Nirvana in Fire

[thaelis]

For anyone who likes wuxia (fantasy martial arts) tv shows, I just finished watching this series...pretty bloody good! More politics/power struggle than fighting actually, so it's not your typical wuxia. For me at least it was also a great insight into Chinese history, as it's permeated throughout with the old rituals.

I remember a few of you are into this kinda stuff and have given me recommendations before, and thought since it's a late 2015 series you might not have seen it yet!

Nirvana in Fire 琅琊榜 (pretty sure YouTube has it in HD with English subs)

[wangxiuming]

Oooo ... and I was just looking for something new to watch. Thanks Thaelis as always for your recommendations!

[thaelis]

You're welcome!

The Chinese is pretty heavy going though...I've taken "advanced" (lol) Chinese and I couldn't understand much of the first ~20 eps

[wangxiuming]

I've had to pause the first episode a lot to understand it ... and probably only like 80%. It's definitely interesting though, the sets are beautiful and the acting and writing seem a cut above most of the other chinese shows I've seen. Definitely going to stick with it!

[wangxiuming]

Just wanted to add a note and say I finished the series! Completely amazing, it has to be one of the best wuxia shows I've seen in ages, or maybe even ever. Well-written, well-acted, lots of action and plot twists. It's also thankfully devoid of the overly saccharine/melodramatic romances that seem ubiquitous in the genre. Thanks again Thaelis, awesome recommendation!

[thaelis]

Wow, that was fast! Your Chinese is definitely better than mine (i guess that goes without saying though).

There is so much I love about it...the hero is a sickly weakling, kungfu is just a backdrop to the politics, it's a show in which a successful Diplomacy or Bluff roll can take down your enemy more assuredly than 10,000 warriors.

Also, you're right in that the dramatic or melancholic moments actually make you feel something, unlike most wuxia which mostly feel cliched. I have to admit that I cried for the... second to last episode? Can't recall the last time that happened.