[ SECRET POST #6486 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #6486 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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[Stormlight Archive/cosmere]



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03.
[Planet of The Apes]



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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 18 secrets from Secret Submission Post #926.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

06. https://i.imgur.com/23OHwNr.png

I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

This is what I find difficult to get over:

* super white/pastel color palette with tons of pink and white, bad CGI and that whole looking-into-the-sun lighting effect at random moments

* Female characters who are chronologically 3000+ years old, look 20, act 5.

* Male characters who are chronologically 3000+ years old, look 25-35, act 18.

* Way too many episodes with episodes that drag and feel like pointless filler with dumb misunderstandings and dumb angst, as in...

* ... torturous mortal realm story arcs that are basically an AU within the original story but at least people get to dress in colors that aren't white and/or pink

* after all the heavily artificial, obviously manufactured melodrama, still not guaranteed a happy ending

[(Anonymous)]

lmfao to that first point, I ran into a group of cosplayers at a con earlier this year, could tell at least that they were doing some xianxia thing. they were literally all dressed almost identically but from the way they were posing, I think they were all supposed to be different characters - all white/pastel blue, all nearly similar but different enough updos in their wigs, but doing different photos together in certain pairs. I legit thought at first it was a group of 8 of the same character and then it wasn't.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, it's a common styling choice. And so boring, unfortunately! Heavenly realm is mostly white and pastel, occasionally a man gets to wear a bolder accent color. Demon realm is black and blue or black and purple with more dramatic eyeliner choices. It's very cookie cutter from one xianxia to the next.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[feotakahari]

I’ve only tried two xianxia, so I don’t know if this is a trope or just bad luck on my part. But they both seem to have a very low opinion of non-cultivators. There doesn’t seem to be any form of enlightenment or pursuit of virtue that doesn’t pass through cultivation in one way or another, so people who aren’t cultivators don’t have virtue and are consistently selfish and cowardly.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know the possible religious reasons behind it, but yeah, I've seen similar attitudes. Non-cultivators are lesser beings... not quite animals but not that far off, depending on which character is talking.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[scissorsevered]

A big reason I can't get being xianxia, no matter how much I love the idea of it, is that the pacing is just god-awful and the story is derivative. I've mostly watched/read danmei (male/male romances in a xianxia setting) and the only one I could recommend is Tianbao Fuyao Lu/Legend of Exorcism.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

Oh man, yes. I've only seen a small handful of this genre, including some of the most well known favorites and the pacing is TERRIBLE. IIRC, it's because shows like that are dragged out so they can sell more advertising and make more money. China has tried to limit episode numbers, but some cdramas get around it by splitting a 70+ episode show into two parts, etc. etc. The plot is never fascinating enough to fill 70+ episodes, IMO.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

Funnily enough, I read a lot of danmei but could not get through Tianbao Fuyao Lu.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

I get that danmei and xianxia are often serialized, pay by the chapter, but the pacing... I was getting into danmei but the farm arc in 2ha absolutely killed me. Meanwhile I have an epub of reverend insanity i keep meaning to read but. It is too damn long.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

and the characters are all interchangable with each different canon, they are all the same type of character just with different clothes and slightly different hair styles but they all act pretty much the same.

Re: I've tried to like xianxia, but...

[(Anonymous)]

OP
Yeah, I never watch dramas. I just read. Dramas bore and/or annoy me and I can't even get through western 8 episode miniseries, no way I'm getting through 50 episodes. The only ones I did watch I fast forwarded through for at least half the time.

[(Anonymous)]

I agree with the OP. I'm not very into the whole 'Character meditated for XXX years and leveled up'. I really enjoyed Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know but those parts were the weakest. There's probably a better and more impactful way to write a MC's power progression.

Also the long episode counts are my favourite thing about cdramas and I actually love filler and slow pacing as long as it's not completely boring (I didn't care for the clans arguing over the mcguffin in Word of Honour)

[scissorsevered]

the entire cultivating thing common in xianxias just reminds me of the powerscaling discourse you see with male fans on reddit. it just comes off as soulless.