(Retrieved May 12, 2023 from https://m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI4YWJiNzEtYmIxMy00MmI4LWJhMmMtMzJlZDRhMDJhZmNhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUyNjc3NDQ4._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg)
Li Haoling as the director did a great job when he decided to make one of the best animations that expressed so many emotions in each of its episodes. This animation is Link Click, which aired for the first time on the Bilibili platform on 30th April 2021. Link Click is also known by the Chinese title which is Shíguāng Dàilǐ Rén (時光代理人), meaning The Time Agents. This Chinese animation is also referred to as a donghua (东华), and it has only 11 episodes in total.
Link Click tells a story about two young men who have their own special abilities, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang. They are two special employees of a photo studio called Time Photo Studio that belongs to a girl called Qiao Ling. Time Photo Studio has a special service of going into the customer’s past through their photos with the help of her friends. Lu Guang, who has the power to see back to the past, and Cheng Xiaoshi, who has the power to possess people’s bodies, work together to help their customers go back in time in order to find out something, seek clarification, or tell a message to other people. However, they have one certain rule they must not break at all which is to never change the past. Although the plot seems straightforward, Link Click’s plot isn’t as simple as it seems.
Even though Link Click is just one of many time-travel themed animations, the content presented by this animation have their uniqueness. Each episode has a different main theme and issue that are relevant to our lives. There is an episode about a relationship between parents and children, friends, or two lovers. There is also an episode that raised the issue of sexual harassment experienced by women in the workplace. I have to admit, this animation still managed to leave a deep impression even after I watched it two years ago, and it is still very worthy to watch.
For me, Link Click is a hidden gem because even though it has not-so-attractive visuals like Japanese anime, this animation has a fairly high rating on various movie review platforms, such as 8.6/10 on IMDb and 8.7/10 on MyAnimeList. There are some things that support the high rating of this anime: the perfect mix of soundtracks, neat scripts, and thrilling plots. In my opinion, the voice actors’ ability to explore the characters contributed a large part of the success in making Link Click, and makes it one of the best Chinese animations. Moreover, the depth and development of each character are certain and unhurried. Therefore, the viewers can get to know and connect with the characters, and they can be easily carried away in the storyline when they are watching the animation.
Link Click picked up many genres beautifully and each episode managed to stir up the emotions of the viewer even more. Just imagine, who would have thought that the animation which initially showed a slice of life issues covered in light genres such as friendship, family, romance, with additional angst seasoning, would turn towards something completely opposite and present a big plot twist at the end of the season? Even though it consists of many conflicts, Link Click still presents moral messages that can be learned at the end of each episode. One of the moral messages that still rings in my mind is what Cheng Xiaoshi always emphasized after returning from his time travel trip: not to waste time.
If you are the type of viewer who is brave enough to challenge your own emotions, then maybe you can give Link Click a shot.
Author: Dulce Cicilia Sariri
Editor: Yohana Satvika Wahyuveda, Ruth Tirza Arina (QC)