Nirvana in Fire (2015)

An epitome of perfection and a class of its own

This series surpassed all levels of hits there could be for a drama to score. In all my years of watching dramas, I can confidently say even until 2021 (I've watched countless J-series, K-series, Thai series and English series), not a single drama manages to even come close to this one in terms of plot, flow, character dynamics, cinematography and pacing. Brilliantly written and spun like an intricate web. The layers are astonishing. The plot is just mindblowing and NOT CLICHE. If you think you watched enough dramas to know or expect what the characters will do next, this series will throw you off the cliffs. Everytime you think the plot is going a certain way the characters always manages to surprise you or end up 10 light years ahead to wave and laugh at you. Even upon rewatching for the 6th time, I'm amazed at all the little details I manage to find each time. I was so sad when I watched this series for the first time in 2016. Near the end I had withdrawals and knew then that when this one ends, never will i find such a brilliant series again. NEVER. This one set the bar too high for me now. Simply because each characters here were written with such detail and care. There are none who exist simply to push the plots. Each of them fit and mould well in the mixture. Every one of them exist to represent a thought, a seed and they all have intentions or reasons as to why they do things. Even the character I hated most, the emperor - (who in his ego and ignorance chose to be blind to all evidences and essence of the truth) manages to make me find empathy and sympathy for him because of the way his character expressed his thoughts when he last spoke to Mei Chang Su. There are no good or evil in this series. There are only the truest and realest intentions, desires and sufferings humans ultimately choose for themselves or others on their paths. So this really is a win. It's been years and I came back to write this review simply because I haven't found a single drama which can be up to par with NiF and every time i feel that my standards sort of dropped or I watched too many 'disappointing' series, I come back to NiF for a rinse.

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Easily the most intricate drama ever

I'm not sure where to start because I've watched this immediately after it was aired

It took me a while before I actually absorbed every detail and every character. And it was so difficult. I need to keep tabs of their names, and search every now and then about the characterization, very very carefully because I don't want to be spoiled. It was a chore.

But believe me, once I digested everything, it made perfect sense. Every decision. Every feeling. Every character started becoming so palpable and suddenly, I was already in the world. I realized that finally, after obsessing over Bu Bu Jing Xi, I finally found something that will caress my heart, and back then, it has also invaded my mind.

The goosebumps I got in this story can't be counted. Hu Ge was spectacular. And this is the drama that made me fall in love with Wang Kai.

I couldn't find any more words to say but this is a very intelligent drama. But with a heart.

I just put a little less on the rewatchability because even though I've rewatched this a few times, it's very painful that I don't come back immediately for more. But still, I know I will rewatch again. Some time in the future.

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Starts absolutely confusing, yet ends absolutely riveting

This is the first Chinese drama that I've ever watched, so I am really new to everything about their storytelling style. Yet, after watching the last episode, I was just left to ask: "What took me so long to watch it?"

A really common comment about this show is on how really confusing it is during the first 5 episodes. It was very confusing in that I had to search for a "relationship tree" picture between the characters to get the context. Furthermore, the story at that point can be understood, but for the most part, I was just clueless about what was happening, who's who, and why is that happening.

However, what made me start to invest here is that it isn't shy in focusing more on the main story (which is in contrast with Korean dramas that adds subplots to further add the story). The pacing here was neither fast nor slow burn. It really took its time in developing the events surrounding the main character, and then wraps up with heavy impact. Also, it did not relied on plot twists and deus ex machina, which made it more realistic in terms of the characters' decision-making. It was just refreshing to me as a viewer to see letting the story flow on its own organically.

One would think that this show's 54-episode run can be a turn off especially when there is only one main story. The erratic cliffhangers were just enough to really make my scratch my head, wanting for more episodes. KDramas and its dramatic cliffhangers just cannot compete here.

Speaking of the story, I absolutely loved how great it is. Once I was able to grasp the details around it, I was frequently reminded of "Game of Thrones" and was just in awe in terms of the parallelism and the context similarities of the two. Both are equally great in giving tension, drama, and royal politics, but this show in particular, was in top notch in portraying royal politics well. It wasn't too complex, yet it also wasn't too cliché. It still gave room for the watcher like me to think profoundly about their actions, and still enjoy its entertainment value at the same time. Also, the action and martial arts was just top notch, and the fighting skills are just chef's kiss.

The ending was what I expected it to be, but I would have appreciated it more had it followed the Korean 1-hour episode format. I found it to be too condensed though it was able to answer the questions and close the story pretty well.

Given all the praises, why would I not rate this drama a 10? Well, here comes a disadvantage when watching a show focused on a single major story - it tends to become redundant. There were quite many flashback scenes (particularly of the Chiyan army 13 years prior the story setting), and at a point, I was already tired seeing it. The scheming of plans also tended to move slow, despite the brilliant outcomes. It was more emphasis on talk, therefore more screentime and less on the action. But when the action scenes came, I wasn't able to think anything but be speechless.

