Douluo Continent (2021)

Tang Jia San Shao's novels are really good. I'm a big fan of him. Even his first novel The Child of Light, is one of my favorites even though its writing was of good quality.

DOULUO DALU novel series got my curiousity very much. Honestly, I enjoy reading it very much. I don't know how many times I have been re-reading it or replaying its animated counterpart though. Tang San is such a lovely character. His adventures to godhood is really interesting, of course, that includes other main lead characters.

I'm not a critic of some sort; however, since the time I started to indulge myself to Douluo Dalu, I easily have determined some changes to the novel's storyline to its manga or animated series counterpart. Moreover, the changes are still somewhat very entertaining, as they don't go beyond as to what has transpired in the novel itself.

Believe me, I am very excited for this drama adaptation just like you, most especially that Xiao Zhan portrays Tang San. However, just by watching the first episode already made me feel so sad and told myself, "They ruin it!"

The animated series and manga versions of Douluo Dalu series are still on-going. It's pretty easy to determine some flaws in this live-drama adaptation series.

If not because of Xiao Zhan, Calvin Chen, Ao Zi Yi, Shen Xiao Hai, James Wen, Li Hao and Du Jun Ze, I won't heartily finish watching this entire live-drama adaptation.

As for the sound and music, if they adapted Angela Zhang's Broken Cocoon or Jam Hsiao's Douluo Dalu the better. Special Effects and cinematography are still lacking as compared to the animated version.

You may compare the entire 40 episodes to Episode 1-108 of the animated series and/or Chapter 1-135 of the manga version to be able to know what I mean.

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Depends on whether you have seen the Anime version or not...

I waited expectantly for this TV series as I'm up to date with the Anime version. I even watched it without subs as I could understand mandarin (but not fully).

While I knew that it won't be able to fully adapt the story to the anime version, I was rather disappointed with the ending.

I could accept the change in ages (young XW & TS) and that the time at Shrek School was the most compelling to the story line. Even the changes to include a mystery of the feng duoluo behind Cang Hui was intriguing and not found in the anime; kept me interested to skip the subs.

However, the last episode was rather disappointing. I know that we cannot compare the fight sequences with those in the anime but too many are stationary and not doing anything during the battle. Also, both Oskar & Rong Rong were used sparingly with only 2 actions in most fight sequences - use stick to release smoke, throw incendiary balls and ignite them. Oskar & RR's special abilities were seldom used to the point where they could just sit out the fight.

Then, the many feng douluos that fight with Bibi Dong at the end were dispatched with just a wave away and fell into a goop of liquid. One would expect after seeing the feng douluos as being badasses, that they would at lease put up a fight.

Finally, the biggest gripe was when Tang Hao appears and throws his hammer at BBD....and cut, they are out of the battle and TS, XW & TH are talking...huh? What happened? This cliff hanger is nothing short of lazy editing with no payoff for the audience. It might be due to budget constraints!

If they had ended Season 1 with Tang Hao escaping with XW & TS while the others all pledge to go their separate ways and return & meet after 5 years (as in the anime), I think most of the viewers would still want to see more, find out about the story and still get a pay off that Shrek School won and got some prizes (bones of soul animals). Unfortunately, they missed an opportunity.

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Beautiful drama with good technology

Happy to see an actor who is involved in creating magic. Got involved with actors acting and the story line. Over all a great experience. The emotions of the indivisual actors were good. Very happy with the graphics used.
Happy with the coustumes and the backgrounds used. A lot of hard work put togeather with the technical and non-technical team . The actors fif a great job. Please do waych the dram. In The beginning of the story the hero looked so beautiful and innocent. He took care of his father the emotions he had when he left his father for the studies. The problems he faced in his first school. The way he met his master. The intro of the female character which is very bubbly. The process of acquring his first soul ring his fight with the human headed spider every thing was pitcherised so well. The way how he entered his second school. The process of making friends and practing the skills the guidence of his master the way of enterining the star forest. Acquring his third soul ring then travelling with the school family to a new world wanted to meet his father.
Tang sane knowing about his mother after saving the girl by transfering the blood. Beinging minuse to posion. Mother's emotion towards son. Trying to make him strong and advising to be away from revenge. The back ground was very beautiful. Over all a good experience watching a chinese drama. I like the actor. Kodous to the actor and his acting skills having a beautiful smile attracting every one with his modesty and behaviour.

