Why did I wait so long to watch this gem!?

It's because I couldn't imagine being interested in a series about a game I know nothing about. How shortsighted of me! If I hadn't heard AvenueX speak so highly of it in one of her videos, I really might never have experienced the overwhelming delight that watching this became.

Given that I did not know the background information of the story, I had nothing to measure it against or compare it to. I had the pleasure of being unexpectedly delighted from start to finish on every single aspect of it (even the sobbing for an entire day part as it neared the end). I feel like I received several years' worth of free therapy through those incredibly poignant and heart wrenching episodes. Honestly I will need a few weeks, maybe months, to fully integrate the deeper meaning and wisdom behind their individual and collective journeys.

The fact that I'm from NA and watching very much as an outsider to the culture and backdrop of these shows has truly been the most incredible journey and education on so many levels I don't even recognize myself any longer(8 months into watching Chinese series). I deeply appreciate the perspectives, family dynamics, emotional landscapes and rich history I am beginning to discover. So much more than a distraction or escape, it has become a much needed expansion on what has been my very limited awareness of a fascinating culture. I found that watching Hikaru no Go brought me immediately through the discomfort of knowing nothing about the game Go and proceeded to effortlessly and wholeheartedly capture my interest and imagination. It was so brilliantly executed and completely relatable on every level that I felt I had been warmly ushered into a good friend's home, offered the most comfortable chair, a glass of good wine and then spent the rest of the night having the best heart to heart imaginable. This series went far beyond entertainment for me. It was skillful mentorship on how to be a passionate and brave human being. There really aren't enough words in the dictionary to properly express my appreciation for Hikaru no Go, so I will close with encouraging those who have not experienced it yet to go ahead and give it a try. I feel it is well worth watching and though a completely different style than my all time favourite so far, Nirvana In Fire, it sits solidly right next to that masterpiece!

Deep gratitude to everyone involved in bringing this remarkable story to life!

Lire davantage

A beautiful journey!

I really felt taken in by this story. Loss and hardship countered by the resilience of the human heart when it is met with support and care. I found it entirely relatable and so wonderfully woven through all the story lines that were unfolding.

The entire cast deserves a BIG shout out for expressing the myriad of challenges involved in growing up, slowly gaining grace and wisdom and ultimately how to let go of past grievances. I didn't feel is was overly heavy handed in getting those messages across. For me it was just the right amount of seriousness, tension and intrigue. Normally I do enjoy lots of the lovey dovey moments in the shows I choose but this one was completely okay with me being just how it was. The love and affection was inherent through their actions and did not require it to be in the spotlight. It all just came together so well and I loved the overall story as well as all the complimentary characters with their own challenges.

The soundtrack was spectacular and spot on. I'm listening to it as I write this review and I can say for me they absolutely NAILED the tone and vibe of ALL the moods and moments. It just flowed and supported the story so perfectly.

Overall the outfits were great and I tell you Ashile Sun in his full Eagle tribe regalia was stunning. Well done young man! You won my heart in Nirvana In Fire and I am SO happy to see you've come into your own in such a complex and courageous role. Of course Li Changge was equally lovely but it was even better to see her as a fierce, spirited and wounded soul who found her way through despite all the difficulties from within and around her. I loved seeing her grow and learn because then her physical beauty was matched by her glorious heart and spirit. I have to confess that I entirely fell in love with Hao Du's rather difficult and confusing path. I have another actor to keep an eye on which is always lovely to come away with because ending my time spent with these characters is rough. I wanted to keep watching them all live their good lives. Alas...

The scenery was spectacular, smooth transitions through the various areas. The pace felt just right...not too fast and didn't drag. I enjoyed the fighting scenes and the way the battles were depicted, very new and fresh to me.

I really am glad I watched this series and I think everyone involved did an excellent job of putting together a really good quality experience!

Lire davantage

What a sweet surprise!

I am so glad I didn't miss out on this treat of a story and the acting was absolutely spot on! I haven't seen Sandra Ma in anything other than Oh My General where I absolutely fell in love with her character and acting skill. Seeing her a second time in such a different role has convinced me that she's extremely capable, natural and relatable. It was a great pleasure to experience Bai Jing Ting for the first time. Boy did he knock it out of the park in this series. The two of them together were simply divine to watch and truly I've not witnessed such a loving, healthy, genuine, honest relationship unfold where the decisions they made were intelligent and supportive of one another. What a breath of fresh air THAT was! The second couple were also a wonderful ride, albeit a little torturous at times but worth every minute of the suffering. There were so many, many adorable moments and it never got too heavy or over the top dramatic. For me it was just right!

I'm not going to knit pick about technical stuff because overall it was so good I didn't care if some of the actual factual scenarios weren't 100% true to life. The entire journey along with these fine folks as they figured out how to love one another more than made up for any implausibilities. The story was well paced and not overly cluttered. There was always enough going on without it becoming chaotic. The music fit well with the mood and tone of the series and some of the lyrics were very touching. I was very fond of the uniforms ;) My those fellows(and lady) were handsome!

I was left with a perma-smile after I finished the series and the sensation of having eaten a very, very well made piece of cake that was utterly and completely satisfying in every way. Not too sweet, not too rich, not too much of anything...just perfection and bliss. What an unexpected and delightful morsel!!

