Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi) - Japanese Live Action

[Risaa]

This thread is for the discussion of Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi), the Japanese 2007 Live Action series. It's a high school romance comedy based off of the manga of the same name, and is about a transfer student, Mizuki Ashiya, trying to fit in at an all-boys high school in Japan and get Izumi Sano, an amazing high-jumper in the past, to take up the high-jump again. Sano had given up the sport when he received an injury, and he never took it back up again. Ashiya idolizes him and is determined to make him change his mind.

The catch is, Ashiya is a girl and must pretend to be a guy if she hopes to stay in the school.

Along the way she meets many *very* interesting characters, all with their own quirks (total understatement, right there). I highly recommend this series even for people who aren't usually fans of shoujo or live-action, as the storyline is very dramatic but hilarious (along the lines of LoveCom, but a completely different story with a very different protagonist).

Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2007-Jul-03 to 2007-Sep
Opening theme: Ikenai Taiyo by Orange Range
Ending theme: PEACH by Otsuka Ai
(Taken from the wiki.)

My own comments on the first two episodes:

- The characters are still just as weird (if not weirder) and loveable as I remember them from the manga. I love all the actors cast for this series - one reason I didn't like the Taiwanese Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu (also based off of Hana Kimi) was that I really didn't like Ashiya. The actor was cute, but it felt too un-Ashiya-like to me.

- The random CG is weird.... but it's silly, and for a silly series such as this one, I can't bring myself to mind as much as I usually would. There are times when it does seem out of place though.. but there aren't enough instances that I'd say it's overexcessive. I could definitely understand if it bothered more than a few people though.

- I love that they've managed to carry over the fast-paced, silly humor from the manga to this show.

Spoiler for One scene that comes to mind is:

When the head of dorm 1 (ah, his name escapes me atm) tells his men that if they wish to stop receiving his instruction, they may leave the room in the next minute with no penalty, and then he turns around and starts counting down.

...Of course, the door is locked.

That's all for now. XD

Ah, if you're not a fan of the live-action, I still recommend reading the manga. The storylines are the same but there are a few major (I approve!) differences to the stories. Huge thanks to SARS-Fansubs for subbing this series. Discuss away!

(So how did I do? Anything I should add to the intro post? )

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by Risaa

(So how did I do? Anything I should add to the intro post? )

Lol, I take this as a rhetorical question.
Good Job!, I wish you'll find fellow fans of this series and have a good talk

[Zu Ra]

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e

The drama is based on the popular manga of the same name by Nakajo Hisaya, which has already been dramatized in Taiwan. Horikita plays the protagonist Ashiya Mizuki, a Japanese girl in the U.S. who one day sees the young athlete Sano Izumi (Oguri) compete in the high jump on television. She begins to idolize him, and decides to move to Japan to attend the same school as him. However, Izumi goes to an all-boys school, so Mizuki disguises herself as a boy to achieve her dream of being with her idol.

* Cast

Spoiler for space:

Horikita Maki as Ashiya Mizuki

Oguri Shun as Sano Izumi

Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu Shuichi

Kimura Ryou as Senri Nakao

Okada Masaki as Sekime Kyogo

Mizushima Hiro as Nanba Minami

Yamamoto Yusuke as Kayashima Taiki

Konno Mahiru as Hara Akira

Kamikawa Takaya as Umeda Hokuto

Shirota Yuu as Kagurazaka Makoto

Kyou Nobuo as Himejima Masao (Oscar M. Himejima)

Matsuda Seiko as Tsubaki, the School Principal

Ishigaki Yuma as Tennouji Megumi

Iwasa Mayuko as Hanayashiki Hibari

Matsuda Madoka as Kishizato Juri

Kiritani Mirei as Amagasaki Kanna

Kurose Manami as Imaike Komari

Ukaji Takashi as Sawatari

Taira Airi as Abeno Erika

Kobayashi Susumu as Yoshioka

Okada Yoshinori as Ashiya Shizuki

Daito Shunsuke as Sano Shin

* Episode Titles

Ep 01: Getting into the Forbidden Boys' Dormitory

Ep 02: Wrong Kiss

Ep 03: Bizarre Big Brother

* Theme Song

- Opening theme : Ikenai Taiyo by Orange Range

- Ending theme : PEACH by Otsuka Ai

[nanafan]

i just started watching this version it's awesome! you guys should also check out the tawainese version of it which is really good.

[Risaa]

Agh, agh, fans! [*fangirl squee*]

Yes, this is the most awesome live action I've ever seen... not that I've seen very many though. (I'm not really a fan of live action.)

I didn't really like the Taiwanese version; ended up dropping it after the first episode. Though this live action tends to overexaggerate some parts (metal bucket falling on Mizuki's head out of nowhere? Weeeird), it's never gotten to the point where it's annoying, however, the Taiwanese version did (especially, *especially* with Mizuki making all those faces when she first meets Sano... that got on my nerves like no other ).

I think SARS is doing a wonderful job of subbing this series. It seems as if they're really excited about it too, and getting releases out asap (without loss of quality or grammar errors - I've only seen one spelling error so far, and that was something very small and easy to miss). This is definitely one of the top series I'm looking forward to watching the most.