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Let me start by saying that I haven’t read the novel/watched the donghua before watching this live adaptation so I had nothing to compare it to. Seeing how I had no expectations it was hard for me to be disappointed by certain things and changes that fans of the original story didn’t like.

Watching this as a standalone drama I enjoyed it quite a lot. It was far from perfect and there were things that really bugged me but I still think it’s a good drama. What I did like were the story and pacing, characters and their relationships, acting (for the most part) and CGI. I didn’t like most of the music choices and most of the fighting scenes.

When it comes to the story I like the overall premise. The world in which the story is set is interesting and the concept of soul powers, spirit beasts and soul rings was something fresh and new for me so it piqued my interest from the first episode. I like how they slowly introduced all characters one by one and how they all got decent backstories which made them more likable. They weren’t there as a decoration and as someone who is meant to make the main character look strong by being useless and weak. All 7 members of Shi Lan Ke were involved and capable, they worked as a team and actively helped each other to grow stronger together. That team spirit is something I liked a lot. It was interesting to watch how their relationship evolved and how over time they became real teammates and friends. The mystery involving Tang San and his parents was also well executed.

When it comes to the acting Xiao Zhan did a good job as Tang San and for me the emotional scenes were the highlight of his performance. I’m still not sure what I think about Betty Wu and her portrayal of Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu is the perfect example of the character I would usually hate and find annoying, but since she wasn’t weak and useless, and since she actively helped Tang San throughout the story, I didn’t find her annoying (for the most part). Her childish traits and mannerisms were overemphasized but I can’t really say it’s the actress’ fault. There is only one actor whose acting I found wooden, but everyone else did a good job.

The music. I think the BGM ruined a lot of scenes that could’ve been more impactful. Every time something exciting or emotional was happening it drew away my attention and instead of emphasizing the scene it ruined it. It was really frustrating. There are only few compositions that I actually liked, everything else was meeh.

The fighting scenes were saved by the amazing CGI. I hate when they show fighting in slow motion or when they show close ups of the characters’ faces or other body parts while fighting (JUST WHY?) and there was a lot of that. However, CGI looked really good and most characters used special powers while fighting so it was still interesting to watch and some of it looked really amazing. CGI in general looks very good, and I also like sound effects they used for those special powers. It was really satisfying to watch and hear.

All in all, is it worth watching? Yes. I already rewatched it with a friend and may watch it again in the future. If you’re a fan of Xiao Zhan it’s a must.

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It's suitable for all ages and can be taught especially to teens and children.

The more I watch, the more I feel attached to all the characters. Not only the male lead, but every character because they all are unique. I absolutely love the team work and their friendship so much. I wish I had a team of good friends like how this drama is T_T

The only thing I don't like about this drama is the bgm lol. It's not that bad, but maybe I'm just not a fan of it. I prefered traditional bgm.

Fact informations

1.China forbids reincarnation genre. Therefore they have to make a lot of changes to this story.

2. The script was made and preparations before the anime. By adapting from the novel the author of the novel plays an important role in making the series in many parts and the author of the novel says he likes this live adaptation.

3. The author of the novel chose Xiao Zhan to play the role of Tang San.

4. Tang San was a low budget series from the beginning. They choose actors who are not yet popular to save money to do other parts, but later, Xiao Zhan suddenly became so popular after the untamed. Therefore, the budget has been added to make the CGI parts.

5. This drama aired on Chinese TV channel CCTV8, which they don't really air this type of drama.

If you have watched the anime or read the novel. You have to be very open-minded. Anime and live action really can't compare with each other ... You have to look separately like you watch two movies. If you have a picture of Tang San and the plot/story from the anime/novel and compare it to the drama's then you will probably not enjoy this drama. This live action seems to show how every character develops their skill from weak to strong. I saw a lot of people complaining about Tang san's character. I actually like this tang san more than the anime or novel's tang san because they make him more human. They show us the efforts of tang san and his team from slowly growing their skills from weak to strong. They had a lot of good teaching and the characters had a good relationship. We learned about friends, teachers and family.

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Great storyline + CGI with ugly BGM

I love this series. I haven't read the novel nor watch the anime tho. But the storyline here is great and very neat. It emphasizes on how the team is built (not mainly emphasize on how the process of levelling up). There is no romantic scene that looks forced too (i used to think this series will be a heavy romantic but it turns out there is no cringe scene at all!!). The CGI is the best part, it looks very smooth and the actors + actress did the CGI scenes very well!! I always curious how they manage to act with something unreal lmaooo OVERALL, it's 1000/10 recommended!!!

