The Ending: Classic of Mountains and Seas

Classic of Mountains and Seas 山海经之赤影传说 seem like a wholesome affair about a quest to gather seven warriors in a race to summon a deity, that is until jealousy rears its ugly head and everyone starts dropping like flies [spoiler alert].

The final episode begins with a one-on-one battle between Su Mo (Gu Li Na Zha) and Fu Er (Lan Ying Ying) and for the umpteenth time, Su Mo is defeated. Granted that Fu Er possesses black magic and a newfound ability for mind control; yet Su Mo's lack of improvement throughout the 46-episode run is equally frustrating.

Meanwhile, Chi Yu (Zhang Han) and his alter ego Xin Yue Hu (Zhang Han) are trapped inside an illusion. Desperate to escape, Chi Yu decides to sacrifice himself saying that he owes Xin Yue Hu who has remained in the shadows for most of their lives.

Nevertheless, Xin Yue Hu surprises with a sudden bout of altruism and instead, transfers every ounce of his energy until he disintegrates in a swift but heartfelt farewell among the unlikely brothers.

Baili Han (Li Chao) has obtained the Green Dragon's power and he has come to gloat in front of his old-time frenemy Bin Yi (Gao Weiguang). 

Scoffing at Bin Yi's unyielding love for Fu Er that stems from her resemblance to his wife, Baili Han reveals that Bin Yi's wife was his lover first, implying Bin Yi's marriage a sham. However, the joke is on Baili Han because Bin Yi knew the truth all along.

Realizing that the woman he loved had stopped loving him long ago, an enraged Baili Han deals a fatal blow to Bin Yi, leaving Fu Er devastated while he exclaims, "how come, when he was alive you didn't care, now that he is dead did he's important?"

To add insult to injury, Baili Han comes clean that the day Fu Er turned on Su Mo was a result of his scheming. 

While I feel for Fu Er, I do think that she takes the cake for most hated character so her comeuppance is welcome, more so because Baili Han is right in rubbing it in that her path to evilness would not have been so had she not been such a willing participant.

More deaths as Shangguan Jin (Kenny Kwan) and Ah Su (Liu Chang De) also die in the hands of Baili Han. Chi Yu might have too if not for Su Mo who makes a wish that finally destroys Baili Han.

Then comes the clean slate wherein everybody survives. 

Lasting Impressions: From the first casualty to the second to the third, it becomes painfully obvious where the drama is headed. Baili Han is the catch all, the ultimate source of conflict and the person to move the plot forward as seen by the number of issues he resolved in the last episode.

I honestly find the drama subpar but I enjoyed it regardless probably due to the fact that it is strikingly similar to an anime called Fushigi Yuugi.

Plagiarism or not, Classic of Mountains and Seas has a good concept and at the heart of the adventure are the characters. I could watch Team Phoenix just for their tireless banter and their back stories while tragic make for good TV. 

Mind you, I was throwing chairs when Chi Yu died and was replaced by Xin Yue Hu since real-life couple Gu Li Na Zha and Zhang Han had such sweet moments together, yet I grew accustomed to the ludicrous change made easier by a mellowed down Xin Yue Hu.

As for Su Mo's wish for world peace, it negates the events of the entire series, which is a reality that I neither loved nor hated though I suppose it's better that everyone is alive and serendipitous, putting a bittersweet end to the saga where only Su Mo and Chi Yu retain their memories. 

But what of Bin Yi, the scroll lady, her loyal wolf boy and even the face-stealing prick?

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 c-drama listing.

Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms

Stills are out on the upcoming drama Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms 三生三世十里桃花. There are two adaptations, a movie and a TV series, both based on the a novel by Tangqi Gongzi.

I caught a glimpse of Tangqi Gonzi's penchant for sadistic romance 虐戀 in City of Devastating Love and Three Lives Three Worlds appears to be no different, detailing a tragic love story that transcends through the afterlife. 

Yang Mi (Sword of Legends) and Mark Zhao lead the cast in the titular roles of fated lovers Bai Qian and Yue Hua. Dilraba Dilmurat and Gao Weiguang follow as Feng Jiu and Dong Hua from the sequel called Three Lives Three Worlds The Pillow Book.

As is the fate of popular novel adaptations, there was much speculation over casting and here is one of the hopefuls from 2014 pairing Wallace Huo and Tang Yan.

In spite of the contrarians who prefer the finalized movie casting of Crystal Liu and Yang Yang, the drama version could turn out to be just as good if not better since a TV series has the advantage of time, effectively gaining the freedom to do more in terms of character development. Even though I'm certain that endless comparisons will be made between the movie and drama right down to the kid actor, I'd rather give both an equal chance because they both look promising. 

Bai Qian is a spirit fox from Qing Qiu who possesses an ethereal beauty unmatched in all the realms. Yue Hua is the Crown Prince of the heavenly realm Jiu Chong. They meet, fall in love, get separated, then meet again.

You might already be familiar with Qing Qiu because it is a place often referred to in more than a few novels that take inspiration from ancient literature. Three Lives Three Worlds is no different as it is loosely based on the Classic of Rivers and Seas 山海经 depicting stories about deities and people that could only have existed in the form of legends.

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 Chinese historical dramas.

Source: Qianzhan, Life.Ce.CN, YSDXC