It started off well enough.

I was excited the first few episodes of this show. Finally a Xianxia I might really enjoy. The first few episodes certainly feel promising but by the middle end of the show, it starts to fall apart. The show has the same major problems of almost every Xianxia I have ever watched. Plot lines that just don't make sense. Conflicts that had a lot of potential that just get dropped, and really stupid storylines in place of better ones. Eye rolling soap and dramatics. The story really starts to fall apart the more nonsensical it becomes.

Production was beautiful. I loved the landscapes, costumes, scenery. Much to be expected from this genre.

I felt a little annoyed that the guard and the bandit girl get so much screen time to try to develop a love line I didn't care for. I wanted more scenes of the main leads together. I also didn't like that they didn't curate a better second lead syndrome, which they set up so nicely and completely destroyed instead of exploring further. Added a few weird storylines that seemed kind of pointless to include. Ugh some plots were so bad, it really ruined the show for me.
I will say, I'm really glad they made Fairy Dan Yin redeemable and did not include a crazy female who plots and manipulates due to love.

The show had a lot of potential to be so much better.

Do I recommend it? If you like this genre, it's worth at least watching. Will I watch it again? I mean, I guess I'd rewatch a few of the first episodes? Where the show succeeds, it is great, where it fails, it fails in ways that's hard to salvage.
All I can really say is, Dylan Wang does a great job for this leading role. The character type suits him.

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I mean I watched it

The film style and production seemed so similar to Ashes of Love, I actually thought they were made by the same people.
Visually it was beautiful. Part of it felt promising. The first half of the show is better than the second, but if you want to compare it to Ashes of Love, Yan Dan feels like she was meant to be a 'smarter' Jinmi.. but this is largely arguable considering it takes her 800 years to forget a guy who she basically kills herself over, and then literally breaks her body apart again and again for said same guy. The character style and acting is so similar, there's fewer differences and than similarities between these characters and you can't help but compare as the actress is the same, and the filming style between these two shows are so similar. Yan Dan's character development is also similar to Jinmi, as she gets more serious throughout the show, and she cries so much, it's no wonder audiences were upset about the actress having a worn out appearance for much of the show. With so many crying scenes, no wonder.

The main male lead character is so useless in terms of love for much of the show. Punishments and plots, like many Xianxia, either don't make sense or feel poorly explored. I really wasn't rooting for them by the end of the show, and really didn't care that they died. Wish they had cast someone else for the leads and created second lead syndrome because the story could have tugged at my heartstrings for the second lead, but sorely didn't.
I won't watch this again, but I did finish the show.

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They tried.

For all intended purposes, this was the kind of show I was looking for. I've been looking for an ooey gooey romance, particularly one that could span lifetimes (xianxia) and while I have finished this show.. How can I describe it.. it leaves much to be wanting?

The storyline may have been promising.. but over the span of three lifetimes, the main leads spend more time apart than they have time together. They marry other people and in the first lifetime, the main female lead even has a child with someone else and that gets glazed over like it's not a big deal. I think the base of the story is beautiful though could use some more modern updates, and I don't doubt writers had a hard time expressing that kind of base in a longer, visual, story.
There is a lot of time that needs to span through this show, so much of the time they spend together ends up feeling like a lot of big shows of I must surely love you and it's not that convincing.. A lot of the love scenes involve fireworks and beautiful views.. but I think what the writers have forgotten is that love isn't all fireworks and fireflies, it's curated from many more smaller moments. They spend so much time apart it makes you wonder how he fell into such a deep love in the first place. Especially as each lifetime seems to bring about a different female lead.
I say all of this even believing time doesn't define how deeply you can love someone, but if this kind of love is to stand the test of time, some time to nurture it seems necessary too.

I usually don't like when there are too many additional love lines but I liked the blue bird and lone star side story. Unfortunately, their love story often seemed stronger than the main characters. While I liked the inclusion of their story, I don't think it makes sense for a second love line in a show to be stronger and better than the main. They did a better job at relaying chemistry and love than the main leads.

I didn't like that the main female lead seemed like a completely different person by her third lifetime, that these changes in reincarnation aren't really addressed, and I think by the end, I actually kind of tired of watching her. She lacked main female lead energy. Wish they cast someone else for the lone star and for the main female lead, and wish they told this story differently in show form. I didn't enjoy watching either actor/actress perform.
The end felt a little rushed, and a little silly.
Overall, I watched all of it, and it was just fine. I highly doubt I'll watch it again, and I'll likely forget about it.

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It's a military/history fantasy soap

If you're here for a love story, it's a hard pass. The visuals are beautiful, production did a great job with the visuals and creation of the show, the actors look great and do such a great job considering the storylines, but the failures are deeply in the writing of the story. Seriously, who wrote this? What genre even is this?

