In China, anti-Japanese propaganda shows can get, well, silly. Many people in China don't take them seriously. This latest show, with its seemingly Assassin's Creed-style outfits, is not an exception.
As pointed out on QQ, Games Sina and ChinaSmack, the show is set against the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), which is certainly a period of history no one takes lightly.
However, this program features members of a local militia that looks like it's ready to take on the Templars, not the Imperial Japanese Army. It's as though actor Ma Jingjing is cosplaying as Edward Kenway from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, right down to the dual pistols on his chest and the red sash. Black Flag of course takes place in the early 18th century Carribeans, nowhere near the show's setting, neither in place nor in time.
Online in China, people even pointed out that even the actor's poses looked similar to those in Assassin's Creed. That hair, though, is a show original.
In this pic, his costume seems to have a hood, too.
Um...
According to ChinaSmack, many Chinese internet users mocked the show, calling it "irresponsible" and "ridiculously fake."
"What is the difference between this and Assassin's Creed?" asked one net user, while another joked, "When will Assassin's Creed come out with anti-Japanese DLC?"
One Chinese net user might have summed it up best: "I want to smash my TV after watching this."
Sino-Japanese War TV Show Based on Assassin's Creed Video Game [ChinaSmack]
抗日剧角色服装抄袭《刺客信条》：还真像 [MyDrivers]
刺客信条乱入抗日剧？ 国剧被指抄袭游戏 [Sina]
Top photo: ChinaSmack
To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.