when will this guy give up

how many times does she have to tell him she's not interested in becoming his concubine until he stops. maybe she secretly, very very deep down, so far that no hint is given even to the audience, DOES want to be his concubine. even in this case, all he is shown is a clear, straightforward rejection.
eventually he gets married to some 13 year old and makes some weird comments to deok-im about it and the whole time she is still refusing his requests. it was at this point that i stopped watching.
honestly, it was very sexy and enjoyable for a long time, but it just gets to be too much. on top of this, deok-im's supposed reasons for not wanting to be his concubine are very convincing; she describes the life of a concubine as one without freedom, voice, genuine companionship, and joy. it's incredibly hard to believe that she is lying or even wrong about this entirely unappealing life.
overall, i just don't understand why they had to ruin a pretty fun drama by making it more and more disturbing.
disclaimer: i know that the drama was based on real-life events, this however does not make it any more enjoyable, possibly even less. do not comment on my reviews.

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oh wow. too good.

prepare to fall in love.
mr. sifeng is the perfect male lead. the progression of the main couple's relationship is genuine and gradual, and each member of the couple has understandable motivations. the balance between them never seems unequal and sifeng never, even once, says or does anything weird to offset the relationship balance. since a major theme in the drama is trust, or the lack thereof, it should be noted that the trust between sifeng and xuanji for the majority of the drama is amazing unshakable. each refuses to believe significant statements until they hear it from the other's mouth directly (specifically in regards to the nature of their relationship or the other's intentions). because of this, nearly 100% of the turmoil that arises in their relationship is due to external factors, i.e., respective sects and families.
absolutely incredible, binge-able drama with completely endearing main leads. there is also a delightful bl side-plot between teng she and the green dragon heavenly general. finally, look out for an AMAZING time in episode 52 when they almost get it on but sadly cannot due to sifeng's nearly-dead body, mind, and soul. (look up the uncensored version ; thank me later)
disclaimer: do not comment on my reviews

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i wish i could watch this for the first time again

recently stumbled upon the toku genre, and starting with this does not disappoint at all. i have become a little more familiar with the other installments in the kr franchise since watching, which has made the strengths of Kuuga more evident to me.

this is the first kamen rider release of the heisei era, and it was a grounded and high-quality start to the heisei riders. where other installments neglect any explanatory element, simply hoping the viewer will maximally suspend their reality to follow along with the show, Kuuga consistently makes reference to the origins and motivations of the Grongi enemy, their cultural practices and shows the deciphering of Grongi language texts (the Grongi language was even made for the show, as you can hear the Grongi warriors don't speak Japanese :) ) in hopes to better understand Kuuga's enemy, and make combat more optimistic for the humans. the characters are also often law-enforcement, supplemented by linguistic anthropologists, doctors, and police scientists - because of course! there are insane monsters suddenly massacring citizens, how could some authority not get involved? realism <3

the story development and character dynamics are also incredibly high-quality, you really get attached to the characters and their emotions as you watch. i am a bit biased because Godai Yusuke is my favorite kind of protagonist - happy-go-lucky, brave and hopeful. even so, his character is not arbitrary in the least. these traits stand in direct contrast to the bleak brutality of the Grongi, which builds far beyond physical burden as the story develops. eventually Godai and the affected community endure psychological and emotional pains, brought on by the weight of loss, fear, and desperation. the final fight scene perfectly encapsulates the intensity with which Godai fights, and his raw love and weakness for humanity. stylistically, it stands out from the remaining fights scenes - bare, with Godai and Daguva in plain-clothes, and silent but for the sounds of hand-to-hand combat, Daguva's laughter, and Godai's grief. another distinct choice with thoughtful, purposed utility. all-around outstanding!!

final note: what a theme song!

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