Fighting for Love Reviews

I want to watch an enjoyable drama... not something for idiots. I love watching people fall in love, not people with loveless brains... When will the male lead finally grow up? Why does A Mai's military journey keep dragging on without any meaningful character development for the male lead?
Please tell me it's not another fake portrayal of a male character masquerading as a strong female lead????????? Halfway through the plot, the female lead keeps taking foolish steps all by herself, while the male lead relies heavily on his background, powerful connections, and love-struck brain.
Oh, the weight he carries is quite something. Dragging the female lead to watch a shooting star all day long, kissing her out of anger... it's truly nauseating. How can we expect the female lead to develop later on?
Will it be through one episode of a date or one episode of another kiss? What kind of military journey is this for A Mai? Is it about saving a spoiled marquis???? Do the screenwriters even understand what a title means?
Subject, verb, object, isn't that all that's needed? Can't they stay on track? I really can't swallow this frustration. The production design is actually decent, and the supporting actors' performances are good.
There are some shining moments. The main reason I wanted to watch this was because Zhang Tian Ai finally appeared in a drama with a fresh theme. I wanted to enjoy it, but my requirements aren't that high.
Just don't go crazy, don't act stupid, and don't let love get in the way of things. But the result was a series of thunderous disasters, boom-boom-boom, blowing up even the village's cesspool.

I really love this kind of drama with a strong female lead. Zhang Tian Ai was such a pleasant surprise! I never expected such a beautiful woman to portray a female general. She is both tough and heroic. This is probably one of the most realistic TV dramas I have ever seen.
Previous dramas like "Princess Agents" and other female general-themed shows felt more like historical idol dramas.

The female lead is liked by many and easily obtains what she wants with people protecting her, but A Mai is different.
In the early episodes, she faces the destruction of her country and family. When she is captured and imprisoned, she doesn't expose the fact that she was beaten but remains righteous and doesn't seek revenge. Everything A Mai wants, she achieves on her own.
The main storyline progresses quickly, and the female lead is not focused on romance but rather on her determination to uncover the truth.

It truly proves the saying, "When you're excellent, the right people will naturally stand in your path." I really like the character design of the male lead.
I don't think he is a fool but rather someone who pretends to be weak to deceive his enemies. When he goes to Xingzhou, I feel like he is well aware of his goals, rallying his old comrades and winning the hearts of the people. Chang Yu Qing's character is also well-developed, and I'm looking forward to the future plot.

The film-like quality and fast-paced storyline are impressive.

Emperor: A low-budget version of "Joy of Life," completely lacking the aura of Chen Daoming, and not resembling a tyrant either. The character setup feels very awkward. The male lead's voice and appearance are both mature, not at all like a playboy.
He, as the surviving son of the former dynasty, is unexpectedly raised in the Marquis's residence, which seems to be a common trope in recent mainland dramas (where parents on their deathbed reveal that the protagonist is not their biological child but the offspring of the previous dynasty or a traitor).
The female lead often smears her face with a few streaks of gray, which is truly speechless. Can't she stop being intentionally awkward? Her character design is relatively better, but her acting is too forced.
Her heroic and masculine disguise is completely obvious (her experiences are all coincidental, being caught by chance and meeting the male lead, and coincidentally encountering Chang Yu Qing when she wanted to enter the city).
The little girl is just a typical NPC, not given enough time for her sorrow. She attempts suicide right away and gets rescued. The close-up shots of the female lead expressing how much she wanted to save the girl...
Chang Yu Qing would be more impressive with a more handsome actor, wouldn't he?

Finally, a drama that doesn't rely on fancy filters and has dialogue that suits the historical setting (I'm tired of those pseudo-historical dramas that mix in modern language).
The female lead, A Mai, has visible pores and even dirt under her nails, which is quite realistic.

I can't help it, the more I watch, the more I think my wife A Mai is handsome!
Wait, why aren't you assassins wearing masks anymore? You're openly assassinating people, it's outrageous.

However, the more I watch, the worse it gets. I dropped it after the fifth episode.
It's really stupid to rely on criminals in prison to help with the war. And a bunch of them even insult the North Desert people, what a joke. The ones who put you in prison are from the Southern Xia, not the North Desert.
You won't get any glory or wealth. It's you who will be sent to die on the battlefield, under the pretext of protecting the country. I don't understand.

All I can say is that the makeup and costumes in this drama are a plus, but the plot is a minus.

