#give me a jiang cheng spin off series!!

[sonik-kun]

I can't be the only person who thinks that Jiang Cheng isn't actually that "rude" or "angry" for that matter?

Like sure, growing up, he was a bit grumpy. But then again, what teenager isn't? Regardless, he often remembered his manners, especially around elders. Even after the 13 year gap, he still maintains his manners and proper decorum despite the rumours suggesting otherwise (and antis for that matter).

The wording in these two scenes just don't strike me as someone who is rude and irrational. How else would he maintain relations with other sects and keep his people happy and thriving if he truly was rude and hard to work with? You could argue he earned respect by fear, but I too doubt that giving how people find it so easy to chat shit about him both behind his back and so blatantly too without fearing any consequences.

I don't know. I just dont buy it one bit, and I do think the rumours are merely exaggerations because of this.

As for his anger, I think it's pretty reasonable to see why he is angry. Every scene he blows up in, it is in response to traumatic events. A reaction, I'd argue most of us would have. It isn't fair to judge a person when they're at their worst. I know we are led to believe that he's been angry since childhood, but even then, the anger in question is once again valid, take for example the scene where we see his dogs taken away from him. They were described as his only friends. And change is a scary thing for children. Although not ideal, it's pretty unreasonable not to expect a child to get upset at the thought of their family pet being taken away from them.

I just think the criticisms of Jiang Cheng are too harsh, when in actual fact, he probably has the most human emotions out of everyone in the entire story. Which in part is the reason why I grew rather attached to his character. He wasn't perfect. He is heavily flawed. And yet somehow manages to be the most relatable character, a point I've seen many people make throughout the fandom. To me, that explains why he's the best written. The depth and mystery surrounding the character and what he had gotten up to after Wei Wuxians' death, whether the rumours are true, etc, just make him all the more intriguing to me.

I would love it if MXTX decided to do a spin-off on his perspective. I think it would be a good story in the making with all the material she could work with. But alas, that's wishful thinking. And we as fans can only speculate on these mysteries and fill the gaps in ourselves.

[youareunbearable]

Catch me not having a clue who any of these gods(?) and people are, but still sitting here like, "I ship that pretty one with the gruff one, and that brown haired one with the other(?) gruff one?" without knowing names or what this is except the fanart I see you reblog, because this fandom apparently has lots of nice art

Fam i have no idea what ur talking about or when u sent this im so sorry asfkjhfkjhf but i thiiiinnnkkkk??????? it’s “Heavens Official Blessing” or  Tiān Guān Cì Fú (TGCF for tagging stuff) its originally a chinese gay novel that is soooooooo long by the author  Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (MXTX) who wrote 2 (two?????) other novels that I know of that are also gay historical fantasy but i personally havent actually read TGCF???? im just watching the anime and looking at the wiki and reading fanfics so i have a vague idea whats going on but not really???? so i cant really give a good review BUT i LOVE THE CHARACTERS MXTX WRITES SO MUCH AFHAFKFHKFAKF IM SO SORRY IM SHIT WITH TAGGING SO U HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IM HYPER FIXATING ON BUT

LISTEN

LISTEN 

LISTEN

Pretty one and the gruff one im THINKING is He Xuan (or Ming Yi/ Ming-Xiong/Ming Bro) for the grumpy one and Shi Qingxuan for the pretty one and both are kinda gender fluid?? (more Shi Qingxuan but they both change their forms to be both women and men which is Iconic and the anime put her in the TRANS FLAG COLOUR instead of her canon white and green which is ICONIC) AND THHEYRE SO TRAGIC AND HOT AND I CRY JUST THINKING ABOUT THEIR STORY LIKE AFHDFKJAFDSGS like i want to kinda read the book just for them, the two super minor characters, but i also read somewhere that their story doesn’t really have a clean ending so im also holding back from just getting Emotionally Hurt because im a cancer and i know it’ll wreck me

I think The Two Gruff Idiots are Feng Xin (dark haired gruff boy) and Mu Qing (brown haired gruff boy) and theyre both martial gods and both knew each other for over 800 years and both tried to take care of Actual Human And Heavenly Disaster Xie Lian, failed, and tried to do it again 800 years later but with stupid glasses with moustaches in hopes that Xie Lian cant figure out that they care about him but OOPS Xie Lian does in fact have the braincell of the three of them fajfafjajf 

Heres the link to watch the anime, there are 11 eps rn but it updates every weekend (I dont actually know when but i watch it on sundays) Make sure u have ur ad block on tho lol there is a manga too and the art style is TO DIE FOR like its GORGEOUS but its roughly at the same pace as the anime so eh

Heres where to read the whole thing online, just a warning its BIG AS FUCK like 244? plus extras I think?? 

I’d also recommend MXTX’s other books!

Mo Dao Zu Shi (or Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation/ The Untamed/MDZS) is both a Book as well as an Anime (the whole thing is on youtube) , a Live Action which you can watch on Netflix (look up Untamed, also a warning, the plot is a little different from the book and anime cause of uhhh censorship?? also i guess to make it more live drama friendly, my friends an i binged it and really liked it, but some of the fandom doesn’t), a manga which is not finished I think???? idk im not caught up, and a fucking chinese AUDIO DRAMA LIKE BITCH ITS SO WELL DONE but i have to stop listening sometimes cause like there is a difference between watching/reading characters kiss, and then like just hearing them, i get so embarrassed i have to skip the kissing scenes and god forbid i accidentally click on the smutty extras alfjajlfjalfjaljf u can find it on youtube, i linked the one i listen to but i havent finished it and i don’t think it’s all of it, but you can find other episodes/chapters easily

Its about 1 Dumb Yet So Smart gay/bi man (Wei Wuxian) who honestly tries his fucking best, fucks up everything, dies for over a decade, and then is forcefully brought back to life to solve a murder mystery with the guy who has been in Super Gay Love with him since they were teens (Lan Zhan), a bunch of teens Who Are Just Honestly Here For A Good Time And Yet (Lan Juniors, Jin Ling, and Best Boy Ouyang Zizhen ) while badly hiding his real identity from all the people he knows, including his foster brother (Jiang Cheng) who is out for blood and hunting his ass down with a whip and also Lan Zhan who is travelling with him. Also the Killer. There is a killer on the loose and is willing to murder whoever to keep their secrets. Also Nie Huaisang. I adore him and his brother Nie Mingjue, if there is one bitch u gotta remember from this summary it’s this little twink (he and his brother also have a fucking spin off movie from the live action drama THAT I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A ENGLISH SUB VERSION AND ITS BEEN KILLING ME SINCE I STARTED WATCHING THIS SHOW LAST YEAR. GOOGLE GIVE ME MY FAVOURITE TWINK AND HIS BEAR OF A BROTHER HAVING A FUN FAMILY ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!)

My Personal Current Favourite is Scum Villain’s Self Saving System (SVSSS) which is SOOOOOOO FUNNY Like it’s not as popular cause the comic was discontinued, and the anime looks like its from 2005 with the weird 3D animation but its my current comfort media!!! 

