Ever Night (2018)

Ever Night has its flaws, but it ended up being one of my favorites anyway. The first thing that stands out about this drama is its beautiful cinematography and great action scenes; the fight choreography is exceptional, and the CGI is pretty solid overall. The main characters are interesting and likable, but flawed enough to be realistic. Ning Que, the protagonist, is more antihero than hero, shaped by his childhood trauma and his struggle to survive while also supporting his "maid," Sang Sang. He comes across as having a chip on his shoulder (with pretty good reason) and he is guarded around most of the other characters - Sang Sang being one of the few notable exceptions. She is such a gentle, cheerful young woman that it would be easy to forget what a difficult life she's led if not for her extreme practicality and her anxieties surrounding finances. Occasionally Sang Sang's emotions get the best of her, but no other character is as supportive or industrious as she is.

The relationship between Ning Que and Sang Sang is complex due to their unusual circumstances and there are multiple layers to their dynamic. She initially appears to be a maid who happens to be very fond of the person she serves, but it's quickly evident that their power dynamic is not quite that cut-and-dried. When he was a young child, he found her as a baby in a pile of corpses and took her in. They are a few years apart in age, and although he was obviously her caretaker in her younger years, it wasn't too long before she was carrying her own weight. He has made a living by killing bandits, while she has taken care of domestic chores and finances. There are subtle elements of caretaker-dependent and older brother-younger sister to their interactions at times, but overall they seem best described as platonic life partners for the first thirty or so episodes (with occasional, subtle hints of romantic feelings/attraction).

Later in the series, when Ning Que shows up with a love interest after a period of being away from home, they're forced to confront their true feelings and figure out what they really want. It's pretty obvious just by the fact that Sang Sang is the second lead which way Ning Que will lean (or even by the synopsis on this page), so I don't think this could be considered a spoiler. I watched this drama on Viki with comments on, so I know how divisive their relationship is. It is an upsetting development for some viewers who only see one aspect of Ning Que and Sang Sang's dynamic. Some viewers consider Ning Que to be too much of a father figure to Sang Sang to accept the turn their relationship takes, claiming (or implying) that it is incest. I personally don't agree with this viewpoint – but if you think the relationship could be squicky for you based on how I described it, and you believe that would interfere too much with your enjoyment of the series as a whole, you may want to give this one a pass. Just a heads up.

I rated this drama highly in large part because I really enjoyed most of the characters and the main relationship (I can forgive a lot if I become attached to the characters), however I did feel that there were some issues with the plot. The pacing is a bit uneven, and the exposition scenes are quite dull at times. Although there were a couple of exceptions, I felt that the antagonists were much too one-dimensional. The character arc for one of the main antagonists – Long Qing – particularly felt like a waste of time. Most of his scenes could have been left out and the result would have been the same. That was especially irritating given that his scenes were so tedious to watch. The last ten episodes are sluggish and feel like they could have been cut in half (at least). In fact, the same could be said for the series as a whole - but that has been true with almost any Chinese drama I've seen.

Another thing that I found off-putting is that, sometimes, some of the characters would know what's going on in a distant location without any apparent reason - as if they were watching it on television. When it was Fu Zi - who is generally considered the greatest cultivator in the world - I decided to just go with it. It didn't make sense, but whatever. When it was Fu Zi's disciples, I also just accepted it; they learned it from him, I guessed. But when it was still used with characters who had no background in cultivation, it became kind of aggravating. No matter what, it feels like lazy writing, but there really should be some brief explanation given for something like that. Similarly, there were many times when characters received news quicker than really seemed believable. Things like this were just minor annoyances, but they did pull me out of the viewing experience.

I've read some criticisms of Chen Feiyu (Arthur Chen)'s acting, but I didn't think he was a bad Ning Que overall. He was actually pretty expressive, though unevenly so; he was effective at conveying affection/infatuation and anger/aggression, but fell short in scenes that required him to express emotional anguish and physical pain. One thing that I found a bit annoying is that he frequently raises/moves his eyebrows in a way that kind of looks like they're spasming. Sometimes the eyebrow raise is effective, but more often it's not. That aside, I became attached to his character in spite of his considerable shortcomings, and some of that was due to Feiyu's charm and charisma. (Note: He won't be returning to the role in the second season due to scheduling conflicts; he will be replaced by Dylan Wang.)

