This is a first for me. I have never watched a donghua (Chinese Animation) before. Since I saw that Heaven Official's Blessing was added to NETFLIX, I thought WHY NOT and gave it a shot. HERE IS MY REVIEW!
*Now as per usual with any review I write, I will not be including any spoilers in this review.*
So, I am going to try and write a short synopsis of this donghua without giving anything away. Just know that this story is complicated so my synopsis might not give the donghua the explanation it deserves. A short synopsis of the donghua - The main character has ascended into the heavens 3 times. On the third time, he is given a task to go to the mortal realm and investigate a mysterious phenomenon. On his mission, he meets a demon who seems to have a long connection to him and his past.
My Overall review of this donghua is I quite enjoyed it. Yes, I had some issues BUT it was entertaining and definitely got me excited to check out other donghuas and the drama adaption of Heaven Official's Blessing. Like I said, I did have aspects of Heaven Official's Blessing that I loved and other aspects that I had issues with. I also want to state before I go onto my review that I have not read the book or the manhua. This donghua was my introduction to the story and its characters. I knew nothing going into this. So that might have affected my review or it might not have either. You can decide that. So, let's talk about them!
The Pros
1)The Animation - THE ANIMATION OF THIS WAS GORGEOUS! I loved the style. I loved the colors. I loved the overall look of this donghua. It really drew me in and kept my attention because it was just so beautiful. I was very impressed by the animation ESPECIALLY when it came to the title and ending sequences. I thought the animation really stood out and was unique, it wasn't anything like I had ever seen before. Now I might be bias because I have not seen any other donghua or Chinese animation so I have nothing to compare it too. I was just very impressed and loved the look of Heaven Official's Blessing.
2)The Characters - I had a lot of fun with the characters in Heaven Official's Blessing. Each character had their own personality and I loved the interactions we got with the characters. I definitely became attached to the characters and want to see more of them. I want to see where the stories of all these characters go. I want to see how the relationships of these characters develop and change as we get more seasons/episodes. This Donghua is good because it made me care for the characters and made me want to see more of the characters' stories.
3) I Want More - As I said above, I want to see more. I want more episodes to explore more of the characters' stories. I want more episodes to look at the beautiful animation. This is a good thing that I want more. Heaven Official's Blessing also makes me want to check out other Donghuas which is good for me because that means I enjoyed this donghua. I will definitely watch another season of Heaven Official's Blessing when it is released.
The Cons
1)The Story - The story was a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, I liked the story and I enjoyed what we got in the first season of Heaven Official's Blessing. I was entertained by it and all of the myth and magic that was woven into the story. I thought it was a beautiful story and I can't wait to see more of how the story unfolds. On the other hand, I felt disconnected from the story. As I stated earlier, I had not read the book or Manhua before watching this. Maybe I should have read it because the Donghua sort of throws you directly into the story and you have to catch your bearings a bit. Now I am used to this because of Chinese dramas a lot of the time so this feeling wasn't very jarring for me BUT I still think I would have benefitted more by reading the book/manhua before I watched this. I found myself wanting to know more backstory about a character or asking myself questions that I might have known if I had read the book/manhua beforehand. So just know, you might be a little confused in the beginning if you decide to check this out.
2) Needs Season 2 - This donghua DEFINITELY needs a second season (probably more than 1 season). I got the impression from other people that Heaven Official's Blessing is a complicated story that will need multiple seasons to tell. I am fine with that and I knew that going into this Donghua so I wasn't surprised that the story wasn't over as the last episode ended. Now Season 1 doesn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger or anything but the story is DEFINITELY not complete either. So just know that you aren't getting a complete story in the episodes you see on NETFLIX. I am excited to watch another season of Heaven Official's Blessing because I want more time with these characters and to learn more about them.
Rating: 8/10 (Streaming on NETFLIX now)
So, have you checked out the donghua Heaven Official's Blessing?
What did you think?
Is it on your list to watch?
Are you a fan of Donghuas and have others you think I would enjoy?
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