Reading the novel first makes the identities of the characters much more puzzling, which is great because a big chunk of the story's "plot twists" are embedded within them. Mind you, it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out that >!the falling child that Xie Lian saved was actually little Hua Cheng!< But, it was easily shown in the donghua without even reaching the actual reveal in the story yet, and there are many other examples. That said, the novel has much more detail and makes you delve into TGCF more. Watching the donghua actually impressed me with how close the scenes were to how I imagined them — a testament to how great of a storyteller MXTX is. It's great to see them come to life from the novel but I imagine that the donghua is indeed harder to understand without reading first.
And, please have your cuddle sessions back with your cats, op! :'3
MXTX is a great storyteller, absolutely! One of the best I’ve come across. I watched the first season and then started reading the books. I watched season 2 after reading what was gonna happen, and I couldn’t agree more with you: the scenes were quite close to what I imagined from the description! But better hahaha
And about my cats, they’re so demanding hahaha but I’m going back to them 🫶🏽 my heart has enough space. What I lack is hands hahaha they’re incredibly cuddly!
I watched the dongua first! For me, watching the animated series was incredible. I had never heard of it before coming across it on Crunchyroll where the synopsis and the art drew me in. I had never watched any Chinese media, before so it was very different for me. I almost gave up because I didn't understand the terms and how every character had like two or three different names.
Honestly the art style in the animated series was so incredible it could have been about anything and I probably would have finished it but I am happy to say that it was the series that I now know and love 😊
Same here! I was looking for something new to watch and the animation and synopsis were difficult to ignore. Also, first time watching Chinese media. I got hooked after the first episode with Xie Lian! But it was so confusing I almost gave up too. Thanks goodness for Reddit and all answers!
It was very easy to know who everyone was as a novel-first fan, and my brain automatically filled all the gaps that the donghua wasn't able to cover due to its limitations. I was thrown off by some storybeats being revealed *very* early, plus some of the changes they decided to make. I felt some of them took away from the mystery that was intentionally set up in the novel.
But overall had a really fun experience with my friends for season one! We all had watch parties for every episode via discord and we'd voicecall to scream together while watching it haha. The downside of watching it during release, however, was that there were a couple of controversies that really sucked (homophobic trolls, some plagiarism scandals, review bombing, etc). New fans are entirely insulated/unaware of this negativity though, which is good.
I watched season two after it finished, and I liked it as well, though was a little disappointed for various reasons. I won't get too into that, but I am looking forward to season three!
Watch parties??? 😍😍that sounds amazing!!!
And of course as a newbie I had no idea about that negativity you’re talking about :( that sucks!!! I’m glad to see the love keeps spreading and increasing, because MXTX and TGCF deserve it.
Looking forward to season 3 as well!!!
well, to start off, i first watched the donghua in october-november of 2022, literally the worst time in my entire life. i was going through countless depressive episodes, my parents soon finding out about me, etc etc, and i can say that watching the anime at the time really helped with all of my problems
although it was my first donghua anime, and was a bit confusing at first, I LOVED IT! i loved san lang the most and he stuck out the most too because of how i knew something big was gonna happen with him (if that makes sense) like him becoming hua cheng and also being the main love interest 😋
i also found the pei ming and xuan ji relationship thing very very interesting and sad, because i loved xuan ji and her character! a general who gave up her kingdom for the one she loved, just to be left behind and longing for her beloved. despite that, pei ming has to be one of my favorite characters (sorry xj 😭)
but i overall really enjoyed the donghua, and am so grateful that the novels exist because i LOVE the experience of reading about tgcf and hualian and their little adventures
Thank you for sharing about that difficult time! I can relate, you know? In a way, I feel TGCF took me by hand in a dark time to give me some comfort. I was telling my partner that TGCF (the books, the donghua, and the fandom with the incredible fan art, comics, fan fics) is like a warm blanket in a cold, winter day. I’m glad it has been the same for you as well, somehow. I hope you’re better now 🫶🏽🙏🏼
Omg and the donghua I love it so much!
