The Vigilantes in Masks

THE VIGILANTES IN MASK (2010) was unexpectedly fun wuxia romp of a drama. And although light-hearted and a bit cheesy, it was also packed full of action and drama. This C-Drama series has action, adventure, romance, mystery and comedy all wrapped up into one fun, fast-paced package. It's quirky and unique compared to many action shows out there and has more in common with an historical anime / superhero flick than it might the typical drama, but with more heart, wit and charm. Very enjoyable.

Li Ge Xiao (Wallace Huo) is master martial arttist. After being framed and having his family executed he later later reluctantly helps a former officer. This leads him to making new partners, thief Yan San Niang, shifter He Xiao Mei, and muscle Chai Hu, and together they form a team called "Yi Zhi Mei" that robs the rich and corrupt and gives to the poor and innocent, solving mysteries along the way. They form a merry band of swashbuckler-heroes, unlike anything you've seen and yet quite hard to forget.

While there are quite some tropes here, it's a very entertaining and lovable series that I found quite addictive. Wallace Huo, Sh Shi Liu, and Tianyu Ma, among many others, made this show a super fun watch. The cast was great, the story compelling, the music catchy and fun, with plenty of colorful characters to go around - great chemistry! Fun show! Surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, honestly. Give it a shot if you like Chinese historical wuxia drama's (with a flair for the eccentric) with lots of action, adventure, mystery, romance and comedy, that also features a Robin Hood-esque, rogueish crew and storyline. Would def rewatch this.