Xu's story and character development is told in flashback. Xu goes through the usual trials and tribulations of being a recruit. Initially, he's deployed to a do-nothing squad assigned to guard a training compound out in the grasslands. By dint of his pluck and stubbornness, he comes to join the vaunted Iron Company, an armored reconnaisance unit where his recruiter and fellow villagers are also serving. At the halfway point in the series, a major change occurs and Xu proceeds to the next phase of his military career.
The characters are memorable, if not three dimensional, and rise above thin stereotypes: the recruiter/squad commander who practically act like a mother to Xu, the deputy squad commander who resents him; the company commander who doesn't want him, the kindly and avuncular regiment commander. Maybe not always believable but they're melo/dramatically satisfying. There's a lot of crying, bro'mancing, and male bonding scenes, so depending on your tolerance for these things, your own enjoyment might be coloured.
Though backed by the full force of the PLA, the series is made the August First studio, Soldiers Sortie isn't action oriented except for the opening scene. There are training scenes, field exercises and war gaming but, for the most part, the series is more focused on barracks life, camaraderie and the characters.
Apparently, Soldiers Sortie was the most popular series in mainland China last year. It started as a provincial broadcast but eventually was televised nationwide.
Conclusion, worthwhile and addictive viewing.
p.s. I've read elsewhere that the ending wasn't satisfying.
The nice English subbed box set comes with photo cards/calendar, shoulder patch, PLA ID card, and a deck of cards as bonus gee-gaws.
The episodes are about 46 min. each including lengthy opening and closing credits which you'll soon fast forward through after a few episodes.
http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/a ... 010676059/
New Tactics by the PLA
http://time-blog.com/china_blog/2007/10 ... e_pla.html
http://www.china.org.cn/english/news/226591.htm
Dreams Do Come True - Wang Baoqiang
Rags-to-riches story of a country boy who made it to the silver screen
http://www.bjreview.com.cn/culture/txt/ ... _99534.htm
Clip from the atypical ep.1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OryhUobDuTs
Ep. 4 segment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4s9cRN ... re=related