This drama is pretty average. The first three episodes were long and boring, and it only started to get somewhat interesting when the chase began. However, it's evident that the female lead has an exaggerated "golden finger" power.
It's undeniable that compared to recent years, it's a slightly above-average ancient costume drama.

The male lead was charming in the beginning, but later on, he became quite annoying, portraying a cliché character. The second male lead had a better character setup, but his acting skills were even better.
Acting is like the best cosmetic surgery for actors. It's not the first time I've seen a drama with the second male lead, and every time I watch his dramas, I find him both unattractive and attractive, with a lot of expression and charm.

Zhang Tian Ai did a decent job. The female lead is very intelligent, and it feels like the male lead's foolishness is there to highlight the female lead's intelligence. The scene where the female lead kisses the male lead feels inexplicable.

TV drama review:

One star for Zhang Tian Ai's beauty, she is truly stunning, and her resources are truly impressive. One star for the destined-to-be Maichang. The power struggle feels like children playing house, with the male lead being both ugly and foolish.
The second male lead looks unattractive at first sight, but the more you watch, the more pleasing he becomes. You can tell they wanted to portray the art of an emperor, with the emperor wanting to have the simplicity of "Joy of Life" and the mysteriousness of "The Ming Dynasty" Emperor Jiajing.
However, the script is too thin, and the characters are flat. In normal circumstances, the powerful would choose a weak-willed and easily controlled waste like the male lead as a puppet emperor.
Yet, due to his bloodline, everyone remains loyal to the male lead, who is crowned with the title of "heaven's mandate." It's all just child's play when it comes to the nation and the world.

The first ten episodes were really good, but it became harder to evaluate as it went on... More and more bugs appeared, and the details were poorly explained. Although the foolish male lead is acceptable, isn't this romantic storyline a bit untimely?
Come on, there's a war going on, buddy. And what's up with the military discipline in the female lead's mind? It keeps changing, and the male lead has to protect her... It feels like the character development started to crumble in the early stages...
I can endure a few more episodes, but if it doesn't improve, I'll have to drop the drama.

I thought I was being cautious when choosing dramas to watch, but I never expected to be fooled by this foolish plot. After enduring until the wedding of the male supporting character and the female lead, I gave up.
Before dropping the drama, I had only one question: Why didn't they kill Chen Qi??? Huh???

Up to episode 17, the female lead has already disregarded military discipline twice by escaping the camp without permission and not following the plan or orders. She should be executed as a warning to others!

The male lead, despite facing a formidable enemy, is obsessed with love and disregards strategies, only thinking about his romantic relationship.
He's willing to abandon millions of soldiers and civilians for the sake of the female lead alone.

How did something like this pass the censorship? Do the screenwriter and director have bubbles in their brains? They claim to promote the image of a strong female lead, but they've completely ruined the classic story of Mulan joining the army.
It's a worthless piece of garbage!

The intention is misguided, and even if the production is visually grand, it's nothing more than a pile of glamorous crap.

The more I watch, the stranger it gets. I can't help but dwell on the kissing scenes between Shang Mai, and it's truly baffling... Although I understand that the impulsive and reckless behavior of Shang Mai doesn't necessarily reflect the stance of the screenwriter through Xu Jing, it still leaves an uncomfortable impression.
Furthermore, even though I'm a fan of Mai, I find the arrangement of Level 18 illogical. A Mai understands the principle of deceit in war, but it never occurred to him to ambush Chang.
It's understandable that Chang underestimates Mai since Mai is just a soldier while Chang is a general with deep scheming, but A Mai doesn't take any precautions or even believe that Chang would repay him or loosen his restraints?
(Shaking my head)

I haven't read the book, but I would give it three stars because Wang Rui Chang portrayed General Xiao Chang with great attention to detail. As for the prince, he seems to be mentally challenged and only serves as a handsome decorative prop.
The show's thinking and logic are all over the place. Without the presence of the male lead, I wouldn't continue watching. I've decided to drop the drama today.
I don't understand why the male lead didn't kill the fourth male character but instead shot his own brother. Doesn't he have a functioning brain?
From now on, I'll just watch clips of the male lead on TikTok. It's the Lunar New Year, and watching this show is causing me breast pain.

I can't believe it's another scam-themed drama! Why do they have to diminish the spotlight on the female lead? If they can't film romance scenes well, then just focus on her career storyline!

