Arsenal Military Academy (2019)

Amazing Chinese Drama

I really really love this drama! The actors are excellent and the story as well. Whenever someone ask me about what's best chinese drama, I always recommend this Arsenal Military Academy. Not just about romance, but also drama, action, and patriotism. This drama also makes me cry. The friendship role of the actors are natural, I really really recommend this for everyone to watch. I love Bai Lu, Xu Kai, Wang Yi Zhe and Toby Lee. As well as Huang Song. What makes this drama amazing is their history with the Japanese, how eager military student to fight for their country

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I think this show is rather unique with its plot by mixing it up with action. It’s been an enjoyable ride.

Pros:
- the chemistry with the cast is undeniable. Even the 2nd lead has great chemistry with Bai Lu (lead girl)
- action-packed
- great acting from everyone, especially the main antagonist and Xu Kai (just in scenes where he’s not phoning it in)
- great main and supporting characters
- for the ladies and the gays, the amount of good looking men in this series is just unreasonable. Even their extras are oozing with looks and sex appeal. It’s like they put all the good looking men in mainland china and added them to this show.

Cons:
- it can get quite dragging considering the amount of episodes.
- the development for some characters are not that much, but some development for other characters are quite good.
- ending for me is quite rushed which I think could have been improved if they did not drag a few episodes before. This is I think is one of my biggest disappointments of this drama. A lot of characters just didn’t appear in the ending anymore. And the lead couple’s ending was just too rushed.


General points:
- if you’re looking for a lot of romance like similar shows like Love in the Moonlight, you will be a bit disappointed. While it is marked as romantic, and the lead couple are known to be paired always, it is taking a bit of a backseat to the plot (which is about the Japanese encroachment, and the danger that it’s causing in Shuyuan)
- it’s about 30% true romance, about 20% comedic romance that isn’t really romantic, and from buildup of the love triangle. But do not expect any abundance of romantic displays like other dramas. 50% of it is about character exploration for other cast members, and of course the main plot.
- great acting from the cast. The only thing disappointing is Bai Lu’s lack of effort to be manly. She’s so obvious sometimes, which is unrealistic.
- do not take it seriously. That’s the main rule. This is not to be compared to other dramas that pride themselves with top-notch plots and storylines. It’s still a romance/comedy/action type of drama but a lot of fantasy to it (like Bai Lu passing as a man). It also has a few plot holes and stupid subplots like a lot of typical dramas of this caliber.

It is still enjoyable and is one of those dramas that is a feel-good watch. There will be deaths, and they’re going to hurt. But overall, it’s still a light drama For me. The action is icing on the cake.

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I enjoyed the overall storyline and character relationships. It was one of those shows where I couldn't stop watching. A few specific things I really enjoyed:

Strong female characters:
Obviously the main lead, Xie Xiang is a force of her own, training alongside and competing against men in the academy. She gets a lot of support and help from the leading male characters but is never a damsel in distress. Qu Manting, despite being spoiled and demanding, is a woman who also defies patriarchal norms and is determined to make her own living. Huo Xiaoyu’s story as a single, older woman that commanded so much power and respect made her really impressive.

Acting:
Xu Kai does well as the narcissistic and goofy Gu Yanzhen. There are a few serious scenes where he is furious, and his anger was so palpable on screen it was frightening. Toby Lee as Shen Junshan was fantastic. The way he displays the character’s emotions behind his refined and somewhat restrained character where spot on. His facial expressions so perfectly displayed those mixed emotions. The main villain displays this juxtaposing girlish charm with chilling murderous intent and it was perfect.

Costumes:
I am no fashion expert but the costume design was beautiful. Especially the elaborate dresses that Qu Manting and Huo Xiaoyu wore, but also the suits that the men wore were all pretty dapper.

Huang Song:
He’s just the most loveable, wholesome character.

A few minor grievances:
In the first episode, Gu Yan Zhen displays pretty awful behaviour. While drunk, he harasses Qu Man Ting, grabs her and attempts to kidnap her. My initial reaction to this was that it was pretty violent and disrespectful behaviour to a woman, even though to him it all seemed to be a joke. This initial impression made it really difficult for me to appreciate his character as someone who could respect women for the first half of the show. I realise the character was introduced as a delinquent to give him room to develop later on, but I wish the writers chose a different way to introduce their main male lead.