Its basically about a spite reading millennial (Shen Yuan) who died after reading a REALLY awful popular cheesy smut harem novel (think like 50 shade series but worse cause the protag had 600 wives) and was forced into the body of a minor but important villain (the protagonist’s teacher, Shen Qingqiu) from the novel who was fated to die with all his limbs cut off and his eyes and tongue plucked out and is told he has to fix the story so its not trash, he reasonably freaks the fuck out and hugs the protagonists (Luo Binghe) thigh so hard he turns him gay without realizing. Sadly, he does have to make sure certain plot points happen, which fucks him over a lot,  and he thinks Luo Binghe still wants to kill him instead of love him cause he has the Emotional Intelligence of a Rock, but its so funny reading about him handling all the awful tropey stuff, like imagine u have to be a character in My Immortal But With Porn?????? without breaking out of character too much?? I wouldn’t be able to handle it ajhakfkfhjfj He also finds out that he’s not the only transmigrator in the novel either, but it doesn’t matter cause theyre both So Fucking Stupid Collectively but everyone would honestly die for the both of them

warning for this story though, the main relationship is a teacher/student relationship, but nothing happens until the student is in his 20s and also kinda not his student anymore cause he’s running hell??? but if that squicks u out i totally understand and offer you to PLEASE still enjoy some of this media, and instead of the BingQiu ship, I offer you the LiuQiu one, where both me and the main character cry over how a beautiful man/fellow immortal lord loves the main character so much that he literally fought every day for 5 years to be by his side and I Think Thats Beautiful and I kinda like this ship more than the main one tbh PLEASE just look at the art for Liu Qingge because i love him so much, he’s like if you took Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng from MDZS and mashed them into one beautiful man the author is trying to tell me is straight but u take one look at him And Tell Me Otherwise

[brin-guivera]

I have made no secret of the fact that I have become obsessed with The Untamed (if you have seen any of my recent posts you will see how often I manage to bring it up even when it has no relation to the content of the post!)

the untamed

Based on a Chinese BL (boys’ love) web novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu called Mo Dao Zu Shi (roughly translated to Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation / Founder of Diabolism) has become a bit of a global phenomenon since it aired last summer. I was slightly late to the party (I didn’t start watching it until November after it became available on Netflix) but I have more than made up for it since!

I have re-watched the whole series (all 50 episodes!) twice now, plus the Special Edition (which is basically 50 episodes compressed into 20 episodes for international audiences, with more of a focus on the Wei Wuxian / Lan Wangji relationship that was more subtly portrayed in the 50 episode run, down to having to be mindful of Chinese censorship).

Along with the novel and the live-action series, there is also donghua series (an animated version), a manhua (comic book) adaptation, an audio drama adaption and two spin-off movies from the live-action series (one of which The Living Dead has already aired in 2019, the other Fatal Journey is due to release next week).

The series is absolutely fantastic and has completely taken over my life so I thought it was about time I posted a review!

the story

Wei Wuxian, also known as the Yiling Patriarch, is a person who is feared and despised by almost everyone. As a powerful and deadly cultivator, he became known for his abject cruelty and power, causing the deaths of thousands. He was only stopped when he was killed by Jiang Cheng, once almost as close as a brother to him.

However, the truth isn’t quite as simple as the legend makes out. Was Wei Wuxian really the villain he was made out to be? When he is resurrected following a spell by a mentally unstable young man called Mo Xuanyu (who offers his own body in exchange for Wei Wuxian exacting revenge on those who had wronged him), it is unclear what his motivations will be. Will he seek vengeance against those who had once wronged him?

One person who is happy to see Wei Wuxian is Lan Wangji, an upright young man whose heroics have cultivated legends of his own. The two have a shared history and bond that has surprised all who have known them. Can they both clear Wei Wuxian’s name and find out once and for all who has actually been the mastermind behind all of the unfortunate events that have befallen the cultivator world?

the review

Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo star as Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji respectively. Both are mesmerising in their roles and I cannot think of anyone more perfectly suited. Xiao Zhan imbues Wei Wuxian with a carefree spirit and boyish charm, completely at odds with the widespread belief that Wei Wuxian is someone to be feared and hated. Wang Yibo is a revelation as the stoic and unemotional Lan Wangji. His ability to convey how he is feeling in tiny micro-expressions is utterly enthralling.

Both actors are compelling to watch and really give life to their characters. The chemistry between them is off the charts. Although nothing can be explicitly depicted due to censorship, it is clear that these two characters are deeply in love. Filled with lots of longing looks, and artful yet powerful interactions, their bond is clear to see for anyone who is looking but sub-textual enough to skirt pass the censors! It’s a masterclass in subtlety.

The cast of supporting characters are fantastic too! Wang Zhuocheng and Xuan Lu are brilliant as Wei Wuxian’s adoptive siblings Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. Wang Zhuocheng has the daunting task of making the hot-headed and stubborn Jiang Cheng likable and manages to succeed whilst bringing a vulnerability to the character too. Yanli is an amazing big sister to Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng – supportive and loving, caring and emotionally reassuring. She proves that strength doesn’t always lie in being physically powerful.

I also really loved Ji Li as the seemingly incompetent and weak Nie Huaisang and Liu Haikuan as Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji’s serene and kind elder brother. I would also be remiss not to mention Meng Ziyi as Wen Qing and Yu Bin as Wen Ning – the cutest siblings that ever lived! And of course, I cannot forget Zhu Zanjin as Jin Guangyao – the sly and smooth manipulator that also manages to be completely sympathetic at the same time. Also, all of the Juniors – love them all!! Not to mention Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Yang… the whole cast is outstanding and there are too many for me to keep singling out standouts.

The story is initially confusing for the first two episodes but please stick with it because it gets so good! The first couple of episodes are set after Wei Wuxian is resurrected but then episode 3 flashes back to the past and shows how he ended up becoming (unfairly) the most feared person in the cultivation world.

It depicts his first meeting with the moral and strict Lan Wangji and how these two ended up defying all expectations and becoming soulmates. How they were torn apart again and again, until Wei Wuxian’s untimely demise. This is a story about second chances and overcoming huge obstacles. It’s about friendship and family. Love and sacrifice. It is such a moving story with plenty of action but lots of character moments. The relationships between the characters propels the story and although there is a lot of plot going on, it is at heart a character-driven narrative (my favourite kind!)

to sum up

If you haven’t watched this series yet, I urge you to please, please, please check it out! It is just too amazing not to share with everyone. It might just be my favourite series in recent years, maybe of all-time, along with Deep Space Nine (my other top favourite). The acting is amazing, the story is moving and you have a love story that manages to be so powerful without ever actually being explicit. It is all the sweeter and intense for being subtle in its depiction. Wangxian 4eva!!!

It will tear your heart to shreds but then mend it again. It will make you lose your mind but then turn around and give you hope again. It is just so good. It is not without its flaws, some of the special effects look a bit cheesy at times, but it is easy to overlook in the grand scheme of things.

some additional thoughts and musings

I cannot believe how well Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo became their characters – it’s actually quite funny when you see behind the scenes videos of the two of them. They are clearly very close in real life but their personalities are complete opposites – Xiao Zhan seems more zen and peaceful and Wang Yibo is a chaotic little gremlin (I adore him!)