They spend a good part of the first set of episodes trying to tell a backstory about the varying kingdoms, side plots developing the importance of certain sects, trying to garner sympathy for these family turmoils, but they do it in such a way that feels both rushed and underdone. I was so bored by the time they tried to explain all of this stuff out, and never really felt they developed the main leads in a way that makes you feel like they're a main part of the story. The writers have to rely on just saying the main leads have known each other for years so you miss out on how they actually progress into love, getting to know them, their chemistry, etc. Their relationship just sort of happens and it feels like it happens fast and over coincidentally (like really, of all people, he is found in the water by her? It'd make sense the other way around considering he actually had people following her but in all of this open water of all people and of all boats.. really?) What were the catalysts that changed their relationship to one of romance?

and they incorporate these really overused romance tropes of skinship and romance without understanding how and why those tropes can actually be exciting in other shows and how they can be used successfully. They don't understand why shows often include a second love interest, whether its because the guy is also a heartthrob that makes you want to root for them too, or maybe the guy creates conflict for the main leads. The secondary love interests are just, not even there for either side. Like they are, but they really aren't? I guess they were supposed to be but the writers didn't understand how to incorporate them?
Ex: They set up this whole story of going to the kingdom to win back the kings trust and win over this girl's hand in marriage and all of this storyline doesn't really make sense, but they try really hard to make it sound like they're all being smart in their decisions and calculating. We need to do this to win back the kings trust so we have to pass these tests but also not fail? And the main female lead just helps without any tugs on her heart of, I don't know, this is wrong and stupid, like why? They start to mention like this woman had always kind of liked Feng Langxi but then don't explore it and it feels kind of stupid that they even bring up that past in the first place. These side characters and this whole idea of a contest to win a girl's hand, ... could have been so good, had it been a romance drama and developed in a way that makes literally any sense.

The main leads don't have chemistry. I mean they kind of do, but like, it just felt really forced. Their characters and connection just aren't given the time or energy needed to make their love connection worth pining for. There's too much other stuff going on.

If we're comparing the show to a dessert, the love story is the cherry on top, the actual dish isn't even a dessert (romance). You see the cherry and get excited for sweets and all you taste are mashed potatoes. Why do they present the dish like a dessert when it isn't even that? Does the cherry even go there?
Before I keep going, can I just say for another example on character development, the writers spend a lot of time trying to make really crappy characters seem decent, and a lot of really dumb characters seem smart. For example, the first prince, they try to make you feel sorry for him but he kills innocent people just for finding out about his illness, beats staff, and then cries about his pathetic existence a good portion of the beginning of the show.. when all you really want to do is see the leads develop a love line.
Also, they have so many plot set ups that would be great potentials for love conflicts and development that get largely overlooked. The mystery surrounding their identities could have been a huge one, but it gets glazed over and you wonder why it was even included in the first place. Another example? The main female character is supposed to be a carefree spirit, but all she does is get entangled in war and leadership without any pushback. The characters are flat, and lack needed dimension and, well, character. Everything needs to be explained, and you realize it has to be, because otherwise it's entirely nonsensical. The explanations themselves, hardly help.

The usurp was comical at best. So much soap.

Refeshing part: The female lead is meant to be powerful, beautiful, and smart. I liked that she kept her own and that there aren't really conflicts between the female characters over a guy and that instead they become friends. That was super refreshing. I also liked that she 'doesn't suddenly lose her powers' due to sacrifice and stupidity.. but of course they add in a subplot that she dies and is revived, and dies again and is revived (eye roll) and that the male lead sacrifices his powers just to appease his horrible father... but then gets them back and then again his life... There's little redemption and reasoning on these side plots too, and really frustrating to watch.. why are some of them even included? Because the show is so visually appealing otherwise and you just keep hoping it's going to get better but it just drags on. By the time the leads actually get together, it feels like it happened way too late but also in some ways, way too fast. Like they skip the sweet developments between them and they're just kissing and sitting on one another's lap and that's not a big deal since they need to trick someone but.. I just, didn't feel like the writers understood why these romance tropes are even used, why they can be exciting to watch, or how to really make a romance based story. It didn't feel like a genre the writers even understand, so I'm not sure why they even mask this story as such. It is really not a love story, it really is not a romance genre.
Don't even get me started on the end. So stupid.
I guess at least they made the visuals appealing? It's literally the only reason I've continued trying to watch. So much potential just lost in bad storytelling. It's a shame.
Skip this if you want a love story. Actually skip this if you want, well, anything. I don't understand why they even made this show. Who is the target audience? What genre is this? What is the point in this story?

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Whether you like this will largely depend on your preferences

If you like anime, this is a fun and light show I think you'll enjoy if you can get over the almost power ranger style CGI, costume/props. To give an example, there is a scene where an actress is supposed to be threatening using her nails, but you can see clearly it's made of a cheap rubber or silicone just from the way it bends anytime she tries to put any pressure on them. Prepare for a lot of cheese and theatrics.

