In a corner of a bustling city, there is a small shop called "Time Photo Studio" operating as usual.
Although the entrance looks abandoned, it's actually run by two men with special abilities: Cheng
Xiaoshi and Lu Guang. In order to fulfil customers' requests, Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi work together
and use their special abilities to enter photos. However, things don't go as planned...
(Source: bilibili, translated)
Note: The final episode aired with a runtime of ~31 minutes.
~~~ # Link click is arguably the one of the most unexpected shows I've come across. Chinese anime has been on the rise in past 3-4 years with a lot of shows coming out ranging from esports focused [The King's Avatar ](https://anilist.co/anime/98861/Quanzhi-Gaoshou/) to historical wuxia like [Modao Zushi](https://anilist.co/anime/101972/Modao-Zushi/), while quite a few of them were pretty solid on their own they all lacked that one element that could make them truly stand along with the topnotch japanese anime. Link click while in no means a perfect show but the first 5 episodes are one of the closest thing to that I've seen. The plot itself is not much complex at all. Simply if you read from the synopsis it's about a couple of dudes ( AND THERE IS NO BL) who can go inside photos at the time when it was taken. Now that sounds like any classical time manipulation show but what truly makes this one stand out is the really unexpected emotional element, The show itself is mostly episodic where the main duo (or trio you can say) take requests from customers and go back in the photos to help them in various ways i won't go into detail as to what kind of assignments they get or what the constraints of their power is because that will definitely spoil some of the fun but you can be rest assured that the best part of this show lies in it's simplicity yet making the most out of it. Not to mention the cliffhanger at the end of almost every episode combined with the ed that drops hard af makes you watch the next episode really hard. What Link Click actually has that makes it so beautiful to watch is the soul, you can actually see the passion of the screenwriters and showmakers that went through writing all those stories for the episodes. Each story tells about a different person and their life and what they went through while at the same time it doesn't completely turns into a tearforcer but instead leaves a lot of the emotional elements for the viewers to take as they desire and doesn't lose focus on it's thriller/mystery element. As I said before the first 5 episodes clearly blew me out, when i started watching i, it was just on whim and wasn't even expecting to go past 2 or 3 episodes but the hooking element of the show is really not to be underestimated. The show does take a dip after episode 5.5 and the arc after that is not as solid as previous one but the final closing arc specially the final episode is great that not only wraps everything up in a good emotional way but also has a little something at the end which pretty much confirms a 2nd season. The bgm is really nice and keeps the continuity of themes of the show and both op and ed is great. Specially the ed clearly syncs with those cliffhangers at the end of each episodes. Visuals aren't extravagant but as the show isn't action focused they turn out to be pretty nice and handfighting and martial arts scenes are done pretty well as a matter of fact. Overall if you're even a little bit into mystery/thriller genre then i will say this is a must watch. Highly recommended and even more so if you're into actual soulful shows.~~~
#__The overall feeling it gave is pure emptiness, but I still continued to hang onto it for the hope to know the answer of "what's next?"__ (pardon me for it is my first time writing a review.) I'm so proud of this donghua?? Like it reached my mental core. The experience of watching the series is really amazing. I recommend everyone this donghua. I want at least a few more people to watch it. I want to scream to the world how much I love this donghua. If you haven't watched it, consider watching it. I can really guess that the season 2 would be really amazing and I'm prepared even if it takes years for it to come. Because I know, that the wait is worth it. It's probably underrated because it's Chinese. They talk too fast, that for some it's hard to keep in pace with the subtitles (at least that's what my sister said). I didn't have a hard time understanding the subtitles, though. Plus, the voice acting was amazing. Don't even let me start on the animation. The animation was so smooth, every movement of it like controlled me. The flow of the story, like omg, it was so smooth, too. And the aesthetic of the donghua. I remember when I first watched the OP, I was shock and moved, and amazed??? The hand dances they performed were like so amazing??? It's an OP you eon't be able to skip. The outfits of the characters too. It's like so like fashionable? I can't even dress up like that. And their character design. Lu Guang, is so pretty and Cheng Xiaoshi too and Qing Li is so beautiful please step on me y'all. The OSTs. The OSTs were amazing. How it fit with the emotions of the scene, how it made it more emotional and touched a watcher's heart like mine. I hope the OSTs get released. But a piece of advice for people who will watch it: ___The experience is like being in a roller coaster of emotions. You'll be frustrated, happy, deceived, etc. If you want to drop it, think twice because it gets better.___ I watched two main characters fulfill a duty only they can do. I was proud of them, proud of them continuing a task that they struggled to do. Even so, they did their best. And as watcher, who only lived on the other side of their screen, the only thing I could do was feel emotions. I can't so anything. The only thing a mere watcher can me do is feel proud and support them. Like parents. I wanted to protect them. I mean, who wouldn't want to protect their favorite fictional character? Fictional. They're only fictional characters. So what could I do? Nothing. I couldn't do anything that can help them. So it was sad. Hard. Hard watching these two main characters go into conflict and solve it theirself. dsfd fdsfdsf dfds dfsdf dfjkdshf dfd fdsfds fdsfdf dfdfd dfdfd dfdf df dfd df sdf sdf dfdsf sdfdfd dfdf dfdfd dfdsfdsf sdfdfd dfdf dfdsf dfsdf sdf sdfsdf dsf dfdf dfds dfdsf (AniList won't let me save this because it should be more than 2100 characters or smth)
I will try keep this as spoiler-free as I can. While I've genuinely never seen a Chinese anime (it just never popped up, I didn't actively avoid it), I was a bit shocked. I'm so used to the Japanese language that it took me one episode to get used to. But once you do, you get incredibly immersed in the story and one could argue the language even fits the animation. Normally I'd say eleven episodes is short and "no way you can fit a big plot in such a short season," but I was very wrong. The pacing was quite even too, not too slow or too fast. Enjoyable from beginning to the end, even though I was quite confused in the first episode as I hadn't even looked up the description. It just looked good and had a very high rating. __Plot: 9.5/10;__ That being said, the plot is something I've not seen much used before. It's time-travel, but with a twist. Diving into photos to see that person's past and being able to relive that moment. We've seen plenty of time-travel anime (Erased, Steins;Gate, Your Name, Orange, Higurashi and so on), but apart from the famous banana-microwave combo, there weren't many anime characters that dive into photos of someone's past. It's different, phenomenal, and let's not forget to mention, beautiful. __Characters: 9/10;__ The plot starts off slow, with the main characters doing their job in helping clients "find" things or people, by using photographs that were taken within twelve hours of said important moment. With Lu Guang being the "observer" and Cheng Xiaoshi being the "diver," the duo make a great pair in doing their job in their photo studio. Once moments start overlapping, things get more complicated and mysterious. One could say Lu Guang is the more chilled person and Cheng Xiaoshi is more on his feet/hyped, which is a cliche for two main characters and seen a lot in anime. You'll forget about the cliche soon enough, as there's plenty of things happening to keep you occupied. Ling Qiao is their landlady, which I won't get further into as that too might spoil the story. However she plays a part in their photo-diving as well. __Opening: 8/10;__ Let us not forget about the OP, which is wonderfully made and definitely something I've hardly skipped through. The song isn't TOO special, but it does fit the opening animation in my opinion. It's mesmerising, it's gorgeous and different. __A short tl;dr:__ Duo have the power to view someone's past for twelve hours by using photographs, one of them is the observer while the other dives in and relives the moments of said person in photograph. Good intro, amazing plot, worth the watch 9/10. _I'm sorry if I worded some things differently, Engish isn't my first language and sometimes I can't find the words and have to try describe them in another way_.
/no spoilers don't worry!/ There are only a handful of shows that got me so speechless after finishing it and Link Click is now one of them. It's my first time watching a Chinese anime and I've only known about the existence of this very show because of a clip I saw on another platform but I am so thankful I decided to put it on my watching list and actually watch it almost instantly because this show really got me staring into nothingness, hands on my scalp, mouth hanging wide-open as if welcoming a fly to come in at the end of every episode. While not all episodes may be as thrilling as the last few episodes did, it's still really damn good _(and no you should not skip any parts)_. The pacing was considerably nice, it's not too slow yet not too fast, and while you may think that a cool plot couldn't be executed well in a short amount of time, saying it was executed 'well' is an understatement, I dare to say that the plot that the writers and directors had in mind was executed quite flawlessly and damn exquisitely. I doubt you won't be begging and asking for a season 2 after finishing this show. __OP and ED!__ Visuals are really nice and very much Gen Z with the three characters tutting _(that's what it's called right? the hand dance thing)_ during the OP lmao. The songs are really nice as well. That new bgm they introduced during the last episode matched the scene really well and because the song is sung in English, you could understand it and that just makes the experience of watching that very scene much better. __Animation!__ Now, I don't know a lot about animations and stuff like that and I don't really have a specific preference when I'm watching these shows but I could say this show has darn good visuals and sceneries. It's quite calm in the eyes and overall a very smooth and nice-flowing animation. __Plot!__ I kind of already stated how I felt about the plot in the first paragraph but oh my god it is so good. It may sound average or a bit boring at first but they connected the story so well and the flow is really nice. The plot gets astonishingly better trust me. You would not want to not watch nor drop this show. __Directions and Scriptwriting!__ The story-telling in this show is really satisfying. It will definitely rig your brain a bit but the way they directed the scenes and the way that the narrations were written will help you have a good grasp on what's happening. I also love how they got me questioning a lot of things during an episode and have them answered at a very perfect time. Give this show a try, if you find some parts a bit /meh/ at the start please do not drop it because I swear on my life it gets incredibly better each episode. Honestly, I do not understand why this show is underrated and maybe because it's the fact that it's a Chinese anime, and here's the thing, if you often watch Japanese anime, it might throw you off a little but you'll definitely get used to it. The voice acting is really nice and it matched the characters well so don't let that make you drop this show. If you're planning on watching this show and you're quite an emotional one like me, prepare the tissues sweetheart you're most definitely going to need them <3< /p>
_This review contains a brief description of the main characters’ abilities and a minor, vague spoiler related to Xiaoshi’s ability that is hidden under a spoiler tag._ _If you just want a **brief bullet-point summary** of whether Link Click is the show for you, scroll to the bottom. If not, keep reading._ ___ Link Click is the first Chinese animation (donghua) I watched, and with its top ratings on MyAnimeList and Anilist, that probably is and will be the case for many others as well. I see this as a good thing, because Link Click is well-deserving of this distinction and a worthy show in general that reaches emotional heights matching some of the best anime out there. Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, friends who run hot and cold respectively, go back in time through photos for various clients who want something from the past to resolve an issue in the present. While Lu Guang has the ability to see up to 12 hours ahead of the time a photo was taken from the taker’s perspective, Xiaoshi can effectively possess that person’s past self and walk in their shoes, so to speak. There is no explanation offered as to why they have these abilities in this first season, which is light on exposition in general. Rather, the show focuses on developing the stories of different individuals as Xiaoshi experiences their pasts. This leads to a plot that can be difficult to follow at times due to questions about time travel not always getting (immediate) answers, but creates compelling drama that provides several characters to root for besides the main protagonists. Not that Xiaoshi isn’t an engaging character on his own. He is endearing and empathetic, inclined to think with his heart over his mind in situations where it would usually be wiser to follow Lu Guang’s guidance. This tendency may test some people’s patience, and it did test mine, but never past the point of understanding—especially as his own past comes to light. Lu Guang complements Xiaoshi well with his stoic and level-headed demeanor, but feels a bit flat in comparison. Though, his lack of development this season may mean he has his own arc in the upcoming second season. He does have a distinct personality and motivations; I just haven’t seen enough to care much for him personally. But Link Click’s greatest strength is how each twist and turn makes a powerful impact on the characters as well as the viewer. Plot twists are not just played for shock value but rather contribute to the emotional narrative of the show. Characters navigate regrets, trauma, and tragedy, which the show handles with sensitivity while allowing for hope of renewal. And almost every episode (including the last) ends on a cliffhanger, but it’s hard to be mad when they feel earned... and slide so smoothly into the banger [ED](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly2GjsxKtg0). The show’s sound direction in general is on point, enhancing both calm and suspenseful moments with few missteps. There are no overly dramatic background tracks, just parents singing lullabies on a quiet night. I do not know Chinese, but the voice acting feels expressive to me and vividly portrays different characters’ personalities. The overall visuals are like watching a film, which is saying something. Though I'm not one to scrutinize every detail of art and animation, the art seems clean, sharp, and consistent—more appealing than most anime I’ve watched. The animation doesn’t stand out for the most part, but it gets the job done. If you want some fine animation of two guys and a girl dancing to some sick beats, though, go ahead and watch the [OP](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cuCfmOsuCA). ~!If Link Click can be picked apart for plot holes, I’m not really seeing them. I will say the fact that Xiaoshi inherits people’s feelings and memories when he possesses them needs a more nuanced explanation. If he has their memories, one would think he would be better at saying the right things and not need to ask Lu Guang questions like if a client is in a relationship. Unless he can only access memories in dreams? As much as I appreciate the show-don’t-tell approach of this show, it would’ve been nice to get just a few more specifics on the time travel system.!~ The main criticism I have, though, does not have to do with the show itself, but its subtitles. They’re, uh, not great. The quality varies between episodes, but they are usually sprinkled with grammar errors, occasionally stilted, and in the worst cases flat-out incomprehensible. I would prefer to recommend that people watch the show on [bilibili](https://www.bilibili.com/bangumi/play/ep400972)’s website to support the creators, but I must instead direct you to [Funimation](https://www.funimation.com/shows/link-click)’s website since the subtitles there are more readable. Still sub-par, though. That the show shines despite this is a testament to its writing and other qualities. Link Click’s subtitles make it a bit difficult to rate the first season, but I can safely say my first experience with a donghua was a positive one. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good time travel story or a thrilling drama. Certainly, there are important questions such as the origin of the main duo’s abilities that still need answers, but that will be a job for the second season. Link Click’s first season is a ride that transcends cultural barriers and a not-so-great translation to deliver moving stories about weathering life that’ll keep you clicking “Next” to the last episode. ___ **IN SUMMARY:** Watch if you: - Like time travel dramas - Like seeing characters solve other people’s problems - Like emotionally driven narratives - Like bromance Don’t watch if you: - Want detailed explanations with your time travel - Hate cliffhangers - Can’t deal with sub-par subtitles
__Disclaimer: __This is my first time reviewing a donghua (_Chinese animation_, this is NOT an
anime!), so please bear with me. Feel free to check out my other reviews
[here](https://anilist.co/user/sawakazes/reviews)!