I felt that Song Yiren (Ireine Song)'s acting was stronger; she was lively, sweet, and adorable as Sang Sang. Whatever the scene called for, she was almost always able to hit the right emotional notes. When I watched the trailer, the only thing I had reservations about was her character, so it's kind of ironic that she ended up being my favorite. I looked forward to her scenes most, and I'm very glad Song Yiren will be returning for a second season. There were many great supporting characters, and the other actors were quite good overall. I enjoyed the fact that several older characters had prominent roles in the story, and they also ended up being among the most interesting characters to watch (most notably Chin Shih Chieh as Yan Se and Ni Dahong as Wei Guangming).

So, tl;dr:

Pros – memorable characters, cute relationship, great action scenes, beautiful cinematography, lovely OST, mostly good CGI

Cons – one-dimensional antagonists, potentially squicky relationship (YMMV)

If you're into action/adventure and fantasy dramas, and you don't think that the main relationship would negatively impact your ability to enjoy the series, then definitely give this one a shot.

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Beware of false prophets.

Ever Night is an epic fantasy adventure hit set in a mystical, ancient world where the balance of power between rival kingdoms is maintained with the aid of powerful warlords and cultivator sects. The vivid stunning palette is infused with an ominous sense of dark prophecy. The soothsayers warn that the child of darkness will bring an ice age or ever night and chaos to the world.

The main protagonist Ning Que makes an thrilling debut as a lethal, almost ferally vicious warrior in a ferocious, spectacular desert ambush. This opening sets the tone for some of the most exhilarating and well choreographed fight scenes that Chinese drama has to offer. The drama is visually spectacular and delivers on the hype on many fronts, especially in terms of its movie quality production values. The sweeping breadth of the story can be overwhelming in the sheer number of characters representing different kingdoms and sects that makes the story appear more complicated than it really is. This is really the story of Ning Que (and by extension Sang Sang's) quest for revenge that sets him on an epic journey to become one of the strongest cultivators in Haotian.

Ning Que is an anti-hero. He is ruthless, cunning, manipulative and can be quite dishonourable. While at at times Chen Feiyu's acting could do with some polishing, he is superbly cast as Ning Que. He emanates that simmering resentment and burning thirst for vengeance that propels Ning Que to prevail against overwhelming odds and superior foes. With his lithe powerful build, his combat scenes are bloodthirsty and violent and his facial expressions are vicious, almost feral. Ning Que's arch-rival the glorious Prince Longqing is an interesting mirror character on a parallel path that makes different choices at important milestones along the way. What is quite remarkable about this story is there are no outright villains. The world they exist in is cruel and fraught with peril and conflict among competing interests. Thus both the antagonists and protagonists have to do ruthless, even terrible things to survive.

Unlike others, I am not troubled by the relationship between Sang Sang and Ning Que. They have no blood ties, they are simply found family and have a complex and multi-layered relationship that is likely predestined. In fact, I think it is inevitable where the relationship must go. As much as I enjoy their undeniable chemistry and clear bond immensely, to me the real issue is that Chen Feiyu and Song Yiren should never be cast together in a romantic capacity. Chen Feiyu is exceptionally tall and Song Yiren is exceptionally petite. Her youthful features and small size makes her look like a child next to him. This visual imprint is so strong it is practically impossible to imagine them as a couple. Their relationship in Season 1 remains platonic and is not troubling but it is a good thing that Wang Hedi replaces Chen Feiyu as Ning Que for Season 2.

In terms of storytelling, there are issues with pacing and the breadth and depth of the character and world building is perhaps overly ambitious in scale. Even though I love how there are different schools of cultivation and cultivators are able to gain immense power via different theologies and practices, I find the excessive pontification and philosophical discourses mind numbingly boring. That said, I appreciate the ultimate irony of how many powerful cultivators are ruled by superstition and fear of ever night or the child of darkness. While the worthy ruler and the true wise men know to beware of false prophets. The political arcs are not that interesting and Princess Li Yu and her brother don't add to the plot. They just take up space and despite all the screen time, this and several other sub plots like the inner politics of the West Shrine and Yan State go absolutely nowhere. Obviously this lays the back story for multiple (?) seasons but unfortunately none of these sub plots and characters are interesting enough to make me want know what happens to them.