I hate all these dramas that buy the intellectual property of a strong female lead and then forcefully change it to revolve around a male lead who doesn't even love the female character.
I can't believe it, I can't believe it! The limited screen time of Chang Yu Qing and Chen Qi somehow generated more chemistry than the male and female leads. Whenever I see their romantic scenes, my head hurts.
So why did they elevate Shang Yi Zhi to be the male lead? Ahhh, I'm going crazy!

Great show, it's the only one I've been hooked on recently. If they cut out the male lead, I would give it five stars. I don't know what the female lead sees in him. In the first few episodes, they instantly attracted each other, and it felt like they couldn't live without one another.
Chang Mai is too addictive. If the storyline could involve getting rid of Chen Qi to maintain peace between the two countries, that would be even better. If not, even Tang Da Ge would do. If the subsequent plot keeps dragging on without a clear direction, then it's a three-star rating.
Some of the plotlines seem disjointed and some are just inexplicable.

Halfway through the drama, I'd like to give A Mai a review. Despite deviating from the original work, the overall production is impressive. The lighting and visual effects are satisfactory, and the budget is well spent in the right places.
The lead actress Zhang Tian Ai delivers a solid performance, portraying a female disguised as a male with great depth. She effortlessly captures the essence of a street ruffian, displaying both impulsive and irrational behavior, as well as the growth of restraint and practicality.
Her talent is clearly visible. The male lead is a fun character, and the second male lead has fewer scenes but makes a significant impact. Xiū'er is delightful and brings joy to the screen! The veteran actors all perform admirably.

A Mai's adaptation of the novel is well done, with reasonable plot developments. Zhang Tian Ai's acting is good, and she has a high level of attractiveness. When playing a male character, she is handsome, and when playing a female character, she is stunningly beautiful.

One drawback is that the male lead has too much screen time, which gives the impression of overshadowing others. From the perspective of the original work, there are significant changes to the male lead's character, the second male lead's storyline is drastically reduced, and the romantic development of the female lead is also altered.
Additionally, there are too many deviations from the original work that the original book fans would have liked, resulting in confusion. The war scenes may have been affected by budget cuts, which is a pity for A Mai.

However, as a recent period drama, it is a rare gem.

I initially gave this drama five stars after watching the first 10 episodes, but after episode 10, I don't even want to give it two stars. The entire cast is forcefully dumbed down, the logic is inconsistent throughout, and there are so many issues that I don't even want to bother mentioning them.
This drama is like a chocolate-flavored mess, wasting the talents of the actors. Zhang Tian Ai's performance was genuinely good, but clearly, the screenwriter lacked intelligence. I haven't read the original work, but if it's as terrible as this adaptation, then the investors must have been blind to finance such a garbage production.
If the original work isn't like this, then I want to ask the screenwriter, do you have shit for brains? Couldn't you just follow the original work chapter by chapter? Any competent director could have made each storyline, whether it's the female lead or the male characters, captivating.
But instead, the relationships between the characters, which had so much potential, turned out to be a pile of rubbish. I never expected that by episode 22, the director would be capable of completely ruining the character development for everyone.
The female lead, Chang Yuqing, and even Chen Qi, all ruined. It's truly beyond my imagination. Some dramas are obvious garbage from the start, and there's no need to waste time on them. What I hate the most is this kind of shit that looks like chocolate, wasting time and emotions, only adding disgust.

Update: Goodbye, goodbye! Giving A Mai three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (A Mai as the second male lead and third male lead are worth watching! I really wanted to give A Mai four stars, but the male lead is unbearable.
I even want to give him negative stars!)

Friendly reminder: Skip the parts with the male lead, unless you enjoy watching the growth of a dominant male character. Until episode 14, A Mai, Tang Dage, the soldier, and even General Chang from the enemy side are all very exciting!
The production quality is also good.

Downsides: The screenplay for the male lead is a mess! He's just a fool! In the beginning, I thought he was pretending to be weak to deceive others, but after enduring 14 episodes, I realized he's just a burden.
He doesn't understand anything, yet everyone protects him. Why not just change the name and focus on the growth of a dominant male lead? What's the difference if he exists or not?
He's just wasting the female lead's time! It's better if he doesn't exist! This drama really frustrates me. If it wasn't for A Mai and Tang Dage, I would want the enemy side to win.

I really wish A Mai, Tang Dage, and General Chang were from the same country, while Chen Qi and the dog emperor were on the other side. That would be more appropriate! A Mai, Tang, and Chang would be evenly matched!
Now I just want to watch the final episodes in one go, focusing only on A Mai's storyline. I have no interest in anything else.

