The wuxia series recommendation thread.

[shangster]

I've been wanting to create a thread like this for some time now. With the release of DGSD '13, I'd like to dedicate this thread to all the wuxia series -- past and present -- that forum members loved and enjoyed.

Please feel free to add/recommend as many series as you can remember.

Here is my list in ascending chronological order by the era in which they were made:

2010 - present:
1. Chu Liu Xiang 2011
2. Twins of Brother 2011
3. Water Margins 2011 ( Not sure if this is considered as wuxia)
4. Demi Gods and Semi Devils 2013
5. Full Moon Curved Sabre 2013*
* Not air yet, but I know it's going to be good

2000 - 2009
1. Smiling, Proud, Wanderer 2001
2. Legend of Condor Hero 2003
3. DGSD 2003
4. Return of Condor Hero 2006*
5. Secret of the Linked City 2006
6. Legend of the Big Flag Hero 2006
7. Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 2006
8. Sword Stained with Royal Blood 2007
9. Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre 2009*
* I put RoCH '06 and HSDS '09 in this list by default. I consider them to be decent, but not great remakes. The sceneries were breCheng-taking, though.

1990 - 1999
1. Mythical Crane, Magical Needle '93 (ATV)
2. Swordsman '96 (ATV)
3. The Snow is Red '98 (ATV)
4. Heroine of the Yang '98 (ATV)
5. Legend of Condor Hero '94
6. Return of Condor Hero '95*
7. State of Divinity '96*
8. DGSD '97*
9. Proud Twins (Taiwanese version -- Alex and Jimmy Lin)
* I consider them to be the best adaptations of their respective novels.
I know that TVB and ATV produced abundant of wuxia series in the '90s. But for now, I can't think of any other series beside the JY adaptations. I definitely need some recommendations for this era.

1980-1989
1. Chu Liu Xiang (Adam Cheng)
2. Flying Fox Snowy Mountain
3. Legend of Condor Hero '83
4. DGSD '84
5. Return of Condor Hero '84
6. HSDS '86*
7. The Black Sabre '89
* By far the most memorable and best adaptation of this novel
Just like the 90's era, I love the Golden 80's, but I just can't remember any other series not written by JY. Please give me some good recommendations.

This is all I can think of for now. Everyone, please share your favorite and most memorable series.

[wuxiarocks]

Chor Lau Heung (1979)

80s
The Demi Gods and Semi Devils (1982)
The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1983)
The Return of the Condor Heroes (1983)
The Jade Bow Legend (1984) ATV
The New Adventure of Chor Lau Heung (1984)
The Young Wanderer (1984)
The Smiling, Proud Wanderer (1984)
The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (1985)
The Return of Luk Siu-fung (1986)
New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre (1986)
The Grand Canal (1987)

90s
Mystery of The Twin Swords (1990)
Mystery of the Twin Swords II (1992)
The Commandments (1992)
The Revelation of the Last Hero (1992)
The Buddhism Palm Strikes Back (1992)
Golden Snake Sword (1992)
All About Tin (1993)
The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1994)
The Return of the Condor Heroes (1995)
The Romance of the White Hair Maiden (1995)
State of Divinity (1996)
The Demi Gods and Semi Devils (1997)
The Duke of Mount Deer (1998)

2000s
Lofty Water Verdant Bow (2003)
Twin of Brothers (2004)
Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion (2006)
Devil's Disciples (2007)

Mainland China
The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (2013)
This may surprise and upset some people, but this is my favorite Mainland China Wuxia series. Simply by default because I actually don't like Mainland China Wuxia very much.

Growing up I've always been a fan of TVB earlier works, because I feel connected to their style of storytelling, and characters. They're not perfect, but they are more memorable to me than other production. I'm not really a big fan of Zhang Ji Zhong's work (shocking I know), he has budget and authentic scenery, but I find the editing to be choppy and confusing. On the other hand, Li Guo Li editing is better but his work feels much like idol drama.

[Ken Cheng]

As usual, I need to represent the 1970s all by my little lonesome because I'm apparently the only one around old enough (41) to remember them.

LUK SIU FUNG (TVB, 1976): Wuxia television begins here. 'Nuff said.

SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN, RUTHLESS SWORD (TVB, 1977): Only adaptation of DAGGER LI's saga worth watching, really.

Now I anticipate that LuNaR is going to come here soon and tell you both series are garbage and to avoid touching them with a ten foot pole, but I say IGNORE him. He just automatically hates on anything created before his mom met his dad and the world basically didn't exist before his birth.

[shangster]

The Grand Canal, although much more historical than wuxia, was a great series. It was a little too long, imo. Had they shot HSDS '86 in the same exotic locations as The Grand Canal, that would be so epic!