When questioning the sexuality of the male characters, they were asked “are you ill/sick?.” This is probably a reflection of how same-sex relationships were viewed in the context and is no fault of the writers, however it was something I disdained.

The main villain had a complex and sad backstory which were only superficially discussed. I feel that looking into this backstory in detail would have been worthwhile to provide more depth into the character's vengeful motivations.

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A great drama!

I'm 2 years late but this is one of the best cdramas I have ever watched, might be the best one yet. At first, I was hesitated to watch this as it has 48 episodes and it would be my longest drama that I have watched so far. Despite that, I'm still watching because of Xukai and Bailu starring in this one. If you're asking whether this drama is worth the episodes they had. YES. The plot, casts and ost are excellent. Both main and side characters delivered their roles well. The chemistry is always off the chart. The romance is still there but the drama is more thriller and action focused. The friendship of the squad in the academy is one of my favourites. Also, the comedy got me rolling on the floor not gonna lie. AMA is absolutely amazing. Very recommended. 10/10.

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Chinese Steampunk

Watching Arsenal Military Academy is a feast for your eyes. The cinematography, action scenes, film sets and costumes are on point. I wasn't eager to watch this drama, because I thought it would be too nationalistic, but fortunately, that wasn't the case.

Story

True to its title this series tells the adventures of young cadets who are training, bonding, finding their life purpose. Some interesting characters are introduced in several subplots. There's this girl (Bai Lu) who's grieving about her deceased brother. She decides to impersonate him at the academy. There are two young celebs, a rich heir (Xu Kai) and an actress (Wu Jia Yi) who both take too many risks just to escape their pampered life. The rich boy enlists himself for the academy. Among their high society friends are two brothers, who are leading a business imperium together, but also get more involved in the resistance against Japanese aggression. The younger brother (Toby Lee) goes to the Academy to sharpen his war skills. There he gets a surprise visit from a Sino-Japanese girl he knew from high school. She went to live abroad, but somehow she has returned for mysterious reasons.

Their story is set at the time of the Sino-Japanese aggression, but it all seems more like a fantasy tale, full of glamour, action and music. Characters get away with cross dressing, stunt riding on motor cycles, single handed shoot outs with complete combat armies, escapes from Japanese police cells in just a few minutes. It's all very entertaining.

Cast

This time, the second leads steal the show in stead of the leading couple that made me watch this drama in the first place. Bai Lu and Xu Kai are legendary together in The Legends (2019) but don't expect a rerun of their chemistry here. However, as stand-alone character they are both attractive. Xu Kai is tall, sexy and cute as ever. Bai Lu is even better as a male cadet than as a girl. The best romance scene goes to Hong Yao as the eldest Shen brother who deeply loves Qu Man Ting ( Wu Jia Yi) He's able to recognize this seemingly superficial actress as a strong and capable partner in life, long before she knows it herself. Toby Lee has the role of the younger Shen brother, a lone wolf full of dark brooding energy. It fits him like a glove.

Production

The fight scenes and special effects are well done. The soundtrack is nice and pays tribute to the story except for the modern intro-theme. Also there are a lot of details that can't be seen in one glance, so I will rewatch this series.

Overall

This drama has tags for friendship, teamwork, and romance but these aren't the main themes. Arsenal Military Academy is Chinese steampunk at its best, with action, intelligent characters, and glamour, all-in-one.

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An absolute favourite

If you are doubting whether to watch this or not don't WATCH IT NOW!!! I wasn't much impressed with the first episode because the male lead seemed like a man child and a jerk at first. Give it another 2 or 3 episodes. He is going to grow on you. Never have I ever seen such character development in any character. From doubting his integrity to becoming my most favourite male lead. Xu kai has done a phenomenal job in portraying Gu yan zhen. He was so expressive and genuine in his portrayal that I was rooting for him to have a happy ending. And the chemistry between Xu Kai and BaiLu is so strong that even with the lack of romantic scenes I could feel their bond and care for each other. I would love to watch these two pair up again. This drama had a strong supporting cast and none of them were annoying. I enjoyed the deep friendship and comradry between the characters and they had amazing chemistry as well. The casting of the drama is on point and well done. I love it so much. I can watch it anytime. This became one of my all time favourite. So good. I hope you do too. Won't regret binging again.

