Stripey

Have you ever drove towards a mountain range only to discover that the individuals peaks are actually distinct mountains, separated by large distances? And that you were awestruck by the grandeur of the farthest, towering peak as you approach the nearer mountains? Shaonain ge xing is one such multi-faceted, layered story that got more fascinating as the plot unfolded. Shaonian Ge Xing (SGX) is a webnovel by Zhou Mu Nan. The anime actually follows the chapters of the novel rather closely (almost 1 ep = 1 chapter). Strictly speaking, SGX is a prologue of sorts. The story centers on Wu Xin and has a coherentplot with a satisfying end. The central mystery that drive the plot and character development is well paced in its execution and reveal. But as the story progresses, another more intriguing tale is layered upon the main story, thrusting Xiao Se into the spotlight and expanding the narrative much more. The world-building is rich. The pugilist world is vibrantly set up with myriad sects, sword deities and distinct power levels that sounds awesome (for example 逍遥天境 – it was translated as “unrestrained sky realm” but it honestly doesn’t capture its true poetic essence). The political/court intrigues hum in the background and occasionally rears its head to intersect violently with the pugilist world, deepening drama and mystery. Character-wise, the development is rather uneven. Of the 4 main characters, Tang Lian's character development is the weakest followed by Lei Wu Jie. Since this anime is a Wu Xin tale and the novel is a Xiao Se story, the latter 2 get great character arcs. However, I do have a criticism on Sikong Qianluo. She does not actually appear so early in the novel. I suspect to prevent the show from descending into a sausage-fest, Sikong Qianluo was forcibly introduced early. The 2 underlings that she eventually acquired in the show was a low point in the anime since their attempt at humor was crass and not remotely funny (My only true gripe of the show). On production values, for a 3D Chinese animation in 2018, SGX stood out for me in terms of their facial rendering. The characters are expressive and complement their layered dialogue perfectly. The fights are visually appealing though nothing to write home about. There were a few scenes that stood out cinematographically for me – watch out for Xiao Se when he steps out of this inn in episode one. Revisit it after you learn his backstory and the scene will hit differently. The mark of a good show is rediscovering added dimensions in scenes, dialogues upon repeat viewings and SGX attest to that. In closing, Shaonian Ge Xing is a well-crafted wuxia story that gives a glimpse of further greatness (and yes Season 2 is already complete). The rich details in storytelling and dialogue thus demand high quality translation to capture the nuances and intricacies of the tale. Highly recommended but only if you find a well translated source.