There is so much other content for this series – I am planning on reading the translated novel soon but I am also going to check out everything else along with the author’s other works… will keep me busy for years to come!

Merch for days – I can’t seem to stop buying Untamed-themed merch (check out my STS posts – they are chock full of the merch I have bought week to week!) I am seriously obsessed…

I also have an urge to watch everything Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan have ever been in (along with the rest of my favourites from the cast) and have been listening to the soundtrack religiously (as well as the individual music the cast have put out whether solo or as part of groups – what a talented cast this is!)

My Twitter feed seems to be less about books these days and more about The Untamed haha!

I might just be crushing slightly on Wang Yibo (and also Xiao Zhan) despite being way older than them both – I feel like a cougar but just look how pretty… 😂

[theyilinglaozus]

I actually got into CQL via tumblr posts as well, suddenly my dash was flooded with them and I was like "it's gotta be good - let's watch it." haha, and then it got me hooked. The characters are absolutely wonderful indeed, which of them would you call your favourites? Like, which is the one you love the most, and which do you think has the best character development? And, btw, it's great that you ramble!! I always feel like it shows a lot of love and passion so yeah :) -✨

Yes! That’s totally how I felt too. I thought, ‘well if it’s showing up this much on my dash then the show must be good, guess I’ll give it a go’. Fast forward to now and well - here we both are, loving this little series to pieces! 😂

As for favourite characters, my number one best boy is absolutely without a doubt Wei Wuxian. Lan Wangji is a very close second - although to be honest I consider them both my favourites. You can’t separate them from each other, they come as a set now!

But other than the obvious two, I would also say that I really love both Jiang Cheng and Xiao Xingchen. Jiang Cheng because I just want to give him a hug, let him know he’s allowed to feel his emotions and not hide them beneath anger all the time, and Xiao Xingchen because he’s so good and kind! And I wanted to know and see more of him and Song Lan. Honestly CC, where’s our Xingchen + Lan spin-off show or movie? 😤

I actually feel that Wangji has the best development. I love that he goes from strict, hard to read and almost unapproachable in the beginning to later discovering that he’s actually really caring and loving beneath all that, and you see the sharp edges of him sort of smoothen when he’s around those he cares for. That he even starts bending some of his own sect rules later (like bringing Emperor’s Smile to Wei Wuxian) speaks so much to his character growth, because the Wangji you meet in the beginning would not do that. I love looking back on the earlier scenes and noticing the small hints of it early on too, because I think it’s something that on repeat viewings you see even more of. 

What about you, CC? Which characters do you love the most? 😊

[silverscreenbabushka]

I don’t know what happened but @margalotta asked me what i think about the ending of The untamed and somehow this ask disappeared so i’ll just post the answer like this, hope you don’t mind 💚

This will be a bit long so sorry in advance 🙈

So, the thing is I haven't read the novel or seen the anime before watching The Untamed. I'm also completely green when it comes to Chinese dramas. I don't even know why I started watching it, I just saw some cute fanart and a gifsef from the drunken chicken quest and decided to check it out. And somehow, I ended up binge watching the whole series in few days and crying when it was over.

When it comes to the ending, I think it was truly bittersweet. They tied most, if not all, loose ends nicely and made the story feel complete which is quite unique nowadays. I wish Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian had a heart to heart talk especially after they both found out WWX wasn't actually responsible for the death of their sister (also I really hated how JC was mad at WWX for the golden core swap, I understand him but I hated it just the same, but in the end people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right) but even more so I wished little Jin Ling could talk with WWX. This kid is emotionally traumatized and deserves a cool uncle in his life.  Also, Wen Ning and Yuan deserve their own spin off just because they’re the cutest and I love them with my whole heart. I feel like the show could give thoes 3 characters a bit more screen time in the end because their stories were the only “open” ones i can think of.

Meng Yao was portrayed so amazingly. He was a great villain. I felt terribly sorry for him throughout the whole series and yet he’s actions weren’t excused because of his tragic backstory. Also, Xue Yang – chef’s kiss. And Huaisang – the smartest fool in China. I have a theory that the true reason why he exposed MY was because of his friendship with WWX. He said he wanted to bring back balance but really, he must’ve regretted turning against his school friend knowing he wasn’t the devil everyone wanted him to be. I really like how the story hinted at the grand reveal from the first episode so for the most part I knew who the bad guys were but still their motivations and the depth was left for the ending.

But the most important part are my two favorite dumbasses – WWX and LZ.  Like I said, I haven’t read the novel yet, but I know that due to the Chinese censorship they weren’t shown as a romantic couple but tbh I think the series still showed that they loved each other. Their yearning was something otherworldly. And in the end, through small gestures and symbols, they acknowledged that they were soulmates.

What was so beautiful for me was that I believe LZ fell for WWX when he drew him the rabbit on the lantern – that was the first time LZ smiled and also when they made the oath to fight evil and protect the weak which was ultimately the start of their downfall. And in the end LZ leaves WWX because of this oath and only comes back sometime later. Also it beautifully parallels the story of his parents – we think LZ is the father and WWX is the mother yet in the end it’s WWX that ‘secludes’ himself from the clans and LZ that leaves, but in their story he comes back.

Also, can I say that the scene on the stairs of Jin clan mansion when LZ quotes WWX “The feeling of walking on a single plank bridge till it’s dark doesn’t feel so bad.” is the best non love confession I’ve ever seen? It’s just too sweet not to mention. And there’s so many more moments like this, the tenderness of those two is unparalleled.

I didn’t think much of this series when I started it and now, I can wholeheartedly say that it was one of the most beautiful and thrilling pieces of entertainment I watched in a long time. There were really no one-dimensional characters, the acting was amazing and even if the creators couldn’t show all the stuff that the novel did, they still filled the story with enough subtext for me to feel satisfied with it.

Tbh I could write a whole essay about why WWX an LZ are the greatest characters in modern media, but this answer is already so long I won’t do this. Anyway, I could talk about this series for a long time and I probably will, but I hope my answer is enough for now.

TLDR: I like the ending because it fits the characters and how they were portrayed, and I feel complete after watching it. I wished for more Jin Lan, Wan Ning and Yuan but I’m still satisfied with the ending.

[razberryyum]

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The Untamed/陈情令 Rewatch, Episode 2 (spoilers for everything)

(covers MDZS chaps 6 - 10 and a bit of 13)

WangXian meter: 🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰

(a 🐰 is earned every time there is a WangXian scene or even when they’re just thinking of each other)

I always tell people when I’m trying to get them to watch The Untamed that when they get to this particular scene in the second episode, they’ll know if they will be into the show. To me, this is the game-changer moment: you’re either in or out after this. If this scene doesn’t emotionally move you enough to at least continue on with the drama, nothing else will.  It is seriously one of the most romantic scenes I have ever seen captured on screen. This was the moment that made me realize not only was I now fully committed to CQL, but that I had also found a new obsession and was ready to devote myself to Mo Dao Zu Shi.  After all, something that can lead to the creation of such a beautiful scene MUST hold other invaluable treasures. So into the MDZS rabbit hole I went, happily diving head first.  

