Mars (TV series) 3002602 220247203 2008-06-18T23:14:35Z 75.185.5.64 /* Cast */ '''''Mars''''' ({{zh-tsp|t=戰神MARS|s=战神MARS|p=Zhànshén MARS}}; [[English language|English]]: "War-God MARS") is a [[Taiwanese television series]] that broadcast in [[2004]] on [[Chinese Television System]] (CTS). It is based on the Japanese [[manga]] ''[[Mars (manga)|Mars]]'' written by [[Fuyumi Soryo]]. ==Plot== The series started with Ling (零 ''Líng'') ([[Vic Zhou]]) asking Qiluo (綺羅 / 绮罗 ''Qǐluó'') ([[Barbie Hsu]]) for directions to a hospital rehab center. Reluctant to make any sort of communication, Qiluo drew a map to the location on the back of one of her sketches. After discovering the drawing which happened to be about a mother and child Ling was immediately drawn to it which led to his curiosity for Qiluo. The more Qiluo tried to brush him off the more he became curious about her until his fellow classmates begin to take notice. Ling learns from his best friend Daye (達也 / 达也 ''Dáyě'') (who went to same high school) that Qiluo's personality suddenly changed from high school years with a distaste for men. He also learns that Daye has a crush on her since high school. When Ling saved Qiluo from being sexually harassed by their English teacher, she started to open up to him. In exchange for the final painting of Mother and Child, Ling promised to protect her from now on. Ling's special attention towards Qiluo stirred up jealousy on some of his ex-girlfriends which led to harsh bullying of Qiluo by those girls. One of them being Qing Mei. [[Vic Zhou]] plays two characters; twin brothers Ling and Sheng with intense opposing personalities. Ling is popular and somewhat of a player, who is reckless and brutal and enjoys racing motorcycles, whereas Sheng is quiet and reserved, hiding his emotions in his drawings. The brothers have had an interdependent relationship since the death of their mother. When a girl, Sha Zhi, arrives in their lives, they both develop feelings for her, which tests their relationship to breaking point. It is suggested that Sheng, unable to accept the fact that Sha Zhi loves Ling, commits suicide. Ling is destroyed by the guilt of Sheng's death and undergoes therapy at a mental institution for two years. He then meets Qiluo ([[Barbie Hsu]]) a very anti-social and shy girl with a dark mysterious past. Initially reluctant to make any connection with Ling, Qiluo finally starts to open up, and as they become romantically attached, they believe that they can help each other walk out of the dark tragedies in their past and rebuild their lives. ==Cast== *Chen Ling (陳零 ''Chén Líng'') (original manga: Kashino Rei) - [[Vic Zhou]] Known as an extroverted playboy as well as having a destructive character, Ling races motorcycles on the professional circuit. His twin brother Sheng committed suicide Two years ago and he was sent to a mental institution, shattered by his death. Since entering University, Ling is popular, but he can't seem to get serious in any relationships. However, after meeting Qiluo, he is drawn to her and seeks to protect her. *Chen Sheng (original manga: Kashino Sei) - [[Vic Zhou]] Ling's twin brother and a passive artist, Sheng committed suicide during their last year of junior high. Ling was raised to protect him, and thus blames himself for his brother's death. *Han Qiluo (韓綺羅 ''Hán Qǐluó'') (original manga: Aso Kira) - [[Barbie Hsu]] An aspiring artist, Qiluo lives with her mother; her father died when she was a child in a car accident involving a motorcycle gang. Her stepfather raped her when she was sixteen years old and her mother, upon discovering this, separated from her husband, taking Qiluo with her. This experience has caused Qiluo to withdraw from her social life at school. However, a chance meeting with Ling helps her deal with the fear of men. *An Daye (安達也 ''Ān Dáyě'') (original manga: Tatsuya) - [[Xiu Jie Kai]] Ling's best friend, he has had a crush on Qiluo since they attended junior high together. However, he comes to terms with the fact that it is impossible between them and helps bring her and Ling together. But he has developed his feelings for Qing Mei towards the end of the series. *Fan Tong Dao (original manga: Kirishima Masao) - [[An Jun Can]] Tong Dao is a bisexual and effeminate sociopath who was raised in a rich and affluent family. He is weak and often bullied, depending on his abusive friend Qing Mu to protect him. Ling saved Tong Dao once, but barely remembers the event as the action was impulsively taken following grief from Sheng's death. Tong Dao later kills Qing Mu and stalks Ling, openly admitting to having a crush on him. He also has a crush on Qiluo, whom he views as an obstacle in attaining Ling's affections. He desires to kill them at some stage. *Lai Qing Mei (original manga: Harumi) - [[Megan Lai Ya Yan]] A female classmate of Qiluo and Ling's who has been "in love" with Ling ever since they slept together in their freshman year. Although she initially made Qiluo a target of psychologically brutal attacks because Ling treated her differently, she later reformed and became a solid and protective friend. Towards the end of the series, she also develops feelings for Daye. *Sha Zhi (original manga: Sakurazawa Shiori) - [[Xiao Xiao]] An extremely cute but manipulative girl from Ling's past, she was first Sheng's girlfriend but left him for Ling. She also blames herself for Sheng's suicide. == Themes == Mars explores rather dark and morbid issues, it discusses social taboos such as mental illness, harassment, suicide, and violence but also maintains an underlying sense of hope. *Mental Illness - Ling's Mom, Ling himself and Tong Dao had to seek help from the same mental institution. Somehow only Ling had managed to walk out of his destructive mental state while the other two allowed themselves to sink deeper into despair and hopelessness. *Harassment or Sexual Assault - This idol