Despite the digressions and morass in the middle, the drama builds towards a very strong ending. I was truly moved by Ning Que's speech when he finally confronts his family's killer and I was really impressed by Chen Yufei's acting in that moment. "Why does it always have to be a prince?" is one of the best, most memorable lines from this show. The build up in tension, that sense of dread and hope into the ending confrontation is superb. The final fight scene is epic, full of surprises, utterly savage, desperate, exhilarating. It was everything I didn't even know I was craving for. Even the CGI is amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of this heroic saga and I am happy to recommend this as a not to be missed drama for action and adventure buffs. But unfortunately there are many parts of it that I did not enjoy and I feel strongly that the production over indulged in laying the backstory for many subplots that only play out in subsequent seasons. I am going to go with an 8.5 because the production values and fight scenes are exceptional. Going purely on storytelling alone however, this is at best an 8.0.

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I'm gonna say this straight up: this is probably the best wuxia/fantasy/adventure/epic drama I've watched. Multiple factors add to this such as cast, script, BEAUTIFUL cinematography, actually good CGI and so on.

Story: The story was very fleshed out and complex, and did the novel justice. Each character, even the minor ones felt like they were placed wherever they were for a purpose and not just as a tool for the plot to move on. The plot was a little draggy in some parts but as I don't really pay attention to these things I didn't take any points off for it. One thing I can say is that I never felt like I wanted to take a break from the series (as I do with a LOT of Chinese and Korean dramas) or drop it. In fact, if I ever missed something accidentally, I would go back and rewatch it in case I missed something important. I also fast forward and speed up my other dramas, but I didn't for this one which I think expresses my devotion haha. The plot is also quite original and there are certain things that set it apart from other wuxia fantasy shows. For example, the fight scenes are very realistic. The opening scene really shocked me as you can see the work the crew and actors have done to make it look and feel real (it worked). Also, the regular tropes that other dramas used are completely changed in this drama. For example, in one of the scenes, the Emperor says (I can't remember exactly what he said oops) "A child born of royalty can live and take revenge, but the child of a doorkeeper can't? What sort of rubbish idea is this?" And this actually made me think...

Acting/Cast: Chen Feiyu, being quite young, filled the shoes of the complicated NingQue very well. He was good at expressing happiness, shamelessness, and quick-fire retaliation with his words. His smug face when he won something from someone is so endearing. I would give him personally a 9.5 for acting as just a few scenes (mostly of negative emotions) felt off. Song Yiren was absolutely amazing, and I would say she is the best main character of the show, She was perfect at expressing child-like dependence and admiration for NingQue as SangSang. She also showed off SangSang's practicality and work ethic very well, as well as her underlying love for NingQue. The romance between the two is extremely subtle in the first half, but from episode 40 or so when NingQue returns with Mo ShanShan, it begins to show as the two are forced to confront each other with what they really want from each other. I loved the endearing way NingQue treated SangSang, you could tell that even though he made fun of her and treated her as a maid sometimes, he really cared for her and would do anything for her. In one scene, he says "SangSang isn't the door to my life, she is my life." Oh God. The other side characters did very well in their roles. I found YanSe and WeiGuangMing particularly astounding, and I'm glad some veteran actors had big roles in the drama (unlike some dramas which only focus on the young actors to attract more audiences). Other characters I loved were ChenPiPi (and his bromance with NingQue and his cuteness), YeHongYu (as NingQue said: "You are THE strongest woman I've ever met."), LiYu (the princess of Tang, an ambitious woman) and every person in the Upper Story.

Music: I like most of the songs in the OST and some of them are very suited to a particular character or setting. For example back in the army they would sing the song "Take your life" and so on. However there would be a song for a particular character but then used for another character which was awkward (but it was a nice song so I didn't mind).

Rewatch value: Okay so the only reason I won't rewatch this is because it's kinda long. Also there's a second season, so I'll just wait for that. BUT the second season won't have Chen Feiyu, which is a shame as I grew used to his face and acting style. The romance and other relationships won't be the same... I've heard news that the main lead in the second season is going to be Dylan Wang, who played DaoMingSi in Meteor Garden. I found his character childish in that and kind of restricted to a few emotions (I didn't even finish, stopped at episode 30) so we'll see how it goes.

10/10 recommend!!

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One of the best dramas I've seen in a long time. Amazing film quality cinematography, breathtaking on-location shoots for beautiful scenes of China, stellar cast (how'd they get Adam Chen and Leon Lai??) , and a highly developed world with complex characters and a story that unfolds in a coherent, logical, intriguing way. This isn't your average fluffy, nonsensical cheesy romance. So if that's what you want, then don't watch it. However, if you love a great story with focus and purpose that's driven by strong characters then this is it. Epic is really the best word to describe this drama.

