Even the best shows in the world will have noticeable flaws. I could really laugh at how Sandrine Pinna-Ji who's obviously a half-white is in here. Now, it's time to point out the rather funny scene called the Heart Boys. Are these guys trying to be the 911 boyband or parody the Backstreet Boys before they existed? One of their songs is called "A Little Sweet" which really should make you laugh when you know the ENGLISH translation : I will save an apple as I wait for you here Hope that it will help quench your thirst, my dear Like a winter’s warm drink, or a Coke in the heat You are totally the right one for me You and I’ve already planned the end of next week Your light mood swings are no biggie for me I don’t even know why, old wounds haven’t yet dried Yet somehow you’ve crashed right into my life Yo...

Before the live version of Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain had a live adaptation - there was an Anime version of it based on the Manhwa novel! It's not too surprising when you realize the cycle of influence plays itself. No idea in Japan is completely original. You can consider how Toei had to get Marvel's license before they created their own Spiderman or how Janperson is obviously inspired by Robocop . Then you can consider that Manhwa itself was clearly inspired by the Japanese invention called Manga. I mean, do check the art styles of Manhwa comics from China, Taiwan, and South Korea - they obviously use Anime-style graphics! Am I really that surprised that the Anime version came first or that it even exists? You can consider how Manhwa is derived from Manga. There are also Anime shows adapted from Chinese literature and Lingjian Mountain is no exemption. Maybe, you've tried watching the Three Kingdoms anime or maybe the Return of Condor Heroes anime. Those were...

Right now, I decided to try to watch some other new school stuff on Netflix or go from 2018 and backwards with other new stuff. I think I might give Once Upon a time in Lingjian Mountain a shot. I was watching some Vagabond and I feel it needs either a second season or a movie finale. The series is destined to last until December 21, 2019. It started on November 12, 2019, so I missed a lot of weeks already. But the beauty of Internet TV is that you can watch shows at their own pace, right? I'd hate to have this show aired by either ABS-CBN or GMA-7. Here's the plot as Netflix would describe it: As the nine continents face a crisis, a young disciple joins the Spirit Blade sect and comes under the tutelage of a temperamental sage. It would be easy to call the show Wuxia. Yes, it's Wuxia but there's the subgenre known as Xianxia. Xianxia is Wuxia mixed with all the magical elements. So, the Condor Trilogy is the Xianxia type of Wuxia novel. I've seen the first f...