---
img(https://i0.wp.com/anitrendz.net/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/LNC_KV_v2_2x3_Logo-1365x2048-1-e1619732013792.png?resize=696%2C325&ssl=1)
__Synopsis:__
This 11-episode show follows Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, two guys who run a photo studio called "Time
Photo Studio" in the big city. Clients come to them with various requests, and the gimmick of these
two guys is that they have powers to extract information from photos provided. How? Well Cheng Xiaoshi
has the power to enter photos of the past, and Lu Guang acts as his guide. That's all I'll say to
avoid saying too much!
---
__Story:__
_First thing's first, let me say that you should not come into this series expecting it to be a BL.
It's not marketed to be that way either as far as I know, so please don't come here expecting the
usual BL content._
The story is not hard to follow, making it pretty easy to catch on and understand what's going on.
Somebody has a request, they give these two guys a photo and they do whatever they can. As mentioned
before, Cheng Xiaoshi enters the photo of the past, and Lu Guang acts as his guide in order to fulfill
their clients' request. It's very engaging, and the suspense kicks in often when you realize that
they're on a time limit in the past. What really gets me though, is how emotional this series gets
while they're going through these requests. So many plot twists that actually contribute to the
emotional impact of the episodes just make you stop and think. They really don't beat around the bush
with sensitive topics either (more on that at the end), and make me care about characters who are in
only one episode. God, some of these episodes had me crying, especially episode 5. ~~Not gonna spoil
what happens but if you know, you know.~~
If I had to be really picky, I think there are some things that need more explaining, like how they
came to know about how they had these powers because I love that kind of stuff. The focus of the show
is more on the clients' stories as Cheng Xiaoshi explores their pasts. But season 2 is confirmed, so
hopefully they explain the powers there! Also cliffhangers. A LOT OF THEM. But the whole series is
already complete, so if you're binging you won't have a problem.
---
__Characters:__
The main characters are both great. Cheng Xiaoshi is very outgoing, earnest and typically empathetic
of the clients' feelings, a complete heart of gold kind of character. Lu Guang on the other hand, is
very calm, very direct and very by-the-book, giving instructions to be careful of not changing
anything in the past to affect the future. Their personalities clash but also blend, which makes for a
very interesting dynamic. Qiao Ling is also good, and she serves as the one who brings clients to the
studios and acts as a support system for the two guys.
__Music:__
Both the OP and END are bops, I never skipped either of them once. The ending theme is especially good
because of how the end of each episode (albeit with all those cliffhangers) allows for the beginning
of the ending song to flow before transitioning to the credits. As for the background OSTs, each one
compliments the necessary scenes very well, ranging from calm lofi sounding tracks for casual moments
to suspenseful ones for those moments that'll have you biting your fingernails in nervousness.
__Animation:__
I'm not a person who's nitpicky about animation honestly. I have no background in art or animation so
proper terminology eludes me whenever I write these sections, but I will say that the animation seems
very clean. Everything is sharp and crisp, and it makes for a very pleasing watch, and considering
this isn't really an action/fighting series, I think this is very telling.
__Conclusion:__
I really enjoyed watching this donghua, it's a shame that it was kinda swept under the rug due to
popular anime releasing in Spring 2021 so a lot of people missed it. This was my first modern setting
donghua, as the only other ones I saw were all historical setting based (Mo Dao Zu Shi, Tian Guan Ci
Fu, and Scumbag System), so it was nice to see something different. With the popularity of MDZS
growing, I hope that this will encourage anime watchers to branch out to other animation, and give
Chinese animation a chance. If you want a mystery, a thriller and a suspenseful story that will leave
you on your toes, than Link Click is for you!
---
## __NOTE:__
There are trigger warnings that I think I should make note of! Please read this [carrd
here](https://linkclick.carrd.co/#tws) for any necessary triggers because they are different for each
episode!
At first glance __" Link Click"__ seems like it is a normal anime or ONA. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical when I first saw this anime, so like the nerd I am, I did a little research on it. img220(https://animecorner.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/link-click-thumbnail.png) 1. The story of 2 guys who have magical powers and can enter photos and change the past, isn't something you just think and do. 2. What Link Click actually has that makes it so beautiful to watch is the soul, Each story tells about a different person and their life and what they went through while at the same time it doesn't completely turn into a rollercoaster but instead leaves a lot of the emotional elements for the viewers to take as they desire and doesn't lose focus on its thriller/mystery element. 1. Just when you think that the show has given all of its thrillers In 1 episode no wait in 1 scene also you are very wrong. The makers of __Link Click __ have made such an amazing ONA/anime that with each episode you are waiting for what the next scene is going to expose of the story. 1. Not only do the main characters have a big screen time in the story but also the side characters that the MCs have to live through, The pain, Suffering, Lost love, etc. These are the small details that can be missed but are the key points in the story of the MCs 1. But not only there are the main duo but some can also say that the main trio has an important role. 1. The show itself is mostly episodic where the main duo (or trio you can say) take requests from customers and go back in the photos to help them in various ways I won't go into detail as to what kind of assignments they get or what the constraints of their power are because that will definitely spoil some of the fun but you can rest assured that the best part of this show lies in its simplicity yet making the most out of it. __LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS__ - Starting with Cheng Xiaoshi, he is a great MC that fits the bill for these types of stories. He is charismatic and arrogant at times, but it makes sense once you realize how he grew up and his experiences with time-traveling through the shows. He embodies the hope that the show likes talking about, and I think he does it very well, even if he can be a bit annoying/stupid at times. img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5e/a3/ba/5ea3baf377b0f853312a78074a4122a6.jpg) - Lu Guang is kinda odd though, He tends to be the guy to back up Cheng Xiaoshi, But Lu Guang needs to show some emotions and weaknesses to have a human side of him. img220(https://64.media.tumblr.com/f58ec0385954c5b0fa9e9448c9d726da/0c059b62b6e06762-40/s400x600/c6b3295a594ea2c234ccd17c51c2c245018e96a8.gifv) As for the other characters they all have a role in helping these main characters on the journey in the story. Overall I am Damm excited for season 2, when I was watching this I was constantly on the edge of my seat and was waiting for what will happen next
Link Click is an animation produced in China preferably called a "donghua". As a Chinese person who grew up in the west I dare to say to I am quite proud to see the love this donghua has been receiving so far and I would like to add my personal 2 cents as well to it. It's not the first time that China had its breakthrough series in the west but so far it mainly only gathered some smaller communities such as "Mo dao zu shi (The grandmaster of demonic cultivation)" or "Heaven's official blessing" and I personally have been following a lot of donghuas coming out always thinking "Please, one day let there be a good donghua that can prove how much potential the chinese industry has". Sometimes I thought there was a decent donghua like "King's avatar" or the two previous named ones but for "Mo dao zu shi" or "Heaven's official blessing" it just wasn't made to be watched by the mainstream audience since the original source material is a boy's love (even though it's censored in the adaptation). I still remember a few days before Link Click came out I wrote an Anilist activity saying "Man, I wish more people would pay attention to chinese animation since there are some really cool things to watch. Link Click is coming out soon let's hope it won't let us down". Let's just say I was blown away. Frankly, I didn't expect China to produce such a series. Link Click is a story where you can just tell "It's made by Asians". Hollywood would very unlikely tell such a story simply because Link Click touches upon topics that really only make a lot of sense when you know about the culture and make you have more of an emotional response. But first let's take a look at the extras and the packaging that made the show even greater than it is and then I will elaborate more on my previous statements. __The music:__ The music choice for this show was phenomenal. This statement is no surprise as I am not the only one loving the opening, ending, as well as the insert songs but I wanted to elaborate upon it a bit more. The opening song was so catchy and added to the choreography you can just feel that they put a lot of effort into making this a success. I feel like China once again was playing on the "Soulmates" trope that they like to use or how I would call it "We make the two main boys so close and give so many hints that the female fans will 100% ship them and let us make more money" because that's what they always do (it does bring them money so what can I say). The lyrics of the opening are so obviously targetting at those female fans having meanings like "As soon as you gone I want to be with you again". That's one thing. Next I want to talk about the ending. Personally I did not enjoy the ending as much as everyone else because I really cannot listen to chinese rap. It's uncomfortable