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I still miss them

When I started this drama, I was on a Bai Lu drama marathon. I had just finished watching The Legends with Bai Lu and XuKai as well. I started it and I was so hooked. I welcomed the new year alone while watching this one, no regrets.

Plot:
The whole story was very very unique and interesting. It is a period drama, taking place in the 1920s as Western culture was crossing over into the traditional Chinese culture. FL joins the Arsenal Military Academy disguised as a man, under the name of her brother who had once gone there as well but had already passed away. At the academy, she meets a group of guys who sort of became her cohorts. This includes the two MLs, and their friends, as well as a very bright guy who everyone loves. It follows their story and they go through things and eventually become a tight-knit group of friends and brothers. The characters ger very involved with the Japanese mafia and government, especially in this time period. FL keeps her identity hidden the majority of the show, only her best friend and the ML knows. There is a war going on so its a lot of government and military talk. It's not a pure romance drama. There is no kiss. It's very funny at the beginning and light-hearted but as you go on, it gets more and more intense. I cried a lot. If you've been watching dramas for a while and understand the way the writers think, you can kind of guess the outcomes of some of the characters. I guessed it and it still hurt when it happened.

Cast:
I loved the cast. Everyone was so perfect for their roles and did their part so well. BaiLu and XuKai have incredible chemistry. The second male lead was also really good. For the majority of the drama, I couldn't choose who I liked more and who I shipped. One of my favorite characters is the Qu ManTing. She seems like a spoiled actress and rich girl but she stands up for herself and will fight you if you do something to her or her friends. The main villain is played so so well. She makes you hate her so much.

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I know I'm late to the game, but I just finished watching it. Bai Lu, Xu Kai, and Toby Lee are always fantastic. This has my absolute favorite opening credit track of any CDrama I've seen so far. The story is engaging, the music is entertaining, and cast is fantastic. I love the fighting and that they acknowledge the fact that a female soldier would be physically weaker than a male soldier instead of going all GI Jane with the role. However, what I really want to talk about is Liu SiBo in this drama. I could not take my eyes off of him every time he was on the screen. Does he box in real life? If so I need to know how to watch that. ?

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Lovely Cast

Such a beautiful series. Every episode is worth watching as there are no fillers. Such an interesting plot as well. The actors and actresses gave their 100% performance. Of course, Xu Kai portrayed Gu Yan Zhen in a loveable way. His acting skills are truly at its excellence! I love Xu Kai! :)

Interestingly, all the characters are well developed as the story progresses. I love the camaraderies between the characters and how they love and willing to sacrifice themselves for their country.

The setting in the Republican era was well shown as the characters well well dressed, the props, and set were well prepared.

The overall story is a mixture of emotions from funny, drama, romance, and of course action.

Oh, not to mention the OST and the songs used in the series. I love the choice of songs.

Such a beautifully made series. You must take time to watch this interesting series.

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One of the Best Chinese Drama -- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

It's set in WW2 during pre Japanese war in China. A group of brats enrolled in Arsenal Military Academy and there was an exception student, Xie Liangchen. She enrolled in the military academy to replace her late brother and disguised as a man and later she became one of the most prominent students and form strong friendship with her comrades.

During the process in the academy she tried so hard to hide her identity and Gu Yanzheng who found out her identify gradually fell in love with her. Xu Kai and Bai Lu had good chemistry.

The drama also featuring good supporting roles and has good songs, good directing. It went by fast, not draggy at all. For Chinese drama rookies, this drama is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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I have been on a HCD (historical chinese dramas) marathon lately, in view of the covid 19 situation and I dropped many titles midway through. I was either not contented with the romance or the episodes were filled with dreary political scenes, to simply put it, most were draggy. Perhaps I was so drawn to this drama was maybe because this is my first military chinese drama I haved ever watched. I must say that after watching a myriad of ancient dramas, watching a, more recent era, drama felt refreshing. The actors acted well in my opinion and I adored the relationship between Xie Xiang and Yan Zhen. However, warning, I did have second lead syndrome even after finishing the whole series. I also wished that the show could have showcased more of Shen Ting Bai and Qu Man Ting together. Needless to say, this was worth all those sleepless nights that I went through!

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