Since this is the first time I am watching a Chinese drama, I don't have any idea how to perceive this show in the grand scheme of things. Nevertheless, I will set this show as the standard for my future Cdrama endeavors. Can't wait to watch more shows like Nirvana in Fire that starts absolutely confusing, yet ends absolutely riveting.

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ONE WORD: MAGNIFICENT.

To summarize my experience of watching this drama, I have never skip even a second for the entire series (mind you I am a skipper while watching drama)

STORY:

The plot is pure brilliant! I have never watched such well written and thought out political "history" drama such as NIF. Every single part matters, no wasted screen time at all. Every moment as I continue to watch it, it kept me surprised and intrigued. The character is written very well, no 'dumb' characters at all, every characters serve its purpose for the plot and also as real as it gets.

ACTING:

Hu Ge and Wang Kai blew me away. What a magnificent potrayal of the characters. When you watch it, there are no Hu Ge and Wang Kai in the characters, it is purely Mei Chang Su and Jing Yan 100%. Other actor and actress also perform a very good job for their characters. They made it believable and real.

MUSIC:

I do not have any issues with the music or the background music or sound. I like it all.


REWATCH VALUE:

i have watch it for more than 3 times and I did not skip a single thing. This should explain the rewatch value.


OVERALL:

I may not write a long review for this due to one simply can't express how great it is unless you watch it. However, I can confidently say that this is the best Chinese Drama (#1) ever made up until this moment. If you have not watch NIF, you can't say you are a C-Drama lover.

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May the noble legacy and selfless sacrifice of Lin Shu and Mei Changsu live on forever

This show has been the top of my list since I watched it the first time. There were many times when I cried for all the injustices that the Chiyun army suffered and the House of Prince Qi. For all the suffering Lin Shu has endured so he could clear his family's name of the crime they have never committed. For Nihuang, who painstakingly waited for her Lin Shu gege to come back, only to be separated in the end. Life was never fair. But it was particularly cruel for Lin Shu.

Lin Shu is a character I truly admire. After the massacre of his family, he didn't vow for vengeance and didn't cruelly kill everyone involved. Instead, he traded his life, his chance to be with the people he loved and instead be the sly, cunning, and shrewd Mei Changsu. For 13 years, he planned his strategy and eventually he succeeded. The journey though was never easy. And when we thought that he can finally leave in peace, war happened. Instead of spending his limited time with the love of his life, he went to battle to protect the people and his country. This was his ultimate sacrifice so that the people he loved would have peace. Jingyan knows this, more so Nihuang. For Lin Shu and Nihuang, their separation on that hill was poignant and full of hope. Not because they knew they will meet again, but instead they knew this could be the last time they will see each other. And for them, that was okay. Duty to their country comes above all else.

I truly hope that in their next lives, they were born as ordinary families, spending their life until old age. Or, they could have just been reincarnated as Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi.

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I cannot stress enough how much I love this drama. From the plot, acting, script, and directing-Everything were done beautifully. I actually didn't care for this drama, because I read before that there was a lacked of romance. So, I didn't care for it, even though friends have suggested to me to watch it. So, I watched it when I ran out of my romance dramas, and boy was I hooked!!! I was in for a ride! I love the plot so much, and each episode keeps your in your seat. I just love how intriguing and hooked I was with each twist and turn. Not to mention, the lead actress is so beautiful!!! Even though there was not a high volume of romance in here, that was not a problem at all. The plot is just amazing, with revenge and everything in between. Watch this, you will not be disappointed!!!! I would definitely watch this again and again.

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The praises didn't lie, this is a masterpiece

I can't believe how good it was...the characters stayed with me. I can't forget them even if i wanted to. The expressions, dialogues, stories everything was so deep and impactful that i got overwhelmed multiple times throughout the show. The characters were so complex nd each driven by such strong motivations that it was beautiful. I'll particularly mention the brilliant antagonists. NiF is great at making u feel varied ranges of emotions for all the characters including the 'villains'. If u are a fan of historical settings, brotherhood, complex plot involving revenge and court politics which will keep u at the edge of ur seat, minimal romance but amazing relationship between the characters, then this is a MUST watch.

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Stellar Drama Combing a Revenge Story With Complex Character Dynamics

Nirvana in Fire took a few episodes to grab me, and I was definitely hesitant to start such a long series. But, in the end, it turned out to be a captivating story with interesting, tense character dynamics and a brilliantly dramatic overarching conflict.

ACTING
There's not really much I can say here - all the performances are quite good, with a special commendation to those who play Changsu's retainers, Eunuch Gao, The Emperor, and Prince Jingyan. The interaction between The Emperor and Jingyan especially feels very natural and portrays the complex dynamic between absolute ruler and son quite well.

MUSIC
The music took a while to grow on me, but like the series, it's a bit of a slow burn. The OST is well-placed in each episode and rarely feels awkward, while the opening and ending are both references to some of the underlying themes in the show (with the butterfly prevalent in the opening being a particularly poignant double-metaphor). I rated the music slightly less for those few times that the songs feel a bit overplayed.