Even now I’m still amazed that this scene exists in the intact form that it does. I started The Untamed with little to no expectations, especially knowing the restrictions it was under AND having just finished Guardian and experiencing how poor creative decisions can arise due to censorship (or at least, using that as an excuse for their dumb story choices). As I mentioned previously, the first episode was a hard sell since they definitely did not put their best foot forward first, but I liked Xiao Zhan immediately and Wei Wuxian as a character was interesting enough that I wanted to learn more about his past that led to his death and rebirth. The small glimpses we saw of his relationship with Lan Zhan also fascinated me, but then with this second episode, the weak points of the pilot still remained: there was still bad CGI (the statue) and very amateurish technical mistakes (in the recognition scene, at one point, in a close-up shot they’re holding onto each other, but in the next far away backside shot they’re clearly standing apart from each other, only to return to holding each other once again once the camera cuts back to a close-up...whoever the editor is on CQL probably should dunk their head in the toilet every time these editing errors pop up) that made my initial viewing of this episode a frustrating one for most of its runtime. I think I spent most of my initial viewing just distracted, playing on my phone or something, until the big WangXian moment happened and then I was shocked and awed.  I know I wasn’t paying close attention that first time because when I rewatched the episode later on, I realized I missed a lot of dialogue and details. I have since revisited this second episode numerous times more, and I do feel bad about how dismissive I was initially. It’s a pretty loaded episode: it has funny, poignant, creepy, mysterious, and cool moments while still feeding us bits of the overarching plot. I definitely have developed an affection for it since my first viewing and it’s become one of my favorite episodes in the series.

Of Pining & other Heart-achy Things

This simple line from Jiang Cheng is enough to make my eyes well up with tears: I can’t help but imagine Lan Zhan traveling around the world for sixteen years, most likely all alone, stopping at different places to play Inquiry, fervently hoping that maybe one day he’ll finally receive an answering chord from Wei Ying, only to be confronted by a deafening silence again and again and again. How utterly sad and disappointed he must have been every time, and yet still, he never gave up and just went to the next location to do the same thing and experience the same heavy disappointment all over again. If that doesn’t make your heart ache, I’m sorry to tell you, your heart is no longer functional.

It’s a detail I don’t remember if the novel covered, but I’m assuming that Lan Zhan was the one to bring Wei Ying’s inventions like the spirit attraction flag and the compass back to Gusu and incorporate them for use in his sect’s normal cultivation practices.  I know other people have use his tools as well since that nameless cultivator at the start of the episode was also using the spirit compass, but I feel that with Lan Wangji, he probably purposefully acquired and adapted WWX’s techniques so that every time they’re used, they can serve as a reminder of Wei Ying for him. Though it does make me wonder how Lan Zhan managed to get those approved by his uncle; I can’t imagine Lan Qiren being ok with using anything that was created by the man whom he blames for the corruption of his beloved nephew and model student. Did LWJ just pretend he created them instead? That doesn’t even sound right. Maybe Uncle Lan decided to be merciful and just let Lan Zhan win this one since he was probably obviously miserable after Wei Ying’s death.   Yeah, I can buy that scenario, especially since the flag and compass are pretty useful tools.  

I wondered did LWJ already suspect “Mo Xuanyu” was Wei Ying before he started playing Wuji on his flute. It’s curious that he happened to be in that part of the forest at that time. I’m guessing his Wei Ying senses were tingled when he heard about Mo Xuanyu’s skills from Sizhui and the boys so that’s why he was hanging around the vicinity just in case MXY reveals his true identity. After waiting 16 years for this reunion, it’s no wonder Lan Zhan had no qualms about holding onto WWX’s wrist in public for much longer than socially appropriate.  

I actually get a little emotional every time I rewatch this episode and watch Jin Ling display his mad archery skills because I would always think of how much he takes after his dad. His parents would’ve been so proud to see him all grown up like this; Shijie would’ve been so happy she probably would get teary-eyed as well every time she saw her boy in action. Sure, he’s a spoiled little princess, but he is also a pretty skilled princess with a heart of gold and I just wish they had more time together as a family.  

They looked so happy, look at all those smiles. It really makes me so sad that Wei Ying will probably never be able to hug JC like that again, and of course he’ll never be able to hug Shijie period. Great now I want to cry again.

Lan Jingyi Appreciation Section

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this precious boy by name so far, so I wanted to take this opportunity to show him some much deserved love. Lan Jingyi with his resting bitch face and steady stream of snark was really the MVP of this episode. He actually made me laugh out loud a few times...in fact, he almost always makes me laugh as soon as he scrunches up his face like he’s smelling something bad. I recently saw someone mention that he’s really the most un-Lan of the Lans (sorry, I forgot who posted that so I apologies for not giving proper credit) and that is really the perfect description of him. I love this kid as much as I love Sizhui and Jin Ling, and I am also sincerely fascinated by him. I mean, who raised him in the Gusu Lan sect? Cuz I cannot imagine Lan Qiren being the one since Jingyi undoubtedly would’ve had all his snark driven out of him at an early age. Hell, the amount of disciplinary action he probably had to have gone through would’ve probably killed him at a young age.  Did he join the sect when he was already fully formed so that’s why he’s still breaking Lan sect rules right and left? He threatened an old man and is like rude to everyone. I don’t know all 3000 rules but I’m pretty sure being mean to the elderly and insulting to supposedly mentally unstable people are probably not allowed. If anything, his disposition would make him more suitable for the Lanling Jin sect and yet he’s with the stuffy Lans. WHY? I could watch a whole spin-off series with just him and the other juniors as long as we get to learn about how he came to be with the Gusu Lan sect. He’s hilarious and adorable, and among the many the reasons why I wish we had more episodes for the present-day arc, one of them is because I wanted to spend more time with the juniors, especially Lan Jingyi, even if it meant the screenwriters would’ve had to go off book and create new scenes for them. It would’ve been well worth it to hear LJY throw more shade at people.  

Random Bits of Randomness

It’s kinda crazy how WWX just stood there with his back turned, oblivious to Jin Ling’s attack. If Lan Zhan’s blade hadn’t blocked JL’s sword, that would’ve been the end of our main protagonist. I just thought that was such an odd scene...I would’ve felt just a little better if Wei Ying had at least had a little more awareness that an attack was heading for him and made some attempt to get out of the way.  

Ugh, that mask. First of all it’s ugly AF, and secondly it’s so freaking ill-fitting it was distracting. Would’ve been nice if the production team gave him a mask that actually fit his face. I mean, did it HAVE to be THAT damn big? I’m amazed they don’t have bts clips of Xiao Zhan tripping and hurting himself because the stupid mask blocked his vision.

Other than being a brilliant mastermind and Oscar-worthy actor, Nie Huaisang has got to be one of the greatest cultivators if not THE greatest cultivator of all time to be able to conjure up an illusion like that. That thing was doing real damage to people. If it was just a phantom, what the heck was holding up those two cultivators in midair like that? And what kicked Jin Ling around? I know Wei Ying was able to drive people crazy with his flute during his Yiling Patriarch phase, but his handiwork still felt more grounded and reasonable than this.  