in my ears because I just think that chinese is an unfit language for rap but maybe I just think like that because I understand the language since all the non-chinese people loved the song so I will let them have their enjoyment. Regarding the insert songs, they were amazing honestly. They fit perfectly to the emotional plot of Link Click giving you that extra kick of sadness. China really knows how to compose bittersweet songs and it shows. __The Dub:__ With the Dub I obviously mean the Chinese synchro. I can only talk from the standpoint of a native speaker but the Dub was so odd. I am not talking about how chinese sounds funny or whatever. The voices were not fitting and it took me some time to just accept the fact. Another thing was how they just changed dialects in the middle of it with some side characters. I can understand if they changed the city but it was in the same city. It makes no sense for everyone to talk in mandarin and for that one side character to talk in a dialect. It threw me off guard and confused me a lot. But that's just a minor critic point. __Asian/Chinese culture:__ Saying a show tells about topics connected to their culture comes as no surprise but Link Click did it exceptionally. Donghuas are most of the time adaptations from so called "Wuxia", a chinese story genre centred around cultivation and chinese culture. This is also why they are very hard to follow for western people but Link Click made it their mission to show a part of their culture besides cultivation and mytholgy.Perfect examples are 2 episodes: The first episode and the child trafficking episode. The first episode of Link Click has a trope in Chinese stories that is so overused but it still hits every goddamn time. And that is the trope of parental love. Link Click episode 1 really hits every Asian person damn hard especially because its telling how Emma didn't come back since a long time, probably not even for New year's eve. New year's eve is the most important event in the entire year. It's the only time when the whole family is together and it's the only event when every Chinese person thinks "I gotta make it home no matter what". Emma's parents show exactly how chinese parents act as soon as their kids don't return home on New year's eve. Exactly, they try to shove food in your face because food is love. Food is the only way a chinese parent can show their kids love, mostly because Asian culture was never lovey dovey when it came to parent-child relationships, which is why the first episode was so emotional. Watching it immediately made me realize that Link Click had something awesome for us in store. Secondly, the child trafficking episode. I am not saying that it is a part of chinese culture but that it is an extremely relevant topic since a long time and many people choose to ignore it. Child trafficking is no joke especially in Asia. Link Click showed us just how easily a child gets taken away and how we as a society can fail when it comes to such a thing. We all know that it would have ended badly for the little boy if it weren't an anime and that thought in itself is scary enough because it is the reality of thousands of children. At the beginning of this review I said how I never expected China to produce such a story and it's especially because of this episode. China doesn't like to adress problems. They would rather turn a blind eye and shove it under the carpet. I just think Link Click is the first step into changing this ignorance. It's rare to see Chinese stories to talk about societal issues and to see it is just amazing. __Praise:__ Link Click uses its interesting concept to tell extremely compelling and interesting stories showing the viewers only the best kinds of stories all the while following an overarching mystery murder that keeps the viewers hooked. They played the emotional card so well while using common tropes while also adding their own little twists that will leave you absolutely in shock. Emma is a characters that we got attached to even before we got to know the main characters and the studio knew that which is why they came full circle with Emma appearing in the first and last episode and despite the season ending in a cliffhanger it leaves you with a kind of closure. I personally was absolutely furious with how Emma ended, they used her character so well to play with the viewers emotions but in the end it answered all my questions. My praise also goes out to episode 10 especially to the end of episode 10 because god damn it that was so cool. The red lightning, the jump, the line, the expressions and the perfect transition into the outro. It was a immaculate entry to the final fight and I loved it. Cheng xiaoshi's plan was so unpredictable that it blew my mind. I'm not saying that he is dumb but he isn't the calm and rational character like Lu guang. I didn't expect him to go for such a move despite knowing he would go through the previous pain of meeting all the deceased ones again. The finale was the perfect climax for the end of this prologue and everything that built up to it felt so satisfying. Once again this show is certainly not bad. But- __Critic:__ Alright after 1000+ words of praise it's time for the critic and why I think they failed to utilize all their characters to the fullest. First of all, frankly, I didn't give a shit about Lu guang, Cheng xiaoshi and Ling qiao which is already a major red flag for a series since you know... THEY ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERS. I said it before, Emma was introduced as a character even before we got to really know the main boys what didn't 100% had to mean that it was a bad idea but what came afterwards was so shallow and meaningless. Instead of even using one episode to focus on the main characters the studio continued to tell sob stories of random people which made it so hard to empathize and sympathize with Cheng xiaoshi. The first time we got a bit more characterization for Cheng xiaoshi was the basketball episode and the following flashback. I honestly tried to care but it just meant nothing to me. I cannot empathize with his fears, his worries and his irrationality because we were given too little characterization in the first place and the fact that he has to play another person in every episode doesn't help either. A lot of people I know found it annoying how emotional he was and how he always ruined Lu guang's plans and I can understand why they would find it annoying. We were given zero explanations why he is the way he is so we are forced to just accept that we would sometimes do exactly what he is told not to do. I don't think we need to talk about Lu guang. He can be described with two words: Calm and rational. Nothing more and I honestly don't care about him either. Lu guang's characterization was in the fist place nothing but a failure. I am even surprised that I could remember the boy's names but that's probably only because I know the language. I'm sure most viewers didn't knew their names until the very end. __Ending thoughts:__ Link Click knew how to tell emotional sob stories with characters that they had no idea how to handle. For a donghua it certainly deserves praise but compared to anime produced in Japan it is still lacking in many aspects. Still, it's an enjoyable watch and a great entrance for the world of donghua. With Link Click's success I'm sure China will start to realize in what direction they should start to go instead of sticking to their never ending "Wuxia" stories. Go watch Link CLick and see for youself how good this show is. Don't mind the Dub, we were all unfamiliar with Japanese Dub in the beginning as well and slowly got used to it. Don't let a new language be the reason to miss out on a good show.
# Enredo; Apesar de minha experiência com viagens no tempo se limitarem aos filmes do De Volta pro Futuro e 4 episódios de Tokyo Revengers, eu realmente achei o conceito apresentado aqui bem diferente. As histórias paralelas são interessantes e é explicado um pouco do funcionamento das viagens ao longo delas, apesar de eu ainda ter ficado com algumas dúvidas. Por exemplo, como eles descobriram que tinham aquele poder e o porquê de terem decidido usá-lo daquela forma; assim como o real processo de "entrar nas fotos". Porque enquanto o protagonista de TR entra em coma quando volta no tempo, o Xiaoshi literalmente some/aparece do nada. Apesar disso, não foi algo que tenha impactado negativamente a minha experiência, levando em conta que estou esperando isso ser explicado na próxima temporada. O ritmo foi satisfatório e em momento algum eu achei que estivessem arrastando o episódio para alcançar os 24 minutos ou que estivessem apressando as coisas. Mas senti falta de um foco maior no quesito background dos personagens principais. # Trilha sonora & dublagem; Possui uma das melhores trilhas sononas que vi nos últimos tempos, disso eu tenho certeza. Pontos extras para a abertura e encerramento também, já que diferente de outros animes eu não senti a necessidade de pular essa parte Já a respeito da dublagem, muitas pessoas reclamaram pelo fato de estar em mandarim, mas isso não foi um ponto negativo ao meu ver. Os dubladores fizeram um bom trabalho e foi um alívio ouvir uma dublagem mais calma, já que estou cansada de ver personagens gritando o tempo todo sem motivo (sim, Eren, eu tô falando contigo). # Arte & animação; Muito bem feita e sem inconsistências. Eu raramente presto atenção nos cenários mas foi algo que se destacou desde o primeiro episódio. Não acharia ruim ver outras séries com um cenário mais "texturizado". O design dos personagens é ok, nada muito chamativo. # Personagens; Eu gosto da maioria deles, mas como já disse antes, senti falta de um foco maior no passado de cada um. Eu tenho a impressão de que sei mais a respeito daquela amiga que eles ajudaram (e que eu esqueci o nome) do que dos protagonistas de fato. A interação deles me pareceu natural, entretanto, e você consegue sentir o peso emocional das consequências que eles tomaram, principalmente no caso do Xiaoshi (o que provavelmente se dá pelo fato de eles ser o mais emocional dos 3) Minha conclusão? Link Click foi o primeiro anime/donghua que eu consegui terminar depois de várias tentativas frustradas de achar algo decente pra assistir, e pra alguém que tem mais animes inacabados do que terminados isso mostra o quão entusiasmada eu fiquei. Recomendo dar uma chance.