If you need something to renew your faith in innocent but intelligent love I would highly recommend this series. It does not make you suffer the loads of epic stupidity I find in so many of the story lines(modern and costume alike) and it lets you feel a dose of how beautiful two courageous hearts can be.

Lire davantage

For this series I had to make an exception! It was that good.

I finished watching this series a few days ago and I am still sorting through the complex feelings it stirred up in me. For me that is a sure sign of an exceptional show! I generally cannot stand to watch anything that does not have a happy ending but it would have been a huge loss not to watch this series just because of that. I am so glad I went ahead even knowing it would break my heart and even though it did, it also let me get better acquainted with an aspect of love that I really benefited from seeing. Unconditional Love.

I won't be able to find the right words to express all the myriad of emotions watching their journey, their struggle to cherish one another against unbelievable odds brought up in me. My heart literally hurt so bad watching some of the scenes I could hardly stand it. So for me the actors 100% did an excellent job of pulling me entirely into their world. I found the overall production quality to be excellent, nothing annoying or obvious to pull me out of a sense of immersion. I REALLY found the soundtrack perfect and seamlessly placed in the various scenes to pull on my heartstrings. The scenery, costumes and combat all worked for me though I admit I do not go into watching these shows with a critical eye but more how completely can they engage all my senses. The Wolf was able to fully sweep me off my feet and take me on an intensely emotional and thought provoking ride. I gained insight from watching it that will stay with me and help me in my own life going forward. Kudos for not only providing a wonderfully entertaining experience but also for giving me some perspectives I had not seen so clearly before. I appreciate it any time a series can help me walk away with a larger understanding of human nature and my own struggle to understand how to work toward living a good life.

I am sure there may be plenty of people who will have technical issues with various aspects of this series but for me I came away with only a sense of absolute satisfaction! I am very sad that my time in their world is over but I will remember their story with a happy and grateful heart. A sincere bow of gratitude to everyone who made The Wolf possible and especially to the actors who made it shine! Every single one of them utterly nailed their role and now I have some new talent to discover :)

...but I will forever remember that I first met them(especially Wolfie) in The Wolf. <3

Lire davantage

So good I had to write my first review!

Now that I've stopped sobbing my heart out I will try to fit into words what watching this series meant to me.

The story is incredibly well crafted, intelligent and complete. The actors were riveting and utterly relatable. The costumes, scenery and music all blended together to fully pull you into the story. It just ALL worked and ALL had a kind of flow and polish that is rare to find. Even though I am a sucker for happy endings I could not be upset (only completely heartbroken) at this story's conclusion. I tried to brace myself, tried to be prepared yet it still had me unhinged for a good half hour while I made peace with the fact that there would be no more time spent with these dear souls I had come to admire and respect and worry over. I feel a little lost now, in all honesty. So yes! It is worth watching, without doubt.

I could spend plenty more time telling you why it's a good idea to watch it but truly if I were you (and I was not that many days ago) I would simply go get a nice healthy snack and dive in for a most engaging and rewarding journey. If you don't agree after you've finished, come chat with me and we can have a fun discussion about it all!

Lire davantage

A beautiful love meant to be treasured!

It might be too soon to write a review because I'm not over the show yet, not even slightly but here I go anyway...

By this point I have watched a LOT of BL stories unfold and many of them have brought me to tears, made me laugh, made me feel every emotion possible I am fairly sure and yet somehow this one in particular struck me more deeply. I don't know if I can easily put into words why but it had something to do with the purity of love that Xiang Hao Ting brought into Yu Xi Gu's life. His fearless, playful, warmth was amazing to watch and how it slowly melted the loneliness and difficulty that had become Xi Gu's reality. For me, the way they wove their story together was flawless. The pacing, the tone and the challenges all worked to pull me more and more deeply into their love as it unfolded. So for me, it is completely worth it to watch the series JUST for these two. It felt real. It felt meaningful. I was deeply moved and learned with them as they found the way to be brave and to be together.

I did not feel any issue with the second couple, though I know some do. I accepted the raw, unskilled and overly enthusiastic nature of Sun Bo Xiang's attempt at first love, warts and all. In the greater context of their story, I appreciated how he remained himself and yet also found a way to become more respectful. He was just in need of some life experience. Having a more grounded and patient older lover might have been the perfect way for him to balance out his "monkey" nature.

The story was simple enough but for me that was perfect because I was more interested in the deeper personal journeys they all went on. The lack of cluttered story line meant more time with more realistic and relatable issues to navigate. No drama for dramas sake. Everything that happened was well paced and kept me engaged. I laughed a lot. I cried a lot. I felt very fortunate to be watching something wholesome and decent. The acting didn't feel like acting at all. I felt like I was there with them, living their story day by day. I cannot say how amazed I was by the main couple's ability to make me feel what they were feeling. I will keep an eye out for both of them going forward. Wayne Song utterly and completely captured my heart and soul with his performance. The music was wonderful in that it didn't overstate itself or overstay its welcome. It fit well, flowed the story along beautifully without overpowering it. The filming felt smooth, well crafted shots, angles that only added to an overall impression of being well put together on all levels. Would I watch it again? It's worth watching again yet I don't know if I have the courage to ever watch the last episode again. That is no fault of the series but due to my soft heart.

I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for one that is less toxic and more wholesome. It was well worth my time and it's moved into my top 5 most cherished love stories. It will be hard for me to move on because I want to just stay with them there in the radiance of their love.

Lire davantage