The camerawork is outstanding. You may not notice or care but most dramas are not shot like this. This is theater-quality filming with all on-location and natural weather settings. You can see the snow falling and melting into the actor's hairs. The wide angle aerial shots make those vast desert landscapes and green mountains seem to burst out of the screen. Just for the visuals alone this drama is worth multiple rewatches.

The story is this grand world that's on par with something like Game of Thrones. Deeply detailed with multiple kingdoms and all coherent and well-established. You can tell this drama is based on a well-written novel. The key driving force are the characters of course. Arthur Chen does an amazing job as Ning Que. He is charismatic and fun to watch on-screen. His chemistry with Song Yi Ren (Sang Sang) is fantastic. You can tell he is a rather young actor in some of the scenes that require deeper emotions and subtlety but he really holds his own against super veteran actors and a grand-scale epic story like this. Can't believe he is only 19 with lots of room to grow.

They really didn't skimp on anything for this drama. At a budget of $70 million USD (quite unheard of for tv dramas), everything is high quality. The costumes are realistic and so are the sets (again, money well-spent on those on-location shoots). Also, no poor wire tricks here. The action sequences are again movie quality. Very well choreographed and executed. Each movement is so tightly done and well-executed. For an action buff like me I just couldn't get enough. The thing I noticed the most? The soundtrack. From the opening scene to the various character themes the music is amazing. Just listening to it transports you back to the scenes and characters.

Obviously I can't say enough about this drama. I think I was just taken really aback by how well made this drama is. I haven't seen work like this since HK's Golden Age. It makes me hopeful of many of the C-Dramas that will come out of China in the coming years. Although Arthur Chen is not coming back for Season 2, which is extremely disappointing, I will watch Season 2 if it has the same high production value as Season 1.

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Brilliant

No other Wuxia can compare to this in my opinion. The sheer breadth and depth of the story make for a viewing pleasure that holds the audience captive through 60 episodes and this is firstly thanks to the superb casting of Chen Feiyu as the ML. He is an anti-hero character who is supremely confident, intelligent, and powerful and I will never forget how fully immersed he was in such a dark character considering how unobtrusive he is in real life.

Can we talk about the beautiful cinematography and the immaculate fight choreography that will have your heart in your mouth even knowing he’s the hero doesn’t mean his opponents just roll over to play dead? He wins despite many odds because of his tenacity and unwillingness to succumb to what some call his lowly fate.

The FL is a pocket-size bundle of joy who made me smile whenever she came on the screen. The character of Sang Sang is one that was built incrementally until we see her come into her own. I also liked the height difference between her and Feiyu. So adorable. Anyway, this is one to rewatch.

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No Light Without Darkness

Ever Night depicts the adventures of characters in the Empire of Tang. The Emperor of Tang rules over several kingdoms with different religious sects trying to maintain a balance of power and peace. He’s hindered by his own royal family, due to rivaling siblings, and the opposition of the conquered kingdoms. Other troublemakers are the religious fanatics of Xiling and the barbaric Demon Sect in the North. Both parties believe in the foretelling of “Ever Night is coming” a.k.a. the Legend of the Child of Hades who will destroy all light and happiness in the world. Their mission is to kill this child of darkness as soon as possible.
Both sects are highly skilled in martial arts leaning on mystical power from some kind of energy field that is created by light/angels/heaven or darkness/demons/earth. They are able to perform super powers like telepathy, telekinesis, and manipulation of physical energy. Apprentices are aided by their masters to obtain higher levels in power through training and meditation.

Summary
The protagonists of Ever Night are Ning Que and Sang Sang. They’ve lived together since early childhood, being both survivors from a massacre. The 5 year old Ning Que has found baby girl Sang Sang under a pile of corpses protected by a big black umbrella. Wherever they go they take this umbrella with them like a symbol of their relationship, a strong protective bond against all evils in the world.
Ning Que is driven by anger and revenge, Sang Sang is motivated by loyalty and love. Their story unfolds 15 years later. Ning Que (Arthur Chen) earns a living thanks to his natural fighting skills. One day he’s hired to accompany the royal princess of Tang to Wei City, where he decides to stay as a professional fighter while Sang Sang (Yiren Song) takes care of his basic needs and house hold.