#~~~SPOILER-FREE~~~ ~~~img220(https://64.media.tumblr.com/4cd8d0a70bf9ae4cb161c65bdff27a2c/52624585d9ead782-54/s250x400/d84a9c13d9d9bd3f1d605c69896b5c1cb32b726f.gifv)~~~ ~~~As my first review I choosed Link Click since I ended watching this anime today Many of you may recognize this anime as one of the best chinese animes and today we will discover why people say that!~~~ ~~~img(https://c.tenor.com/Xbc_iHr1xJYAAAAC/link-click-shiguang-daili-ren.gif)~~~ #~~~First Thoughts:~~~ ~~~ At first I had my hypes really up , like everyone( I Think). But this anime was even better that I was expectating. When I finished watching the third episode I almost started crying. This anime is a mix of emotions well organized and distributed !~~~ ~~~img(https://c.tenor.com/WzwRe_bLaoUAAAAC/link-click-lu-guang.gif)~~~ #~~~Main Characters:~~~ ~~~One of the main characters is Cheng Xiaoshi He is a character where his story is the most revealed Cheng Xiaoshi is that type of guy who is funny , serious on moments dramatics and smart when he wants to xD He has the ability to dive back into photos through clapping his hands, allowing him to possess the photographer's body in order to fulfill their client's wishes.~~~ ~~~img(https://c.tenor.com/w8yx3StZrkEAAAAd/lu-guang-link-click.gif)~~~ ~~~The other main characters is Lu Guang He is for sure one of the most mysteries persons in the anime Lu Guang is a racional character and really smart. He is type of guy who will always be with you in the good and bad times He has the ability to see everything that happens in a photo within 12 hours of it being taken. And that's the main reasons why he is my favourite character♥♥~~~ ~~~img(https://c.tenor.com/d_JYKSF5q54AAAAC/shiguang-daili.gif)~~~ #~~~Small Summary:~~~ ~~~In this anime there is superpowers and one of them is to enter into photos! Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang work at "Time Photo Studio," a small photography shop . They use their superpower to enter into his clients photos. Each job can be full of danger, but nothing is more important than fulfilling every order, no matter the scale…~~~ ~~~img(https://c.tenor.com/7dpQseVAkx4AAAAC/link-click.gif)~~~ #~~~Overall score and Final Thoughts~~~ ~~~This is definetly an anime I would reccomend to everyone. This is a anime where you will be stuck from the very first episode. If you are looking for a anime like Steins Gate but a little lighter this is the one! My score for this anime is 9.7/10~~~ ~~~~!The anime is not a 10/10 because for me all the episodes needs to have the same hype and in this case some parts the of hype goes a little down But stil is just a small detail that most of the animes can´t do and a score of 9.7 it´s really good !~ ~~~ ~~~img(https://c.tenor.com/GwZp5GyVRCkAAAAd/link-click-shiguang-daili-ren.gif)~~~ ~~~Bye I hope you guys have enjoyed!♥♥ See you all in my next review!~~~
~~~❝ Firstly, You only get 12 hours ❞ ❝ Secondly, follow my lead and change nothing❞ ❝ Thirdly, past or future, just let them be ❞~~~ ~~~__Story & Characters__~~~ ~~~Link Click is not your usual show juggling various elements but a simple straightforward show with no complexity. If you understand the premise, you understand the story but its progress is not so predictable. I'm no expert in judging a story's caliber but my common sense tells me it is simplistically interesting and geniusly executed. Let me elaborate further, the story is intriguing due to its unique plot but at the same time, it is simple to understand and follow. My explanation may sound vague but this is something you have to watch the show firsthand to know exactly what I'm talking about. But moving on, time-traveling is a common concept by now and plenty of shows have experimented with it, but only a handful of animes have accomplished to properly demonstrate its potential to a greater extent. Link Click is not a Sci-Fi anime, instead it uses superpowers to mimic time travel and what makes it interesting is its character dynamics and the way it lays out the story. Character dynamics can hugely affect a story as characters are directly responsible for the events happening in the show which can lead the story to bend from minorly to drastically (common sense).~~~ ~~~As such, Link Click's story highly relies on characters and has a unique approach when it comes to fleshing out the characters which might seem shallow on the first look but you'll see the depth if you pay close attention to it. Before that, a short introduction of the two main characters would be nice. Lu Guang is a cool-headed, smart and logical person with a less-talk personality while Cheng Xiaoshi is like your typical shounen-ish main character who puts his emotions before logic and yea, the clumsy one among them but he is a kind person at heart and cherishes his friends. Further, they are good friends and partners in the work. Moving on to their character development, it is neither drastic nor prominent and almost feels like nothing has changed in them. The story is highly paced which is always moving which seems to hinder the character development, but Link Click finds a way to showcase its characters to some extent while juggling alongside a fast storyline. Given the number of episodes, it covers a lot story-wise but falls a bit short on its character development. Cheng is the only character with a decent background and it's safe to assume that he is the most fleshed-out character among all, Lu Guang sitting second to him. For the side characters, I have to praise this show cause we merely see them for 1-3 episodes but they leave a prominent mark. It presents the side characters in such a way that viewers can empathize with them which makes them hard to forget.~~~ ~~~Although Link Click falls short on character development, it covers that with an intriguing storyline full of surprises and cliffhangers. Trust me, you won't even feel that something is missing while watching the show. Actually, there isn't anything missing if I'm speaking with just the sheer experience I have of this show because sometimes the analysis doesn't matter, you just enjoy the show and that's what matters. I love to get caught off guard and it has a load of surprise elements; One moment you know what's going on and the next thing you know is that you don't know a sh*t what's happening. One of the major qualities of a good show is that it captivates the viewers into wanting more of it and I find this show to be best for binge-watching for that very reason. Believe me, every episode ends with a cliffhanger of criminal level (small heads up pfft). One another fascinating thing is that it connects some of the prior events which bloom out into fine mysteries, enhancing the story's caliber. So if I have to give a score to the story and characters combined then it'd be 10 out of 10 hands down.~~~ ~~~__Art / Animation__~~~ ~~~As I mentioned, the art style is different from your usual anime but not vastly different. First, let's talk about character designs, it's stylish and cool-looking. I am not very versed with donghua culture so I'm not sure if every donghua art style looks similar to it but I do like it cause it feels fresh. The character's art is not too detailed, it's around just fine which works well in my opinion. The background art is different too considering the setting is in china and it's detailed to some extent, but not absurdly. It's fine and all however, I do have a lil complaint which is its consistency. Throughout the show, there are quite a few times that the characters seem to look like how they are not supposed to look, but aside from that, it's all good. Coming towards its animation, it's good but not great, however, better than most of your usual seasonal shows. My favorite scene animation-wise is the basketball match where they absolutely nailed the choreography, the players' movements are fast, clean, and on-point, and the camera movement makes it even more cool looking. Further, I love the visuals for the opening song where the characters do the hand dance (idk what it is called exactly), it's smooth and cool. So yeah, there are no criticism for the visuals, it's an adorable eye candy.~~~ ~~~__Sound__~~~ ~~~Here we are at the sound section, one of my favorite. Let's start with the opening and ending song, the opening song is in English and is a total vibe. I love that song, it is upbeat and a total banger with all those instrumental parts, especially loved the electric guitar part. As for the ending, it's a rap song and has a darker vibe to it than the opening song. I love how every episode slowly approaches the ending song as the instrumental part begins and the vocal strikes as the episode ends. There are a lot of soundtracks in it and I love every single one of them, especially the emotional ones. Putting vocal soundtracks during the scenes was a brilliant maneuver cause we don't see vocals in background music that often which is both unique and well done in this show. As I mentioned earlier, my ears aren't used to hearing Chinese words so it took me a while to get accustomed to it. Aside from it, I find no problems in sound department.~~~ ~~~__Enjoyment__~~~ ~~~Link Click is a show that puts enjoyment above everything and totally nails it. Link Click's every episode hits like a truck and the episodic cliffhangers are just perfect for the engagement. The thing that makes it enjoyable is its restlessness because the story is always moving somewhere and soon as one arc is done, it immediately throws another one at you. It's a non-stop journey, one that is both amazing and enjoyable. Its small genre composition is just a tip of an iceberg as it has a lot more to offer, I'm talking about humor, action, and mystery. These elements do not appear as prominent as the actual genres but they do contribute in the amplification of the entertainment factor in the show. The dramas are intense and it sucks you into it as you start to empathize more and more with characters which feels like a rollercoaster ride of emotions, which is both thrilling and entertaining.~~~ ~~~__My Overall Thoughts on it__~~~ ~~~There isn't much left to say but I'd like to share some of my final opinions on it. Link Click is one of a kind and it's undoubtedly one of the best shows, if not, the best show I have watched this year. I absolutely love this show and I had a fun time binge-watching it. Speaking of which, it's rare for me to binge-watch a show unless I really really like it and Link Click happened to be just the right show for me. It's the first ever donghua which I have watched and it certainly had changed some of my prejudiced opinions on Chinese shows, granted, it has set the bar too high as well. I have watched a decent number of shows and I have come across lots of good and bad shows, but only few great shows. Does 'Link Click' belong among those few great shows? Absolutely, in other words, a masterpiece. It's a masterpiece from every angle you look at it and deserves every bit of praise. Lastly, I'd recommend this show especially to those who loves fast paced storyline filled with superpowers.~~~ ~~~__☆ ☆ ☆__~~~
>Some people get lost before finding themselves again —Cheng Xiaoshi Link Click is a Chinese supernatural mystery thriller about two guys, Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi, who run a private investigation company. Cheng has the ability to travel back in time to any point he's able to see in a photo, where he becomes the person who took the photo and Lu Guang can see the next 12 hours of events that happen in that person's life after the photo was taken. They then communicate through the next 12 hours to make sure they figure out what they have to without changing the timeline too much. Maybe it's the strict diet of Shonen and wholesome Romance/Drama anime I've been feeding myself recently but the first thing that stuck out to me about this show was how real it was. The first episode alone explores themes of loneliness, pressures to succeed and sexual assault in the workplace through Emma, a girl who Cheng Xiaoshi becomes in order to find data proof of an illegal scheme the company she's working for is involved in. What separates this show from others is the sheer empathy and emotion poured into it. Most shows in the mystery thriller genre are cold, calculated and almost desensitizing to things like death. Due to the nature of Xiaoshi's ability, it is impossible for the show to be separated from the feelings of the victims/clients. Xiaoshi has to enter the bodies of these people and is forced to experience their feelings and memories. In order to save people, he has to become the kid being trafficked, or the sexually assaulted woman, or the natural disaster victim. It forces the viewer to consider the emotions of these people as well in a very real and natural way. Minor spoiler in this paragraph ~!A strong example of this forced empathy is in the second episode when he takes over the body of Xia Yu, a female restaurant owner. Someone outside the door delivering ingredients knocks and Xia Yu goes to help empty the truck. A very sexist conversation happens between Xia Yu and the guy where the guy essentially says that Xia Yu should be looking for a suiter instead of working on her business, and Xiaoshi as Xia Yu is forced to defend his position as a female business owner. He is quite literally putting himself in the shoes of the victims and people he helps.!~ Aside from the theme of empathy, other things the show did well. Banger soundtrack, here is [OP](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cuCfmOsuCA) and here is [ED](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly2GjsxKtg0), both are fire. Incredible pacing, every episode finished with a cliffhanger that made it so easy to press the next episode button. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The show was also subtle in a way most anime aren't. The plot unraveled naturally, and while details were explained I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few twists where I was sitting there thinking "there's a detail I missed". It requires more attention than most anime I'd say, but it's definitely deserving of that attention. While the show thrived on the theme of empathy from episode to episode, I'd say where it failed was in developing the core cast and creating an overarching narrative. While Lu Guang and Xiaoshi fight and disagree, there's no overarching tension or goal driving their actions. Especially for Lu Guang, the closest we get to an explanation for why he's doing this for Xiaoshi is "he's just such a lovable guy that needs to be protected". They need clients to pay rent and keep the business afloat, but the show doesn't focus on this an issue really. Not that I want it to, I'd just like to see overarching character development or growth, and maybe a stronger motive for why the characters invest so much time and energy into helping people. However, without saying too much I think we'll get more from the main cast and an overarching narrative from the second season, so really in context of this being a longer multiple season show I think most of this won't be a problem going forward. Overall a very strong show, with flaws that make up like .01% of screen time. The show really hits it home on what it seems to be trying do which is really force the viewer to feel empathy for the oppressed people and victims that Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi are working to help.
While it was airing, Shiguang Dailiren was considered the hidden gem of Spring 2021 by many fans. Now, with its strong finale and its pass to a second season, its insane rise in score and its entry to MAL's top 25 anime will make more people watch it and discuss it. But is it really worth the hype? First of all, let's state the obvious and answer this question to a certain audience. People with an interest in non sci-fi time traveling shows could easily enjoy this. Flashy and with style, the protagonists use photographs to enter a past moment of the same world's timeline, and control others' bodies and minds there for a few hours with their main objective being the solution of criminal cases. Using that power, they must be careful not to change the flow of events because the butterfly effect may lead the world to a completely different future. How do they handle situations like these? Well, Cheng Xiaoshi's character is heavily inspired by the mad scientist from Steins;Gate, Okabe Rintarou. In his "diving operations", he gets emotional when he faces hardships and he feels the urge to help other people. He never puts the blame in others and tries to take full responsibility, and that's what could make him a tragic character or... a hero. His partner, Lu Guang is more grounded and that makes sense because he is an observer when they use their special power. Sadly, in these 11 episodes all the other characters are shallow and forgettable, so in the end, only Cheng matters. The dialogue and character interactions are a big minus in this show. There's sometimes fan service, while at times there are just tragic events happening and people acting immaturely. Of course, not everyone views this as a flaw. The animation and art show almost no similarity to those of common anime, and that's because Shiguang Dailiren is a donghua. Their style is closer to a live webtoon than a japanese anime. As for the soundtrack, it's a good reason to watch the show; the beautiful and romantic opening song, the dynamic and mysterious ending song that makes you want to watch more, but most of the insert songs too; all of them are praiseworthy. In my point of view, to really answer the question I set in my prologue, Link Click is neither innovative nor brilliant. Its selling points are either easy to use or already popular in fiction: simple time travel with no sci-fi approach, a compassionate main character, simple life lessons and morals that say no to greed, attractive looking characters and shallow drama that stems from bad life choices. It's like a failed attempt to make a crossover of Sherlock Holmes and Steins;Gate. Thank you for reading.
