Mar 24, 2019
From what I understand, Beryl and Sapphire are two actors. I’ve never read the manhua they come from, but this show does not depict their real lives. Instead, it showcases their roles as characters within the movies/shows they act in. This series is essentially a catalogue of their acting careers, but it's not necessary to know that going in, as you get a feel for what the show is after just a few episodes.
What's unique and captivating about this Chinese animation is the fact that different storylines gradually build and are told simultaneously, so one episode will follow Beryl and Sapphire in one story, and
...
the very next episode then picks up where another Beryl/Sapphire story left off. IT'S THE SAME FREAKING CHARACTERS EVERY TIME AND I LOVE IT, although they are actually different characters in each story... Or are they really.?.?.?.. We get to ship, we get to cry, we get to be angry, we get to think about profound ideas, and we are present while Shao-lan and Shao-lu experience sci-fi, drama, romance, and real-world problems.
Most episodes are about 5 – 7 minutes, with longer episodes occurring about once every five or six episodes. Most, if not all the main storylines in the series get at least one long episode.
The series flirts with a lot of different sci-fi concepts that are difficult to use well in anime. Whether it's the short-story nature of this series that gives it the freedom to execute these ideas so smoothly and in a creative way, the chemistry between Beryl and Sapphire, or just good writing, it's clear that Beryl and Sapphire is not afraid to tackle a wide variety of plots and genres. The show is able to shift, very smoothly, between a light-hearted mood to darker, more serious tones when needed.
The music is very nice, and fits the show well, especially during emotional scenes. Certain episodes really tugged me when those beautiful piano pieces started playing. There is one piece in particular I looked so hard to find, to no avail.
The artwork/animation, despite characters often reverting to bald, blank-faced figures at appropriate times, is colorful, detailed, and consistently pretty to look at.
Few episodes (of the one-off episodes/narratives) reached a little far in order to portray original or comically relatable content, and it was incredibly irritating watching Sapphire unable to function around Beryl for the entirety of at least one or two different storylines, but most of what this show offers is consistently entertaining and fresh.
It's worth mentioning that this series is shounen-ai, although I'm guessing that's how most people came across it. While the bl isn’t exactly subtle, I wouldn't say it's excessive either, and is also not present within every storyline. This relaxing and light sci-fi slice of life was definitely worth the watch, so I suggest you give it a chance, and I know you'll be entertained by this lovely ship.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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