The first ten episodes were decent. Although the male lead was a bit clueless and the second male lead was a bit bloated, the characterization of the female lead was acceptable. She had a strong female protagonist vibe.
However, things took a weird turn once the war scenes began. Suddenly, they were kissing and what on earth was that? They were having a passionate romance in the military camp.

And then, as a general, the male lead used tactics that were taught to him by the female lead.
In the midst of the battlefield, the female lead suddenly went crazy and wanted to kill her ex for no apparent reason. But instead, she inexplicably gained a good reputation. As a low-ranking soldier, she disobeyed orders and brought back the soldiers from the 7th Battalion.
She even went to fight the commander-in-chief and ended up getting promoted. What the hell is going on? Is the whole army just playing along with them?

No wonder even the original author criticized it. By "strong female lead," it means the female lead should have her own logical thinking, not weaken the male lead and let her inexplicably rely on a weak male lead to rise to power.
It's disgusting. ???????????????

In all fairness, it deserves only 1 star, and the extra star goes to Zhang Tian Ai. The screenwriter should never work again. Don't disgust the audience anymore.

I'll give an extra star for the female lead's military costume. She dares to portray a dirty and rugged appearance, without the burden of being an idol. However, I can only say that the plot has completely disappointed my long-standing expectations.
I shouldn't have expected a true portrayal of a female general in the military from domestic productions. Even sticking to the original source material was too much to ask. They had to change it into a cheesy romance drama with illogical character development and unrealistic war scenes that felt like child's play.
The initial setup of patriotism and love for country gradually faded away, replaced by pure military flirting. I abandoned the show when I saw the part where the male lead and the female lead meet under a cliff. That storyline was just too ridiculous and destroyed the characters.
From the female lead's perspective, this should have been a highly skilled enemy general who had conquered the Silver Fortress. Any normal citizen of Southern Xia would have gone crazy, either by killing the captured enemy leader or at least maiming them severely.
And why would they let him roam freely after capturing him, instead of keeping a close watch? The screenwriters have forcefully made me feel insulted by their lack of intelligence.

It's quite interesting. The last time I watched a mainland Chinese drama was "Legend of Lu Zhen." The male lead was a bit naive, and his acting felt stiff. The female lead had a great figure, too slim with prominent angular shoulders, which made her cross-dressing appearance a bit jarring.

After about ten episodes, the story finally got into the main plot. However, it became less interesting. That's about it. I couldn't continue watching, probably stopped around episode 16. It lives up to its reputation as an adaptation of an online novel, quite careless.
The visuals are exquisite, and the costumes and makeup are well-done, but it just feels off. The characters haven't been properly developed yet they were hyped up first, which aligns with my stereotypical impression of mainland Chinese dramas.
When reading a book, you can imagine things yourself, but when it's presented visually, it's hard to get immersed in the story. It claims to be a drama centered around a strong female lead, but the essence still caters to the contemporary audience's patriarchal aesthetics!

The romantic relationships in the drama feel inexplicable. Besides Chen Qi's childhood crush on A Mai, which is somewhat reasonable, the others just seem to come out of nowhere. The characterization of the male lead is quite poor. Aside from blindly trusting the female lead, he doesn't seem to have any remarkable qualities and comes across as intellectually challenged.
The feelings of the male lead and the second male lead towards the female lead seem forced, starting from the moment they discover she is a girl. It gives off a vibe of forced affection. As for the female lead's feelings towards the male lead, it's even more puzzling.
And let's not forget the absurdity of Cui Yan's storyline.???? Of course, I feel the actors themselves are quite suited to their roles. The male lead is more suitable for portraying a cunning and ambitious character rather than just someone who wants to date.
I don't understand the screenwriter's intentions at all...

Nowadays, out of ten historical dramas, nine of them are about revenge, lacking any originality. I must say, thumbs up to the female lead for naturally being skilled in martial arts and wanting to become a soldier.
This drama feels like a patchwork monster, with familiar plotlines everywhere you look. In my opinion, the female lead could have done better even if you removed the male lead and second male lead characters.
However, this drama tries too hard to highlight the female lead, but the plot and character development are weak. I couldn't see any impressive acting skills, and the biggest problem is that the female lead's voice lacks authenticity.
Perhaps the actress's voice is too gentle, and it feels awkward when she dresses as a man. But even the dubbed voice doesn't improve much; it would have been better to use the original voice.
They say the drama deviates a lot from the original work, and it seems like the adaptation is quite lousy.