(This is the first time that I'm writing a review.)
__Scattered Thoughts #6__: Shiguang Dailiren ####_When my thoughts are too long for the notes section._ (Minor implicit spoilers ahead) #__Should you watch?__ Yes. I’ll get more into it later, but despite this anime being almost certainly written to resonate most strongly with a Chinese audience, its effective theming, emotional moments, and interesting story make for a thriller-mystery that anyone should be able to enjoy.
Link Click was a delight that came out of nowhere. A friend recommended this show to me, so that was my first introduction. Additionally, it looked intriguing, it’s quite short and I wanted to branch horizon further with Chinese animations. In general, my exposure to Chinese animation was ‘__The King's Avatar__’ and ‘__To be Hero__’ series. That is the extent of my exposure to this medium. The last reason is that I’ve been more interested in consuming Chinese media, as I have been reading The Three-Body Problem series by Liu Cixin. The introduction is simply incredible and gripping. This is one of the greatest examples of an effective pilot. It sets up the stakes involved beautifully, conveys the dynamic of the cast, it’s cleverly directed (by Haoling Li) and written exceptionally well yet to the point. The series is never convoluted, it's simple, which is part of its attraction. As you can have that __emotional connection__ with the cast and understand the gravity of the situations involved. Time travel is tricky as it can get convoluted easily, but that’s not a problem here. Firstly, the animation done by __Studio LAN__ is gorgeous. Which in hindsight should have been expected from the studio that delivered ‘__To Be Hero__’ with the same director involved. From the big set pieces to subtle body animation, all around the production value is simply incredible. The structure of the series is very clever. It’s somewhat like an anthology yet there’s an interconnected element to the main plotline that ties everything together masterfully. The characterisation is surprising, and fantastic for its length. __Haoling Li__ overall utilised his time with extreme efficiency without feeling a lot of potential depth was lost in the process. The music simply slaps. The segway to the ending song (Over Think) at the end of each episode was genius. The cliffhangers are incredible (yet never cheap) and having the ending song overlayed with that enhances that experience. Allowing the viewer to consume all that just transpired as you are listening to the ending song. I’ve never listened to Chinese rap, so it was a unique experience, to say the least. Though for the ending song I preferred the Japanese version of that song, but both are excellent. The themes it tackles are what you expect from its premise: memory, conscientiousness, guilt, hope, the inevitability of certain fates and a laundry list of others. The main subject it explores is the butterfly effect and it’s done very well. The consequences of potentially breaking certain regulations. In terms of the ending, I thought it was simply amazing. It closed all the major plotlines and leaves some room for season 2 in a very interesting manner. In Conclusion, this is an __excellent supernatural mystery/thriller__. Anybody who enjoys that genre will adore this experience. I generally don’t binge-watch, but this was a special case. It’s such a riveting rollercoaster ride that you can’t escape once you’re on the ride and an emotional ride all at the same time. This was a truly passionate project and I hope season 2 is just as good. Lastly, I would recommend the __Chinese dub__ as it was the original language and it's good to branch your horizon. That said some of the Japanese dub I listen to was great, so you can’t go wrong in either case.
So...yeah, I have some explaining to do. While most peoples' knowledge of animation is limited to North America, Canada, and Japan due to those countries being the ones putting it out the most, saying animation only comes from those countries is doing it a disservice. While not to the level of the countries I mentioned, other countries such as France, England, Russia, China, and so on have their own history and outputs in regards to the medium of cartoons. Hell, the very first documented cartoon was made in France, and the very first feature length animated (Not cel-animated) film originated from Germany. The subject of today's review, a web series called _Link Click_, is a donghua, or cartoon made in China. Admittedly, my knowledge of Chinese animation is very limited, and I've only seen this, _The Legend of Hei_, and _Big Fish and Begonia_. Plus, it didn't really help that years before, I had seen some news articles about some Chinese cartoons that had made headlines for blatantly plagiarizing and even outright stealing assets from other foreign properties. Not the best way to get exposed to Chinese animation, I know. But recently, it seems like Chinese animation has really stepped up (Do correct me if I'm wrong, though), and I'm glad for it. Though the only reason I even heard of _Link Click_ was because a voice actor I follow on Twitter announced that they were cast as one of the leads in the English dub and was hyping it up the wazoo. I wound up checking it out and...man, am I glad I did so. Thanks, Zeno Robinson! The story centers on two young men, Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi (pronounced chung shao-shuh), who run Time Photo Studio, which on the surface looks to be a place where people can develop photographs. But Lu and Xiaoshi actually have special powers, which they use to help clients. Xiaoshi can jump into photographs, traveling back in time to the moment the picture was taken, assuming the identity of the photographer, absorbing their memories and emotions in the process, whereas Lu can see the events that happened after a photo has been taken, and his job is to guide Xiaoshi through the events that happen. But they have to be careful, because they only have 12 hours and one chance to travel back in time and find what their clients want, and they also have to leave past events unchanged, or else the timeline will be thrown out of whack. One small action can have a ripple effect and the consequences could be perilous. Before I talk more about _Link Click_, can I just say how happy I am that 90% of the characters in this are adults who graduated from college rather than the usual whiny teenagers you see in anime? I mean, Xiaoshi acts more like a teenager than the rest of the cast, but even nowadays, its fairly rare for post-college adults to star in many Eastern animated properties, and because of this, the series has a more mature and grounded perspective in terms of how it handles everything. This is also due to the fact that while _Link Click_ starts off as an episodic character-of-the-week formula, it slowly evolves into a mystery and thriller by the end. _Link Click_ is a show that absolutely knows what it is, what story it wants to tell, knew what cards to play, and then managed to make everything come together for an amazing yet heartbreaking finale that still leaves you wanting more in the best way. Things that seem inconspicuous early on are used to great effect later, and instead of relying on unnecessary twists, it lets things play out naturally based on how the characters interact with one another and the world around them, creating a more natural tension that leaves you sitting at the edge of your seat in anticipation. Granted, Lu and Xiaoshi's dynamic does lean into the "smart stoic guy and impulsive dudebro" tropes that are pretty common in buddy pictures, but the show takes care to have their actions and personalities make sense in the narrative's context. All the characters in the anime are pretty nicely written, even if some don't get a whole lot of screen time. One character near the end has me raising my eyebrows a bit, but since season two is on the horizon, for all we know, he might get more development there. It helps that the animation and soundtrack are both pretty good, too. Again, I'm not entirely familiar with donghua nor have I seen a lot of it, so I can only compare it to not just _Legend of Hei_ and _Big Fish and Begonia_, but other anime as well. Whereas Hei was a mix of both Ghibli and CalArts and Begonia's art style was more reminiscent of early _Avatar: The Last Airbender_, _Link Click_'s character designs are a bit more typically...anime, but the characters' faces are pretty angular, with pointed chins and small eyes that manage to toe the line between being cartoony and realistic. The series also has a very slightly faded color palette, but that's not to say the series is poorly made. The backgrounds clearly have a lot of love put into them, with every scene looking like a painting, and while the actual character motion isn't as smooth as other series I've seen (I'm watching Kamichu right now, and its animation is more kinetic IMHO), it still gets the job done. Also, can I just say how utterly amazing the animation in the opening sequence is? From what I found out, the entire opening sequence was rotoscoped, made by ONE PERSON over a period of three months. That is amazing. The soundtrack itself is also pretty nice, and uses a lot of surprisingly competent English lyrics for some songs. But like with donghua in general, my knowledge of Chinese music is fairly limited, so I can't really say much about it other than that I like it. I wish I could be more eloquent about this stuff! There is one recurring theme in the show that does make me raise my eyebrows: What is it with people in this show being opposed to their kids moving to the city and wanting to make something of themselves? There are several instances in the show where some minor characters act like their kids moving to the city is tantamount to doing hard drugs or committing grand larceny. Hell, one character even threatens to disown her daughter just because she contemplated moving to the city for college and to find good jobs. The hell? I know China has this weird thing about filial piety and all, but...I don't know, I found those instances to be really needlessly melodramatic and forced, especially since the reason some characters even want to move to the city is to either go to college and get good job opportunities that they can't find in the boonies, which many people would consider to be great! Or this might just be a weird cultural thing that I'm not familiar with. Still, threatening to disown your kid just because she wants something better for herself seems a little much, don't you think? Furthermore, _Link Click_ doesn't really explain how Lu and Xiaoshi even got their powers at all, much less how they came to even get the job of jumping into photos in the first place. For all I know, season two might elaborate on this, but who knows at this point. So if you're looking for a show that gives you all the answers up front, you're probably not going to like _Link Click_. But I personally really like this show and really want to know more about it. I'm glad I got to sit down and watch _Link Click_, as its criminally underrated and deserves more love than its getting right now. Whether I'll rewatch it in its original Chinese, I'm not sure. It'll depend on how motivated I feel. And yes, you can bet your ass I'm watching season 2 as soon as that either comes out or gets dubbed into English.
