ASIA 325: Hong Kong Cinema
ASIA 325 (24W): One-Armed Swordsman – Choose-your-own-adventure Storybook
By Adrienne Lee, Amber Lee, Dastan Ryskulov, Wenxin Song, and Colin Yee
Project Rationale:
“Through this interactive format, we explore three central themes: the tension between brotherhood and autonomy, the expansion of female character development, and the production contexts surrounding the original film. Additionally, our project interrogates the moral ambiguity woven into the narrative, challenging the conventional binary between good and evil.
One of the core objectives of our project was to transform a traditionally linear narrative into one that allows for reader agency. By adapting the choose-your-own-adventure format, we invite the audience to take an active role in shaping the story’s direction. This format creates room for multiple perspectives and outcomes rather than limiting the characters to a single, heroic, and predetermined arc.
In the original film, viewers engage with the story purely from a distant observer’s standpoint. Our adaptation narrows that distance, offering a more immersive experience by allowing readers to step into the shoes of the characters. They are now able to make decisions that not only shape each character’s journey, but also reflect the reader’s own values and interpretations.
Each branching storyline leads to a distinctly different path and ending, many of which diverge from the original “universe”. These alternative narratives imagine what the characters’ lives might have looked like if they had more personal freedom and choice. For example, the protagonist, Fang Gang, is portrayed in the original film as bound by duty and tradition, with little room for his own desires. In our project, we ask: What if he had a choice? What if he pursued peace instead of vengeance? What if his priorities conflicted with the expectations placed upon him?”