This review will cover both season 1-4 of the Chinese release and the two cour Japanese release. The ratings are given to the Chinese version.
Let me first post here the correspondence between the Chinese seasons and the Japanese episode numbers. It can cause confusion since one Japanese episode roughly covers two Chinese episodes with some removed scenes and added fillers.
Season 1: Sand Fox arc
Chinese episode 1-13, Japanese episode 1-6
Season 2: Wangquan Fugui (Ohken Fuuki) arc
Chinese episode 14-27, Japanese episode 7-13.5
Season 3: Yue Hong (Gessho and Koko) arc
Chinese episode 28-40, Japanese episode 13.5-20
...
Season 4: Beishan Yaodi (North Mountain Emperor) arc
Chinese episode 41-48, Japanese episode 21-24
Season 5: Qian Yan (Thousand Faces) arc
Chinese episode 49-63
Season 6: Nan Guo (Southland) arc
Chinese episode 64-?
Story (9/10)
The story can appear a little chaotic and confusing at first that requires some patience. But everything should clear up as you watch on and the characters' motivations become clearer. Eventually the pieces will all fall into place with no major plot holes. When looking back, all characters are doing exactly what they should be doing at those moments. By the end of arc 4, the story reaches a satisfying ending, but also leaves people wanting for more.
The story is organized into arcs, with each arc focusing on a different couple. But the arcs are connected, and they are all part of an overarching narrative. The first arc is a side story that's used to introduce world settings and some plot devices. The main storyline doesn't unfold until the middle of the second arc.
The show has two timelines: a current timeline and a past life timeline. The two timelines are intertwined, with the current timeline focusing on action and comedy and the past life timeline focusing on drama and romance. The past life timeline is not merely flashbacks, rather it's the "meat" of the show and what makes many people fall in love with this series.
Comedy is the weak point of the show. Some of the comedy can feel forced, even cringe-worthy. The good thing is that comedy is scaled back in later arcs as the tone turns more serious, and the remaining comedy feels more natural.
The Japanese release removed some comedy from the first arc, which is a good call. But it might have increased the confusion and made the pacing appear even faster. It also added a recap during the first half of episode 16.
Art (9/10)
The art sees significant improvement from season 1 to season 2, and from season 2 to season 3, then stabilizes after that. The first season can feel low-budgeted, but it's not the case for later seasons. Season 3 has some breathtaking moments and good battle scenes, but battles are not the focus of the show. Character designs are unique and pretty. I especially like the outfits of the Tushan foxes.
Sound (10/10)
The Chinese voice actors are great. They deliver emotion and comedy well and nothing feels unnatural to me. When two voices are required, they differentiate the voices very well, befitting the characters.
The Japanese voice actors also did a wonderful job, especially towards the second cour, when the characters' personality and motivations become more apparent. One nitpick is that the seiyuu for the male lead sounds a bit too old for his age. The male lead is 16 years old, but many people mistook him for a 30-year-old when he uses a cover identity in the first episode. It shouldn't have happened if the seiyuu sounded more age-appropriate (and if one crucial line wasn't changed in the Japanese version).
The Chinese OPs and EDs are all amazing. My favorites are ED1, OP2 and OP3. The OPs and other soundtracks are used very well in the show, resulting in some of the most well executed and emotional moments.
The Japanese release brings two new OPs and EDs, which I also like. The Japanese OP1 (lyrics also in Chinese) is hindered by a mismatch between visuals and music, which I can only blame on lazy editing. A major scene in the second arc (also the genre-changing moment of the show) has its soundtrack changed from an epic one to a mellower one, which may have reduced its emotional impact.
Some episodes in the first cour of the Japanese release suffer from a lack of sound effects, which do not occur in the second cour. The Chinese release does not have this problem.
Character (10/10)
The characters appear to be trope characters at first sight, but almost all of them have hidden depth. Your impressions on them will change drastically over the course of the show. The male leads appear annoying at first, but both will show considerable development by the end of arc 4. Some of the major characters introduced in the middle of arc 2 are very unique, compelling, and charismatic in their own ways.
The focus of the show is romance. Each couple has a different dynamic between them. However, both male and female characters have their own dreams, ambitions and life purposes beyond romance. Not only does it make them more respectable characters, it also serves to reinforce one of the main themes of the show: the peaceful coexistence between yaos and humans.
Enjoyment (10/10)
This show offers some of the most epic love stories I've seen in any medium. It made me laugh and cry, and left a void in me that I will forever crave something similar to fill.
Overall (9/10)
I recommend it to anyone who loves romance in a fantasy setting with a bit of action and comedy mixed in. If you like non-harem romance with multiple couples, don't miss it. Female anime fans, definitely watch it.
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Dec 20, 2017
Huyao Xiao Hongniang
(Anime)
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This review will cover both season 1-4 of the Chinese release and the two cour Japanese release. The ratings are given to the Chinese version.
Let me first post here the correspondence between the Chinese seasons and the Japanese episode numbers. It can cause confusion since one Japanese episode roughly covers two Chinese episodes with some removed scenes and added fillers. Season 1: Sand Fox arc Chinese episode 1-13, Japanese episode 1-6 Season 2: Wangquan Fugui (Ohken Fuuki) arc Chinese episode 14-27, Japanese episode 7-13.5 Season 3: Yue Hong (Gessho and Koko) arc Chinese episode 28-40, Japanese episode 13.5-20 ... |
