The Blood of Youth – First Impression

SO…

Based on the first few episodes, this drama is about a group of young people + a stoic uncle who come together, albeit reluctantly, to have an epic adventure in this world of martial arts mixed with plenty of magic.

The first member of this group is the young Lei Wujie (Ao Ruipeng). I love his character already, simply because he was in A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College and did some great comedy there.

Next, Xiao Se (Li Hongyi), the owner of an inn with a headpiece that looks like it can cause some damage. Xiao Se is older and more cautious than Wujie. Skill level: unrevealed.

Tang Lian (Li Xinze) – top student at a prestigious academy. Because you’ve got to have a guy with the two-strand hairstyle, otherwise any party would be dull.

Wuxin (Liu Xueyi), a monk who can penetrate people’s minds and make them relive their worst memories. We don’t know yet if this monk will be part of the group, but he is too good to be left out?

Now, my first impression of this drama is that it is very eager to make a point. To show how it is different from similar dramas of the same genre, that is.

In two episodes, several things happen rapidly, each more dramatic than the last.

An inn is invaded by amateur bandits; a young hero takes them on while Condor Heroes’ style music plays in the background. A man takes out a group of outlaws with his teacup still intact afterwards; another guy shows up with white hair and an outfit like a dragon king’s from Journey to the West to deliver some threats. He pursues the same people to a city to deliver MORE threats and play a dice game. A murderous lady gives out death-invitations — yeah, it’s a thing, apparently — her equally murderous friend getting flattened by a monk whose eyes can glow red.

By the way, how much hair gel does one have to use to maintain this hair every day?

Most of the time, these characters are almost theatrical. They get into deadly fights but remain clean and well-groomed. They enter and exit their scenes in a way that resembles a stage play, and the dialogues walk the audience through the story step-by-step. In certain scenes, characters even narrate to you what you can clearly see on the screen. Like:

Camera: *shows you how everyone is looking at the main characters*.

A main character: Look, everyone is looking at us.

However, with all these… shortcomings, I guess, the drama is still surprisingly engaging. (Thing is, I’m still not sure if the shortcomings are on purpose.)

The plot is easy to follow, at least for now. The world-building is rich with creative artefacts, martial arts techniques and many kinds of magic. Plus, all the “mysteries” that keep popping up certainly keep you engaged.

What will happen to the young hero in red? Will the stoic uncle ever get a date? Does the monk faint every single time his eyes glow? What is the restaurant owner hiding? How will their skills play out against each other?

It would be too optimistic to expect much in terms of authenticity or storytelling; the characters’ looks are likely never to be ruffled. But the drama has a knack for throwing surprises at you, most of which are entertaining so far. The death threats are hilarious sometimes and the dynamic between the main characters promises plenty of comedy.