Update: The story goes well till the last episode, but ngl the BGM is kinda ugly, sometimes it is just not matching the scene's atmosphere. I hope they will fix it for the next season.

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lighthearted hero live-action drama

I had not read the novel and have not watch the anime - the only thing I knew about this series was based on the previews - and it isn't what I expected. But considering this is a lunch-time tv show, it makes sense.

What I didn't expect:
- how much humor is in this show - I somehow walked into this thinking it's a fighting drama, but it's half comedy. The goofballness of it actually took a minute to get used to, but once I did, it was something I look forward to. The 7 monsters just feels like little trouble-making monsters to me. So cute!
- not as much fight scene as I expected - but I read somewhere that some of more bloody scene had to be cut to get on TV (unsure if there is truth to it, but there are some places where I feel like there is an obvious cut-away - namely a practice fight with the phoenix against the helpers).
- xz is the clear lead, but I grown to care about the ensemble. I don't usually care about the "side characters".
- at the same time, I wish for more character development. Each ep is only about 30min (because it's on TV and has to account for commercial time???). I think each ep can use extra 15 min, and that'd help
- I half thought I would find the FL to be too cute, but actually I find the cuteness fitting of a bunny character. I liked her.
- costume - how many change of clothes did xz have? I liked them all.
- the positive values the show try to teach - I guess that's how it ends up on CCTV...
- I do think the editing favor these moments of teaching vs story / plot... (I chalk it up to the price of being on CCTV. if this is only an online drama, i think it'd be differently edited... but I guess I have to support shows trying to get a wider audience......)
- the trailer made me think this is a xianxia/wuxia shows - but it's much more contemporary than I anticipated, which I enjoy***

What I expected:
- I watched this show because of xz, and he didn't disappoint
- I don't know what's the online grip about the FX. It looks so pretty. I want to go to the secret garden

What I hoped and didn't get:
- While I haven't read the novel or watch the anime, so I don't care how strong ts is supposed to be. But he has his hammer spirit, and clearly someone special. I was very much waiting for that one moment where he comes to that full power (even if it's not as powerful as the novel version, within the limit of the tv version). He kinda sorta does at the last ep (which I do enjoy that last ep), it's still lacking. It isn't his hammer that won the fight, it's FL - which may play well into the partnership / lover thread but I really want ts to have that winning moment. (I guess they're saving something for s2...)
- There are definitely choppy plots. I assume it's due to editing / censorship, etc. It's not so much that I can't enjoy the story, but clearly the story can be better developed.

Bottom line: A lighthearted hero drama - it's not so light that it's without substance. It's not so heavy that you feel like to you need to take a moment to absorb it all. It's one of those shows that feels like it's good for the family - there is something for everyone, young or old.

***edit: since I'm experiencing withdrawal from the 7 monsters, I started binging the donghua (which I had planned to do knowing I'd likely have such withdrawal). I must place the caution here that this drama draws from the source materials, but don't compare. For whatever reasons (market, audience, rules, "wholesomeness"), you see clear inspirations but you won't see the same things at all. I enjoy the donghua. I enjoy the live-action. But each really should be viewed on its own merit. It also explains why it's more contemporary than I anticipated - the source material is very contemporary!

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Interesting and enjoyable

I never read the anime so I'm basing all I say on the series itself. It has been highly anticipated given that it was Xiao Zhan's next biggest tv series and he didn't disappoint. I think with the character he had and the storyline, he couldn't have done any better. That being said, I felt the character of Tang San was underdeveloped. For the most part, his ability to fight in the battles is greatly undermined by his inherit abilities. Yet, he is special in that he was able to kill soul beasts beyond his ability to absorb soul rings but the effects of the magic is hardly noticeable.

He makes up for it in his intelligence which is often the deciding factor in a battle. That being said, I found the storyline at times sway too much into the side characters leaving TS's development just enough to keep the story running. I did find the episodes increasingly more interesting as the plot thickens. I expected more unity when it came to those battle scenes with 7 distinctive soul masters. 40 episodes didn't really do it justice. I felt if it made about 5-10 episodes, more character development can be focused on.

There was clearly a deep history of TS's master that was largely unexplored. His character seem very interesting but extremely underdeveloped.

Overall, I felt the storyline could have been much better but a focus on 7 characters can be hard within a 40 episode storyline so it was enough as a taste. If they make another season, these issues can be explored but otherwise, if left like this (it would be very disappointing). I hate how this genre often leaves cliffhangers but no new seasons to complete it. The worst has been Fight Breaks Sphere which is similar to Douluo Continent when you are talking about a coming of age hero with the backdrop of a family secret. That cliffhanger still has me grinding my teeth as I enjoyed it so much but got no closure.

