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depressednerd · 5 months

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It just very baffling how I finished 2 books in the span of 2 weeks when I barely even read any of my tbr list. Like what the fuck is up with that?

Anyways, I think my reaction about First-Class Lawyer is already quite late, since ei already finished another book already, so I should start with that.

First-class lawyer wasn't really something I planned to read. I saw it in passing ages ago, from angieloveshua who gave it under recommendation. What caught my eye by that time was Po Yun, which I had already finished (and just realized never managed to make a post about it, the sheer plot with that is still driving me mad and my love/hate/love relationship with one of the characters still bothers me til this date).

Anyways, First-Class Lawyer was oomph. The plot was wow, just wow. It wasn't pain-numbingly boring, as what I always thought when it comes to lawyers and I agree with that comment that if you ever read it, you'll want to be a lawyer (but we know at this point the difference between fiction and reality 🙂). First-Class Lawyer delivered to me a futuristic world full of intertwined events that were all part of one big plot. The mystery were sometimes kinda predictable but I was hit by the end some chilling revelations that I did not expect (the sweeper was a freaking chilling character like holy shit). I also loved how they opened my eyes when it comes to court proceedings. It was interesting to delve on the strategies lawyers take up to defend their clients. However, it did not show much about the shadier sides of lawyers, about how defending a known guilty person to reach a not guilty plea and victimize one lawyer even. While yes, it showed Yan Suizhi and Gu Yan taking cases where they defend clients who they knew weren't innocent, but it sweetens this event and showed how they made it seem they got away with it but still met justice (kinda optimistic in the real world). But I'm not gonna delve deeper on that because it fiction (and I should not apply much the rules of reality to the world created by an author creating a world different from.the reality we live in, respect and all). So I'll end with that

And now we come to the real and central part of this story. Zhe Romance 😎.

At first, I thought it was going to be a slow-burn, but after some revelations from our dear Young Master Joe, the fall was fated to happen.

I had some qualms with Teacher/Student relationship because I kinda see a teacher as someone's second parent. Additionally, I'm bothered with the age difference. The novel did downplay the age difference a bit, making Yan Suizhi a young and promising lawyer, youngest First-Class Lawyer ever, so he's probably around his late 20s when he became a teacher to a 18 year old Gu Yan? Correct me if I'm wrong. (Honestly, the novel muddled my brain from figuring out their age difference, so correcting me clears up this great mystery). However, there were still the power dynamics. I already tasted dom/subs lit before, but honestly got turned off if it ever blossomed into a relationship. So I was guarded how the author will play this power dynamic between the two.

And then, I saw they switched it up?? So the teacher undercovered as a disciple and the disciple became the teacher?? But sometimes, the intern behaves like his former self and the student allows it but doesn't bow to him?? And, it blew away the teacher/student dynamics. What I saw was how a close senpai and his kouhai interact, basically imagine 2 people who are friends but one is older than the other. It doesn't really feel teacher/student at all. And that was refreshing. The story did dabble about how uncomfortable it is about their previous relationship of being a teacher/student but both agreed to, not per say forget about it, but rather not delve deeper to it and affect their relationship. It was mind-blowing, and allowed me to regain my interest in teacher/student relationship.

Gu Yan. Gu Yan, Gu Yan , Gu Yan. How could anybody hate this adorable person. He has a cold exterior but within that is a very soft interior. He may act harshly and not pay attention you when you speak. But you could always rely on him when it really needs. And this tenderness ways is showed to the world when he interacts with Yan Suizhi.

Sigh. Gu Yan is something else. The sheer amount of pinning our dear Gu Yan had for his Dean Yan has been contained for so long, (10 fuckin years (although some demon pinned for 800+ years but we don't compare in this post, we all honor their pinning no matter how long, what matters is their feelings)), and the fact he still restrained himself, no matter how near that person was. He clearly prioritized Yan Suizhi, and made exceptions, although quite inappropriate, so that he could be comfortable despite living under a different skin. He was very considerate and his care towards the person he love was chosen. And god, the fever chapter was so satisfying.

But me liking Gu Yan doesn't refrain me from loving the troll. Yan Suizhi is a very amusing MC. His self-confidence is downright laughable that I kept on laughing at god knows what hours as he believed his acting was damn good, unknowing that his student already cracked his identity before one month ends (I'm not sure exactly when Gu Yan figured it out). And the way he solved his problem freely without thinking much of other's perception, just how he is being his unrepentant self is exciting to watch. He's humor is something relatable and the way he behaves with the people around him, how he teases everyone, especially when he's in a bad mood, is just golden. Their faces, I can't stop laughing.