The story and characters are like any other popular anime. I don't know much about this show, but I kept wondering if it is based off of a video game. Some of the music especially is reminiscent of a lot of games. The characters and style of battle and power also reminds me a little of gaming too. The storyline and progression is just like the majority of generic type anime, and if you love that genre of powering up and getting stronger, this show might be great for you.
I can't rate this highly as it's not really unique, the graphics aren't great, and the acting style, while sometimes fun, is theatrical and silly at best. It is just like a lot of animes and cartoons I used to enjoy as a child. I definitely feel this was meant for younger audiences, and for the right person, I'd agree this was show was done just fine. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone who wants any kind of realism, seriousness in acting or visuals. I can't help but feel this was made for a specific audience in mind and unfortunately I am not it. I'm about halfway through, and I'm not sure I'll finish.
This show seems great for kids, and I don't mean that as insult. Genuinely I would probably have loved this when I was much younger.

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This show is so ridiculous, why do I love it so much

Deng Lun was made for his role in this show, and had it been another actor, it is very possible I wouldn't have loved this show as much as I did. There are literal full episodes I will skip in this show as I just didn't care for a lot of the side plots and storylines. By the second half of the show, it starts to go downhill and fast. Especially as Jinmi's character goes from lighthearted and fun to -groan- dang near despicable and annoying, and Xufeng isn't in a lot of these later episodes due to well, you'll see.
It is a long show, that could have been shortened for greater impact. Lots of annoying soap dramatics and ridiculousness that I wish had been done very differently or taken out entirely. A lot of subplots and things that also just don't even make sense.. which I am noticing more and more happens a lot in this type of genre. I also wish the second male lead was cast with someone entirely differently, and incorporated into the story in a manner that could actually cause a very big second lead syndrome to make the war in the end even more heartbreaking and understanding. From start to finish I did not like the second male lead. I also grew really tired of all of the plotting and manipulations and dramatics from the many villains of the show. So much soap when all I wanted was romantics. There were a lot of characters I really hated watching and wished were cast or presented differently.

There is a lot I have qualms with about this show .. so why the high rating and why do I still love this show?

Deng Lun is an absolute gem. He is attractive and charming, and the scenes they do have in falling in love and being together are so sweet and endearing. I haven't been able to watch his other romance shows with the same effect .. This character must have fit him so well. I keep trying to imagine different people cast for this story but it is hard for me to imagine anyone else who could be better for his role in my opinion. I feel like I rewatch this just to see him falling in love.
Production was done well in my opinion. The costumes are beautiful, the fantasy scenes and landscapes are beautiful, and even when some of the graphics or filming are very obviously film/theatre/cgi, I didn't really mind. As for the writing, I really enjoyed some of the comedic scenes and some of the sweeter side characters and plot lines. The light hearted ones were a breath of fresh air from all the doom and gloom. I loved a lot of the internal thoughts and silliness. Even the innocent misunderstandings. I still laugh at a few.

Every time I think about Ashes of Love I keep thinking about all of the ways this story had so much potential to be so much better, but I can't imagine them being able to remake this in a way to fix all of the many shortcomings of its predecessor successfully without perfect casting and impeccable planning and writing. I really don't know of any actor who would be better for the main male lead than Deng Lun. The actors and actresses would have to have amazing synergy and it's hard to imagine which current actors/actresses could even play which parts. The main leads would be incredibly important. The story would have to be improved significantly, and the many mistakes of the original ironed out.
To be fair, the reason I even consider any of this is because of how much I enjoyed the show. Otherwise I wouldn't even consider what it'd be like to remake the story. Any remake would have to be better than the original, otherwise there is no point.

I can see why a lot of people don't like this show.. but I can also see why it is so incredibly popular too. There is a reason why with every new fantasy Xianxia this show is often brought up in comparison.

My summary. There is a lot about this show I don't like.. but I keep coming back to it. Deng Lun was perfect for his role. When the show is bad, it is really bad, but the parts that are good, are really good. If you're like me, you'll end up rewatching the few episodes and scenes that are worthwhile just because they're so sweet and learn to skip over all the annoying ones (which can be more than the sweet scenes in number unfortunately). The scenes of them falling in love and getting to know one another over time are really cute. The love scenes are so sweet.

This is actually the first show that made me look for other Xianxia style shows because of how much I enjoyed it. I've watched quite a few now, all because of this show, and they all have a lot of the same problems. I'm always looking forward to creators making this genre so much better, because the potential is definitely there. I will say, there is not another Xianxia I have seen that I've liked better than this show, despite how many things I've found wrong with it.
If you have any interest in this genre, this show is a must see.

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