The male lead is too shallow. He didn't show any reflection after his father's death, and he lacks a sense of survival. There's no sense of urgency regarding the national grudges and personal vengeance. He's constantly acting like a fool, obsessed with love and making lewd jokes.
When he cried in front of A Mai, it felt like a joke. Even elementary school students have more emotional depth than him (no offense to elementary school students). He's a true spoiled playboy, a sleazy type! How can he be worthy of A Mai?
Do they share the same values? As an audience member, I feel that the male lead's performance is very casual and lacks respect for the viewers. Film and television is not your playground! I want to give a perfect score for the female lead's sake, but for the sake of conscience, I have to deduct 100 stars from the male lead!

I've watched 6 episodes and it's pretty good. The cinematography is excellent, and the storyline is engaging. There are some flaws, but they don't overshadow the overall quality.
Chang Yu Qing looks incredibly cool riding a horse and wielding a spear. The equestrian performances are all done by real people, which adds to the charm.

Adding an update after watching up to episode 22, Cui Yan's sudden death caught me off guard. It feels like the screenwriter is starting to make things up randomly.
Ever since the episode where Gui Shou Ah Si died, things have felt off. The male lead's character portrayal feels really sleazy, and I don't understand why the people of Yuzhou, who are oppressed, would still open a jewelry store.
Don't they fear being robbed? I just don't get it.

I've always felt that Zhang is quite suitable for playing the leading role in dramas, and I even fantasized about whether it would be more in line with the novel if she had played the role back then. It's rare to see a drama starring her, so let's give it a watch.
At the beginning, I noticed that the visual quality is very good, like a movie. I haven't read the novel, but just based on the story synopsis, I think it should be exciting.

By February 9th, I had roughly finished watching episode 8.
All three main male actors have made their appearances. Maybe as some internet users have said, the drama deviates from the novel a bit too much, focusing more on the commercial aspects. However, the early commercial scenes are a bit silly and not appealing.

Initially, I thought there were some logical loopholes, but at least there were some cute couple moments to enjoy. However, as the story progressed, even the romantic scenes became disappointing. The kissing scenes between Shang and Mai and the embraces between Chang and Mai were all inexplicable.
Can the screenwriters show some restraint? I was really invested in the rivalry between Chang and Mai, but suddenly Chang Yu Qing passionately hugged A Mai, leaving me wondering when he developed such deep feelings. Is it just because he found out A Mai is a woman?
And even Shang Yi Zhi's lecherous behavior only started after he learned that A Mai is a woman. I truly feel disgusted by the choices made by the screenwriters.

A work I've been waiting for years, and I must say I'm very disappointed. Zhang Tian Ai's Han-style thick straight eyebrows make the dirt under my fingernails seem like a joke.
Her self-created exaggerated shoulder-shaking and neck-wobbling mimicry of a masculine gait is extravagant and clumsy. Zhang Hao Wei's "Feng Ke Zhui" filter is shattered, leaving only the three episodes that leave viewers tangled in the question of "Is he really stupid or just pretending?
" And watching Wang Rui Chang generously share his profile with the audience gives me a feeling of "Even though it's impolite to launch personal attacks, how can I repay the damage I've suffered?

I give one star solely to Zhang Tian Ai. The male lead is truly terrible and awful. Zhang Yixing (ZYK) has so many male-oriented novels to choose from, but he insists on intruding into a female-oriented story, trying to steal the limelight and be treated as the main male character.
It's disgusting and really disappoints the readers!

The screenwriting is also terrible. They shouldn't have meddled with the plot unnecessarily. If they had followed the original work, the character development of the male lead and second male lead would have been solid, and the story would have had tension.
But now, it's just a mess. Only the storyline of Chang Yu Qing can still hold it together.

I read some of the novel a long time ago but didn't finish it. Recently, I went back to read the novel again, and I must say the adaptation of this TV drama is disappointing.
What's up with the male lead? Leaving aside the changes in his character, his constantly horny behavior regardless of the situation is truly disgusting. I think the male lead must be really hungry.
And both the female lead and the second male lead have turned into love-struck fools, haven't they? One is constantly mentioning the male lead, and the other is constantly thinking about marrying the female lead.
They have lost their souls. The only decent couple seems to be the female lead and Xiuer.