The 500-pound lard comment and Lin Baolong’s weight jokes were funny but also a bit on the nose. Still, they ground the characters in physical reality. The land department being full of heavy, strength-based fighters is a fun stereotype. The sea department (water powers) and air department (invisibility, etc.) hint at a diverse ability system. I’m curious about the other departments and what kind of abilities they have.
The fight scenes are visceral without being overly flowery. There’s no poetic waxing about the moonlight on the blade—just blood, grunts, and practical brutality. When Jiang Jin stabs the round-faced soldier and then can’t even pull the saber out because of her lacking strength? That’s realistic. She’s not a superhero, she’s a 13-year-old girl in a bad situation.
Han Xin getting the Hidden Dragon sword and a Great Grandmaster Pill while calmly fishing is such a Han Xin move. The guy is famously patient and unflappable, so him going “Does a Great Grandmaster Pill have the fragrance of fish?” is both funny and in character. His reaction (or lack of it) really sells the idea that he’s a stoic strategist who doesn’t get rattled by anything.
Huo An’s character introduction was a nice surprise. He starts off as a typical authority figure but quickly shows vulnerability when he gets fooled by lamb skewers. His moment of being completely won over by the food was a genius character beat. It’s a relatable and humanizing detail that makes him more than just the district chief. I really hope we see more of him and his reactions to Liang He’s culinary experiments.