Once they are settled in the city they become entangled in the power struggle of the palace factions and religious sects. The fanatics of Xiling believe Ning Que is the child of darkness so they try to kill him. Somehow every battle is won by Ning Que gaining him even more powers. One day he gets the chance to be trained by the Head Master of the Martial Academy of Tang. Ning Que grows into fame as Mister 13, the 13th disciple of the Academy, envied and admired by many people including beautiful ladies. More and more he’s driven by his testosterone levels and the iron ambition to kill the culprit of the massacre. This attitude puts pressure on his relationship with Sang Sang. Main question is: what’s more important, Ning Que’s passions or his lifelong habit to live with Sang Sang? Will they end up together or on opposite sites? There are no spoilers available, just an universal truth, There’s No Light Without Darkness.

The Pro’s
Ever Night has the look and feel of a Disney movie. Ning Que and Sang Sang seem like a leading couple in Star Wars sometimes. The cinematography is outstanding with glorious landscapes, buildings, close ups, time lapses of the weather, and slow motion scenes of falling rain. The music score is constantly pulling at our heart strings.
Then there's the cast. The 18 year male lead convinces as the apparently uncaring, selfish anti-hero whose only soft spot is his little “house maid”. Although the female lead is 6 years his senior she’s totally believable as the younger, loyal Sang Sang. I loved their teasing-caring scenes, and the painful awareness, eventually, of their own hidden feelings as shown in episode 45 and further.
Personally I’m not a fan of Wuxia battles, but if you are, you will appreciate the many fighting scenes, the choreography is A++.

The Cons
The characters from the supporting cast remain rather flat throughout the series. Take for instance the emperor. The way he calmly accepts the bad attitude from his siblings and political opponents keeps me wondering if he’s some sort of saint in stead of an absolute ruler. Also the antagonistic Prince Long Qing learns nothing from his faults, making his evilness somewhat dull and childish.
Moreover this epic adventure follows the traditional Chinese way of story telling meaning long winding scenes, endless repetitions, flash backs, and a lack of focus on the main story in favor of less interesting side characters. I had to resist the urge to use the fast forward button.

Verdict
The beautiful faces, places, and music, won me over eventually. Ever Night ends with a cliff hanger, but I am a fan waiting for the sequel. I really want to know who’s the Xiling ruler behind the mask. He made me think of a good guy turned evil like Darth Vader. Perhaps he is the legendary pupil of Tang Academy, the one and only love interest of Madam Jian Da Jia of Red Sleeves Bordello. Who knows?

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There’s a lot to like about this drama: interesting main characters, innovative fight sequences, lots of plot so the middle doesn’t drag too bad, lots of references to other popular movies, but with a twist.

With all that going for it, I really should like it more. What’s not working? A cast of dozens and dozens underdeveloped characters.

There’s tons of characters which get introduced, serve a minor plot point and then reappear kind of randomly. Coupled with lots of dropped plot threads and it adds up to a writing team that couldn’t figure out how to balance pacing, plot and characters. Everything is a little off balance. If the writers ouldjust focus on the key characters we needed to care about, then I could get more emotional involved with the show. Instead, it was entertaining, but at a distance.

A couple of critical characters really needed more emphasis including Sang Sang, the lead character. She gets short changed A LOT. Since her character is soft-spoken and humble, hiding her isn’t helping things any. Sigh. Just another example of what didn’t go right.

Some of these dropped threads may be because they were counting on additional seasons to tell the story. So much feels incomplete which is pretty sloppy storytelling.

It was refreshing to see a lot of new and different faces. For once, the cast doesn’t look like they are all spokespersons for luxury brands once the wigs come off. It’s great to see a wide variety of faces and personalities.

Unfortunately it looks like they didn’t sign all cast members back for the next season so it will be ingesting to see what the new faces will do to the characters.

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Wuxia Game Of Thrones

I have seen my fair share of wuxia dramas, and this remains one of the most interesting, refreshing, and ultimately my favorite wuxia series of all time (not including Ever Night 2. I pretend that doesn't exist). I'd like to compare it to Game Of Thrones; a fresh take on a familiar genre, while bringing a sense of grounded storytelling, excellent pacing, and an intriguing cast of rich, diverse, and believable characters, complimented by outstanding action, political intrigue, and fantastical abilities all within a vast and sprawling world.