But, what I valued the most the whole time is his interaction with Gu Yan. The way his guard is lets down, that's when he see his true self. Because, the way he treats everyone in the novel (about 3/4 of the story) still require some acting, since he's supposed to hide it in the first place. The only times he could be himself is when he's alone with Gu Yan, and he does that unconsciously. He found Gu Yan comfortable, and after some flashback, has felt this way for quite some time even back in their teacher/student days. Just the way Gu Yan acts differently from the people around him attracted his attention to him and everything falls to place.

Yan Suizhi is enclosed by this mystery. No one in his circle could ever pierce that bubbble, and neither could we, with how little the author gives about his past until around half of the story(?). And we learned that he put everyone within arm's length, never letting them too close and lives with that great of anonymity for quite a long time. And, I could relate with that. No one knowing who you are and settling to die with the fact that no one would never know you (I'm remembering Klein now as I type this).

We saw how Gu Yan slowly peeled layer after layer of Yan Suizhi and loving those parts unconditionallh. I cherished the point where Yan Suizhi slowly shared himself to Gu Yan, allowing one person to know his story, willingly share a part of himself to Gu Yan and that was beautiful. We slowly learn of him as he slowly started to depend on Gu Yan. And we saw this person, who has always been independent and alone find someone he could depend on.

And that's just sweet and what made me stick knowing their ending, a seemingly fairytale that I always wanted to have but will never deserve.

Besides the main ship, the side ship are worth screaming for. Joe and Ke Jin, I didnt saw the potential but after realizing and learning of Joe's feelings made me root for them finding a cure more. Like, my man has spent 3 years (probably more, not certain) in the company with the guy he loves, however, in silence. But he still stuck, and even studied psychology to tend his daily needs. Now I wonder why I didn't saw that with that much dedication. And seeing them together at the end felt satisfying seeing Joe be with the person he loves not being addled by a mental burden. I see a hint of George and Zhao, but I'm not sure if I'm interpreting things or there's a possibility there. Also, I want Eunice and Laura too.

I should probably end it to that. Just realized I amde a fuckin essay. Sorry if it's a bit too long to read, but like I said, don't like it don't read it. This is just me trying to be unrepentantly myself. God knows I need a bit of Yan Suizhi's self-confidence.

#first class lawyers #rambling #spoilers #thoughts #its a long one #you have been warned

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luckycheesefoodie321 · 4 years

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Prince of Tennis (2019) meme

I was tagged by @hardworkingprocrastinator aka @rupru-russiaxprussia whom I do believe I ranted with about the Imperial Pair ship, and the unexpected potential of Si Yang x Qi Ying… so thanking you kindly for another excuse to rave about ChinaPuri… sooo uhhh time for some fun times!!

Tagging: I have 0 idea who to tag because we a smaller fandom

Warning: I have not watched or read the original manga/anime soooooo I’m in an even smaller subset of the fandom babeyyyy!!! It has also been a couple months since I watched the show, so there is a strong chance I’ll have forgotten names and situations, and just general thoughts I have... BUT WHATEVER time to rant to the thirteen people who’ve watched ChinaPuri!!!

Questions:

1. Favorite character(s)? 2. Favorite school team(s)? 3. Favorite coach(es)? 4. Favorite supporting cast member(s)? (characters who aren’t regulars, aren’t on tennis teams etc.) 5. Favorite original character(s) in the adaptation? 6. Who do you think enacted their role best? 7. Favorite singles match? 8. Favorite doubles match? 9. Favorite story arc? 10. Most amusing tenipuri scene(s)/moment(s)/running joke(s)? 11. What did you like most about the adaptation? 12. What do you think the adaptation could have improved on? 13. Any other thoughts you want to share?

Answers: THIS ISH GETS LONGGGGG SO CUT OFF NOW

1. Favorite character(s)?

MU SI YANG BABEYYYYY!!! I already love a stoic glasses boi, but Mu Si Yang (again not TeniPuri Tezuka, just ChinaPuri Si Yang) may be one of my favourite takes on the stoic glasses boi… like I don’t often enjoy live action versions of anime, especially because the acting is never the best (and granted this one too, had some okay performances) but the guy who plays Mu Si Yang melted my heart… he was the stony-faced serious captain, who could deliver a subtle joke that left you snickering… but he was also the determined, earnest, crazy talented leader with his own hidden struggles who just wanted to take his team and friends as far as they go into competition… which is an essential part of any good sports drama… and he captured it so perfectly… and I love him.. he’s so beautiful too… I would fall in love with him in a heartbeat, and I don’t often say that about characters (like I love them but never in love ya dig?)