Questions I still have (please feel free to answer them):

- Who was that old man at the grave? Someone NHS paid to just hang around the graves until the juniors and WWX came by?  

- So NHS basically fucked up Yan’s entire family and God knows how many other people just to get WWX to eventually play his flute to lure Wen Ning out from wherever he was hiding?

- How did JGY not know Wen Ning escaped? Or did he just leave those details to Xue Yang so he didn’t really care about what happened to Wen Ning?  I’m trying if this was addressed in the book but my mind is coming up empty. I don’t think it was brought up in the show though, or I just completely missed it.

Overall Episode Rating: 9 Lil Apples out of 10

[trishmilburn]

An Exploration of The Untamed’s Romance & Mystery, Episode 7

Disclaimer: This post and others in this series will be filled with loads of spoilers if you haven’t seen The Untamed, the Chinese drama based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). My chief interest in doing this series as I re-watch the drama is to chronicle the development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but I also highlight the progression of the mystery that helps bring them together. Keep in mind that I’m writing these posts with the knowledge of what’s going to happen throughout the series and having read the novel. If you’d like to read my examinations of previous episodes, links are provided at the end of this post.

On to Episode 7…

We pick up where we left off at the end of Episode 6, in the cave beneath the cold pool with Wei Ying and Lan Zhan talking with elder Lan Yi. Wei Ying asks her what happened to his grandmaster, then explains that he’s the son of rogue cultivator Cangse and that rogue cultivator Baoshan was his grandmaster. Lan Yi says that the mess she made with the Yin Metal years ago caused Baoshan to have to live in seclusion.

Lan Zhan asks Lan Yi if she beckoned him and Wei Ying into the cave, but she replies that she didn’t. Instead, in recent years the Yin Metal has been showing signs of movement and her spiritual consciousness has gotten weaker and weaker, making this possible. She says she’s afraid the resentment of the Yin Metal has polluted the water of the cold pool and thus that’s why the two of them were pulled under into the cave. Wei Ying asks her why the Yin Metal has been making movements, and she speculates it’s because the other pieces have resurfaced. At this news, Wei Ying looks at Lan Zhan and says that the cultivator they saw suffering from spirit absorption was turned into a ghost puppet by someone following the methods of Xue Chonghai.

Wei Ying asks Lan Yi if there’s another way to keep the Yin Metal from hurting humanity, but she says it’s a natural object with an earthly spirit, thus it’s impossible to completely eliminate. The only solution is to find all the pieces and eternally freeze them in the cold pool.

Lan Yi starts to fade away, and Lan Zhan bows and says he’ll undertake the task of finding the Yin Metal pieces and freezing them. Wei Ying follows suit, but Lan Zhan decides to be stubbornly standoffish again and tells him it’s a Lan Clan matter and has nothing to do with Wei Ying.  But Wei Ying says that Lan Zhan can’t stop him because he has never taken the principles of humanity and justice lightly, and because the Yin Metal issue forced his grandmaster to live as a recluse for a hundred years. He can’t sit aside and do nothing.

Lan Yi says she hopes they won’t repeat her mistakes, and when she disappears completely the Yin Metal piece falls from where it’s been slowly spinning in mid-air. In that moment the protective barrier falls as well, and an invisible wave flows out of the cave across the surrounding area. Wen Qing feels it as she’s searching the back side of the mountain, and Wen Ning feels it, his eyes going wide, as he helps search for the missing Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.

Then comes one of the more humorous parts of the entire series. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan tumble out of the side of the mountain, their wrists still tied together with Lan Zhan’s “only parents, child and wife can touch it” forehead ribbon, and Wei Ying lands on top of Lan Zhan. So this is how you get a bit of a BL moment in a show that can’t be explicitly BL because of government censorship. When Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing see them in this position, Wei Ying’s all smiley and “Hey, guys!” while Lan Zhan clenches his jaws and tells Wei Ying in no uncertain terms to get off him.

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan are surprised that outside of the cave, they’ve been missing for an entire day and night, and everyone’s been worried about them. Wen Qing mentions that their foreheads are emitting cold energy and asks what is in the mountain. (Let me pause for a moment to marvel at how fast Lan Zhan got that forehead ribbon off their wrists and once again tied properly around his head before anyone else saw the inappropriate connection between him and Wei Ying.) Smoothly covering the truth, and perhaps surprising Lan Zhan in the process, Wei Ying tells Wen Qing that the cave was filled with cold water and ice and he thought he might freeze to death. Then the little devil turns and gives Lan Zhan a grin as if to say, “See how smooth I was. You should be impressed and be my friend.”

We next see Lan Xichen playing his magical flute to calm the piece of Yin Metal that Wei Ying and Lan Zhan brought with them from the cave as they and Lan Qiren watch. Then Lan Qiren puts it in of those magical spirit-trapping bags we’ll see throughout the series. While discussing the Yin Metal and what they should do going forward, they hear and then see one of those wraith-like birds of the Wen Clan. Lan Zhan observes that the Wens attended the lecture series just for the Yin Metal. Lan Xichen says they were right to deduce that Wen Ruohan has a piece of the metal already and knew one was at the Cloud Recesses. Lan Qiren adds that this means Wen Ruohan must have had help from someone to locate the first piece.

Wei Ying tells the others that Lan Yi said the pieces of metal can sense each other, so they should use theirs to find the others. Lan Qiren disagrees and says they should seal their piece once more and put it back in the cold pool, then recreate the barrier. Lan Zhan says he fears that will be to no avail. It’s the first time we see Lan Zhan disagree with his uncle in any way, but it definitely won’t be the last or the most vehement disagreement. When Lan Zhan finally falls in love in the future, there is literally no one he won’t go up against to protect Wei Ying. But we’re not there yet.

When we see Wei Ying outside after the conversation, Nie Huaisang runs up to him and asks where he was. Wei Ying responds that the Cloud Recesses is so big that even Lan Zhan almost lost his way. After Huaisang walks away, Jiang Cheng says that Wei Ying is getting mighty close to Lan Zhan (remember, he saw them with their wrists tied together with that forehead ribbon), so much so that he might as well become a Lan disciple and not go back to Lotus Pier. Part of this is his normal poking at his “brother,” but there is likely a part of Jiang Cheng that wouldn’t mind if Wei Ying stayed behind. Then he wouldn’t have to compete with him and constantly come in second place.

Next we see Wen Chao and Xue Yang standing outside Wen Ruohan’s throne room. It’s obvious the chief cultivator doesn’t like colors other than black and red. How very on brand. They have to talk to Wen Ruohan through a big black door, and Wen Chao congratulates him because the Yin Metal has resurfaced in the Cloud Recesses. But Daddy Dearest asks why he’s congratulating him. Does Wen Chao have the piece in hand? Yeah, this guy isn’t winning any Dad of the Year awards. Wen Ruohan tells Xue Yang to go to Yueyang, a command that excites Xue Yang in that wide-eyed, “I’m going to murder some people” sort of way. Yueyang is the seat of the Chang Clan, and we’ll later see that Xue Yang has a beef with them. He reassures Wen Ruohan that he has no interest in the Yin Metal.