The first thing that hits you is the exquisite cinematography, engrossing and unique settings, dynamic action sequences, and the witty, cocksure charisma of Chen Feiyu. And you meet the adorable FL (Ireine Song) as the seemingly simple Sang Sang; a hard-nosed yet endearing character that matures into something more nuanced and unique that stands apart from your typical FLs in wuxia dramas. The chemistry between ML and FL is also not the typical dynamic you usually see in wuxia shows. I really loved how they handled their complex relationship. It then unfolds different kingdoms, cities, rulers, generals, families, sects, and tribes. You meet different royals with their machinations and political factions, you meet the different schools and masters of differentiated styles and abilities, and you even meet low-level gangsters and street merchants. Even the antagonists are varied and compelling. I won't spoil who the main antagonist is and in all honesty, it's arguable who actually is the main antagonist.

And like all great dramas, the side/supporting characters feel fully fleshed out and interesting with different backgrounds and perspectives (particular standouts like the scheming Grand Prince Li Pei Yan, The dopey yet affable 12th disciple Chen Pi Pi, the roguishly enigmatic Dragon Gang leader Chao Xiao Shu, or the unyielding Daoist Yi Hong Yu played by the chronic scene-stealing Meng Zi Yi. Also love seeing Hong Kong mega popstar legend Leon Lai as the King!). They all feel like they have their own agency, issues, motivations, and objectives. They aren't just 1-dimensional caricatures to serve as plot fodder or backdrops for the leads. Even a lesser yet significant side character like General Ma is incredibly interesting. You immediately understand the depth of his relationship with the ML, often in scenes where their dialogue is saying one thing but their superb acting and chemistry are telling you something else entirely.

With so many characters, kingdoms and plot points one would worry that the story would be all over the place or unfocused, yet not once did I feel like the narrative strayed or muddied, mainly due to the excellent writing and pacing. Never once did I feel like I'm going from scene to scene of people just talking, regurgitating already known information, and not really adding anything significant to the plot: aka chewing the scenery (something often overused in Ever Night 2 and many other wuxia dramas to stretch the plot, save costs and meet episode count). Ever Night still manages to hit many of the similar beats of the typical wuxia drama, but just manages to do it better, put fresh spins on tired troupes, and explore multiple narratives and character arcs efficiently and effectively while still managing to tell a cohesive and satisfying story. Often I will be watching the latest wuxia drama and think, "Ever Night did it better." Not to mention little to no drop off in quality throughout the series which in itself is a feat. Sometimes wuxia productions will wow you with an early spectacle and then a steep drop-off for the rest of the series.

But ultimately, this is very much the ML's and FL's story as we journey with them through this expansive world of eclectic characters that seem to change and grow along with them. At the heart of this story is the lead's relationship with each other and how their characters endure and evolve through their many trials, tribulations, and adventures. The side and supporting characters are interesting and impactful while not overshadowing the leads. The world is lush and lived in. The action is spectacular. The political intrigue keeps you on your toes and doesn't drag. The cinematography is breathtaking. The production, writing, and pacing are all on point. The OST is iconic, sweeping, and legendary. I don't give out many perfect 10s, this is one of them.

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This is an exceptional drama! Superb wuxia with beautiful cinematography, fantastic action scenes, and great computer generated images. The drama has a solid storyline and it offers great moments that deliver a varied range of emotions. Everything is excellent about this fantasy adventure drama but what makes it exceptional is the actors. The cast performed as if every character was made solely for that specific actor, and they truly owned their characters! [Side note: The leading couple grew up together, taking care of each other and, in the process, through a fated connection, developed a pure, intense, and beautiful love.] Enjoy it!

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Le premier Cdama qui m'aura autant gardé éveillée!

Ever Night (saison 1)

Quand un adolescent en quête de vengeance devient l'enfant prodige qui sauvera le royaume et combattra la nuit éternelle.
C'est l'histoire de Ning Que, un soldat, qui part à la capitale accompagné de sa fidèle servante, Sang Sang, une enfant qu'il a sauvé de la mort 13 ans plus tôt. L'objectif de Ning Que est de trouver l'assassin de sa famille (et de l'occire par la même occasion). Durant sa quête, somme toute classique, il fera la rencontre de personnages extraordinaires et deviendra le mythique 13ème frère de l'académie Tang.

Jusque que là rien de bien nouveau. Une trame classique de vengeance. Ce sont les rencontres que fera Ning Que qui feront la différence. La découverte de la légende de la "nuit éternelle", légende qui au fur et à mesure prendra de l'ampleur, deviendra au final la trame principal.