~~~In questa serie ci sta un pò di bl service, però, per fortuna, non è bl. Si può guardare tranquillamente perché non è un fanservice eccessivo, ci sono solo atteggiamenti, fotogrammi o parole con doppi sensi, neanche si notano... durano uno schiocco di dita, a parte il modo in cui Xiaoshi entra nelle foto con il supporto di Guang, img300(https://i.ibb.co/MnLCwy8/A2001.gif) se si sarebbero stretti la mano, come inizialmente sembrava stessero per fare, l'avrei droppato lì. Per fortuna era fanservice per poi falle restare male con un semplice battito di mani. La scena ha illuso molte ragazze che stavano già fantasticando chissà quale film durante quel secondo, e loro se ne fanno tanti, per poi restare deluse. Le fujoshi hanno una grande fantasia, alcune molto deviate, le ammiro. Immaginate i loro volti entusiasti diventare delusi, il loro cuoricino che si spezza, godo. Questa serie solo per questa trollata, voluta o non voluta, gli fa guadagnare punti. Purtroppo però ci sta questo fotogramma dove le loro mani si toccano, quindi sono ugualmente contente. img444(https://i.ibb.co/rGDRYnL/A2002.png) Questo gli perdere punti. __|Xiaoshi|__ img350(https://i.ibb.co/Lk4zYbX/PXiaoshi1.png) Un piagnone ignorante che battendo le mani può entrare dentro le foto. In base all'anno in cui è stata scattata la foto, Xiaoshi si ritrovrà in quell'epoca e in quell'esatto momento. Come in ogni viaggio nel tempo, le sue azioni compiute nel passato possono pericolosamente cambiare il futuro. __|Guang|__ img350(https://i.ibb.co/QQGt6Lv/PGuang1.png) Un ragazzo... vorrei dire intelligente ma non lo è, razionale ma ha i capelli bianchi a 20 anni, quindi forse è vegano... sa cose, si può descrivere così, sa cose. Guardando una foto può vedere i fatti accaduti e prevedere anche il futuro nel caso in cui certe azioni si sarebbero svolte in modo diverso, tipo il Signor Strano. __|Qiao|__ che si pronuncia Ciao! img350(https://i.ibb.co/kg5JZYz/PQiao1.png) Qiao gestiste un negozio di fotografia ed è a conoscenza dei poteri di Xiaoshi e Guang. Lei gli porta i clienti in cerca di aiuto e Guang decide se possono essere aiutati o no, perché il passato non può essere modificato, una volta deciso fanno entrare Xiaoshi dentro la foto e lui dovrà seguire le istruzioni di Guang per non combinare danno. Qiao ripete spesso che vuole vedere mentre Xiaoshi e Guang lo fanno, omettendo sempre cosa. La sigla d'apertura non mi è piaciuta e l'ho sempre saltata. Questa opening ha immagini create appositamente per la sigla senza utilizzare scene dell'anime e si nota subito come sia stata fatta per attirare il pubblico femminile, infatti l'espressioni facciali sono contrariate mentre fanno questa danza idiota è la conferma "lo facciamo solo per accontentare il pubblico". img200(https://i.ibb.co/cybR1df/I01.png) img200(https://i.ibb.co/p2SMsq9/I02.png) img200(https://i.ibb.co/xXtGSQH/I03.png) La canzone di chiusura mi è piaciuta, non tanto... ma è meglio dell'opening. Anche qui non vengono mostrate scene presenti nella serie. Vi consiglio di vederlo, la storia ha uno svolgimento fatto bene e non annoia, è un triller pieno di storie drammatiche, pieno di gente depressa a cui sono accadute le peggio cose, non manca neanche il fattore più importante... un pò di violenza. Inutile scrivere poemi con gnegneismi vari, va visto, punto 9/10. Il difetto di questa serie è che può prolungarsi all'infinito, alla Detective Conan, avrei preferito un inizio e una fine. Se con la seconda stagione finisce, ed è bella come questa, gli alzo il voto. L'episodio 5.5 viene staccato dalla serie principale ma i fatti che accadono hanno un leggero collegamento, non è un filler forse è stato un episodio scartato ma lo hanno rilasciato lo stesso, per questo motivo non va saltato 8/10. Se avete visto l'anime, potete aprire perché il finale lo conoscete. !!! SPOILER !!! NON APRIRE !!! SPOILER !!! SPOILER !!! NON APRIRE !!! !!! SPOILER !!! DON'T OPEN !!! SPOILER !!! SPOILER !!! DON'T OPEN !!! If you have seen the anime, you can open because you know the ending. ~! img400(https://i.ibb.co/f4XB45y/C1.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/SRM867Y/C2.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/rcycNHW/C3.png) Nel primo episodio si vede subito come funziona il loro potere. Qiao darà l'ordine del cliente a Guang e Xiaoshi entrerà in una foto, tornando nel passato, prendendo il controllo del corpo di chi ha scattato la foto. In questo caso Emma. img400(https://i.ibb.co/QrncPQJ/D1.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/Pt5DTQJ/D4.png) Il suo capo, come si vede dallo screeshot, è pronto a piantare il suo seme nel suo giardino che lei voglia o no. Dentro quel corpo però ci sta Xiaoshi. Qui è successo un doppio fanservice, le ragazze hanno pensato "ora verrà coltivato al muro" ma i ragazzi vedranno una ragazza ma poi nessuno ha visto niente. Dopotutto è piaciuto a molti non poteva ne ora e ne mai accadere quella roba, la mia conoscenza me lo aveva già spoilerato. Altra scena fanservice che mi stava portando a mollare sta serie, iniziavo a pensare che più avanti va più bl vedrò :/ img400(https://i.ibb.co/Tg9TJRt/D5.png) Nel secondo episodio la storia di due amiche dove una di loro vuole sapere la ricetta che già conosce ma non ricorda di sapere. Questo episodio è quello che mi è piaciuto meno. Anche qui fanservice bl sparso, quello più stupido alla fine. img400(https://i.ibb.co/jbsksX0/E1.png) Come se per forza dovevano mangiare nello stesso piatto :/ Il terzo episodio non è "conclusivo" come il primo e il secondo continua con il quarto e il quinto. img400(https://i.ibb.co/4M87RvZ/L4.png) Questo tizio losco è il prossimo cliente che aiuteranno. Nel quarto e quinto episodio ci stanno molte scene dove Xiaoshi, nel corpo dello stalker da giovane, muove la bocca ma non dice niente, con una musica di sottofondo come a dire "sta dicendo cose commoventi" che si ripetono 2 o 3 volte non ricordo di preciso, prima nel quarto e poi nel quinto episodio. Poi però, quei movimenti di bocca muti, vengono svelati venendo ripetuti ma con l'audio, riuscendo a sentire cosa aveva detto. La cosa mi era sembrata molto stupida. Stavo pensando "ecco come sarebbero i film se comunicassimo come i pesci rossi". Xiaoshi chiede a Guang se può salvare almeno la madre di questo ragazzo... Guang dato che non vuole cambiare il passato perché non si deve cambiare il passato, suggerisce a Xiaoshi che durante il terremoto è meglio che stia dentro casa perché fuori è più pericoloso "meglio se stai dentro sotto al tavolino, stare all'aperto è statisticamente più pericoloso (in aperta campagna senza neanche un albero o qualcosa che possa cadergli addosso, quella signora deve morire)". img400(https://i.ibb.co/qnyCdsp/L5.png) Da questa immagine, fa capire che Xiaoshi è riuscito comunque a migliorare la vita dello spione perché prima ha vissuto nei rimpianti senza sposarsi. Al fine del quinto episodio, come per sdrammatizare, lo stalker spione fa rientro a casa... img400(https://i.ibb.co/x2FN0Gs/L6.png) Un rientro con inquadrature tipo quando irrompe un ladro, assassino, stupratore. img400(https://i.ibb.co/m5NFb2H/L7.png) Poi entra nel letto di suo figlio img400(https://i.ibb.co/ydGtswh/L8.png) E gli dice img400(https://i.ibb.co/0j7xx7v/L9.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/wLXTH05/L10.png) La verità è che gli canta una canzoncina :/ Dai.. non esiste che un padre entra nel letto del figlio a cantare la canzoncina e in più mentre dorme. Forse ci aveva già provato con la moglie e lo cacciato dal letto e quindi è andato a dare fastidio al figlio. Il 5.5 un episodio sul quanto sia importante mantenere le promesse e il non arrendersi mai per l'onore. Qui si esagera ma a quanto pare l'onore è più importante della dignità. Qui avrà dai 20 ai 30 anni esagerando. img400(https://i.ibb.co/2hKTvsL/A202530A.png) Qui il padre della ragazza, ragazza che è più grande del ragazzo, ne avrà 45 ai 55 anni. img400(https://i.ibb.co/D5dzJmg/A455055A.png) Qui il ragazzo è invecchiato ed avrà tra i 70 e 80 anni. img400(https://i.ibb.co/zVXLNDS/B707580B.png) Il padre della ragazza qui ne avrà 90, 100, 110 anni o forse il ragazzo ha continuato a invecchiare mentre lui no. img400(https://i.ibb.co/xfbXDjR/B90100110-B.png) Oppure il ragazzo ha 60 anni portati malissimo, causa dello stress per mantenere la promessa e tutta quella scalinata, salita infinite volte, per poi prendere calci e pugni. Non ho altre spiegazioni, però vanta l'età del padre della sua ragazza, quindi penso sia un centenario che pur di impedirgli di sposarla, per così tanto tempo, è campato 100anni. Anche se di figliare hanno figliato, perché il padre dice di avere dei nipoti, ma per sposarsi ci hanno messo un secolo. Dall'episodio 6 al 7 inizia un'altra storia proseguendo con i fatti accaduti in quelli precedenti e mostrando scene del 5.5 per questo motivo penso che il 5.5 sia un 2.5, non andrebbe visto dopo il 5 ma dopo il 2 :/ La storia è quella di un bambino fastidioso che viene rapito da una spece di zingara che prima del rapimento non aveva il dente d'oro ma poi dopo quel pugno se lo è montato trasformandosi nel classico stereotipo di rapitrice di bambini. img400(https://i.ibb.co/pW8T4CS/Q996.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/DWC7bmm/Q997.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/qWv5LpY/Q998.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/TKfS1Wp/Q999.png) Questi due hanno visto tutto ma hanno prefirito l'omertà. img400(https://i.ibb.co/Xx957H0/Q1111.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/4RJz4BQ/Q1000.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/R9MH8Ck/Q1001.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/vVNKTTV/Q1002.png) Lui è impazzito nel cercarlo, comunque, tornando ai fatti più reali, quando Xiaoshi era dentro il corpo di quel bambino aveva detto di trattarlo bene ma lo ha riportato indietro ai genitori sempre dopo 3anni senza averglielo detto, poteva riportargleilo prima che una maledizione dei suoi antenati la colpisse, invece no. In più, dalle scarpe strappate, non mi sembra che lo abbia trattato bene. Ma anche se lo avesse trattato male, ha fatto bene. Dall'episodio 8 all'11 sono gli episodi finali. Questa volta invece del solito sconosciuto dovranno aiutare l'amica di Ciao, Salve. img400(https://i.ibb.co/tP4ZpVx/M0.png) Il suo è un banale problema amoroso che vuole risolvere ma si evolve in una caccia al Serial Killer. Accade sto siparietto https://imgur.com/gallery/YhFwZTS webm(https://i.imgur.com/PjuHlKa.mp4) Poi si scopre che quello non è il serial killer che cercavano anche se è vestito uguale! img400(https://i.ibb.co/Y3BPvVG/K109090.png) Ma forse... Abbigliamento Killer Giapponese img300(https://i.ibb.co/fGf7NT0/KKK22.jpg) Abbigliamento Killer Cinese img300(https://i.ibb.co/LvFVQHJ/NNN11.png) Infine inaspettatamente Xiaoshi l'ignorante elabora un piano per intrappolare e far catturare il serial killer ma si scopre che era una persona a controllare il corpo di quell'assassino, anche se quella persona era consensiente a collaborare nell'uccidere gente mentre all'interrogatorio faceva tutto l'innocente, però sta sconfitta al killer gliel'ha fatte girare ed inizia ad ammazzare un pò di persone prendendo il possesso di quei corpi. img400(https://i.ibb.co/Ydd916K/M1.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/LtjxW3S/M2.png) img400(https://i.ibb.co/QmchB2Z/M3.png) Così si viene a conoscenza che ci sta un altro che entra dentro i corpi ma contemporaneamente e riesce a contrallare sia quelli nel passato che nel presente. Quanti ne può controllare? Come può vincere Xiaoshi? Con il potere che possiede sto killer, si può già scavare una fossa ma avrà sicuramente dei limiti che si scopriranno nella seconda stagione. Però il Killer ha davanti uno Xiaoshi inerme e piagnucolante, dovrebbe approfittarne e ammazzarlo. Dovrebbe. img(https://i.ibb.co/CVqN6Lj/M4.png)~~~!~
~~~
#**First part of this review is spoiler-free**
img500(https://i.imgur.com/YtVxmS3.png)
~~~
Link Click - my introduction to Chinese anime, and it is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every arc by
itself is fantastic but the overarching plot elevates it to an even higher level.