Zhou Zhi was a close favourite…basically I just love the two genius senpais…

2. Favorite school team(s)?

Oh god… Yu Feng maybe? We spend the most time with them, they have the most screen time of all the other teams…we have a whole training arc where they’re continuously winning against the struggling to evolve Yu Qing…very reminiscent of the Karasuno-Nekoma rivalry in that they help each other get better… I would’ve loved to see the rivalry/camaraderie develop even more so that when Si Yang leaves, the relief at having this network of tennis friends would’ve been that much more powerful…

Also I really enjoy Xu Ziping’s hustle… I love the story of Yu Feng…they had a shitty coach and had to make a deal to keep winning in order to even remain an official team… and when Yu Qing faced Yu Feng, I really couldn’t tell who I wanted to root for because I knew there was real weight behind every loss for Yu Feng…

After that, maybe No. 6… they’re so chill, they’re not straining for each win and just enjoying their time on the court…and the Old Coach dude was a great character to introduce...

3. Favorite coach(es)?

Maybe No. 6’s coach… I legit can’t remember his name but he oozes skill and experience without all the stress of younger coaches who bend over backwards for success… and while, again, the circumstances surrounding his appearance was a bit waffle-y in execution (which is about par for live action adaptations), I love that he serves as a sage outsider who can assess in three seconds what kind of player Lu Xia is, and what he needs to do to improve… I love me a good wise character who still knows how to inspire people in a fun way but you never, for a second, doubt that what they’re saying is legit advice, even if their mannerisms are goofy…

4. Favorite supporting cast member(s)? (characters who aren’t regulars, aren’t on tennis teams etc.)

Oh I mean…Stretcher Bros for life amirite? They were great…they were just hanging out, trying out.. Huang Jing is kinda jerk-ish, but he’s the starting antagonist who turns out to have a pure heart and a genuine love of the sport (kinda like Tsukishima Kei from Haikyuu!! or the GoMs from Kuroko no Basuke)… and Xiu Wen is such a soft boi who wants to shower in peace without girls being in the locker room…

Put these two besties together forever…and I just love how cuddly they are with each other…no hesitation to hold hands or hug…it’s gooood

5. Favorite original character(s) in the adaptation?

Um…idk who’s an original character??? Again never watched the original anime/read the manga!

SO IMMA CHANGE THIS TO FAVOURITE SHIP!

5.5. Favourite ship? (Get ready my friendsss issa long one)

Si Yang x Qi Ying my friendssss… a super unexpected pairing that came outta nowhere!!! Because the trailer clearly shows (or maybe it doesn’t and I forgot) that Lu Xia and Qi Ying are gonna be THE THING but then we get hit with the surprise senpai-kouhai/team manager ship and I’m like uhhh were you planning this or am I reading into it too much???

Like y’all they were flirting right in the beginning… that whole bit where she stands outside the change rooms and Si Yang confronts her, and she begs him to add Lu Xia to the team (even tho he already did) and he was weirdly teasing her about the roster when he had no reason to, and she was kinda bantering back with him and she fully called him out later on… i was like, umm this is a vibe

They just kept getting thrown together in weird ways…aside from Lu Xia, she’s probably had the most interactions with Si Yang of all the other team members… she’s the only one he calls Xiao~ like the boys in the tennis club have their nicknames like Dachi, Ah Mu, Ah Yan, but only Qi Ying is Xiao Ying!! he’s not a nickname guy… and maybe if it were a girl/cheerleader thing, you’d think he’d call Peng Xiang, Xiao Xiang BUT NO… only Qi Ying gets called Xiao Ying!!!

AND ANOTHER THING: other than Lu Xia, he’s the only one concerned for Qi Yang, despite what he says, when she gets caught in the rain and gets sick… he fully visits her in her room, and receives the call about her health after they send her to the hospital… he says everyones worried BUT YO they’re straight up just bored and end up having a pillow fight…sooooo can’t be that worried…

AND ONE MORE THING: Qi Ying, I get she’s this weird mascot/team manager figure on their team (even tho she’s meant to be a cheerleader but they never invite Peng Xiang to any of their team dinners or their training camp) BUT WHEN SI YANG RETURNS HOME, THEY SEND IN QI YING TO GREET HIM and they have this whole charming convo where she teases him...and they were chatting as if they always had this banter going on but they’d only talked like 3 or 4 times on screen before then, so there’s this whole relationship she has with the tennis team (not just Lu Xia) that is implied but we don’t really see it! And when she teasingly calls him Captain Si Yang after he returns to China, he had the softest smileeee!!! HE TOTALLY DOES HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR HER!! He didn’t want her to think he wasn’t happy to see her... and then she leads him to their surprise party in the club room and he just keeps saying Xiao Ying… like damn you keep trying to establish the Lu Xia x Qi Ying ship (and it is a decently strong ship) but Si Yang x Qi Ying is soooo good!

