Drama Digest
The people of Chentang Pass offer to sacrifice their Dragon King of the Eastern Seas as an offering as there is a horrid drought that spreads across the town wherein people lose their lives and livelihoods. This isn’t enough for their situation to change. The Pagoda Bearing Heavenly King’s son realises that he needs to eliminate the evil that caused the drought as soon as possible. Ne Zha hears rumours of five magical weapons that capable of taking down all evil as he sets out on his desperate quest. He faces all the trials and tribulations of the world that test his determination and ability to bring peace to the world. He meets all kinds of people along his way but something shifts when he gets acquainted with the princess of the Eastern Seas- Xiao Long Nu. The two don’t seem to get along but learn to put their differences aside to restore peace in the world by finding the magic weapons and eliminating all evil in the world. The series is an adapted from The Tales of Ne Zha in ancient Chinese Literature.
The Feel-Good Part
The show is light-hearted and easy to watch despite its long run time. The romance on the show is sweet and minimal, giving the plot the centre stage to shine. The male lead is played by a female actress, which is quite new for a story like this. It gives the show a fascinating touch that manages to maintain its intrigue till the very end. The chemistry between the characters was great and fun to watch. The series brings out a number of emotions such as sadness, anger and happiness, which is quite engaging for viewers. The Original Soundtrack is well produced and fits the tone of the story well.
The Disappointing Factor
The story is pretty cliché and doesn’t stray away from the common plot-points of this genre, which makes it predictable and may make it boring to watch. There are certain episodes that are entirely taken up by the villains, which gets boring quickly and also acts as a disconnect between the main characters and the audience, which can get distracting to watch. The end is quite disappointing as the pay-off doesn’t feel worth the build-up. The special effects are mediocre, bordering on bad, which make take certain viewers out of their viewing experience. The romance is minimal and a big let-down on that aspect of the show.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama is a package of action, romance with sprinkles of humour that make it the perfect show to binge over a couple of weeks. The drama is executed in a way that’s decent enough to be enjoyable, it’s nothing special and not very different from other adaptations apart from a woman playing the male protagonist.
Star Power
All the performances were good for the most part. Jiang Yi Yi is sufficiently convincing as Ne Zha and provides a great performance as the lead of the show
Overall Opinion
Heroic Journey of Ne Zha is quite entertaining and enjoyable for the most part. It isn’t the most well-made adaptation but is executed well enough to be worth a shot.
