Latest News:  

English>>China Society

WWII TV dramas border on the ridiculous

(Shanghai Daily)

10:07, April 12, 2013

The latest offense is the scene where a girl salutes to Chinese soldiers in the nude. Chinese audiences have fed up with entertainment trend and low taste embodied in the anti-Japanese themed TV dramas.
(Photo/ CRI Online)

The recent spurt in television dramas with themes of anti-Japanese aggression during the World War II - and its over-the-top dramatization - has left many viewers squirming and ducking for cover despite their strong public ratings.

The country has produced more than 150 anti-Japanese-themed TV dramas from 1949 to 2004. About 20 new dramas were produced in 2005 alone with the figure touching a staggering 70 last year, according to Chinese media reports.

In one controversial production, a Chinese man takes on armed Japanese soldiers with kung-fu. Screenshots from the drama, the Legendary Anti-Japanese Hero, showed the man tearing apart the soldiers with his bare hands.


Chinese audiences have fed up with entertainment trend and low taste embodied in the anti-Japanese themed TV dramas. (Photo/CRI)

As much as it was ridiculous, it was equally gory for its bloody content on air.

In another TV series, "Arrow on the Bowstring," a Chinese woman, on the verge of being raped by the Japanese soldiers, leaps into the air and fires off three arrows, killing an entire platoon of soldiers!

If that's not comical enough, another angry Chinese soldier destroys a Japanese aircraft by - if you will believe - throwing a grenade into the air!

With increasing number of such productions hitting the air, it has led to a growing public criticism against the makers of the television dramas.

Shi Zhongpeng, an actor who has played the Japanese soldier in over 30 such dramas, "died more than 200 times."

On one occasion, he died eight times in a day, Shi said.

Chinese netizens are questioning how the dramas manage to get past the censors.

"This is so ridiculous. The drama producer should invent an app called "slicing the Japanese devil," one netizen commented. "After watching the dramas, I am beginning to wonder if the Chinese won the anti-Japanese war just by martial arts?" wrote another.

But despite the scorn, these dramas seem to enjoy a high audience rating.

The "Legendary Anti-Japanese Hero," where the Japanese soldiers are torn up like pieces of paper, topped the audience ratings on many channels. In fact, each episode cost those TV channels more than 2 million yuan, according to the Southern Weekly newspaper.

Ni Jun, a professor with the Central Academy of Drama, said one should draw a line on such dramas. "It is just ridiculous that Chinese soldiers fly in the air when riding a motorcycle or a Chinese hero shoots down Japanese soldiers with arrows instead of bullets," Ni said.


Latest development of H7N9 in China[Special]

We Recommend:

Shine on stage - Wuju Opera in photos

The 'milky river'- seriously polluted water

Terminal care - Go gentle into that good night

Photo story: Terminally ill man and his snack shop

New born tiger cubs meet with tourists in Jiangsu

Dawn of living dead in funeral stunt

China's weekly story (2013.3.23-3.28)

Floating bridge dates back to Song Dynasty

'How are you, my child'- loss of the only child

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:GaoYinan、Chen Lidan)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Naval escort taskforce starts visit to Morocco

  2. Venezuela reinforces security for elections

  3. Vancouver Int'l Airport named best

  4. HK carries out avian influenza tests

  5. Seize every minute to do homework

  6. Snow hits China's Changchun

  7. Eighteen 'subway eccentrics' hot online

  8. 'Django' screenings in China suspended

  9. Int'l footwear exhibition kicks off in Shanghai

  10. Job fair in Tianjin held for college graduates

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Chinese takeover not threat: German research
  2. Is strong trade data too good to be true?
  3. Hit film triggers discussion on giving birth abroad
  4. Philanthropists donate less as economy slows
  5. New media trend for Chinese language study in US
  6. Follow-up work needed for yuan's going global
  7. Boao Forum for Asia makes China, world closer
  8. Devoted to a life defending nation
  9. Errors in urbanization must be avoided
  10. What kind of public diplomacy does China need?

What’s happening in China

Photo story: Nostalgia in a small telephone booth

  1. Zhengzhou residents irate over newsstand ban
  2. WWII TV dramas border on the ridiculous
  3. Drunk driver caused 4-vehicle collision
  4. Failed bank robber blames a broken heart
  5. Authorities demand probe over temple razing