After this Rival Pair, and then Golden Pair - our resident married couple

(POST Here: all the gay faves they didn’t even try to hide)

(POST Here: almost confirmed ships by the end)

6. Who do you think enacted their role best?

I…I think this is obvious… NEXT

Jk… other than Si Yang, I really enjoyed the guy who plays Lu Xia - Peng Yu Chang… he played the typical “stoic, super talented/genius sports idiot” type prolific in sports anime (like Furuya from Daiya no A, Kageyama from Haikyuu!!, Midorima from KnB)… but he was never too stuck in his head, and he was never mean… too often there’ll be a moment where this type of character is played too seriously, gets stuck in their own head, and lashes out at anyone they deem getting in their way, especially when they feel they’re stuck in a rut… which Lu Xia is in, for essentially the entirety of the show, in one form or another…

But PYC played Lu Xia as this mildly cocky, but still incredibly enthusiastic young genius who is looking for the next big challenge so as to further himself, but is so obsessed with this one opponent (his dad), that he can’t see the bigger picture and realise his entire way of playing is a mirror of the very opponent he’s trying to overcome… but even at the height of his stagnation, he’s never mean to Qi Ying, who tries her best to support and encourage him… while he does distance himself from the team, it’s not an active dismissal of their assistance or support… he can play a straight faced comic when embarrassed/discombobulated (like Si Yang when faced with Yan Juice), but also always participates in most of the weird antics his team is up to… and it never feels OOC and thats clearly a result of Peng Yu Chang’s subtle acting…

ALSO PENG YU CHANG IS IN OUR SHINING DAYS, A SUPER UNDERRATED CHINESE FILM THAT HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL TO BE ADAPTED INTO LIKE, A ONE SEASON SHOW AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU WATCH IT

7. Favorite singles match?

Oh pfft… please… PLEASE IS THERE EVEN A QUESTION it was arguably the best match of the whole show, it was what we were all waiting for, a super tension filled, super hyped up match because it features my favourite character, who has simultaneously been promoted as THE BEST PLAYER ON THE TEAM but also super injured and avoiding over-exertion… MU SI YANG…against his personal rival, whom had never tasted defeat before, and subsequently trained like crazy, throwing all of the money at professional players, FOR A YEAR, in order to be ready to face him… JI JING WU

That’s right baby, its the Imperial Pair Match (I do hope I’m using all these nicknames correctly..I just tried to pick them up from the anime/manga to save time writing out their names XD)…

This match is everything you ever want in a match…it’s a gritty, no-holds-barred, all-out, clash-of-titans-style face-off between probably the two most talented players in that whole (province? Prefecture? Idk China regional names) BUT YEAH THESE TWO ARE CLEARLY TOP TIER PLAYERS WHO FINALLY GO HEAD TO HEAD… it’s a year in the making, Ji Jing Wu is in peak physical condition, but Si Yang is not…and yet we see Si Yang powering through the literal agony of an arm injury that threatens complete destruction of not only his tennis career, but his general usage of that arm… and for glory and to bring his team to the national stage, Si Yang lays it all on the line… and he still gives Ji Jing Wu a run for his goddamn money… he matches him hit for hit, and at one point he was even WINNING…and had it not been for his arm, I swear up and down that he would’ve beaten Jingwu…

BUT THAT’S NOT EVEN THE BEST PART… i mean, all sports anime and just shounen anime in general have those moments where the characters are down and out and summoning the power of friendship and determination to their side to go above and beyond the physical limitations of their bodies… NO THE ACTUAL BEST PART WAS JI JINGWU’S RESPONSE TO THE WHOLE SITUATION

The goddamn respect he gave Si Yang.. this is his rival, the only person he’s ever viewed as equal and even superior to his own skills (at least as far as people the same age as him go)… Jingwu wants to beat him so bad… and he’s heard the rumours about Si Yang’s injury, and he even sees for himself how bad the injury is… but as a skilled player who recognises skill himself, he does not do Si Yang the disrespect of going easy on him… what kind of arrogant prick has that kind of nerve to give less than their best to someone who is giving them 120% effort… no, Ji Jingwu doesn’t hesitate to hit back full power, even as he’s yelling at Si Yang to stop before his arm is utterly destroyed… because the last thing any person of talent would want, is to see another person lose such an incredible gift… but even worse than that, have that person realise someone was going easy on them... it was so goddamn beautiful… and when Jingwu grips Si Yang’s hand and raises it high because he and everyone there knows who the real winner of that match is…they all know that they just witnessed something incredible, and he wants everyone in the stands to not only acknowledge it… but remember it…