STORY
The story and characters - these are the real reason to watch Nirvana in Fire. The plot could be roughly broken down into several arcs in which tie together in Mei Changsu's ultimate "revenge" plot. I won't go into details here for risk of spoilers, but each arc roughly involves a new event or circumstance that at least one major actor - Changsu being the most common - tries to take advantage of. The other characters in advisory positions react and attempt to put out fires (sometimes literally) while slowly shifting the politics of the court one way or the other.
All of the plotting one way or the other eventually comes down to The Emperor. Nirvana in Fire portrays the role between various court actors and The Emperor better than any other series I've seen. How The Emperor will react, what he wishes, who he'll be suspicious of - everyone who plays the game of the court ultimately has their focus on its head. And given the goals of each of the characters - which often conflict with The Emperor's desires - subtly changing the atmosphere by planning events days in advance can be essential to ensuring a plan succeeds.

SUMMARY
From start-to-finish, Nirvana in Fire is a stellar drama that combines a driven revenge story with complex character dynamics and courtly politics to create a masterpiece of intrigue and planning.

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10 10 10 10 If I could give this drama a score of more than ten, I definitely would!
This is one of the series than I've watched more than 10 times. The story, the actors, the costumes, EVERYTHING is perfect & when I say perfect it's not an exaggeration but an understatement.

Although if you are looking for a lot of romance then this may not be the series for you. But this does not mean that the drama lacks "love" cause trust me it has, just not much

This is a must watch for someone who is looking for a mind boggling, exciting series.

Don't get discourage about the bloody first part, It's not that heavy on fighting.

A MUST WATCH SERIES!! You won't be disappointed!

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MUST WATCH THIS

Well, I just wouldn't know where to start. This is my first completed Wu Xia drama I was completely amazed by it. I have so much to say and it'll probably be long so let me summarize it first. If you like Scheming dramas, where wining isn't really about how strong you are, or how strong your army is, but how smart, then this is a drama you'll definitely enjoy. However there is much more that this drama offers. The characters, their relationships and how things develop around them are at the heart of the drama. Love, loyalty, brotherhood portrayed in such a beautiful way. Like one of the comments I read on a blog said about this drama: *It hurts so good!*



As for the plot, it basically is a Chinese version of The Count of Monti Cristo transposed in Chinese empire. However, the story felt grander than the original French novel, and more than just a revenge tale. It is a story that goes beyond life and death, but setting the truth free. We are introduced to Mei Chang Su, a sickly man and part of the pugilistic world. He has established the Jiangzuo Alliance, a very powerful alliance with eyes and ears basically everywhere. Such power has given Mr. Su the title of Divine Talent. Two princes that are fighting for the throne sought after such talent. He was welcomed to the capital, but he had his own agenda. The two princes have been set against each other by the emperor. However such an act has corrupted the royal court, making the whole empire lose its strength. Mr. Su wants to remove both princes as contenders to the throne and bring forth the seventh prince, who's unfavoured by the emperor and looked down upon in the court. Mr.Su does so by studying the whole situation, going after each of the corrupt officials and brings their misdeeds to light. This is his way of removing corruption, and rebuilding the empire's strength.



That set the story forth as things start changing since the appearance of the mysterious Mei Chang Su. Soon enough, people start realizing that things are moving, and interest starts to increase in that mysterious figure. Little do they know he’s Lin Shu, survivor of the Chiyang army, and a victim of a tragedy from 12 years ago. The capital is full of people who benefitted from his tragedy, and those whose time has stopped since that time, unable to accept reality, but incapable of changing reality. Among them loyal friends join our protagonist in his quest to set things right.



Though the story is all about machinations, with smart villains, and smarter hero, what make this drama so special, addicting, memorable and endearing are the characters and relationships. Starting with Mei Chang Su, he’s a tragic character. The son of General Lin, and cousin to the princes, his world with filled with love, his potential was infinite and his dreams are big. Suddenly, all was stolen from him, even his face. He goes back home but it isn’t home anymore. As much as he denies himself the desire to go back to his previous self, he can’t help but show it in the most vital moments. Then there’s the 7th prince, Prince Jing. He’s very straight forward, to a fault, and never hides his feelings. What he thinks of the Chiyang army is no secret to all, making him unfavoured by his father, the emperor. He and Lin Shu grew up as brothers, and his feelings for Lin Shu haven’t changed. However he seemed to have inherited his doubtful side from his father. He has a hard time trusting Mei Chang Su since Mr. Su isn’t as straightforward as he’d like him to be, and he has a prejudice against strategist. I have to say seeing the relationship between these two develop is the most appealing in the drama, and the most carefully planned.

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Drama that should be not ignored.

There is reason why this drama is so popular and praised and it is because the whole drama is really really amazing.
Cinematography ,Plot ,charters .. and the music i have no words to describe how flawless and perfect is this drama..
There is funny moments but the whole plot is very serous.
Everyone had their reasons for their actions.And motives was reasonable.Most Charters were smart.
My advice is dont ignore this drama, if you are hesitating to watch . I ignored untill now and i regret.
This is masterpiece that i will never forget.
So definitely want to rewatch this one in the future.

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