In an era where natural disasters and cosmic catastrophes are increasing, the Chinese animation series '山海际会' (2023) takes us into a world where humans must face the mysterious organization 'International Mountain Council' that seeks to destroy and replace contemporary humans, through the fight of the out-of-zone combat team 'brown poles'. This series not only presents thrilling action scenes but also questions the nature of reality and the relationship between two different worlds across time.
Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
The story takes place in the near future, when natural disasters and cosmic phenomena intensify. The organization 'International Mountain Council' (IMC) emerges with unclear goals. Our protagonist joins a combat team to resist the IMC outside the 'brown poles' zone, a barrier between the human world and another dimension. Each battle makes them discover that humanity's nightmare is 'a window opening to the universe' and that the IMC may not just be an enemy but also a representative of a civilization from another world trying to communicate something. The series unfolds through the clash of two worlds and two time periods, focusing on realism and ideological conflict.
Performance and Characters
Although it's animation, the voice acting of lead actors like Wei Qi, Lei Sala, and Tao Wu (as Bao Wen) is well done, conveying the characters' emotions clearly. The characters are complex, especially the protagonist who faces the uncertainty of the world and distorted reality. However, the development of some characters is not as deep as it should be, which may make viewers not feel attached to them enough.
Direction, Visuals, and Music
Visually, the series presents a unique 2D animation style. The design of scenes and alien creatures is interesting, but in some episodes the visual quality is inconsistent, especially in complex action scenes. The direction overall handles the tone that blends sci-fi and fantasy well. The background music helps enhance the mysterious and tense atmosphere, but it's not outstanding enough to be memorable.
Editorial Analysis
'山海际会' is a series with an interesting concept about opening a door to the universe and questioning the nature of reality. However, some parts of the storytelling are quite confusing and take a long time to establish the world, which may cause viewers who don't follow closely to get lost. The themes the series tries to convey about the relationship between humans and the universe, and the meaning of 'home', are powerful, but the inconsistent pacing and TMDB score of 4.5/10 reflect that there is room for improvement, especially in concise storytelling and character development.
Verdict
山海际会 is an animation series with ambitious concepts and interesting world-building, but the confusing storytelling and inconsistent quality make it not a perfect work. Suitable for those who enjoy philosophical sci-fi and can handle the challenge of following the plot.
👍 Pros
- +Original concept about opening a door to the universe
- +Creative design of creatures and alternate dimensions
- +Overall good voice acting that conveys emotions well
👎 Cons
- −Some parts of the story are confusing and drawn out
- −Inconsistent visual quality in some episodes
- −Character development not as deep as it should be
Top Cast
FAQ
The series has a total of 25 episodes in 1 season.
Currently, it can be watched on Chinese streaming platforms such as Bilibili or iQIYI (may require VPN for viewers in Thailand).
The series has quite a lot of sci-fi elements. If you don't like this genre or complex stories, it may not be suitable. But if you like fantasy-adventure, you might enjoy it.
