Being a female fan of sci-fi, comic books and a graphic novels lover, I have to say that there are several reasons to love this show. And I loved every bit of it.
First of all - if you seek romance in the classic sense you may be a little off track. But, if like me, you have had enough of US explicit shows and turned to Asian dramas for subtlety and implying rather than "being given" ideas in your face - you will enjoy this show a lot.
I like the clumsiness of the main leads in the physical and psychological sense. The FL is not your typical perfect type (and that is very cool) and the ML has no idea of romance (also kind of interesting). They navigate through their lives and own personalities being somewhat purely innocent - each in their own way.
Tian Jue may be noisy, undecided and childish. But, hey - she is 20, she draws comics, has no real home, no job and rather wooly memories of the past. Given her back story and circumstances - she is a perfect example of what happens to many dreamy 20 year olds these days. Not many are seriously ready to become employees, leave home, or else make educated decisions about their future. So why can't she be that bubbly young creator who has no idea what the day will bring? Does she have to have perfectly coiffured hair and trendy clothes? Also, she has to be presented as naive to let the plot develop into what starts as gullible kidnapping...
An Bai Ye may be the total opposite with his handsome polished looks and his matter-of-fact attitude. He is a control freak alien, with years of practice commanding others, and (a tiny spoiler) special abilities embedded alongside military like upbringing on a different planet. So - what do you expect?
Lost in accidental circumstances and in shock at first, they both grow up and learn about themselves and, in consequence about each other. They grow to overcome differences and find a true feeling, which turns out to be rather mature, despite their lack of experience.
I loved the fact that Tian Jue turns out to be very funny, clever, curious and independent. I enjoyed An Bai Ye's inexperienced response to his feelings. I think it was the necessary understatement, unknown in regular romantic dramas. I think it adds some unexpected tension and it its worth the wait. It also taps well into moments when we felt uneasy about our relationships, decision making and looking at the future.
To fill whatever gaps one may have found in the main leads' relationship, there is a pair of Bai Sen Sen and Yun Xiao Yi who have it easy to connect. So they can compensate to those who lacked romantic chemistry.
But, above all, this show has a great amount of screen time devoted to comic books from the artistic process involved, through editing to public response and promotion. And I have never seen anything like it. It's actually very educating. The reference to the traditional Chinese brush painting being neglected in the mainstream is almost too painful to take in. The run-off-the-mill comic production against deadlines, the freer dress code allowed within the workplace, the aggressive fandom - show the usually inaccessible world of comic making. There is also this heavy focus on skill training vs. "just talent". All these tiny details are a treasure to me.
Regarding the sci-fi element, I think the show is subtle enough not to spoil a vague idea of an alien planet. I prefer it this way to revealing too much. So far, the setting on Earth makes a good enough excuse, and the hints in 002 and 019's behaviour are sufficient to leave the rest to our imagination. I also believe that the medium of comic panels by Tian Jue does a much better job introducing the alien element than the active plot. I think it's actually very clever. Some things are left in the 2nd dimension.
This is a great show. I am afraid that whoever watched a couple of episodes and gave up - might have missed on the development of the good stuff. I hope there will be season 2. Can't wait, to be honest.
