Arsenal Military Academy

A military academy, a woman disguised as a man, and a story set during one of the most turbulent periods in Chinese history.

3,75

Synopsis

After the death of her brother, Xie Xiang disguises herself as a man in order to take his place at a prestigious military academy. There, she becomes part of an elite unit while facing harsh training, high-risk missions, and a dangerous political climate. Amid action, intrigue, and romance, she must fight for her identity and for the future of her country.

Actors

Review

Arsenal Military Academy has been the perfect way to end the year: with that rush you get after watching a truly great series. Very little has been said about this C-drama, which has remained fairly hidden and, I would even say, largely unknown. And that is precisely where the surprise lies — a hidden gem that completely hooks you once you start watching.

They say that “the right books find you at the right time”, and in my case, that also applies to TV series. This one arrived at the perfect moment.

A great aftertaste. Forty-eight episodes that fly by, the urge to watch it every day, and the satisfaction of ending the year knowing you invested your time in a series that is genuinely worth it.

The drama tells the story of Xie Xiang, a woman devastated by her brother’s death, who decides to disguise herself as a man and take his place at a military academy. There, a formidable group is formed — a true human arsenal — with the goal of creating an elite army unit specialised in extremely high-risk missions.

The series has everything, in this order: history, action, comedy, and romance.

It is endlessly entertaining, but it also offers an interesting insight into Chinese history during the Republican era, in the period leading up to the Second World War. A time marked by intense tensions between a weakened China, still recovering from civil war, and an imperialist Japan in the midst of its industrial revolution and in need of China’s rich natural resources. Meanwhile, Chinese nationalists fight with everything they have to defend their country.

The setting is simply wonderful: sets, costumes, and historical recreation are meticulously detailed. Without a doubt, it makes you want to learn more about China and its history.

As for the cast, we follow a garrison of soldiers whose personalities develop as they train and carry out missions. Expect pistols, katanas, karate and judo moves, thrilling chases… all without forgetting the comedy. The misunderstandings, daily life at the academy, and relationships between the characters provide plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

And when it comes to the leads, the trio formed by the spoiled rich boy Gu Yanzheng (Xu Kai), the shy and mysterious Shen Junshan (Li Chengbin), and the woman disguised as a man, Xie Xiang (Bai Lu), who constantly puts both of them in their place, will inevitably remind viewers of Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers). The dynamic of two well-born men — one tied to commerce and the other to Chinese politics — with Xie Xiang caught between them is handled brilliantly.

A series I 100% recommend. I give it a 9 out of 10 and strongly encourage you to discover it. Get comfortable on the sofa and enjoy!

Xu Kai (Gu Yanzheng)

A role tailor-made for him, allowing him to shine and marking a clear turning point in his career. Xu Kai was already widely known for his performance in Story of Yanxi Palace, but his work in Arsenal Military Academy firmly established him as the great actor he is today, earning him the Best Actor award in 2019.

As a fun fact — in case you didn’t know — due to the vast number of dialects spoken in China, for a series to be broadcast nationwide, actors are required to have perfect diction and speak flawless Mandarin (Putonghua). To ensure this, once scenes are filmed, professional voice actors often dub over the original performances so that the language sounds completely clear and accent-free.

In Xu Kai’s case, he dubbed his own voice, which proves his excellent command of the language. As a curiosity, Dylan Wang — the hugely popular actor from Meteor Garden and Love Between Fairy and Devil — is dubbed by a voice actor.

Either way, you are going to laugh a lot. Xu Kai absolutely nails it, and the role of the spoiled rich boy suits him perfectly.

Bai Lu (Xie Xiang)

One of Bai Lu’s biggest challenges was playing a young woman disguised as a man in a military academy. She not only had to change her gestures and posture, but also learn how to walk, sit, and move like a cadet. The haircut was another key moment. Bai Lu has said that seeing herself with such short hair for the first time was quite a shock, as it completely broke away from the feminine image she usually portrayed on screen.

The shoot was physically demanding: training sessions, running, and action scenes. On more than one occasion, she ended up with real bruises, which she took with humour, saying it only made everything feel more realistic.

There was also great chemistry between Bai Lu and Xu Kai, both on and off screen. The actors commented that between takes they were constantly joking around with each other. It’s no coincidence that, with all these ingredients, the series became such a success.

Toby Lee (Shen Junshan)

He is a Taiwanese actor and forms part of the love triangle alongside Xie Xiang and Gu Yanzheng. He is so serious, proper and perfect in comparison to our protagonist (Xu Kai) that the clash between the two is inevitable. This is probably where much of the success of the chemistry between the three actors lies.

Why should you watch it?

Very little has been said about this series, and it is a true hidden gem. You will enjoy it immensely and, without a doubt, have a great time watching it.

Xu Kai provides most of the comedy. I laughed so much thanks to him — his ideas are just brilliant.

The series is very dynamic, with well-executed action and mysteries. Each episode, filled with missions and intrigue, keeps you hooked right through to the end, where the most intense and dramatic moments arrive. The ending is well-rounded and satisfying.

The only downside is the soundtrack, which feels a bit limited with just five songs.

Highly recommended, and even suitable to watch with the family.