Then we go to another of my favorite scenes in the series, where the Lan Clan and the various visiting disciples are making paper lanterns that they’ll send up into the sky along with their prayers. While Lan Zhan is very stoically making his, Wei Ying watches him, a little smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Why does this boy not know he’s smitten? He says to Lan Zhan, “Since we’ve been through life and death experiences together, let’s release a sky lantern together to pray for blessings.” Predictably, Lan Zhan responds that he’s used to doing it by himself, which strikes me as very sad. Despite having family, Lan Zhan has been very much alone and shut off emotionally since the loss of his mother when he was very young, which we’ll find out more about later in the story. Wei Ying says that habits can change and that he made his lantern specifically for Lan Zhan. And then the most beautiful moment occurs, a small but not insignificant turning point in their relationship. Lan Zhan looks at the lantern, on which Wei Ying has drawn a bunny, and smiles. It’s not a huge smile, but it’s big considering it’s Lan Zhan. He looks genuinely stunned and happy, and it makes you think that perhaps no one has ever done anything that thoughtful for him.

Of course, Wei Ying can’t help laughing and pointing out that Lan Zhan smiled, which totally ruins the moment. Lan Zhan’s smile disappears in favor of his more usual disapproving glare as he grabs his sword. Wei Ying jumps to his feet and backs away, inadvertently setting Nie Huisang’s expensive lantern ablaze and destroying it.

When everyone else lets their lanterns float up and start making their prayers and wishes, Wei Ying says, “I wish that I can eliminate evil and protect the weak.” This is significant because not only does it foreshadow the complicated and often sad path he’s going to travel, but the unguarded look Lan Zhan gives him when Wei Ying isn’t looking shows that despite how he might act he’s developing feelings for Wei Ying. It’s more than just curiosity or a crush now; I think this is the moment he starts to fall in love. He probably doesn’t really realize it yet, is maybe even confused and fighting the truth, but it’s going to be a losing battle. These two were drawn to each other from the first moment they met, no matter how much they might fight it or think that it’s something other than what it is.

During the whole lantern scene, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan were making eyes at each other in that shy little way they have, but when their engagement is brought up by Mian Mian and some of the other Jin disciples, Jin Zixuan’s attitude changes and he says it’s time to leave. As Mian Mian questions him about the engagement as they walk down the road, he tells her not to bring it up again because the engagement was not of his free will. Wei Ying overhears this and hates anything that might hurt his beloved sister. Next thing you know, the two are in a fight. Lan Zhan arrives and goes straight to Wei Ying, telling him to stop, and a random disciple explains why Wei Ying was defending his sister’s honor, because Zixuan was seemingly looking down on her. It takes Yanli’s arrival to get Wei Ying to back down even though she’s obviously hurt by the things that were said.

Because fighting is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses (really, what isn’t?), we next see Wei Ying kneeling in the courtyard while Zixuan is supposedly receiving the same punishment elsewhere. Lan Zhan catches him playing with ants, saying they’re cute, instead of reflecting on his wrongdoing. Next Wei Ying sees that Jiang Fengmian has arrived because he and Jin Guangshan have been summoned by Lan Qiren because the fight was over their children’s engagement. At the end of this meeting, Fengmian asks that they end the engagement since he doesn’t believe in forcing the two into a marriage that won’t make them happy. Guangshan reluctantly agrees.

After Jin Guangshan leaves, Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen tell Jiang Fengmian that the fight wasn’t the only reason they asked him to come to the Cloud Recesses. They tell him about the Yin Metal situation, and he vows to help however he can.

When Jiang Cheng tells Wei Ying that his father ended Yanli’s engagement, Wei Ying races off to see his sister because he knows she’ll be upset. Plus, he feels guilty that it’s his fault that things have come to this. When he sees how sad she looks, he floats a paper man talisman toward her to make her smile. When she comes outside and catches him, he apologizes and tells her she’ll marry a man a thousand times better than Jin Zixuan. Wrong. She loves him, and Zixuan likes her, too. He just doesn’t like being forced into things with no say, and I can understand that. Yanli then tells Wei Ying, “You will also marry a beautiful and talented female cultivator.” Wrong again, but she’d only have to change one word in that sentence for it to be right. After all, Lan Zhan is beautiful and talented.

She then tells him that since the lectures are over, they’ll be going back home to the Lotus Pier. Wei Ying looks disappointed when he says, “It has ended already?” You get the feeling that he’s talking about more than the lecture series. He must be wondering if his budding friendship with Lan Zhan is ending, too, or how long it might be before he sees him again.

Jiang Fengmian tells Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen that while on the way to the Cloud Recesses, he heard disturbing news that in the Yueyang region, some cultivation disciples were murdered with no survivors and that the killer is a young retainer of the Wen Clan with the last name Xue. Yep, looks like Xue Yang went on that killing spree he seemed so excited about.

As Jiang Fengmian, his children and Wei Ying bid the Lans farewell, he and Lan Zhan seem to be extra aware of each other and their imminent parting despite not saying anything to each other or making eye contact. When Wei Ying tries to say something to him, Jiang Cheng drags him out as Wei Ying overhears that Lan Zhan is going on a trip. Once outside, Jiang Cheng asks why with so many other disciples around, why did Wei Ying only want to say goodbye to Lan Zhan? Wei Ying replies that he looks up to Lan Zhan and then teases that he was unbeatable until he “finally met his match.” Oh, sweetie, he’s your match in more ways than fighting.

As Lan Zhan watches the Jiangs and Wei Ying depart, perhaps reluctantly and very privately wondering if he’ll ever see Wei Ying again, and quite possibly why he’d want to, Lan Xichen asks him if they should tell Wei Ying about his trip to look for the pieces of the Yin Metal. Lan Zhan says there is no need.

In the final scene, we see Wei Ying saying goodbye to the white bunnies he brought out of the cave and left to roam over a hillside at the back of the Cloud Recesses. He wonders aloud if he should take them to Lotus Pier with him, but then decides to leave them for Lan Zhan in case he gets bored. He wonders where Lan Zhan is going by himself and then seems to remember the promise Lan Zhan made to Lan Yi about finding the other pieces of the Yin Metal and can’t believe he’s going by himself. After all, Wei Ying had promised to help despite Lan Zhan telling him it was a Lan Clan matter.

So this episode had more revelations about the Yin Metal and Wen Ruohan’s devious plans, but on the bright side it also had some beautiful moments in the early development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. We see some softening on Lan Zhan’s part. Wei Ying’s infectious personality and caring nature are making inroads in Lan Zhan’s closed-off heart. And I don’t think he quite knows what to make of Wei Ying, how he surprises him, and his own changing feelings toward this man who is so totally opposite in personality to himself. But that’s what makes you the perfect pairing, dear Lan Zhan, as you will grow to realize.

