One of my favorite dramas of all time

I really fell in love with the Long Ballad...the music, the characters, the cast, the production...and when it was over, I went right back to the beginning and rewatched the whole thing again because I did not want to leave its world or its characters. I think it's such a great drama because it has something to offer for just about everyone: battles/wars, betrayals/revenges, emotional and mental struggles, love for one's people/country vs one's personal needs, hate and forgiveness, and all kinds of relationships(romance, brotherhoods, sisterhoods, family, enemies to allies, etc, etc)....and lots 'n lots of character growth. There are tragedies but, at the end of the day, there are also a lot of positive messages and all kinds of good morals that the story offers to its viewers. The Long Ballad doesn't drag for me. It starts off with a bang and continues at a relatively good pace the rest of the way. By no means is it a flawless drama, but it does so many things well, and is simply so enjoyable, that the little things that aren't all that believable(e.g., we're supposed to believe the main female lead can pass as a male) can be overlooked.

The two leads are Li Changge(Dilraba Dilmurat) and Ashile/Ashina Sun(Wu Lei). Li Changge becomes an exiled princess of Tang when her entire family is massacred by her uncle during a coup for the throne, so she hardens her emotions, and seeks to gain an army so that she can come back to take revenge against her uncle. Her journey isn't so much about revenge, however, as it is about character growth. Along the way, she runs into Ashile Sun, a general of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and the foster son of the Great Khan of Ashile tribe whose grassland people are in the process of invading Tang.

Dilraba and Wu Lei are fantastic in their roles, and their two characters are the ones who move the main plot. For me, they're also the two most interesting characters. I love that both are so mature, wise, courageous, selfless, and capable of impacting the world around them. They're powerful individuals in their own rights but, together, they make a great duo and powerful allies. I think an enjoyable love story starts with a great relationship, and Ashile Sun and Li Changge have one of the best(most mature, understanding, non-toxic) relationships I've seen in a while. That isn't to say that their relationship isn't without any conflicts(far from that), but the mature way in which they handle their conflicts is remarkable. There really aren't any of the usual drawn-out misunderstandings or any blaming/grudge-holding between them. All of that despite being enemies! The two of them truly have a strong foundation for a good relationship...and I really like that what they share has dynamics that go beyond just two people who have romantic interests in each other. They admire, respect, trust, believe in, and view one another as equals...something akin to that of a "brotherhood"(Changge is disguised as a male for a good part of the drama).
The rest of the cast also did really great in each of their roles, even if I did not care so much for the 2nd leads as some others did. I didn't find them very interesting characters or their love story all that compelling or properly set up, and they were a bit disjointed from the main plot of the story. That really wasn't enough to detract from my enjoyment of the overall story though, as they didn't actually have all that much screen time anyway. For anyone who hasn't watched The Long Ballad yet, I will definitely recommend it.

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Unique and totally unpredictable, but slow-paced

For me, this drama wasn't anywhere nearly as bad as some of the other reviewers made it out to be. In fact, despite some of its obvious flaws, I quite enjoyed it. The flow of the plot could have been better executed and the dialogues better scripted. It was just slow-paced throughout, the dialogues not just slow but even a little redundant at times. I can see how the pacing might affect the drama's rewatch value, making it difficult for some viewers to sit through the drama again and again in its entirety, even if they were able to watch every single minute through the very first time. It also took its time revealing the main plot of the drama. That's not to say that nothing was happening. There were a lot of things going on from the get-go(a war between two nations, inner political turmoil/scheming, family/romance /relationship complications, even non-human characters scheming off and on in the background because it is a fantasy drama), but you'll come to the realization a whole 30-some episodes later that there's actually something much more important going on in terms of plot. It is definitely a drama that requires its audience to have a lot of patience. I also wish that Guardians of the Ancient Oath had been given a bigger budget to work with because it really showed in its CGI moments. Those moments looked kind of poor. Although, if it's true that this drama was mostly a school project by the students from Beijing Film Academy, then I guess that would explain my complaints about budget. The last note of warning is that while the ending made sense, it isn't your happily-ever-after ending, so if that bothers you a lot, you might want to steer clear of this drama.

Those things aside, I found the story to be quite unique and unpredictable. It felt rather refreshing when there are just so many dramas out there always doing the same story...and the twist that revealed the main plot later on towards the end of the drama will probably come as something of a little shock because, most likely, it won't be something you'll have been expecting. At least, that was the case for me. I also enjoyed the cast of actors and actresses here, many of them quite young: Leo Wu Lei and Song Zuer(our two leads), as well as as others like Wang Junkai and Fiction Guo. They each played their roles quite well despite having been so young. I came into this drama specifically for Leo Wu Lei so, naturally, I enjoyed his acting, but I appreciated that so many of the characters here weren't entirely black and white or without moral/character flaws. I was rather invested in the relationships of the various characters, and enjoyed the love story between the two leads as well as their relationship dynamics. Some other wonderful things about this drama were some of its cinematography(settings and shots of landscapes) and its music/soundtracks. Loved all the pieces of music that were used throughout, especially the gorgeous opening and pretty ending theme songs. I actually like the more gritty color palette that they used here too. If you're looking for something a little different, and have the time and patience, I would say to go ahead and give "Guardians of the Ancient Oath" a try.

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