And then he proceeds to fund Si Yang’s surgery, his flight, his meals, his rehabilitation, AS WELL AS take care of his team… and if that isn’t love, idk what is… like they don’t even disguise the hard core DEDICATION AND LOVE... Jingwu has obsessed over Si Yang for a year and it goddamn shows

Honourable Mention: I really enjoyed Zhou Zi versus the demon child whose eyes go red…we finally get to see Zhou Zi stretch his legs and push himself and I LOVED THAT… like he’s actually trying his best and that’s dope… also the match against the captain of the team his little brother his on… he basically led this cocky motherfucker by the nose for 5 games, pretends to be losing, and then destroys him in the following 7…

OH AND I GOTTA SHOUT OUT MY OTHER GLASSES BOI YAN ZHIMING VERSUS HIS BEST GUY FRIEND FROM YOUTH… that was a beautiful evolution of Ah Yan transcending but also evolving his data tennis against his childhood friend and it feels good ya know?

8. Favorite doubles match?

Oh pfft anything with the Rival Pair… they bicker like cat and dog, but then you put them on the court together, and suddenly their chemistry is through the roof… also Baiyang and Qiao Chen are a stronger couple than Qiao Chen and Yu Xing Zi and that’s the damn tea

(Same two posts for why that tea)

9. Favorite story arc?

Oh man… ummm training arc with Yu Feng was fun but it was definitely beaten out by the “village raises a child” arc when Si Yang leaves, so literally all their previous opponents step up to encourage, train, or otherwise intimidate Yu Qing into giving it their all, improving, and ultimately winning the finals… plus this arc gave so much depth to the network of teams who all have the same aspirations, in the end, and want to push forward the people who beat them to not let their loss be in vain…and that’s pure…

10. Most amusing tenipuri scene(s)/moment(s)/running joke(s)?

Yan Juice... especially the first time NEXT

Honourable Mentions: When Lu Xia gets stood up by Xinglong Lu Xia running interference on Qi Ying’s admirer in the final ep When Zhou Bros run into Lu Xia in the dressing rooms Stretcher Bros trying to become Painter Bros

11. What did you like most about the adaptation?

It captured the essence of a good sports anime: power of friendship, ridiculous action sequences of outrageous moves that would never be allowed in real life, determination and guts is all you need to succeed, that all-or-nothing mentality of high schoolers who suddenly have tunnel vision and no future thinking whatsoever, and decide to risk life and limb for one match… plus it kept a charming and comedic beat running throughout, really endeared you to the characters, and their struggles... AND NO ONE WAS MEAN... well I mean Ya Jiuxin was an angry bitter jerk for a hot second, but he ended up being endeared towards the lil fluffball kouhai of his, and we all know he loves Xinglong in his heart of hearts... other characters like Jingwu, or demon child, or Zhou Yu’s captain were cocky or arrogant, but they were never mean to each other, and respected each other’s game play even if they were defeated.. a couple were poor losers, but they didn’t throw a fit or try to get revenge or anything like that... everyone, in general, had some decency to them, and in fact all of Yu Qing was a super nice...sometimes too nice and self-deprecating that you wanted to smack them...

12. What do you think the adaptation could have improved on?

This is mostly just a consequence of live action adaptations of sports anime where they have to condense a whole lot of story that is already condensed from the manga into a palatable show that anyone, not necessarily pre-existing fans of the original source, can enjoy… the story around the characters seemed waffle-y and disjointed… sometimes things would happen but wouldn’t connect smoothly to the next thing that happens… there was this whole implied close relationship between Qi Ying and the team that just was never shown… I would’ve preferred they made her an official manager, so it would make sense that she’d be so close to the team, when for whatever reason, Peng Xiang wasn’t…even tho they’re both cheer captains…

The match sequences were cut down a little too much (tho I get why)… I would have loved that final training arc to be extended, to fully flesh out how discombobulated Yu Qing was when Si Yang had to leave, and how forcefully the other teams picked them up and got them better… so to develop the dynamic between the teams before this would’ve been good, but obviously they can only got the core actors of each team at a time… hence that barbecue scene… but if they’d pulled off something like the Haikyuu!! Tokyo training arc, or even something like in KnB where the teams were thrown together in wacky hijinks or impromptu match situations to develop their camaraderie (and they sorta tried to but nothing really came of the interactions), it would’ve made the final training arc THAT MUCH MORE heartwarming and I would have cried..

13. Any other thoughts you want to share?

I’ve already said enough. The end.

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