Mostly Romance of Red Dust

[meganbmoore]

 Hmm...so, if your post your fanfic to a community, and outside the cut you stay one of the leads is a character who hasn't appeared or even been mentioned yet in what's been released in the US, then you state that the fic has spoilers for what hasn't been released yet as a disclaimer, aren't you basically saying "Here's a spoiler.  Oh, by the way, there are spoilers."

(granted, I'm not sure anyone who pays attention to Bleach could NOT know there's a character by that name in upcoming volumes, but still...)

In other news, I've started watching The Romance of Red Dust.  To be blunt, the leads have absolutely zero romantic chemistry at this point-or at least, not the kind they should have, as this is billed as an epic romance wuxia.  I can easily see them as the idealistic revolutionary and his more world weary, buttkicking second in command where you KNOW they'll get together after it's all over, but it's not a focus(and in fact, when their chemistry works, it's when the scenes have an approach closer to that.)  I do still like it, though.  Largely because both leads are very likable, and for the gender reversal.  The cute(as in adorable), spunky, smart one with good but not great kung fu but who's a genius at strategies is the hero, Li Jing, and the buttkicking, ruthless, hardened assassin with a dark past discovering their inner good person is Hong Bi, the heroine.  Here, she's the hero and he's the heroine.

Aside from the absence of the kind of chemistry they should have(seriously, if they weren't playing it as romantic at all at this point, just friends, I'd probably be shipping like crazy, but playing it romantic this early and as they're doing it just makes me shake my head) the only problem I have with it is that THERE ARE SO MANY FLASHBACKS ABOUT HONG BI'S PAST!  As long as they largely keep them to the beginning(I'm only on ep 4) it should be OK, but if it last the whole series, it'll get irritating.

Also, Shu Qi's(Hong Bi) voice is dubbed(I think) with the same voice as the lead actress of Patriotic Knights.  Now, I think it's an excellent wuxia heroine voice, but it's a bit disconcerting, esp. as it obviously isn't Shu Qi talking.

Hmmm...this actually probably sounds more critical than I intended, as I am enjoying it...I doubt it'll be a favorite wuxia, but I like it. 

ETA:  And now:  The absolute BEST SCENE in RRD is when Li Jing is trying to send his horse away before battle.  He's spouting off all this talk about how it's better for the horse and it should find a better, more deserving master, and I swear, it shoots him a sorrowful look and it refuses to go and Li Jing starts talking about how the horse isn't some famous horse that never left its master and they are staring in each others eyes and the horse looked DEPRESSED when it left and it looked back at him, and he kept staring off into the night after it, and he tells it to stay away from men, because not all men will treat it as well as he did.  Forget Li Jing/Hong Bi.  Li Jing/horse is the true otp. 

ETA 2:  To make me go "aww" Li Jing tricked Hong Bi and the villagers into leaving so he could face Evil Kung Fu Master alone, with only his (quite admirable) brains to help him.  Sadly, he was still no match for Evil Kung Fu Master.  BUT! The horse came back to save him!  Sadly, Evil Kung Fu Master killed the horse, but stopped kicking Li Jing's butt long enough to allow Li Jing to bid the horse a tearful farewell.  But now Hong Bi has come to save him, so I'm sure all will be well.

I love you wuxia.  Never change.  (Except for the bit with chemistry between the leads.) 

ETA 3:  Poor, poor Li Jing...mourning the loss of his horse over wine in his room...he shall never recover from the loss(hey, it's not my fault they replaced the Wuxia Slash Stare with the hero/horse stare...)  Also, Li Jing has saved Hong Bi from Evil Blue Clad Senior's sword by catching it with his hand.  I am highly susceptible to such things.  I am also highly susceptible to heroes with a little too much idealism and honor and heroines with enough practicality and common sense(and willingness to be ruthless because of both) to compensate.  If RRD keeps catering to my kinks(and it's wuxia, so it's almost guaranteed to) I'll start shipping, chemistry or no(and there are starting to be more of the scenes where their chemistry works.)  Li Jing is also calling Hong Bi "Chu Chen" or something now...this probably came about in a chemistry-less scene that caused my eyes to glaze over.

Also, Evil Kung Fu Master needs to get over Hong Bi and be Evil OTP with Evil Blue Clad Senior.  They would rock as an Evil OTP.

I am so very, very happy that this picked up marvelously about 15 minutes into ep 4.

I feel I may be able to bninge now.

Comments

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

The horse?????

I think you scared me off this drama :)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

rofl.

don't worry.

it's just a random bit of wuxia crack...you know have they can get so melodramatic about some "connections"

besides, the horse comes and goes in one episode. it's more unintentionally funny than anything else. like the wuxia slash stare.