[Review] MIYAMOTO MUSASHI

[yanie02]

Sword-fighting is one of my favorite genre. There were only two awesome sword-fighting series I've seen and both Chinese wuxia series. The Smiling Proud Wanderer (Xiao Ao Jiang Hu) - CCTV 2001 and Sword Stained with Royal Blood (Bi Xue Jian) - 2007, both Mainland China production by the same producer and director, Zhang Jizhong. They had the most

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[yanie02]

He was great too in Ando Lloyd, but the action sequences were so boring.

Ooh, don't get me started with Jin Yong stuff... I won't be able to stop XD

My All-time favorite Chinese wuxia stories/novels.

1. Xiao Ao Jiang Hu / Smiling Proud Wanderer / State of Divinity (read the whole novel)
Obviously, my fav adaptation is CCTV 2001.

2. Yitian Tulong Ji / Heaven Sword & Dragon Sabre (read the whole novel more than twice, lol)
My fav is Mainland 2009, but Tony Leung's 80s TVB one is a very close 2nd fav.

3. Shediao Yingxiong Zhuan / Legend of Condor Heroes (read parts of the novel; sadly, can't find parts of them available)
My fav is still the classic Felix Wong's 80s TVB one. It must be really difficult to beat that one, although I love the fights more in the Mainland 2003 one.

4. Juedai Shuangjiao / The Twins - author is Gu Long, not JY (read the whole novel)
I'm never a fan of any of the TV series adaptations. I become a fan of this story thanks to the Hongkong comic, then I bought and read the novel afterwards and loved it.

5. Lu Ding Ji / Duke of Mount Deer / Royal Tramp; never read the novel, but I become really fascinated with story after watching the Mainland 2008 adaptation starring Huang Xiaoming... then I also love Dicky Cheung's version.

Of course I watched many versions of Return of Condor Heroes (even read the comic which I heard was quite faithful to the novel, so I can get a sense of what the novel is like), but I just don't buy Yang Guo's character :P Demi Gods and Semi Devils has too many characters, I have difficulties in following the story of that one XD

It's difficult to compare chinese wuxia series with japanese taiga dramas because they're totally different. Chinese wuxia are mostly fiction and lots of fight scenes. Taiga dramas mostly real history and lots of political talks and war scenes... tend to get boring. But my all-time fav taiga dramas, Shinsengumi and AOI-Tokugawa Sandai- were totally not boring for me, though^^

[2ieca]

JIn Yong's stories are awesome and worth discussing ;)
I wonder if the novels have been translated to english. It would be interesting to read it.

Xiao Ao Jiang Hu / Smiling Proud Wanderer / State of Divinity:
I have seen the 90's version of TVB. Both leads are interesting and well matched (I mean the characters not actors). There was also a very loose movie adaptation: The Swordsman II with Jet Li and the great Brigitte Lin who plays the bad guy.

Yitian Tulong Ji / Heaven Sword & Dragon Sabre:
Great story but I found Wuji so indecisive at some times that it would be drive me nuts! XD I used to hate Zhao Min because she had ruined Wuji's wedding with Zhou Zhiruo. My favourite part was the story about his parents. So sad :(

Lu Ding Ji / Duke of Mount Deer / Royal Tramp:
Seen the 80's and 90's version. Hilarious. Even though Wei Xiaobao had many wives, his friendship with the King was the best.

Demi Gods and Semi Devils do have many characters that can make you lose track of who's who and even have 3 leads. But it has my favourite character of all of Jin Yong's novel : Qiao Feng :)

As for taiga dramas, I also love Shinsengumi :) Great chemistry within the cast. However, my favourite has to be Toshiie to Matsu (awesome cast) followed by Ryomaden (love the directing style). I find it hard to get hooked into a taiga drama in general because like you said, it has a lot of political talks. The pacing of some series is a killer sometimes and you just lose interest after a few episodes. I really tried to watch Yae no Sakura after hearing Ayase's great performance but it got very boring for me. I guess I'll check out AOI-Tokugawa Sandai-.

[yanie02]

Yes you can easily find the English version on the net nowadays:
http://errantcluster.blogspot.com/2011/05/list-of-jin-yongs-wuxia-in-english.html

I've watched ALL version of XAJH, yup including the Jet Li one (and because I was a fan of Jet Li back in my primary school days lol).

Are you kidding? I hated Zhou Zhiruo and really cheered when Zhao Min came to ruin that wedding haha. Yeah, Tony Leung's Wuji was so indecisive... but I really dig the story of the evil sects vs six righteous sects haha.... Zhao Min is one of my most fav female wuxia character, my other favs are Huang Rong, Ren Yingying (XAJH) and Su Yin (The Twins).

What I find ridiculous abt DGSD is how Duan Yu finds many women on his journey and all those women end up being his half sisters lol. I love Qiao Feng too... but he got a very, very sad story T_T the monk's story is kinda interesting I thought

Oh yeah, another big problem with taiga dramas, it lacks material.... basically they just rehash the same story over and over with different point of views. How many times Oda Nobunaga's story had been made... but this time, the strategist is the lead... or back in GOU, it was his niece as the lead... I can memorize the story already and I really don't feel like watching another story has Oda Nobunaga in it (unless Takuya starring lol).
With Ryomaden... I've seen him before in Shinsengumi and then I have watched a miniseries version of Ryomaden starring Ichikawa Somegoro. For me Sakamoto Ryoma = Ichikawa Somegoro, I found MY Ryomaden already... so I really didn't have the motivation to start watching the taiga's Ryomaden.
Same thing with Toshiie to Matsu... back in 2003, I could only find half of the series available (back then, internet downloads were still rare)... and I loved the first half alot alot...
In 2010, when I started got into taiga dramas and checking all recommended taiga dramas, I remember I haven't finished Toshiie to Matsu, so I decided to watch the last half... but I lost the appetite to watch it... I've memorized most of the story flow already, cause i have just watched Nakama Yukie's Komyo ga Tsuji (Nobunaga's vassal is the lead here)

I just wish they can make a great jidaigeki fiction, like chinese wuxia.

But then again... the only wuxia stories I love, is really just Jin Yong stuff. I tried to watch other Chinese wuxia series based on other authors' novels or by original script, and I can't make myself love them... they tend to get draggy and ridiculous... It's really a Jin Yong miracle for me XD

[2ieca]

I'm fine with Zhao Min now :) It might have to do with the actresses.
Thanks for the link for the English translation. I think I'll start with Legend of the Condor Heroes ^^