Previous posts in this series:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

[yuexuan]

Modao Zushi Quick Review

After the hype three years ago about the MoDao ZuShi novel and its recent re-emergence as an animation, I’ve decided to give the series a try and review some aspects of it. As a fair warning, I’ve read the novel before watching the anime, so there’s bound to be some spoilers in this review for those who have not engaged the series in both mediums. As with previous reviews, the following are all my own opinion. 

Summary

MoDao ZuShi - translated as the ‘Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation’ or ‘The Founder of Diabolism’ (abbreviated ‘mdzs’ hereon) is a BL story following the past and current lives of Wei WuXian. Once known as the notorious YiLing Patriarch, Wei WuXian died under his own cultivation techniques but is forcefully revived 13 years later, in the body of an alleged lunatic: Mo XuanYu (Note: in the original novel Mo XuanYu is a gay whose sexual orientation caused him to be discriminated against and ultimately drove him ‘crazy’). 

In his new life, Wei WuXian embarks on a journey to gather the remaining body parts of an amputated arm and solves the mysterious identity behind said corpse. But the past quickly catches up as he confronts old acquaintances on the way. More importantly, he is accompanied by his old rival - Lan WangJi. 

 Plot

Mdzs comes off as a horror-cum-mystery at first glance: the abrupt opening showing the main protagonist’s death, ritualistic summoning of the dead, zombies and talismans. Straightaway the story shows a discrepancy between the feared YiLing Patriarch and Wei WuXian as a person: because you can’t convince me that someone who goes-with-the-flow and truly enjoys every moment of it is the purported big bad wolf. The subsequent flashbacks deepen the puzzle as we learn about his ex-prominence in cultivation, which brought him popularity as one of the top gentlemen (read: bachelor) cultivators, as opposed to his infamy later on.

Plot-wise mdzs in general is very simple: the ultimate goal is to find the owner of the amputated arm. But the charm of the story lies therein the slow reveal of Wei WuXian’s past, which is further entangled with other side stories and character interactions. That said, the structure of the novel tends to shift abruptly between the past and the present which can throw one off. As a result, I kept having the uncanny feeling that the author simply ran out of things to write for one time period and decided to skip to the other until she figured out how to continue the plot in the previous timeline.

The donghua does a cleaner job of arranging things in chronological order, although the fast pace of the show might be overwhelming. As such, I would really recommend reading the novel first before watching the donghua because it gives the audience/readers more time to acclimatize to the characters’ names (yes, there are at least three names per character not to mention nicknames etc.) and their roles, and also appreciate the scenes that were either left out of or tamed down in the animation.

Characters

As with a lot of other Chinese novels, mdzs has a large cast of characters. Unfortunately, this meant that many of the characters lacked proper development or that their development is not fleshed out. For example, Jin Zixuan turned from the haughty ‘golden peacock’ to a caring husband. However, the process of this change is only alluded to and we are expected to just accept that it happened. 

Only two characters really stand out to me: Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng, and the latter is after I watched the donghua. The donghua places heavy emphasis on the Jiang family dynamics, including the heart-wrenching moments when the twin heroes faced the demise of their sect, something which I thought the novel doesn’t convey as strongly. It could be due to the fact that I’m already familiar with the story by the time I watched the donghua that I caught on to all the overt and covert foreshadows made in the show, and it becomes ever more torturous to watch the characters stepping into the proverbial abyss. 

Character-wise, Wei WuXian is a likeable character with his go-lucky attitude. It’s hard not to be affected by his open outlook and cheer for the character’s rise again. Jiang Cheng, on the other hand, is not an outstanding character in the novel, perhaps because of how little time he was given relative to the rest of the on-goings in the novel. However, the donghua portrays his emotional struggles more vividly. I particularly relate to his struggles between jealousy, admiration, kinship and hatred towards his brother, making the character even more multi-dimensional compared to the others.

Aside from the twin heroes, the other characters pale in comparison. That is not to say that they don't have potential, it's just that there are too many side characters that were not given enough attention. Our other male protagonist - Lan WangJi - is a very stereotypical Chinese BL seme: a.k.a the stoic, cold-faced Adonis with a heart of gold. As a near-perfect character, I didn’t find him particularly interesting. I need not elaborate on this, as I’ve found another post that far better encapsulates my thoughts regarding the character. Other than that, the villains lacked strong motives and many of them simply came off as either power-hungry or vengeful. However, I do enjoy the politics between the sects. It highlights the difficulties in making decisions when one is bounded by familial and societal duties, and that many things are not simply black and white.

Animation tidbits

Compared to TKA (also by the same studio), mdzs vastly improved in terms of attack sequence. At least there are no excessive usage of the same attack sequence and the voice acting is much much more natural. For example, episode 11 when Jiang Cheng cried, it sounded very convincing. I also really liked some parts where we experienced the scene through the eyes of the characters, an example being the first episode where we became the zombie that hunted A-Tong down. Or the part when Wei WuXian fell from the cliff and we saw his view of Wen Chao falling away from him.

Nonetheless, some of the action flows are still jerky and rather pointless? For example, the characters would do all these strange spins and jumps prior to sending an attack towards their enemy that seems rather silly. But hey, at least they skipped the standard anime shout-attacks.

Another highlight is the soundtracks. Chinese instruments are heavily utilized for the soundtracks. Most of them are a combination of the zither or guqin and flute, very suitable for our two main protagonists 😉

And I think I cannot elaborate this enough, but the art quality of the donghua is astounding! The sweeping views of the landscapes, detailed infrastructure design and costume designs are a must-screen-cap. If nothing else works for you, the donghua is at least an eye candy. 

All in all, I’ll say the donghua and novel are definitely worth a watch/read, especially if you are looking to get more familiar with the xianxia genre! I, for one, can’t wait for season 2 to come out soon.

[brin-guivera]

(via Ten Favourite Characters from The Untamed)

ten favourite characters from the untamed

It’s been a while since I did one of these type of posts (outside of Top Ten Tuesday anyway) and as a small celebration for hitting my 1000th post on the blog (this very one, as a matter of fact!) I have decided to do a post based on my most recent obsession The Untamed!

I have already talked at length about this series in various posts (and did a review of the series here) but I thought it might be fun to share with you my favourite characters. This is based on the live action televised drama – not the web-novel / donghua series or other platforms where it has appeared.

I do like a lot of characters in this series (even some I’m not supposed to like – hey, they are great characters even if they are not good people!) but there are some that are my extra-special favourites.

10. lan jingyi

I love all of the juniors really, but Lan Jingyi made it into the 10th spot because he is the “most un-Lan Lan to ever Lan in the history of Lan”  – thus spake the fanbase! Most of the Gusu Lan Sect and calm and peaceful, serene and tranquil. Lan Jingyi is snarky and impatient, with a short fuse and temper. However, he also has a kind heart and is extremely loyal.

I like him a lot because although he does share the Lan clan’s beliefs he goes about it in a completely different way! He is definitely an individual and we need more of those!

9. lan xichen

Lan Wangji’s elder brother and one of the Twin Jades of Lan. Lan Xichen is a gentle and kind-hearted soul who is very trusting, almost to a fault. He is also extremely protective of his younger brother and does his best to help the aloof and distant Lan Wangji make friends. Lan Xichen has a keen ear for music and is known for being able to diffuse tense situations.