[physics223]

I will watch this. Uh, I'm just waiting for some more eps of D*B and Lovely Complex to come out so to free up disk space. ^^;;

[Zu Ra]

I had a confusion regarding this show I was wondering which one Taiwanese or Japanese. I haven’t read the manga so I don’t want to be spoilt I will put the Taiwanese series on hold also I asked a friend which one was better and she told me the Japanese one . So if I am watching it its after Hanzakari gets over

Originally Posted by physics223

I will watch this. Uh, I'm just waiting for some more eps of D*B and Lovely Complex to come out so to free up disk space. ^^;;

I think this is the best shows to come out this year anime or non-anime. If the high school romance does not get you, the comedy will get you especially Ashiya's attempts to be manly

[domino]

This show is SO much better than the Taiwanese version...!!
I really loved the manga and am glad to see it come to life in an enjoyable live action form. Hopefully the drama's success (it looks like the ratings are pretty good) will lead the way to an anime version. I've been crossing my fingers for a Hana-Kimi anime for years, ever since I got hooked on the manga.

Great actors. The girl who plays Ashiya is so awesome~

Anyone else out there who can't resist the urge to clap along with the ending song?

[Risaa]

Originally Posted by domino

I've been crossing my fingers for a Hana-Kimi anime for years, ever since I got hooked on the manga.

I couldn't agree more! This series is certainly popular enough to spawn an anime, which leads me to wonder why they haven't made one yet... In the meantime though, I'm very, very pleased with this live action (didn't like the Taiwanese version). It surprised me though... I don't usually care for live action. This is the first one I've ever been so anxious about watching. o_O

[nanafan]

i can't wait for more of this! i have been laughing a lot watching this. i admit that i haven't read the manga, but i might give it a shot.

[Risaa]

Third episode was GREAT. This has definitely become one of my favorite shows this season.

Spoiler for Episode three :p:

Ee! Finally Sano knows! I think it really gets juicy once Sano's aware that Mizuki's a girl. In the manga he opens up a lot once he finds out, even though he doesn't act like it; looks like it'll be the same here too.

And aw, so heartbreaking seeing Mizuki cry. Especially because it was Sano who made her cry. Bad Sano! Bad!

[*sobs*] This series is just so great, it's made me smile and giggle the whole way through each episode so far and there's no indication they're going to let up anytime soon.

One thing that I LOVE about the series is Nakatsu and his journey to overcome his sexual preference.... oh dear, it's so funny. We all know he's not gay, but that's something we have to keep to ourselves at his expense. (Aah, kind of like Lucy, Charlie Brown and the football ne. The audience knows he can never kick it or else it would no longer be funny. Poor kid. At least he wasn't doubting his sexuality. )

Ahh, I've always found it so ironic that the one man who finds out about Mizuki being a girl first is the one who's gay. I'm not sure why, but that goes so well.

Ohmg, so hilarious. Needs a rewatch.

[outcast_within]

yamada is better :P

[Zu Ra]

Yeah I like Horikita Maki I don’t like the Taiwanese actress she isn’t cute enough also the production budget for the Taiwanese one is low and it shows clearly. In addition, I like the feel of this show it very entertaining and leaves you wanting for more

Ashiya is a strong well-rounded character my respect grew for her after the marathon. She tolerated all that pain just for a smile Ashiya Chwaaan. Also Ep 3 is out -Banzai-

[Risaa]

Just finished eppy 4. IMO it wasn't as good as the previous two, but the ending completely made up for it -- it was super duper great. Aaaand, I'd feel bad spoiling it, so you all have to go watch it for yourselves.

I like how in the very last second of each episode it leaves a huge cliffhanger; the problems in each episode get solved, but at the very end they put something else in just to keep you in suspense. Haha, so evil. XD

Ah, I also want to mention that I like Sars so much. ;_; They're so fast and there aren't many errors (I think I've only seen two or three) considering each episode is about forty minutes.

[ghostface]

I'm definitely going to watch this. I enjoyed the Taiwanese version despite its many weaknesses, but having just seen the first episode of the Japanese show I can tell it's going to be much, much better!

The show has a good pace and I think they did a great job with introducing all the major characters and the three dorms in the first ep. I also think that Osaka High is much more convincing as a boys' school than its Taiwanese counterpart. It was really fun to see how much bullying Mizuki had to endure on her first day

[DragoonKain3]

*sigh* Being a shoujo manga fanatic, I've read this a long time ago. I'll probably wait till the end so I can marathon it, otherwise I'll probably lose interest since I can't wait a week because I know what'll happen already (I 'forgot' about HYD halfway because of the very same reason).

Although I'll definitely watch it someday. Having Horikita Maki would always make me want to watch a show (same thing applies with other actresses, Ishihara Satomi and Nagasawa Masami).

[LoveOfAnime]

I love this show! The silliness one moment, slipping into more serious moments the next, just makes it an interesting show. I have honestly laughed, cheered and cried already, and that is in the first four episodes! I walked into this series unknowingly, because it looked interesting on animeinfo. I have not previously read the manga or seen the anime. You should have seen me when I realized it was Shun-chan as Sano-san. *Total, drooling idiot--fangirling* He is just hawt.

[min_min94]

many nice live actions have come out this year!!!

[Risaa]

It totally excites me to see new posts in this thread. XD

Anyways, didn't like eppy five as much as the previous four... I dunno, it just didn't hit the spot. I was pretty bored the whole time (except when Nakatsu dreams about Mizuki, getting bloody noses of course... I don't know why that's so funny on a real actor -- I should be commenting on how lame and corny it is rather than laughing at it!! ). I suppose it was mainly because the focus was put on characters I really don't care much about.

Ahh well.

[outcast_within]

one of the sub plots i'm wondering about is what will happen to nakatsu and the funny girl of the hibari four