Honestly, I could write a whole essay about every single arc. They're amazing self-contained stories
with strong, resonant themes often tackling societal issues and very heavy topics such as toxic work
culture, sexual abuse, child trafficking, death of loved ones, suicide, love troubles and more.
The manner in which these complex matters are handled is just phenomenal. In a very limited span the
show gets an insane amount of emotions across and makes you care more deeply for these characters you
just met than most others do in dozens, even hundreds of episodes.
The drama is just on an another level and it's this absurdly high involvement, this insane intensity
and suspense, this absolute emotional roller-coaster that I ADORE in anime.
Every single episode is just... profound. Everything is cranked up to 110%, but not in a bad way - it
never feels excessive or artificial. But be sure that just one episode will have you completely
DRAINED - did I already mention that this show is quite intense?
It just HITS you. Right in your very core. Do. not. ask. me. how. BUT IT JUST DOES! I don't know what
kind of black magic the creators use but every story, however simple and basic it might seem first,
becomes the best shit you've ever seen.
Each character feels so... alive! Not necessarily as realistic or nuanced as in Vagabond or Monster
but just... alive. Natural. Authentic. You feel for them, you really do. You cry with them. You laugh
with them. Though for the most part, you just suffer with them through wonderfully excruciating
suspense.
Only exception is the Ramen shop arc which is just a step down from all the others. It's still pretty
good but not comparable to the rest in any area. Luckily it's short.
Now, let's delve into different aspects of this show.
~~~
# **- The Cast -**
~~~
Quick heads-up: The Japanese dub changed the names. Xiaoshi is Toki and Ling is Rin.
Our main characters are not too spectacular, but super likable. And that's not a problem, it's just
one thing the show might want to expand upon in the next season - a bit more depth. Xiaoshi already
had some of his backstory revealed; that was really beautiful and made his relationship with Ling much
more sincere.
Regardless, I really like and root for them, and that is enough here. No complaints.
The characters exclusive to one arc feel humane, vulnerable and just genuine. And most importantly -
the show never fails to make you compassionate and caring for them.
The side characters (basically only Ling) are similar, just with less heavy issues and more
likability.
Overall you're quite attached to most characters, no matter how irrelevant. You either like or dislike
them - there's no indifference. You'll always be taking a side - the specialty of this anime is to
quite literally put you in another person's shoes, and trust me it's pretty damn good at it.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/fiXk0bk.jpg)
~~~
~~~
# **- The Story -**
~~~
I really like the concept and as you heard often enough now, the structure with the small, isolated
arcs. However, that's not all there is - and I'm glad about that.
We'll get to the standalone arcs later, for now lets talk about the overarching plot. It only gets
revealed pretty late, but it is spectacular. There are some truly shocking reveals and high stakes,
and it gets extremely suspenseful - I won't go into details so as not to spoil. S2 will have that as
the focus (I assume), and I'm extremely excited. To be honest I doubt it can live up to this amazing
formula with the separate arcs, but I'm sure it'll still be phenomenal. Then again, they don't
necessarily need to abandon it as the last part of S1 showed.
Concerning said plot I have to admit I didn't quite get everything. It becomes somewhat messy and
complicated at some parts and for the love of god I cannot remember these names, which makes it really
hard to keep track of who they're talking about when the person isn't on-screen. (Fun fact: every time
you read Xiaoshi I just pasted that in lmaoooo)
So yes, I did not figure out what they did in detail but it certainly was enough to understand what is
going on and enjoy the show. I cannot blame the anime alone for this, but it *is* hard to keep up with
at some points in the final arc.
In general the plot is very straightforward, and while there isn't enough time to delve into every
small aspect due to the short runtime and fast pacing, this rarely ever becomes a problem. Achieving
this alone is a remarkable feat - many anime in this format struggle a lot with it.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/tBsgtrJ.png)
~~~
~~~
# **- Production -**
~~~
The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, *just like the characters*. I'm in love with this unique art
style. Furthermore, the movie aspect ratio (black bars) makes everything feel even more... intense and
beautiful. I know it makes no real sense but that's how it feels to me. It also makes it feel like a
movie, which is actually not too far off considering the show's structure.
The Chinese voice acting is top-notch. For someone hearing this language for the first time, it is
quite odd and even irritating at times, but overall I really like it and definitely recommend watching
in Chinese!
The OP and ED - latter is in Chinese - are absolute bangers, visually and musically.
OST is rather unusual, but in a refreshing way. Lots of great tracks, many with lofi vibes. Sometimes
it's a bit too obtrusive though.
~~~
img300(https://i.imgur.com/b0mBErF.png)
img300(https://i.imgur.com/FnWZBBP.png)
[click to enlarge]
~~~
---
~~~
# **Spoilers from here on.**
~~~
---
~~~
# **- The Gems of Link Click -**
The true essence of this show - wonderfully touching stories that leave a lasting mark.
~~~
## **Emma's arc(s):**
What I love here is the raw, painful portrayal of social issues and toxic work culture.
The best, or rather most effective way to communicate with humans is not through numbers, facts or
headlines.
**It's through emotions.**
The media will do this by using photos, but this show goes further - and that's the crux of what makes
it so amazing.
We, the viewers, literally become a woman suffering these troubles and get to feel everything for
ourselves, in the truest sense. Seeing her chats with her worried parents who really just wanted the
best for her was so damn HEARTBREAKING - it hit me like a truck.
The same goes for feeling the horrors of sexual assault - it will never look as bad from the "outside"
or from the assaulter's perspective. But putting you in the shoes of the victim, giving you actual POV
shots - goddamn they should run this as an ad in workplaces. It is DISGUSTING. And it makes you FEEL
it.
And of course, this arc is an absolute roller-coaster as well: I was so happy for Emma when she
decided to turn her life around and get the hell out of there but... SURPRISE. She got fucking
MURDERED. Out of nowhere! And that was our introduction to this show. My heart already can't take it
anymore...
And then Emma comes back for the very last arc. I'd been eagerly anticipating the continuation of her
story, but what I got far surpassed even my wildest expectations:
The conversation she had with Xiaoshi on the verge of killing herself is indisputably my favorite
moment in the entire show.
Emma, in the height of an emotional breakdown, devoid of all hope and filled with despair and trauma.
On the other side Xiaoshi, aware he only has seconds to save her, but also bearing the weight of
knowing that he cannot change fate - for him this is just as traumatic. He's thrown right back to when
he tried to save the people from the earthquake and is scared of failing yet again.
This scene truly elevates Link Click to masterpiece levels.
It's so profoundly moving, so wonderfully touching, so emotionally loaded and dramatic and yet just...
beautiful.
Beautiful. Forget cutting onions, my eyes were looking like the Niagara Falls.
Add to this the conclusion and relation to the main plot - the absolutely HUGE reveal that we got in
the same moment - and this reaches sheer unfathomable heights.
**This story alone would've been enough to create a sensational anime.
But we're just getting started.**
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/zbjbV2V.png)
_Just looking at this gives me chills... majestic shot_
~~~
## **Basketball arc:**
It did not quite catch me at first but oh my god in the end it might be my favorite out of all!
Xiaoshi's conversations with the girl 'he' loved, with 'his' mother, his desperate attempts to change
the future paired with the parallels to his actual parents' deaths and in the end: ultimate failure on
all fronts and utter betrayal by his one trusted friend. Holy shit.
That was a lot right? Did you even get it all on the first read? Now just imagine all these plot
points actually unfolding at the same time.
Speechless.
Every one of the things I listed alone is enough to make this arc incredible just by itself, but let's
just go through it slowly:
**First of all**, they manage to pack a full-fledged sports anime in the midst of this show; the game
is exciting, the team is likable and there's lots of common themes such as conflict between academic
and athletic career or poverty.
**Next**, I could write a whole essay just about the dynamic between him and the mother. Their heated
argument once again touches open lots of social issues: themes of family and motherhood, such as the
father's absence, the mother's resulting pain and desperation to not lose her son, yet still wishing
the best for him. On the other side we have the son who wants to follow his dreams rather than an
academic career, despite the mother's worries. All very common issues that many young people have to
deal with, all presented here excellently - you truly understand both sides, especially the mother's.
**Then** we have the highlight of this arc - the mother's death. It is the culmination of the
previously established themes, showing how far a mother's love truly goes, no matter what happens in
between them. Her sacrifice and final moments were some of the most touching scenes I've seen in
anime; Xiaoshi's screams are haunting me to this day. Truly masterful writing, an unforgettable
conclusion to the arc. I was BAWLING when they dug the bodies out and Xiaoshi just totally broke down
and cried for his mother.
**But** that's far from everything - we also have the plot line with his crush. They were insanely
cute together, but seeing them like this while knowing they can never be together is nothing short of
torture.
**And** as if that wasn't already enough, what makes everything way, way, more suspenseful and tragic
are Xiaoshi's desperate attempts to change the fate he knows cannot be changed. To save everyone. To
not be powerless. Of course, we know his attempts are doomed to fail, and so does he... but it doesn't
feel like that.
**This time, the show makes you feel like our main character.**
You feel his hope, his sheer desperation, the immense pressure on him - you can barely sit still
because it's so tense. And when it all fails, you break. With him.
What?
That wasn't all??
That was not enough???
Apparently not, if you ask the writers.
As if our boy did not have enough trauma for two lifetimes already, the icing on this cake of misery
is... his partner's betrayal. The only person he really trusted mislead and used him, and he was at
least partly responsible for all the suffering he went through. And guess what? I didn't even expand
on the parallels to his parents' death, which makes the whole thing a trillion times more personal.
I don't even know what to say at this point.
ALL OF THIS HAPPENS WITHIN 1 HOUR OF SCREEN TIME
LET THAT SINK IN
Now, do you get what I mean when I say Link Click is intense?
And still, it all hits, nothing feels rushed. The sheer quality in such a dense amount of time,
basically building an entire anime from scratch *within an anime*... I've never seen anything like
this before. Not on this level. Not even remotely close, and nowhere as consistent.
Though for once I have to admit - the trauma after all this and especially Xiaoshi's mistrust and
animosity towards his partner were not resolved as well as they should've been. Of course, the partner
had his reasons and ultimately meant well, but still. It wasn't bad, just not enough. Here the show
actually did suffer from its reckless pacing.
This, however, pales in comparison to all the amazing moments in this arc.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/SpI1XYz.png)
_just look how cute they are i cant take this shit oh my god_
~~~
## **Child kidnapping arc:**
One thing I really liked here was just the authentic portrayal of a working family and their
struggles. Sure, it was just a 2 min scene at the start of the arc... but it just struck me: This show
is GOOD. It's just amazing at this kind of stuff.
Of course, this is not the main focus. This story was super thrilling because you had such high stakes
and... you could directly affect the future! That is absolutely unprecedented and I was blown away by
the idea. A big difference compared to the Basketball arc, now with Xiaoshi even more set on achieving
something to make up for his previous failure. As always, the themes - especially grim this time -
were portrayed hauntingly well and moving. Really makes you check twice the next time you see a child
being led by some adult.
