Link Click

''Link Click'' (, ) is a Chinese donghua web series written and directed by Li Haoling and produced by Studio LAN with assistance by Li's studio, Haoliners Animation League.

The first season aired from April 30, 2021, to July 9, 2021, on Bilibili and Funimation. There were a total of 12 episodes, including a special episode named 5.5. A second season aired from July 14, 2023, to September 22, 2023, on Bilibili. Several '' chibi'' specials were also released.

A prequel season was announced shortly after the end of the second season, and aired from December 27, 2024, to January 31, 2025. It is titled ''Bridon Arc'' and has a total of 6 episodes, each roughly lasting 24 minutes besides the one-hour first episode. A third season is set to premiere in 2026.

Synopsis

Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang run Moment of Time Photo Studio and accept requests from clients to relieve them of regrets. Through a photo provided by the client, Cheng Xiaoshi can travel back in time to the moment it was taken and assumes the identity of its photographer, with him absorbing the photographer's memories and emotions in the process. At the same time, Lu Guang has the ability to keep track of the events in time and helps Cheng Xiaoshi relive the experiences of the photographer. The two work under the conditions that they have only 12 hours with one chance to travel in time and find what their client is searching for, while also leaving the events of the past unchanged.

Characters

Main

;Cheng Xiaoshi
:Voiced by: Su Shangqing (Chinese), Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Japanese), Alejandro Saab, Xanthe Huynh (young) (English)
:The owner of Time Photo Studio. He possesses the ability to time travel through entering photos and possessing the photographer (he appears as himself if the photo is via. surveillance), and any action he takes can affect the timeline.

;Lu Guang
:Voiced by: Yang Tianxiang (Chinese), Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese), Zeno Robinson (English)
:Cheng Xiaoshi's friend and partner at Time Photo Studio. He has the ability to look at a photo and retrace its area within 12 hours after it has been taken. While Xiaoshi is traveling through time, Lu Guang is able to telepathically communicate with him.

Recurring

;Qiao Ling
:Voiced by: Li Shimeng (Chinese), Aoi Koga (Japanese), Suzie Yeung (English)
:Xiaoshi's childhood friend and landlady of Time Photo Studio. She often arrives at the studio to provide time clients for Xiaoshi and Guang.
;Xiao Li
:Voiced by: Tútè Hāméng (图特哈蒙) (Chinese), Christopher Sabat (English)
:A police captain who requests the Time Studio's help in solving the murder case involving Liu Min.
;Qian Jin
:Voiced by: Wei Chao (魏超) (Chinese), Aaron Campbell (English)
:A mysterious lawyer who represents Liu Jing and is Xiao Li's former police partner.
;Liu Jing
:Voiced by: Lín Qiáng (林强) (Chinese), Anthony Bowling (English)
:CEO of Quede Games and Liu Min's father who requests Qian Jin's services.
;Liu Min
:Voiced by: Sūn Lùlù (孙路路) (Chinese), Daman Mills (English)
:A man who seems to be connected to a string of murders and son of Quede Games CEO Liu Jing.
;Emma / Wu Lihua
:Voiced by: Zhào Yìtóng (赵熠彤) (Chinese), Xanthe Huynh (English)
:Overworked secretary to the CFO at Quede Games (formerly) and client of Time Photo Studio.
;Chen Bin
:Voiced by: Xīng Cháo (星潮) (Chinese), Howard Wang (English)
:Xiao Li's police partner.
;Xu Shanshan
:Voiced by: Zhào Shuǎng (赵爽) (Chinese), Caitlin Glass (English)
:A school friend of Qiao Ling, Cheng Xiaoshi, and Lu Guang who comes to them seeking help when she can't remember what Dong Yi told her when she was drunk.
;Dong Yi
:Voiced by: Jīn Xián (金弦) (Chinese), Aaron Dismuke (English)
:Xu Shanshan's friend who enjoys hanging out with her and uses every excuse he can to stay by her side.
;Yu Xia
:Voiced by: Qián Chēn (钱琛) (Chinese), Morgan Lauré (English)
:Client of Time Photo Studio who asks them to find the secret ingredient to her friend Lin Zhen's noodles after she left her to restart everything.
;Lin Zhen
:Voiced by: Niè Xīyìng (聂曦映) (Chinese), Jad Saxton (English)
:Yu Xia's closest friend and chef of their noodles. She ended up leaving Yu Xia's side after coming to terms with the fact she no longer enjoyed making the noodles Yu Xia once enjoyed.
;Chen Xiao
:Voiced by: Wāi Wāi (歪歪) (Chinese)
:A client who seeks out the Time Studio as he asks if they could simply deliver a message to some people from his past on the day of a basketball game. Qiao Ling notes that he looks incredibly tired and unhappy.
;Liu Lei
:Voiced by: Gǔ Jiāngshān (谷江山) (Chinese)
;Lu Hongbin
:Voiced by: Guān Shuài (关帅) (Chinese), Brandon McInnis (English)
;Doudou
:Voiced by: Zǐ Zǐ (仔仔) (Chinese), Cherami Leigh (English)
:A young boy who is kidnapped. The Time Photo Studio looks for clues to secure the boy's rescue.

