What's less believable/realistic in wuxia?

[Ken Cheng]

Which do you find less believable/realistic in wuxia, the superhuman martial arts that many of the characters practice, or the improbable kinds of relationships among many of the characters?

[Ren Ying Ying]

The relationships are very unlikely but still holds the 0.0001% of possibility. The superhuman capabilities are impossible, period.

[odbayarb2000]

Good Question.

I am OK with the superhuman strength. I believe those martial art abilities shape and differentiate wuxia. But I often find myself bewildered by actions of the characters and their relationships with one another. Sometimes their reaction to the given situations are plain stupid and degrade the integrity of the work.

[Ren Ying Ying]

Good Question.

I am OK with the superhuman strength. I believe those martial art abilities shape and differentiate wuxia. But I often find myself bewildered by actions of the characters and their relationships with one another. Sometimes their reaction to the given situations are plain stupid and degrade the integrity of the work.

Unfortunately, there are just some people in the real word that really are just "plain stupid" or even worse...

Now, the ratio of these people may be higher in wuxia stories, but i wouldn't not believe in their existence

[ChanceEncounter]

Which is it? Less believable or less realistic? Things can be unrealistic and still not break suspension of disbelief. It sounds like you're loading two questions into one.

[devilz91]

The superhuman martial arts are unbelievable, the relationships are unrealistic.

[PJ]

Why would you believe anything in a fantasy fiction?

[tape]

Which relationships exactly are you guys so unbelieving of? The relationships portrayed are indeed uniques and out of this world, but so are the scenarios and situations they are placed in. Given those situations actually occur, which relationships are so bad?

I'd think the most objection would be that the relationships are of a high school level, but these people have the relationship IQ of high schoolers pretty much, despite their older age due to society and setting. If anything, blame the framework.

[Banh Mi]

I find the coincidences and instances of luck hard to believe. You can create new rules for your fictional universe and provided you stay consistent with it's rules people can follow along with it fine.
But the running string of good luck defies so many things. Fair enough if you stumble upon a great martial art that brings you above the crowd once in a million is fair enough right, but it would be highly unlikely that the next 4 times your life is in danger something extremely convenient happens to save your life. that's like 5 times consecutively in a million.

[Trien Chieu]

But the running string of good luck defies so many things. Fair enough if you stumble upon a great martial art that brings you above the crowd once in a million is fair enough right, but it would be highly unlikely that the next 4 times your life is in danger something extremely convenient happens to save your life. that's like 5 times consecutively in a million.

Only the protagonists have such luck. There are no such lucks for other characters. Life is great in wuxia if you are the protagonist. If you are not, then life suck.