Watching our time travelers fail again and again until it was all on the line, then just barely making
it and finally getting the payoff... what a ride. Sensational. Beautiful. Just like the girls in this
show. (i needed to get that off my chest)
This arc was a direct opposition to the previous one in terms of the conclusion: a total success. Very
welcome.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/PVmJ0Rl.png)
~~~
## **University arc (Shanshan's first arc):**
Now this arc, I really like for a personal reason. As a uni student it just resonates with me and I
love this depiction of how my future uni life might look like. I always love it when shows show me
inspiration for my life, or rather, what amazing things are waiting in the future. The only other
example I can think of right now is [Great
Pretender](https://anilist.co/anime/110349/Great-Pretender), especially with
[Cynthia](https://anilist.co/character/158449/Cynthia-Moore)'s arc. That's why that show has a special
place in my heart.
And here it's the same. I really like how they went through the different phases of student life, even
after graduation. The romance, which is the actual focus, is also great, though honestly Shanshan is
just painfully stupid. And I mean that well. Regardless, I was strongly rooting for her - Link Click
never fails at that - and like how it played out.
~~~
img500(https://i.imgur.com/mBDlZmy.jpg)
_They're so pretty ahhh_
~~~
Man i think i just listed all arcs except the Ramen one as a favorite lmaoooo
Yeah this show is just that good
---
~~~
# **No spoilers here.**
~~~
----
~~~
# **- Conclusion -**
Link Click is a special show. In many ways.
~~~
What strikes me the most is the incredible structure: you have all these totally unrelated stories,
and there's these two absolutely phenomenal things that this show does to combine them into such a
masterpiece.
**Firstly**, each and every one of those stories could be a full-fledged anime by itself. This goes
way beyond the scale of normal episodic anime, like Violet Evergarden. That one also has many
beautiful stories, however none of them are as vast as what Link Click built with some of its arcs.
The sheer quality the writers manage to squeeze into such a short time is just unparalleled.
Characters feel authentic and nuanced, and what I consider any show's supreme discipline is Link
Click's biggest strength: **making the viewer care**. It never fails to completely enthrall you in the
world it *just* built *from scratch* and make you smile and cry along these drawings you've known for
less than 10 minutes.
**The second** ingredient is the overarching plot. All of these stories are stellar, but this binds
them together, somehow connecting these unrelated worlds and also giving the entire anime a sense of
direction and just wrapping everything up nice and tight. Link Click does this in two ways. One way is
through Xiaoshi, who develops through the events in the arcs, leading him to behave differently in the
following ones. The other is through the plot points which last over multiple arcs, take for example
Emma or Shanshan. And with the final episodes we have an actual overarching story line - this will
make S2 quite a different experience.
**In conlusion,** Link Click is a story, no, many stories told through emotions. It will make you feel
what others feel, it will pull you in and fully envelop you in its worlds. Each of them is an
emotional roller-coaster the likes of which you haven't seen before - top-notch drama, suspense and
character writing make sure you'll be soaked after a single episode. It never hesitates to tackle any
topic, however sensitive or taboo it might be and never fails to handle it magnificently.
On top of that, you have our dear main cast and the overarching plot which is at least as suspenseful
and exciting despite just getting started. I can't wait for S2 to expand on that and make this
universe even bigger!
---
~~~
**Watching Link Click is a journey. You're signing up to experience a wide range of life situations,
feelings, people, and relationships. In a way, it's like living all these different lives. And I
guarantee, you will walk away a changed man.**
~~~
---
~~~
img400(https://i.imgur.com/ym7IkHF.png)
~!
I spent more time on this than the entire runtime of the show
lmao
!~
~~~
Turning on the first episode of Link Click you are immediately greeted with fast paced dialogue and a stylish artwork that is both modern and yet different from what we are used to seeing. Its first priority is to set up its fantastical time-traveling mechanics, then following that up with the structure and commentary you will be getting all throughout the show, leading to a plot twist right before a banger of an ending song hits. All of it feels purposefully structured so that you know from the get-go what kind of show you’re getting into, and I can certainly appreciate the snappy pacing that doesn’t waste your time. Not only that, the first episode already shows you a glimpse of what it is building towards in the long run even if that element is going to very, very slowly crawl its way to the forefront, eventually changing its own approach to storytelling drastically as we are seeing in the early parts of season 2. On an episode to episode basis, this show is really good at always giving you what you expect from it. If anything, some episodes are a bit *too* consistent. Namely, there are a LOT of cliffhangers. At least the side-effect of that is that the ending song is now engraved in my mind from how it starts playing over those last scenes every, single, time. Link Click is about a photography shop that just so happens to have two of its workers be the holders of superpowers: Lu Guang has a clairvoyance that allows him to see everything happening around a picture or recording for twelve hours, while Cheng Xiaoshi can dive into the picture, taking over the body of the person who shot it. Their friend Qiao Ling takes in requests from customers, so that Lu Guang figures out how they can go about fulfilling the request, and Cheng Xiaoshi is the one that actually goes back in time to get the job done, said job generally being dealing with someone’s regret to ease their pain. It is a pretty straightforward dynamic that takes their personality in account — although I will admit that Qiao Ling is much less of a well-realized character than the other two as of season one —, primarily with Lu Guang being the more stoic one that guides Cheng Xiaoshi, who not only has the power to go back in time, but actually prefers to get right in the middle of trouble. Another great thing about this setup is that it takes advantage of an episodic structure to explore different kinds of regrets, but since Cheng Xiaoshi inherits the emotions (and some of the memories? Apparently?) of the people he takes over, there is a threshold to how much he can stop himself from getting involved, despite Lu Guang’s constant warnings about not messing with the timeline — which happens, as expected, and this is no spoiler, but it is important that all of it begins with Cheng Xiaoshi genuinely wanting to help someone. After somehow ending up with a dangerous power like this they still decided to use that to help other people, no doubt knowing how emotionally taxing it could end up being. Being in someone else’s shoes and knowing you are the only person that will ever have the opportunity of making it a little easier for them while also having to keep yourself in check to avoid the butterfly effect is something I would also struggle with in Cheng Xiaoshi’s position. If this entire scenario speaks to you personally in any way, then you will probably find the overall empathy that this story advocates for very heartwarming. I’d go as far as to say that is the core emotional appeal of the story, it seems as if the idea of using these abilities for their own benefit never even crossed these people’s minds. The writers and director of the show certainly have the skill necessary to drag this execution for the whole season, leading to yet another banger — this being the last episode — that properly loops back with the first one. Script-wise, this is very tightly written. Most of the confusing moments seem to stem from weird translations to english and the fact that characters speak very fast, which from my experience is quite common in Chinese productions. Watching a donghua can be both weird and fascinating if you’re only used to japanese animations, which I’m guessing you probably are. I can’t claim to understand them nearly to the extent that I understand the more common, otaku-centered anime, but trying to make sense of the different sensibilities is a kind of entertainment by itself. I found it quite interesting just how much the show was willing to indulge in the emotions of every scene, every story, and how much soul it has despite not dealing with anything that is particularly impressive on paper. This show’s greatest strength is its simplicity, so much so that it could have afforded to have A LOT more exposition to explain all the mechanics of the character’s powers, yet sees no reason to do that because your attention should be in the drama and not any technicality. Something else that is quite different is just how slow the protagonist’s progression is. They are lenses for the other character’s stories and through interacting with those stories you can glean details about the kind of people they are. I can see how some people might react to this by reading it as the main characters being very shallow, which I don’t agree with. It is very clearly intentional, so it should be read as more of a different approach than a failing. We have very little background for what happened before the show started, but there is a difference between trying to deliver that and failing or doing what this show does, which is to simply focus on other aspects of it. I didn’t cry in any episode (that is a me problem by the way, not a criticism of the show), but I found something to care about emotionally in every one of them. Be it Emma’s pain caused by distance and the pressure of early-adult life, the sheer unavoidable tragedy that can befall some families or the agonizing process of drifting away from past friendships. Not a single person in this story has it easy. It is all very down to earth, very human drama that lends this show an attitude of living in the present (ironic, I know) that I appreciate very much. Wanting to go back to fix past mistakes is something every single human being has thought about, you would be hard-pressed to find something more universal, and while it would be useful to be like these characters and actually do it, the show makes it a point out of treating it as the emotionally scarring thing it would actually be. Living things through the first time isn’t easy, reliving them and being able to enact less change than you would want and potentially making things worse is even harder. The world isn’t just enough to give us second chances. These characters are getting but an inkling of it and even that may come with an unexpected price. What we can learn from it is that not only are we going to keep carrying that weight (if you know, you know), but also that we currently have in our hands all the tools we will ever have to correct things, so quit overthinking it, why ya mind overclouded? If this review felt shorter than my previous ones, that's because it is. I might or might not do another review for season 2, hopefully a longer one. The chances of that actually happening are higher if the story indeed concludes with two seasons. Also, all the ops and eds in this show are amazing. You are going to listen to them. This is not a request.
img220(https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/link-click-cover.jpg) >"I'm paper. You're rock. Game over." This quote comes from the amazing anime called _Link Click_. The plot revolves around time travel and is filled with suspense and dark themes, making it very captivating. The story dives deep into the lives of the people that CXS and LG encounter, showing their genuine problems. Unlike many other series, _Link Click_ doesn't resolve issues magically or superficially; it portrays the complexities of real-life struggles. One of the standout elements is how the series handles its characters and their stories. CXS and his partner LG use their unique abilities to enter photographs and experience events from the perspectives of others. This allows the viewers to connect deeply with each character's journey, revealing the raw and often painful realities of their lives. The way the narrative unfolds keeps you on the edge of your seat, with each episode offering such interesting twists and emotional moments. ~~~__Music and Art__~~~ The music in _Link Click_ is another highlight. Both the opening and ending themes are FILLED with symbolism ~!LIKE THE FILM STRIPS!~, foreshadowing events that might happen or have already happened to LG and CXS. Additionally, the transition from the episode into the ending was just excellent and it fit so well! The music not only sets the tone but also adds a deeper layer of meaning to the story. It's just so fascinating how the significance of the music becomes even clearer after watching Season 2, it just shows how much I missed the first time around when I was watching this. The animation and visual style of _Link Click_ are also lovely. The use of color palettes, and the character designs all contribute to the storytelling. Each frame is meticulously crafted to convey the right emotion and atmosphere, making the series visually stunning. One of the most compelling aspects of _Link Click_ is its ability to tackle serious and often dark themes without resorting to clichés or easy resolutions. The series doesn't shy away from portraying the harsh realities of life, whether it's dealing with loss, regret, or the consequences of one's actions. This approach gives the story a sense of authenticity and depth that is often lacking in other time travel narratives. The dynamic between CXS and LG is also a key element of the series. Their partnership is complex, with each character bringing their own strengths and vulnerabilities to the table. Their interactions are AMAZING, adding layers to their characters and making their journeys even more engaging. ~~~__Final Thoughts__~~~ As a whole, _Link Click_ combines an enthralling plot, a good dynamic between characters, such stunning animation, and a powerful soundtrack to create an unforgettable viewing experience. Season 1 of _Link Click_ set such a high standard for storytelling in anime and donghua for me. As the story continues in Season 2, the connections and revelations from the first season only deepen, making it clear that _Link Click_ is an enjoyable series worth every moment of your time. Whether you're a fan of time travel stories or just looking for a well-crafted narrative, _Link Click_ is sure to leave some sort of impression. ~~~__tldr;__ ~~~ _Link Click_ is an anime that you should at least try