@StateofDivinity, I've been wanting to watch All About Tin for a couple of years now, just never had the chance to do so. Do you know if that serial was based on any wuxia novel, and if so, how faithful is it to the novel?

[LuNaR]

As usual, I need to represent the 1970s all by my little lonesome because I'm apparently the only one around old enough (41) to remember them.

LUK SIU FUNG (TVB, 1976): Wuxia television begins here. 'Nuff said.

SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN, RUTHLESS SWORD (TVB, 1977): Only adaptation of DAGGER LI's saga worth watching, really.

Now I anticipate that LuNaR is going to come here soon and tell you both series are garbage and to avoid touching them with a ten foot pole, but I say IGNORE him. He just automatically hates on anything created before his mom met his dad and the world basically didn't exist before his birth.

LOLL ken knows me best

[wuxiarocks]

I've been wanting to watch All About Tin for a couple of years now, just never had the chance to do so. Do you know if that serial was based on any wuxia novel, and if so, how faithful is it to the novel?

I believe it was a TVB original, not base on any novel.

It's really short but actually pretty good. Definitely one of my favorite Wuxia series growing up.

[shangster]

Mainland China
The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (2013)
This may surprise and upset some people, but this is my favorite Mainland China Wuxia series. Simply by default because I actually don't like Mainland China Wuxia very much.

You don't like DGSD '03? I thought that serial was done pretty well.

Growing up I've always been a fan of TVB earlier works, because I feel connected to their style of storytelling, and characters. They're not perfect, but they are more memorable to me than other production. I'm not really a big fan of Zhang Ji Zhong's work (shocking I know), he has budget and authentic scenery, but I find the editing to be choppy and confusing. On the other hand, Li Guo Li editing is better but his work feels much like idol drama.

TVB had its share of good and bad series. The good series were the ones that actually faithful to its original source, and had good pacing and scripts i.e. SoD, DGSD, RoCH. The bad series, on the other hand, were the one where they rushed the second half and made the entire series looked cheesy i.e. Crimson Sabre, Flying Fox, and HSDS. Another example is Unnatural Born Killer, which was a TVB original, started out pretty interesting and strong. But the second half pretty much killed the series.

Zhang Ji Zhong's earlier series -- Smiling, Proud, Wanderer, DGSD, Sword Stained with Royal Blood, and LoCH -- were really well done. In fact, I think his LoCH remake was one of the best wuxia adaptation I've seen. However, his later series were just....average at best. I do not like his RoCH, Paladin in Troubled Times, and HSDS remakes. RoCH and HSDS were too "Hollywood-ish" for my taste. Not only that, but the acting were just too over the top i.e. too much screaming, melodramatic, and overblown. His remake of Paladin in Trouble Times was a mess, imo. I watched his earlier series and then his later series, and I couldn't figured out wtf happened and why he decided to go in the direction he did for his later series.

[Liljanger]

80s
Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre

90s
The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1994)
The Return of the Condor Heroes (1995)
The Romance of the White Hair Maiden (1995)
State of Divinity (1996)
The Demi Gods and Semi Devils (1997)

2000s
Twin of Brothers (2004)
Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion (2006)
Devil's Disciples (2007)

Mainland China
Legend of Condor Heroes (2008)
Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei (2011)
The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (2013) - This is my favorite wuxia series too.

[wuxiarocks]

You don't like DGSD '03? I thought that serial was done pretty well.

I'm not saying his series isn't done with quality, it's just for some reason I can't seem to get into them.

As for TVB series, I know they have their fair share of bad series, that's why I said they're not perfect, but for the series that are good, they are really good. I just feel so invested in the characters.

ZJZ has great production value no question, but I just can't get as invested.

[Dong Xie]

I'm not saying his series isn't done with quality, it's just for some reason I can't seem to get into them.

As for TVB series, I know they have their fair share of bad series, that's why I said they're not perfect, but for the series that are good, they are really good. I just feel so invested in the characters.

ZJZ has great production value no question, but I just can't get as invested.

I agree about invested into the characters, I like the Qiao Feng, Duan Yu and Xu Zhu in the 2013 version more. The story is pretty much the same but it's their acting capabilities that makes the character shine.

[LuNaR]

i tell ya, duke of mount deer 1998 is one of the top!

[shangster]

Is that really considered as wuxia?

[luna_lucid]

Many thx to shangster for creating this thread, and thanks to other contributors for sharing. I do need some recommendation on wuxia series

Just like the 90's era, I love the Golden 80's, but I just can't remember any other series not written by JY. Please give me some good recommendations.

How about 'The Blood Stained Intrigue' ? I thought it was pretty interesting. I watched it when I was a kid, and I still remember it until now

[shangster]

To all my Chinese speaking friends in this forum, do you know of any new wuxia being released or already released? I'm sure Mainland has produced many wuxia series from 2010 to present. I just need some title so I can check them out. Thanks.