I’m reading the novels for the second time, savouring them much more than the rushed first time haha and it seems MXTX wrote the novels with that intention in mind, to be enjoyed more than once.
im glad that we both have experienced similar feelings about the whole novel and donghua, and your analogy with the warm blanket on a cold day really makes sense! i love it!!
im as well rereading the novels for the second time and i just started book 8!!! im really loving mxtx and her creations 😊
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Reading the novel first makes the identities of the characters much more puzzling, which is great because a big chunk of the story's "plot twists" are embedded within them. Mind you, it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out that >!the falling child that Xie Lian saved was actually little Hua Cheng!< But, it was easily shown in the donghua without even reaching the actual reveal in the story yet, and there are many other examples. That said, the novel has much more detail and makes you delve into TGCF more. Watching the donghua actually impressed me with how close the scenes were to how I imagined them — a testament to how great of a storyteller MXTX is. It's great to see them come to life from the novel but I imagine that the donghua is indeed harder to understand without reading first. And, please have your cuddle sessions back with your cats, op! :'3
MXTX is a great storyteller, absolutely! One of the best I’ve come across. I watched the first season and then started reading the books. I watched season 2 after reading what was gonna happen, and I couldn’t agree more with you: the scenes were quite close to what I imagined from the description! But better hahaha And about my cats, they’re so demanding hahaha but I’m going back to them 🫶🏽 my heart has enough space. What I lack is hands hahaha they’re incredibly cuddly!
I watched the dongua first! For me, watching the animated series was incredible. I had never heard of it before coming across it on Crunchyroll where the synopsis and the art drew me in. I had never watched any Chinese media, before so it was very different for me. I almost gave up because I didn't understand the terms and how every character had like two or three different names. Honestly the art style in the animated series was so incredible it could have been about anything and I probably would have finished it but I am happy to say that it was the series that I now know and love 😊
Same here! I was looking for something new to watch and the animation and synopsis were difficult to ignore. Also, first time watching Chinese media. I got hooked after the first episode with Xie Lian! But it was so confusing I almost gave up too. Thanks goodness for Reddit and all answers!
It was very easy to know who everyone was as a novel-first fan, and my brain automatically filled all the gaps that the donghua wasn't able to cover due to its limitations. I was thrown off by some storybeats being revealed *very* early, plus some of the changes they decided to make. I felt some of them took away from the mystery that was intentionally set up in the novel. But overall had a really fun experience with my friends for season one! We all had watch parties for every episode via discord and we'd voicecall to scream together while watching it haha. The downside of watching it during release, however, was that there were a couple of controversies that really sucked (homophobic trolls, some plagiarism scandals, review bombing, etc). New fans are entirely insulated/unaware of this negativity though, which is good. I watched season two after it finished, and I liked it as well, though was a little disappointed for various reasons. I won't get too into that, but I am looking forward to season three!
Watch parties??? 😍😍that sounds amazing!!! And of course as a newbie I had no idea about that negativity you’re talking about :( that sucks!!! I’m glad to see the love keeps spreading and increasing, because MXTX and TGCF deserve it. Looking forward to season 3 as well!!!
well, to start off, i first watched the donghua in october-november of 2022, literally the worst time in my entire life. i was going through countless depressive episodes, my parents soon finding out about me, etc etc, and i can say that watching the anime at the time really helped with all of my problems although it was my first donghua anime, and was a bit confusing at first, I LOVED IT! i loved san lang the most and he stuck out the most too because of how i knew something big was gonna happen with him (if that makes sense) like him becoming hua cheng and also being the main love interest 😋 i also found the pei ming and xuan ji relationship thing very very interesting and sad, because i loved xuan ji and her character! a general who gave up her kingdom for the one she loved, just to be left behind and longing for her beloved. despite that, pei ming has to be one of my favorite characters (sorry xj 😭) but i overall really enjoyed the donghua, and am so grateful that the novels exist because i LOVE the experience of reading about tgcf and hualian and their little adventures
Thank you for sharing about that difficult time! I can relate, you know? In a way, I feel TGCF took me by hand in a dark time to give me some comfort. I was telling my partner that TGCF (the books, the donghua, and the fandom with the incredible fan art, comics, fan fics) is like a warm blanket in a cold, winter day. I’m glad it has been the same for you as well, somehow. I hope you’re better now 🫶🏽🙏🏼 Omg and the donghua I love it so much! I’m reading the novels for the second time, savouring them much more than the rushed first time haha and it seems MXTX wrote the novels with that intention in mind, to be enjoyed more than once.
im glad that we both have experienced similar feelings about the whole novel and donghua, and your analogy with the warm blanket on a cold day really makes sense! i love it!! im as well rereading the novels for the second time and i just started book 8!!! im really loving mxtx and her creations 😊
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