Si vous avez lu ma critique sur "Joy of Life" (retenez juste le mot parfait, et vous n'oublierez jamais "Joy of Life"), vous devez peut-être savoir qu' "Ever Night" sort de l'imagination prolifique et génialissime de Mao Ni, l'auteur de web-novel à succès en Chine. L'univers "d'Ever Night" est différent de "Joy of Life", il est axé sur un univers fantastique peuplé de tribu de guerriers, de mages et de démons (entre autres). C'est un univers extrêmement riche et on prend un énorme plaisir à découvrir les différentes tribus. Il va sans dire que l'académie Tang sera le pilier de ce drama. L'académie Tang avec ses 12 disciples est extraordinaire. Nous avons aimé chacun des disciples, leur atout et leur...ha ils n'ont que des atouts ^^ . Nous avons bien sur eu nos chouchous comme 1er frère ou 2ème frère. 12ème frère (Chen Pinpin). Ou 3ème soeur (alors, elle, elle est fantastique, particulièrement dans la saison 2). Et surtout, l'incroyable (le plus puissant de tous, le plus classe de tous, le plus drôle de tous) leur maitre Fu Zi (nous ne voyons plus la lune de la même manière depuis...). Bref, nous avons adoré toute l'académie. Leur lien de fraternité était immense. Leur loyauté. Leur solidarité envers Ning Que et Sang Sang. Et puis, ce sont les plus forts (ouais dit comme cela, je me prendrais presque pour une ado).

Les autres personnages qui foulent joyeusement ce drama ne sont pas en reste. Le chouchou de chéri, l'expert épéiste (j'avoue, il est tellement classe). Le maitre des pentacles Yan Se, sa relation avec Ning Que était tellement bouleversante et drôle (nous avons beaucoup beaucoup pleuré...). Les 3 maniaques, des femmes sexy, féminines et pourtant si douces et puissantes en même temps. Et l'empereur! Un empereur classe, manipulateur...et d'une gentillesse incroyable. Bref, Un drama riche en personnages attachants, complexes et bad ass. Que demander de plus...
Ce drama nous a totalement (mon mari et mes enfants) rendu accro durant tous les épisodes. Peu de drama nous aura rendu complètement addict. Tout était parfait (malgré le nombre d'épisodes qui peut faire peur au départ):

- Le jeu des acteurs qui était parfait, tout en subtilité et en force. Nous avons découvert surtout Chen Fe Yu, incroyable dans son jeu et Ireine Song (leur différence de taille, sur laquelle ils jouent à outrance pour notre plaisir est impressionnante!). Des acteurs confirmés comme Leon Lai ou Adam Cheng, cela fut un réel plaisir de les retrouver. Le casting était parfait et nous avions été super déçu du changement de casting dans la saison 2....

- La beauté de la photographie (Yoshitaka Amano a été consulté, graphiste illustrateur de la saga des Final Fantasy par exemple. Nous avons vraiment l'impression de nous trouver devant un film à haut budget. Bien que certains CG ne soient pas encore à la hauteur de ce que font les américains, je peux dire sans me tromper que le drama dans son entier n'a rien à leur envier, bien au contraire.

- L'OST est sublime. Elle est épique et envoutante. Les chansons et BGM collent parfaitement aux scènes. Mon ado de 11 ans est dingue de la bande son et l'écoute en boucle. Ma chanson préférée est la magnifique chanson "Darkness" de SITA. Mais il y a aussi Sincerely "d'ADA", ou encore "Lonely Guy's song" de Elvis Wang. Je trouve cela très frustrant de ne pas pouvoir trouver le CD. Je serais prête à dépenser une fortune pour avoir la bande son en CD...

- Les scènes de combat intenses, excitantes, sont d'une réelle finesse et magistralement orchestrées (on le comprend d'autant mieux lorsqu'on sait que John Bruno a été consulté pour les effets spéciaux. John Bruno a été en charge des films de James Cameron comme "Terminator", "Titanic" ou "Avatar" pour ne citer qu'eux....) les moyens mis en oeuvre pour ce drama que cela soit financiers ou technique sont hors normes pour un drama chinois. Et cela se ressent dès les premières images. D'un naturel à couper le souffle et fluide, visuellement ce drama est une réussite insolente. Ce qui est à applaudir lorsqu'on sait que la plupart du temps, les dramas chinois bénéficient d'un budget limité et ont donc des réalisations à faire fuir le cinéphile lambda, ce qui est dommage au vu de la qualité des dramas chinois (et je ne dis pas cela par ce que je suis chinoise, mon GeGe de coeur pourra vous confirmer que j'avais une nette préférence pour les Kdramas héhé).