drama detached itself from other Taiwan idol dramas by exploring various issues in a sensitive and delicate manner. The confrontation of Qiluo's various violations by others (one of being her step dad), brings to the attention, the seriousness of the nature and impact of such actions. However on the other hand, without the victimization, Ling demonstrates his form of escapism through promiscuity with various girls he "attaches himself to" and the "instant gratification" he feels from it. Ultimately, discussing the reality of what greater depth physical attachment has on a person's mental and emotional state. *Suicide - Ling's Mom and Sheng chose suicide instead of facing up to reality. This drama further explores the state of the loved ones who were left behind, and how they deal with the grief of loss and recover from the heartaches of abandonment. Also Ling's mom believed that she was leaving them to join their father, discusses the idea of the after-life and the escapism it bring, even if it means the loss of their life. *Violence - Murder viewed as a weapon to fulfill ones' desire. Ling's Mom wanted to kill Ling and Sheng out of love and possessiveness to protect them. Tong Dao murdered Qing Mu for complex reasons; revenge, freedom, boredom and attempted to murder Qiluo and Ling for similar reasons. Ling wanted to murder in LA for revenge and to protect Sheng. Even Qiluo spoke about murdering her stepfather over and over again in her nightmares, so that the person she hated would disappear from the world. *Hope - The difference between destruction and rebuilding; between Ling and Sheng; Qiluo and Tong Dao. A significant milestone in the series reflecting this sense of hope is when Qiluo contemplates how the huge sandcastle they had built will eventually be destroyed. Ling reassures her that they will rebuild the sandcastle together, no matter how many times it takes. They can't prevent destructive and tragic events from happening in their lives, but together, with hope, they can pick themselves up and rebuild their lives. And despite their imperfections (ie. Ling's mental disarray from his traumatic past despite the happy-go-lucky manner he portrays etc.), the story spells the moral of acceptance, and the ability for even those who are broken to not have to be defeated or alienated. Ultimately they all have the right and deserve to have as much joy as others that don't experience their tragedies. == Differences between the Drama and Manga == * The characters are all in university in the drama, whereas the manga was set in high school, making the characters much older. Most notably, Qiluo was raped by her stepfather when she was 14 in the manga, whereas in the drama it happened at 16. * In the manga and drama, Ling tells Qiluo he would "lend her his body". In the manga, when she asks him to, he trips and falls down the stairs. In the drama, he turns around and knocks over a row of easels. * In the manga, Qiluo gets a job at a burger joint and on her first day of work, she is sexually harassed. This is not shown in the drama. * The drama has a different ending from the manga. In the manga Tong Dao is sent to [[Juvenile Hall]] and is never heard of again. In the drama he is shown in the hospital, drawing as a technique of recovering. * In the drama, the scenes from the manga when Harumi (Qing Mei) threatens to break Kira (Qiluo)'s hands and when Kira's shoes were taken were combined. * In the beginning of the manga, Rei (Ling) kisses the statue of Mars while the sunset burns behind him, which Kira (Qiluo) later admits was what truly moved her and attracted her to Rei. In the drama, Ling merely stares at Mars for a long time before Daye comes and calls for him to go. * In Manga the couple looked at each other intensely when they were getting their marriage license. Where in drama getting married scene was skipped. * In Manga Rei (Ling) was stabbed on his wedding night, which happened to be his 18th birthday. Where in Drama he was just stabbed (at the time he was 21). *All the names of the major characters where changed in the process from Manga to Drama. *In the manga, Kurusawa (Cang Ze) jumped off their school building but survives and will be staying in the hospital for about 2 months. While in the drama, Rei (Ling) was able to stop him by pulling him down and then beating him afterwards. ==Soundtrack== *1. Ling (Zero)- [[Alan Ke You Lun|Alan Kuo]] *2. Rang Wo Ai Ni (Let Me Love You) - [[Vic Zhou]] and [[Barbie Hsu]] *3. Bai Se Lian Qu (White Concerto) - [[RaRa]] *4. The Hardest Note - [[Megan Lai]] *5. Shuo Ai Wo (Say You Love Me) - [[Liang Yi Zhen]] *6. Ming Tian (Tomorrow)- [[Da Di Le Tuan]] *7. Wo Ke Yi (I Can)-[[You Hong Ming]] *8. Ling (Zero) (Instrumental) *9. Wo Ke Yi (I Can) (Instrumental) *10. Rang Wo Ai Ni (Let Me Love You) (Instrumental) *11. Shuo Ai Wo (Say You Love Me) (Instrumental) *12. Bai Se Lian Qu (White Concerto) (Instrumental) ==Trivia== *Mars features an impressive production, with real motorcycle races that were shot on location in Japan. *The DVD of this series has a special that features various interviews and on-location shoots. *Mars was voted Favorite Drama of the Year at the 40th Annual 2005 Golden Bell Awards. *In the series, Barbie Hsu always wore "masking tapes" in order to hide her tattoos. *This was aired in the Philippine television on [[List of programs broadcast by Q|QTV]] channel 11(sister-station of [[GMA Network]]) in the year 2005. It garnered the highest rating among all the TV programs shown in such channel. *The total number of episodes in the drama series is 21. == External links == *[http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Mars ''DramaWiki Entry for Mars''] *[http://2cts.tv/prog/a/a0015/ ''The CTS Official Mars Website''] *[http://www.krystalheart.com/mars/ ''Krystal Heart Fansite for MARS''] [[Category:Taiwanese dramas]] [[Category:Manga based Taiwanese dramas]]