Epic Xianxia Is Epic

This is really three stories in one long telling. The most obvious story is romantic involving the twin sisters. The secondary story is the power struggles in the Heavenly and Void realms. The underlying story that guides them all is the “Big Bad” that threatens their universe.

The characters are many but after a few episodes very distinct in their differences. The main romantic couples are obvious after the first couple episodes. The heroes and villains aren’t as straight forward in the supporting characters.

As soon as one crisis is thwarted, another one pops up in true dramatic fashion. The story is always moving forward. The laughs are plentiful and balanced with the angst overall. All the little side stories are like puzzle pieces to the bigger picture.

The CGI is amazing and is the visual center to this show and the story. The soundtrack fits the scenes, even when it’s a modern sound. The sound effects are on point, especially enhancing the comical moments. Bonus points for not overusing blood leaving the body. However, in the beginning there are some noticeable sound production issues. Costumes and make up are beautiful. It’s easy to distinguish the type of character the person is suppose to be based on it.

Overall a highly recommended show for those who typically enjoy epic Xianxia style stories.

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Bite Sized Saga

An excellent drama roller coaster ride. From the white truck of death/doom to the ear bleeding screams of angry women throwing tantrums, this show has a lot going for it. It's a murder mystery and chaebol family drama rolled into a 15 one hour episode mini-saga with a two finale episode.

The main characters are solid and well played. The character development is well told. Most of the main and supporting cast play their characters well enough to be relatable or create feelings about them and their situations. There's a fair amount of laughing at, crying with and getting mad for them throughout the show. The cast is also mostly attractive or otherwise fitting their character.

The music is pretty good, depending on your tastes, but the BGM fits each scene well. It's a great OST. I like the makeup and costumes also. The costume styles are very particular to the characters, right down to the nail polish or handkerchief. The sets are beautiful and fitting for each character and scene. The lighting and set designs cater to each character even.

The "who done it?" part of the story kept me guessing after every other episode. After the first few episodes, you think you know what's going on, but you change your mind at least twice by the big reveal episodes. I like how they wrap up the character storylines during the end credits also. Good or bad, every major character gets an ending of some kind.

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Woman Compelled To Live Her Own Life

I believe that most Japanese movies and dramas have a sprinkle of quirky flavor to them. No Japanese story is without it. This story is no different in that, but it also compels the viewer to think beyond what they're shown.
I found this more of a woman's story about personal struggles in a society that pushes a particular set of goals on women which mark a successful life, making marriage and children milestones and the only life goals necessary for women. Misogyny at its best.
The female lead (FL) is encouraged to achieve these life goals, but is somehow thwarted each time she makes progress. Her family belittles her few achievements and ignores her dreams. Her boyfriends disregard her desires and needs completely, focusing only on themselves. Throughout her life, she's told that what she wants doesn't matter in the real world. She's shamed to want anything for herself. The sense of melancholy is heavy in and around her. It's as though misfortune follows her everywhere, causing her misfortune.
When she meets and befriends a person who shares her dream, he's forced to stop doing what it is he loves due to unknown obstacles. In the sadness of that event, she finds a new friendship and exciting romantic partner; which is technically illegal. She chooses to hold onto a moment of happiness. The moment is soon disfigured by reality and personality conflicts, which she faces alone despite having a number of people in her life. In the end, her struggle is a culmination of her acceptance of others' adverse treatment of her. Once she realizes this, it's the end of the show.
The movie inside the series works as a reflection of the society she lives in and her own development within it. It's cinematically beautiful and disparaging. It's the disease within the perfect body.
TL/DR: The FL earns her independence through relationship turmoil and professional difficulties.

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Excellent All Around

This show delivers on most things required of a 45 episode historical series.

Story: Clear plot goals. Unexpected plot twists. Closure on subplots. Excellent intrigues with intricate subtleties. The scene editing is brilliant, leaving viewers questioning what they thought was going to happen and what is actually happening.

Acting: Character growth is obvious and distinct per character storyline. Actor chemistry creates the feelings needed in scenes of even little importance. Strong female characters who face and sometimes overcome their flaws. Considerate male characters who maintain patience despite societal norms.

Music: The OST is beautiful throughout the show, fitting each scene so well that it's hardly noticeable as a separate entity.

Rewatch Value: With 45 episodes, I doubt I'll ever watch this show again. However, if there is ever a sequel picking up from the ending, I'd likely watch it.

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Once Upon Time Long Ago Today

Story: It seems to jump all over the place, but there's a reason for it. Misdirection. Follow both stories from the past and the future. Pay attention to the character connections including possible links to the past. The characters are well constructed in the end and have the right amount of backstory to justify their place in the story.

Acting: The FL is often annoying but the ML's performance allowed me to ignore her when she bothered me. The acting overall is good. HYT is amazing at juggling his characters and straddling times.

Music: I love the OST. I added the ending credits song to my playlist.

Rewatch value: Unless I forget how it ends, I couldn't watch it again. However, I could watch it in parts to look for glitches.

Favorite quote from the end of episodes: "Life has given me many opportunities to make a fool of myself. I have taken all of them."

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I'm very picky about giving high ratings to movies and TV shows. I liked everything about this movie adaptation of the manga.

It skips over the detailed filler from the manga without losing the backstory or slowing the present story. The characters remain true to the original concepts and are depicted well in all aspects. The presentation of desserts is artistically beautiful and temptingly alluring.

The entire cast is well chosen; from the main characters to the school girls who swoon over them. For the entire two hours, you are cheering each character on regardless of what he wants to accomplish. I want to reach through the screen and hug the bodyguard on multiple occasions. I want to do the same to the chef but for far different reasons. I even want to sit with the school girls and join in their chatter.

The music is well chosen for each scene, but no one song or piece stands out and shouts to be heard. It all flows well, supporting the movie as audible background. The artistic presentation of making the desserts and displaying them is mouthwatering. The same effort is used with the actors who represent their characters; emphasizing their uniqueness but natural cohesiveness.

While the credits were rolling, I wondered about what each character was going to do next. It's not that I want a sequel; simply that invested in how their individual stories make up the overall story. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes this review.

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This story has so many twists and turns, it'll make your head spin; but if you keep steady, you'll get a fantastic tale. The idea of "pay it forward" is subtle but constant throughout. Karma and life lessons are also important ideas for both the characters and the varying subplots. The primary plot doesn't involve only the main characters though. Every named character seems to have some influence over the entire storyline.
I drew a chart to show how each character introduced was associated to another character either more or less significant. The chart has lines and arrows all over the place. :)
The OST used fits each scene well. The scene editing is slightly confusing, but is often explained later on. There are many "Ohhh, that's what that was about" moments. The acting is good. You can see which actors are more seasoned, but the younger actors hold up well also.

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Unexpected Gems

The characters are fantastic. Each one starts as a stereotype, but many end better than expected. The storylines are intertwined and woven together for each main and supporting character with an ending. There are few loose ends. There is character growth for even the characters only talked about.

My character relationship chart in the end isn't as convoluted as I expected it to be at the start of the show. Of course I had my favorite characters and stories, as well as the lesser liked ones. There's no disliking the four main characters . There are plenty to dislike among the supporting cast though.

The OST is beautiful and represents the underlying feeling of the story being told well. The costumes and makeup are done well. I rarely saw a makeup hairline or a misplaced costume piece. The continuity seemed intact for the most part.

However, the sets and props were not given the same quality control as the rest of the show. Yikes. It's never a good idea to zoom in on the fake flower, for one. The blood was thin and watery. The swords looked like something out of a modern shop. Don't look too closely at the images while watching the show.

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