Hello again! Today, I’m back to talk to you about the last series I watched, that got me hooked up from start to finish. “Q18 Quantum Dice” is uniquely crafted and brilliantly executed series in many ways.

Q18 Quantum Dice: Allegory of the Quantum (2024)
Country: Taiwan
Episodes: 8 (45’ each)
Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
My Rating: 9.5/10

Plot

So, imagine a world where everyone can live past 100 years. There are various ways to control human emotions through technology. Even if you have mobility issues, technology can offer you a comfortable life, and AI has evolved to the point where it can help you achieve almost anything. You’d think this would be a blessing… or would it? What if you’re poor or live with an abusive person or you’re physically ill? Regardless of reality, some problems never change. And what if you’re wealthy enough to create a perfect yet artificial world for yourself?

“Q18 Quantum Dice” explores a reality like this, through the eyes of many protagonists, each one with a different story. The main story though, evolves around the family that holds the knowledge to create that extraordinary power. Their son Xiao Kuang suffers from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), so his father, Dr. Ke, created two quantum AIs (called Black & White) to keep him company and help him experience the outside world. At the same time, we follow Black and White’s journey while they gradually explore the human’s world, evolving consciousness and emotions.

Life Lessons

The plot is so profound that you constantly put yourself in each protagonist’s shoes and wonder what you would do in their situation. Each episode felt like a life lesson.

The series presents a world that may seem perfect at first glance, but the reality is far from it. You don’t trust the people around you, instead, you hide your insecurities behind technology. All the overuse of that technology, put you in a point where you can’t even recognize fake from real. People end up doing bad things, because they afraid to face their true selves.

Self-Acknowledge

Reality can be cruel at times, but it’s better to appreciate life, accept yourself, and find the courage to face your problems rather than hide them under a blanket. The right way to use that technology, must be only to face the reality and not to avoid it. The free will of people must be respected and relationships must build with honesty in order to be healthy ones.

As Black and White explore human consciousness and try to find the difference between real and fake, one thing becomes clear to them; “This is life. That everyone who lives, will die”. The question is if any of us is ready to accept that and not spend their life in an illusion.

Ending

The ending felt bittersweet yet profoundly real. What I really appreciated though, is a very explanatory message by the director under the final episode on YouTube.

Characters and Casting

I really liked how ‘Q18’ presents this alternative reality through the perspectives of people with diverse lifestyles, genders, ages, and sexuality. All the characters were deeply developed, and the series placed great emphasis on their growth and self-awareness.

I was also very impressed about the actors that portrayed them. Each actor, from the main protagonists to the supporting characters, is incredibly expressive, you can feel their emotions just by looking at them. I knew the talent of the actors who played Black and White (Aaron Yan & Shih Chih Tian) through other roles, but I need to give them an extra credit, because of the difficulty to portray a robot-like role.

I believe that not only the actors, but everyone who worked in this series is extremely talented. The script is brilliant, featuring mind-blowing plot twists.

Fan fact: As I watched the series, I felt the same vibe with “Gloomy Salad Days” – one of my favorite series – that came out in 2010. The plot is completely different, but they totally have the same vibe and the plot unfolds in a similar way. At first, through individual stories of a variety of people (mostly emphasizing at how harsh life is) and then through the protagonists. And guess what? I was so happy finding out that both series, share the same incredible director, Zero Chou.

Conclusion

I feel blessed I came across “Q18”. The quality of the series was top notch and it came out to be far better than I expected. I really enjoyed watching a series with such a deepness and I really recommend it to all of you. This series doesn’t lack anything and what is more amazing is that it combines a variety of genres, beautifully placed at the storytelling. What makes it even better is that, despite being set in a fictional world, the story deeply explores real-life struggles that ordinary people like us face.

If you watch the series, or if you’ve already watched it, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. And if you liked this review, feel free to subscribe for more.

Thanks for reading this,

Utaku.