- Le leader, Ning Que, tellement charismatique qu'on en reste sans voix, voyou au grand coeur, un sourire à tomber raide dingue et une répartie malicieuse qui ne s'oubliera pas, et dont on aime sans condition. Lorsqu'il combat, avec son épée, son parapluie ou son arc et ses flèches de talisman, comme des gamins, nous regardons tout cela avec des étoiles dans les yeux (limite de la bave aux lèvres). Si si je vous assure....je l'ai vu dans les yeux de chéri. Les seuls qui ont su nous donner ce grand frisson sont Ip Man et Kenshin.

- Sang Sang (Ireine Song) est juste incroyable dans son jeu, ses mimiques et son amour sans faille pour Ning Que...sa fragilité d'enfant combinée à son caractère de femme affirmée et à son obsession de la richesse font d'elle un des personnages de série les plus "kawai", impossible de ne pas l'aimer...

D'ailleurs. Une romance tellement extraordinaire! Le peu de fois où Ning Que et Sang Sang interagissent, notre coeur déborde devant leur démonstration d'affection. Leur alchimie est incroyable et bien que leur amour ne soit pas le moteur de la saison 1, on comprendra très vite la place qu'à Sang Sang dans le drama et SURTOUT dans la vie Ning Que. Sang Sang est tout. Et juste cette phrase que l'on entendra dans la saison 2 " Si le monde entier va à l'encontre de Sang Sang, j'irais contre le monde entier" aura fait battre nos petits coeurs à 100 à l'heure. Ou cette scène insoutenable (mon coeur ne me lâche pas, please) lorsque Sang Sang se sauve chez sa famille et que Ning Que la retrouve et la confronte devant ses parents. Sa colère, sa rage mêlée à cette peur irrationnelle de la perdre qui se lisait dans les yeux de Ning Que, dans sa voix, m'aura fait retenir mon souffle jusqu'à la fin. Aish, quelle romance mes aïeux, quelle romance! Le pire? c'est que ce drama n'est même pas une romance.

En conclusion, on ne s'ennuie pas : on s'amuse, on rit, on s'en pince à attendre que Ning Que réalise enfin ce que représente Sang Sang, on se régale devant des scènes de combat épiques, on s'exclame " Oh trop classe!!!!" et c'est donc avec ferveur que l'on croise les doigts pour une saison 3 (la saison 2, moins bonne que la saison 1, étant déjà sorti depuis l'hiver dernier).
Un drama qui se place dans mon Top, celui de mon mari et de mes enfants, un drama qui aura fait l'unanimité chez nous.
En un mot (ok, plusieurs en fait) épique, drôle, intense!

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Sorry but the story started out to be brother-sister relationship between Ning Que and Sangsang. Even the way their bodies look, it's similar to an older brother to a small younger sister. The story tells of a scene where Ning Que became comfortable of sleeping with Sangsang because she has reached puberty stage. But then since Sangsang told Ningque that she wanted her for herself then he stopped dating other girls. He could just told her that they can't be lovers because they are related to each other by the way they built the relationship. Just taboo in my opinion.

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Quality? Soaring highs and devastating lows

This is a heartbreaking one because I actually have really strong feelings about this drama. When I first started it I was so amazed by the world-building, quality of production, scale of the cast, fight scenes, and uniqueness of the main characters. It was so fully realized and engrossing right away, which is rare in a drama. It also felt fresh and exciting, which is even rarer! There was a visceral quality to the cinematography, costuming and acting. The relationship between the leads was totally different from anything I had seen before.

I think there are real strengths to this drama: it has a great cast of interesting characters, strong world-building, quite good pace, compelling villains and visually appealing design. I was emotionally attached to the journey of our leads and felt like the relationship (older brother/younger sister; master/servant) between them was really well fleshed it, along with all its flaws.

Unfortunately, the final third was more of a struggle. The sudden turn toward a romantic relationship between them felt incestuous and gross and awkward. The showdown was a bit tired and the pace got wonky. It was still okay, but just didn't work for me. After such a great start, this was pretty upsetting. Hence my rating.

If you like Chinese fantasy, watch this. You may not end up liking it by the end, but it's still a good adventure and an engrossing story.

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