Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Ang Mutya ng Section E” adaptation.
“ANG Mutya ng Section E (AMNSE)” was already famous among eBook readers back when the social story-telling platform Wattpad was still not known. It was when teenagers stayed up late to read eBook stories on their keypad phones and attended school with panda eyes the next day.
“AMNSE,” written by author Lara Flores (also known as username eatmore2behappy), was as popular as other Wattpad stories like “I’m Dating the Ice Princess,” “Let Me Be The One,” “The Four Bad Boys and Me,” and “Avah Maldita.”
It follows Jasper Jean Mariano, or Jay-jay, a high school girl who transfers to a prestigious school, Higher Value International School (HVIS), and is placed in Section E, a.k.a the most unruly class composed of male-delinquent students and led by ill-tempered student named Mark Kiefer Watson.
The story centers on the characters’ high school experiences—from meeting new friends to attending school events, getting into fights, having a crush, and falling in love. It showcases how members of Section E face problems and overcome them together.
Last year, it was revealed that “AMNSE” would have a live adaptation starring Ashtine Olviga as Jay-jay, Andres Muhlach as Kiefer, and Rabin Angeles as Yuri Hanamitchi. It is helmed by Theodore Boborol, who also directed the adaptation of another Wattpad story, “The Rain in España.”
The first episode of “AMNSE” premiered on January 3 via streaming platform Viva One, becoming the talk of the town as viewers and eBook readers shared their varying opinions about it.
But is it really that good or is it just overhyped?
Reactions on the cast’s performance
Let’s start with the cast members of the series adaptation who were chosen through an audition. Many fans said each actor fits the role of every character. Braian Soleta, who read the eBook version and the adaptation of “AMNSE,” said the casting was well done.
“Ashtine with a mix of charm and wit, making her character truly come alive. Andres brought depth to his role, and their on-screen chemistry added to the series’ appeal,” the 22-year-old told republicasia.
Jasmine Joy Catacutan, 22, echoed this and said the adaptation made her read the “AMNSE” book series.
“Bagay na bagay ‘yung characters, lalo na ‘yung main characters [na] si Keifer, Jay-jay, [at] Yuri,” she said.
Trixia Mae Palanca, 19, said the series adaptation exceeded her expectations, especially the cast members. Palanca admitted that she initially “felt off” when the cast members were first revealed last year, thinking that they might not suit the characters they would portray.
“Not until nailabas ‘yung trailer nila. Napasabi ako ng, ‘Oh my g,’ lalo na kay Andres at Ashtine. Talagang they give their best para mabigyan ng justice ‘yung character na ginaganapan nila,” she explained.
Samantha Vidal also believes that the actors, even those new at acting, did justice to their characters. One example is Andres, who landed his first lead role in a series through the “AMNSE” adaptation.
“VIVA did well since they took a chance on many rookie actors. And, it definitely paid off,” the 21-year-old student said.
Remelyn Resurreccion, a 22-year-old fan of the book series and the live adaptation, agreed with Samantha and said Andres pulls off his character as the “Hari ng mga Ulupong.”
“Para sa akin, ‘yung na-i-imagine ko na Keifer sa libro ay gayang-gaya ng Keifer na napapanuod natin. As a first timer, masasabi kong he’s really a great actor. Hindi mo mahahalata na first timer talaga. He never disappointed me or us wattpad readers,” Remelyn shared.
Rabin also caught the viewers’ attention with his iconic entrance at the HVIS in his red hair, making them curious about his character beyond his good looks. While Rabin has starred in several small-screen projects, his role as Yuri in the “AMNSE” adaptation is remarkable for the viewers.
“JaPinoy [na may] red hair na crush ng lahat. Saan ka ba naman makakahanap ng poging pakwan? I mean green flag outside, red flag inside. Nagagampanan niya ng maayos ang mga roles nya,” Remelyn said.
As for Ashtine, many fans acknowledged her as the one who could act as Jay-jay perfectly.
“She is mature, walang arte. ‘Yung Jay-jay na nasa imagination ko, lumabas talaga mula sa libro na binasa ko. ‘Yung Jay-jay na pasaway at makulit, kuhang-kuha ni Ashtine,” Remelyn explained.
She continued, “Literal na lahat sila lumabas mula sa libro. I never doubted Theodore Boborol. ‘Ang Mutya ng Section E’ is the best adaptation ever.”
On the cinematography
Cinematography is also a big factor for the audience in deciding whether or not they would continue watching a project. The Gen Z viewers said the “AMNSE” adaptation has great cinematography, praising Boborol and other staff members for a job well done.
“The visuals are lively and settings are well-chosen which enhances the storytelling, aligning well with how I envisioned the scenes while reading,” Braian noted.
Samantha, meanwhile, said the shots and the editing of scenes were “well planned and thought out.”
“I saw that the way they executed the scenes was very intentional. I saw online that many fans really liked the set design of ‘AMNSE’ since it lived up to their expectations,” she said.
Changes in the adaptation
The Gen Z viewers already expected that not all the elements in the book series will be shown on the screen. Braian noticed a few minor adjustments in the adaptation to suit the pacing and format of a series.
“I think the slight modifications were understandable and didn’t bother me. They seemed intended to enhance the viewing experience without altering the story’s core essence,” Braian said.
Samantha highlighted one of the changes in the adaptation that made many fans slightly disappointed—the scene where the “Ulupongs” danced to GAT’s “Daleng-dale” instead of “Don Romantiko” to cheer up Jay-jay.
“Honestly, I get why they chose not to use this song, particularly for copyright, since they would have to pay to use the ‘Don Romantiko’ song. I think it’s nice that they used ‘Daleng-dale’ to promote the members of GAT as well; it’s like hitting two birds with one stone, promoting the show and the group,” Samantha explained.
Another adjustment made in the adaptation was the second appearance of Percy (portrayed by JD Axie), which was supposed to happen at a school festival. For those who have not read the book, Percy plays an important role in the story but further details about him are yet to be revealed in the series adaptation.
While such changes were inevitable, they did not stop the audience from streaming the “AMNSE” adaptation.
Jasmine said, “Kahit wala yung scene ay ayos lang naman. If you are really a fan kasi nung story, you’ll understand na not all scenes talaga eh magagaya ng super accurate sa adaptation.”
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Overall thoughts
The fans said the book series and the live adaptation have their own unique strengths.
“The book allows for personal imagination, while the adaptation offers a visual and auditory experience that brings the story to life. I think both are enjoyable in their own right, depending on one’s preference for reading or viewing,” Braian pointed out.
Samantha shared that she enjoyed the show, which she described as a “condensed version” of the book series.
“This is also a great way to reintroduce Wattpad adaptations or even book-to-screen adaptations in general to Filipino audiences since there was a time when this genre was loved by many,” she stressed.
The book and the series adaptation are balanced, well made, and well loved by the audience. Although there may be some changes in the adaptation, it does not affect the plot and its essence.
Some fans who watched the first episode wanted to read the novel up to its latest update, as they were curious about who among the characters ends up with Jay-jay. Would it be Kiefer? Yuri? Or other “Ulupong?” That is what they will find out in the forthcoming episodes!
