Star

In many ways, "Moon Red Arc" exposes a crisis of stellar gravity within the realm of scriptwriting—an issue that reverberates across genres like ancient puppetry, fantasy, and martial arts. An evident phenomenon emerges: even this year's frontrunner in the genre, "Phoenix Nirvana," has failed to meet expectations in terms of both popularity and critical acclaim. In recent years, series within the ancient puppetry genre seem to be trapped in a vicious cycle, with one leg firmly stuck in the pursuit of grandiosity, meticulous production, and high viewer numbers, while the other is mired in shallow storytelling, recycled character tropes, and lackluster performances. The current state of "Moon Red Arc" epitomizes this dilemma: its script and character development lack careful refinement, instead relying on the assembly of A-list stars and bombastic marketing blitzes to satisfy the demands of fans. However, beneath the veneer of Eastern aesthetics, the series finds itself ensnared in the whirlpool of superficiality. This crisis is emblematic of a broader stagnation within the genre landscape. Despite the immense potential offered by ancient puppetry, fantasy, and martial arts dramas to explore rich cultural tapestries and deliver compelling narratives, many productions have fallen into a formulaic trap, prioritizing style over…