Media

Donghua

The first season of the donghua series was released on Bilibili and Funimation on April 30, 2021. It was directed by Li Haoling, original character design by INPLICK, art directed by Tanji Takumi, Asami Tomoya, and Zhu Lipiao, photography directed by Sanjou Yasuka, and chief animation directed by Studio LAN. A second season was announced at the ending of the episode 11.

A Japanese dub of the first season aired on Tokyo MX and BS11 from January 2022. The second season aired on Fuji TV from April 10, 2024.

Crunchyroll premiered an English dub on August 8, 2022.

Music

= Season 1

=

The opening theme for season 1 is "Dive Back in Time" by 白鲨JAWS, while the ending theme is "OverThink" by Fàn Kǎ (). Alternative versions of "Dive Back in Time", performed by bicaso (a vocal project by Sony Music Entertainment Japan) featuring Gen Kakon, and "OverThink", performed by bicaso featuring Eaeran, were also released and used in the Japanese dub version.

The soundtrack album, composed by various artists, was released on , by Bilibili.

= Season 2

=

The opening theme is "Vortex" by 白鲨JAWS, while the ending theme is "The Tides" by Fàn Kǎ () & 白鲨JAWS. The song "Vortex" contains reversed lyrics; this was because of writer/director Li Haoling's request to incorporate the theme of reversing time into the song.

The music for season 2 was composed by various artists. The soundtrack album was first released on . A later re-release, released on , contained additional opening, ending, insert, and promotional songs.

Audio drama

An audio drama adaptation was released on 猫耳 ( zh, p=Māo ěr) FM ("Cat Ears FM") on November 10, 2022, and aired every Thursday. The first season consists of 12 episodes that are each about 30 minutes long.

Live-action drama

A live-action drama adaptation was announced on June 17, 2023. The series can be found on Bilibili or YouTube, starring Jiang Long as Cheng Xiaoshi and Bi Wenjun as Lu Guang.

Musical

A stage musical adaptation was announced on August 8, 2023, and premiered on November 10, 2023.

Reception

Reviewing the first season for ''/Film'', Rafael Motamayor praised the animation, music, and the series's ability to create tension. Motamayor described ''Link Click'' as "life-affirming" and "feel ngfresh and new".

References

Further reading

*

See also

* Chinese animation
* List of Chinese animation
* Time travel in fiction

External links

''Link Click''
on Bilibili

''Link Click''
on Crunchyroll
*

{{Bilibili

2020s Chinese animated television series
Bilibili original programming
Chinese animated television series
Chinese web series
Crunchyroll
Mandarin-language television shows
Chinese adult animated drama television series
Chinese adult animated supernatural television series
Chinese time travel television series
Television series about time travel