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Don't expect, just enjoy the ride

Unlike most of Xiao Zhan fans, Douluo Continent has never been my most anticipated dramas out of his. I went into this drama not knowing anything about the story nor the cast except Xiao Zhan himself and Xuan Yi from WJSN.

STORY:
The story is a regular fantasy tale about a hero who goes on a journey to self-discovery and meeting friends and foes along the way. I feel the drama was too short and I couldn't properly ever understand the lore in it. Seems like a lot of it was either edited out or just not included in the script. That is obvious as the source material seems to be a novel which might hold more answers to my questions. It was a decent story with a nice male protagonist but the script could have been better. The starting was nice, a strong middle and a dissatisfying end.

CHARACTERS:
Tang San was a cool guy but I felt like we never really saw the full potential of his powers or character. I should have enjoyed his character more but something felt flat till towards the end. But he was likable guy enough. My only complaint is Xiao Wu. She was cute in the beginning and I can handle cutesy Cdrama female leads but she remained too juvenile till the end. I would have liked to see more development from her. She was good at fighting and a loyal friend/sister to Tang San which I appreciated- they had a genuinely deep bond. My other favourites were the Master and the Headmaster. They were both quite nice but the Master was bit know-it-all at times.

ROMANCE:
I was never invested in it in spite of the small hints they kept dropping all along. For me, I liked Tang San- Xiao Wu more as siblings or just good friends. The romance territory was just unnecessary and I am glad it wasn't the main focus. The friendships were much more interesting. Not to mention - the ending kiss was just forgettable as heck.

ACTING:
Xiao Zhan is mighty himself- a very beautiful person and a good actor. At times I was in awe of his beauty, but a better hairstyle would have made more difference to his visuals. I feel his performance here lacked compared to The Untamed. Don't get me wrong- it was still very good but maybe just not the best role as he has already acted in a masterpiece in his career, which is hard to beat. Xuan Yi was fine and I was skeptical of her playing a dumb character because she is actually a funny and witty person in real life but she did quite decently in this drama. I feel like the story's development and plots didn't leave her with much to show. I've missed Calvin Chen and he is still likable as ever (them abs!). The rest of the cast was also fine and I didn't feel like there was any miscasting.

OST:
I like Xiao Zhan's songs. The OST is good.

OVERALL:
I've heard about most novel and anime fans hating it so maybe it isn't really a good adaptation. The story is incomplete, often times fun but more times draggy or confusing. In spite of that this is a decent drama on its own. The cast and the CGI really enhance the viewing experience of its otherwise low/cheap-looking sets and costumes. Looking at it now seems like something we'll probably never see Xiao Zhan again in because he's a top star now, but even here his passion for acting has always been evident.

I recommend to watch this drama if you're into fantasy and adventure. Other than that this drama doesn't offer much, but at least I don't regret watching it.

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Fab cast plus great plot setting

Quite a bit of difference from the anime version. Never read the novel however it can be told that the screen writer has invested a lot of energy in establishing the douluo world setting and pacing the story to just the right level.

Great casting as well. As the leading role Xiao Zhan has pulled off a great job in demonstrating the growth of a hero besides his astonishing good looking. All other supporting roles are quite likeable especially the Soul gurus and ‘senior’ ones.

The visual effects are quite impressive given it’s a 40 episode series, which has added another watchable point on top of the martial soul world.

Very much looking forward to see the last episode of the first season as by the looks of it the story might end at a very surprising point, which is what the screenwriter quite fondly in doing in the past - like the end of season 1 of Qing Yu Nian.

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Perfeito

Simplesmente apaixonante. Roteiro bom , figurino incrivel, atuação maravilhosa de todos atores. Amei tudo. Nao seguiu a risca a obra original mas fiquei muito feliz. Tem muitas cenas diferentes da obra geral, mas é um adaptacao e isso nao me gerou frustracao. Xiao zhan como sempre otimo. A atriz que deu vida a coelhinha tambem foi perfeifa. Os dois juntos passaram muita emocao. Amei as cenas de luta, os efeitos especiais nao deixaram a desejar. Super indico o drama para quem é apaixonado por historias cheias de fantasia. Nao foi uma obra que teve um orcamento alto. Por isso achei que o pouco investimento rendeu um grande retorno.

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