Lan Xichen is the perfect older brother – caring and supportive. Although he can be a little bit naive, he is kind at heart and a genuinely good person.

8. wen qing

The best doctor the Wen Clan has, she is a strong and capable woman, slow to trust but quick to help where she can. Wen Qing is forced to serve the power-hungry Wen Ruohan who has a hold over her through her younger brother Wen Ning. She is aloof, cold, and above all extremely intelligent. Initially, she distrusts Wei Wuxian but gradually warms up to him because of his kind and helpful nature.

Wen Qing is a great character – she is capable and powerful and not necessarily warm but cares about others in her own way. Once you have her loyalty you never lose it.

7. wen ning

The shy, gentle, and timid younger brother of Wen Qing, who suffers from a strange illness due to being exposed to the Ying Iron as a young child. He is fiercely loyal especially to Wei Wuxian who was one of the few people to show him any kindness outside of his sister. When the Wen clan falls from power, he is turned into The Ghost General, and becomes Wei Wuxian’s right hand man (as his powers of demonic cultivation are able to control Wen Ning’s powers when they emerge).

Wen Ning is a total sweetheart – he has this horrible reputation yet is the purest soul to ever live. I just love him to bits!

6. lan sizhui

A disciple of Lan sect who is raised by Lan Wangji when his family is taken from him. He is a calm and gentle person who is very mature for his young age and is able to wield his abilities carefully and with great skill. Lan Sizhui’s past is a mystery to him but he feels an undeniable connection to Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning when the former is returned to life.

Lan Sizhui is a total dear – he really is the bestest boy! Genuinely warm-hearted and giving, he also is very capable and has everything it takes to be a powerful cultivator.

5. jiang cheng

Opinionated and hot-headed, Jiang Cheng has been raised with his siblings Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian (who was adopted into the Jiang clan after the death of his parents). Jiang Cheng cares very deeply for his loved ones but he is not great at showing it. He has a bad temper and often lashes out at those he cares about (who ultimately recognise that this is just how he shows affection). He dotes upon his nephew Jin Ling even though he often appears strict and sharp-tongued with him.

Jiang Cheng is probably the most misunderstood character. The breakdown of his relationship with Wei Wuxian, and his inability to see how his own actions (or inactions) also led to the tragic events that he hates his brother for, sours his character for a lot of people. Personally, I like him, warts and all, though I do get why many of his critics dislike him. He isn’t an easy character to like but I do like him all the same. 😉

4. nie huaisang

Nie Huisang is initially a contemporary of Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng in their school days at the Gusu Lan clan’s annual seminar. Seen as weak and unskilled, he is well-known for his supposed incompetence. Nicknamed the ‘head shaker’ and referred to as ‘know nothing’, he doesn’t have the best reputation. After the death of his brother Nie Mingjue, he becomes the leader of the Nie Sect.

Nie Huisang is a very intriguing character. Although depicted as being incapable (he carries a fan instead of a sword) there is more to him than meets the eye. Showing rare moments of cleverness and keen intuition, he nonetheless crumbles (and usually faints!) when things get tough. But is it all an act? It is hinted that there is more to him than there first appears – this is then further confirmed in the spin-off Fatal Journey. I really like him as a character, even just the hints you get in the main series. He is definitely one of my very favourites.

3. jiang yanli

Jiang Cheng’s elder sister (by blood) and Wei Wuxian’s adoptive elder sister, Jiang Yanli is a kind and caring person who does everything she can to protect her two brothers. She is the emotional heart of the trio and cares for them deeply, often providing support and cooking for them their favourite meals when they need cheering up. She has strong feelings for her arranged match Jin Zixuan and is devastated when he repeatedly snubs her. Eventually, he comes to care for her and they marry and have a child Jin Ling. Losing Yanli is what tears apart Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, she really appears to be the glue holding the triad together.

Yanli is such an amazing character and did not deserve her fate whatsoever. Her story is tragic and could have been preventable. Alas, it was not meant to be…

2. wei wuxian

Wei Wuxian is the main protagonist of the story. He is a disciple of the Jiang sect and has been raised as a sibling to Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. He is irrepressibly cheerful and mischievous as a youth, yet also very clever and deeply loyal. He cares deeply for his siblings and comes to view Lan Wangji as his soulmate and life-long confidante.

Due to the Wen clan’s machinations, he ends up pursuing demonic cultivation – a fact that puts him at odds with all of the other clans. He is also the only one to show the remnants of the Wen clan any kindness after their fall from grace and this too puts him in opposition of the other clans, including his own family. When he is defeated, he is mourned by no one; except Lan Wangji who feels remorse for not standing by his soulmate.

Wei Wuxian (or Wei Ying but it feels to personal to call him by his given name – only Lan Zhan can call him that!) is a character that is easy to root for. The television show smooths out some of his more problematic actions so he really is a victim and did not deserve to be vilified the way he was. His return after sixteen years reunites him with his Lan Zhan, who is no longer afraid to stick by him, no matter the consequence. Wei Wuxian is such a relatable main character – you cannot help but feel for him and want him to get his due, finally.

1. lan wangji

Lan Wangji (birth name Lan Zhan) is the second young master of the Lan sect. He is viewed as cold, strict, and distant. Considered difficult to get along with, a real ‘fuddy-duddy’ according to young Wei Wuxian. However, his aloof front hides a good heart and an ever-prevailing sense of justice. Due to his actions in taking down the Wen clan, he is granted the title of Hanguang Jun (roughly translated to Light Bearing Lord). His abilities cannot be faulted and he is considered a cultivator without equal.

Although they could not be more different, he becomes close with Wei Wuxian and recognises him as his soulmate. However, he is torn by his regard for the demonic cultivator and the rules of his peers. Unable to help him, he is devastated when Wei Wuxian is killed and carries that guilt for sixteen years. When they are reunited, it is clear that Lan Wangji will stand by Wei Wuxian, not matter the cost.

Lan Wangji, oh Lan Wangji, how I love you so… I did not foresee him becoming my favourite character when I started watching the series (the live action was actually my first introduction to this world). I was prepared to be a Wei Wuxian fangirl through and through (I kind of am though Lan Wangji is still my number one). There is just something about Lan Wangji though. He isn’t an easy character to get to know. He is very aloof and closed-off. However, when you peel that back you see the layers of sadness and how solitude has really cut him off from everyone else. This is like catnip to me as I love the tortured characters. Wei Wuxian, for all the external crap he goes through, is still underneath a positive and upbeat person (no matter how many times it gets beaten out of him). Lan Wangji… there is just something so lonely about him. I cannot help but love him.

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And that there is my top ten characters from The Untamed! I didn’t include Jin Guangyao on this list (even though he is a great character – I more love to hate him than love him!) Hope you have enjoyed me rambling on about them. I love this series so much and I am probably boring everyone to pieces but I just can’t help but talk about it!

**I haven’t mentioned a few of my other favourites such as Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen but I didn’t want to spoil their story, I may do a separate post about the Yi City arc at some point…**