You Yao

Just copying my review from Tumblr: This donghua (Chinese anime) is based on a novel with the same title, and the adaptation is just stellar. In the novel, the story was told through different characters having arcs of their own. (Like, chapters 1-4 would have one main character, then chapters 5-8 would have another, etc.) Each arc could be treated as a stand-alone story, and they all seemed unrelated, only making sense in the end. But in the donghua, instead of showing each character’s story separately, they combined everything. It ended up being a plotty political-scheme mystery show in contrast to the more lighthearted and episodic novel,but the heart of the original was still there. This makes the donghua more seamless while still being very hilarious. And for an adaptation with several original characters, for once I actually don’t mind it. I usually find such additions annoying, but in this show they really serve a purpose and also add to the enjoyment. Another thing I like about it is how the donghua develops the characters even more. Lou Zhu’s worries and motivations are highlighted, and Lin Kai is also given more screen time. I also like the choice of animating it in 3D, like the one in video games. It fits the genre well and also adds more to the comedy. The donghua also plays around a lot. In one episode, they had one character sing and dance like in a musical, with the beginning of the song sounding like “Do you wanna build a snowman?” from Frozen 😂 Moreover, this is a Boys Love story, and with more than one couple, too! The secondary couple (Zhou Rongqi and Li Ke) even get a very gay ending song that’s all about them. (But since this is from China, expect it to be not explicit on the BL) All in all, it’s a very fun show that doesn’t lack in depth. If you’re in the mood for something light but don’t want to miss out on plot, you should definitely watch this. And if you’ve never watched Chinese anime before, then you’ll definitely find this fresh and intriguing.

This show is so fun. Absolutely hysterical. There is a random musical episode for absolutely no reason or payoff. It's really funny and then shockingly tragic. You don't mean to get invested in this comedy but oops! you did anyway! The characters are really unique and extremely entertaining to watch their hijinks. The romance is not a huge part of the donghua but it's still compelling. Watch if you want a good laugh with some quality feels. Seriously this show has made me laugh hysterically multiple times. I've even showed clips to my friends who laughed because how absurd it is. (The flute playing scene)

It's rare for me to want to write a review, but I have to do it for this one. This donghua is seriously underrated! First, I almost dropped this donghua. The reason is that I dislike comedies and I got a little annoyed on episode 2. However, I am glad that I didn't drop it because this is a hidden gem. Under the comedy, there is a serious story that is both intriguing and thought-provoking. I laughed, got annoyed, and even cried. Second, I liked the characters and the relationships. Although there isn't any romance, you can feel the undertones. Most of the time, I normally don'tbother too much with side couples. However, my favourite ship in this donghua is a side couple. On the contrary, I don't really care about the main CP. All in all, this donghua is worth watching. I can't wait for season 2.

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