I've scoured a tiny bit of the forums and could not find a post specifically about Hanakimi's live action, so I decided to start one! (sorry if it is a repeat, I think I may have seen it discussed in other less specific topics ^^')

Anywhoo~ To add to my love of Hana Kimi manga I watched its lovely live action adaptations... and decided I'd make a little review of them

I finished the Taiwanese version quite some time ago, and recently started the Japanese one... I was honestly... sadly disappointed TT__TT

Of course, that's not to say that the live actions were bad, not at all!

-To start, the Taiwanese drama was wonderful (to a certain point)~ though to be honest, I don't think some of the actors/actresses were great for their characters

-Mizuki, was played well... but the actress just didn't resemble mizuki very much
-Sano, after a few episodes I don't think I had any complaints... sano <3
-Nakatsu, after a few more episodes was also passable ^^
-The other side characters were a little too "asian-drama-type-goofy" for my liking... if you know what I mean.... (especially Kayashima.. because I <3 Kayashima.. and they made him weird-'er than he is' T_T)

Also I was reaaallly upset that Julia was only "half" (she was half right?) and also that Mizuki's brother Shizuki was completely "taiwanese"(?)... either way, I was looking forward to seeing how they'd place the American characters, but was sadly disappointed cries

The ending was the absolute worst thing that I'd ever had to go through (at that point in time anyways) Oh. My. Goodness.
Okay just about everything in the drama follows the manga (yay!! <3) until the very last episode.... 🤢

Spoilers spoilers spoilers! (second/triple/quad warning)
So it gets to the point where sano, nakatsu, mizuki and nanba work as models... then something happens and and the story just takes a turn for the worst... Nakatsu does some overdramatic thing where he climbs to the rooftop because of guilt over falling for Julia soon after confessing to Mizuki [at this point I think: okay, super weird, but okay]... then Mizuki and Sano both try to confess their secrets to one another (mizuki-saying that she's a girl and sano-saying he knows that shes a girl).... [at this point I think: awww, that sounds kinda cool, I'd settle for that kind of ending]... annnnnd so Mizuki and Sano try to confess.... they get interrupted stupidly... [oh, well that's okay... things can't go that smoothly]... AND SO! they try to confess again... they get interrupted, stupidly.... [...] and again and again, they get interrupted more and more stupidly... [/facepalm x 9999](so that went on for the longest 20 minutest of my life)
then then then~ As Sano and Mizuki get cornered into confessing in front of everyone, Sano lets Mizuki escape and talks to the guys alone... where because Sano hesitates, Kayashima tells everyone that he knows the secret "that Mizuki's a girl" and then everyone nods in understanding---BUT Sano says no that's not true.... and everyone waves off Kayashima's randomness...
so the the worst part........??? in the end they don't confess at all, you get some stupid ending where all the characters just carry on happily oblivious foreverrr! D=... no jokes... seriously
the only redeeming part was Sano's monologue at the end... skip through everything and get to his monologue and you'll feel slightly happier... (and that's only if you still like Sano after all that)---oh oh and if you're expecting a better closure like in the manga and its epilogue... DONT... I went through the 40 minutes of extras (with bloopers and whatnot, and was unhappily disappointed more...) T_T]
Well that'd enough ranting about the terrible ending...

Sorry, no really in spite of the ending the Taiwanese drama is really really good... REALLY GOOD....

okay so as stated above... Common Differences which i did not find especially good in the dramas...

MOAR SPOILERS (You have been warned)

1. Shizuki is not american in either dramas... (Taiwanese(t)&Japanese(j)-both portrayed ridiculously... (i think j is worse than t -if i remember correctly))
2. Mizuki's reason for going to Japan are different (t-because Sano inspired her to work harder[yay! that's like the manga...]...to become less fat[ugghh that's so shallow] & j-because Sano saved he while getting injured-during a training camp in America[omg that so sweet and cute and cliched and and also shallow]... though to be fair the reason in the manga is somewhat shallow too)
3. Suprisingly that seems like all the qualms I have about these dramas, though I thought I had more....

The Japanese drama on the other hand ehehe... that's another rant...

There's a good thing though! =D

Characters = BISHIES GALORE <--- if you like those kind of guys I guess...

-to be honest though, I watched it for the incredible cuteness of Mizuki... she is incredibly cute and pretty <3... the guys... are okay... xD... after I get to like their characters I think they're quite bishi-ful ...

-Nakatsu <3 is my favourite in J-drama though
-Sano is a "bad boy"

he is overly mean! and cold! (don't like it)
-Sekime is actually really really good (in spite of his side-characterness) I <3 Sekime in the drama... he's cute too... xD
-Kayashima is once again portrayed weirdly (whyyy T_T)
-Masao (Dorm 3 leader) is uber weird, weird is an understatement... eccentric is an understatement; I can't believe he's considered handsome...
-Nanba.. is also portrayed in bad taste
-Nakao is also reaaally ..... (no words to describe) ... gay... (i mean its not a bad thing.. but... its bad in the drama)... maybe it's cause i don't think he's cute (sorry)
-oh Kagurazaka is also cute... and so is Shin (Sano's brother) ^^
-Umeda-sensi could be gayer and more bishi-er... but he's somewhat more masculine in the drama (he is okay... <3) oh but ! he doesn't have glasses... and i like glasses characters... so booooo (I feel shallow now... hangs head in shame)

Okay so I didn't finish the series because of its silliness, but from what I've seen so farrr......

What I will deem as more 'asian-show-goofy' (If you've seen any asian gameshows with celebrity guests you'll know what I mean)... sobs its so embarassingly unfunny <--- in my opinion...
and the story is changed a lot... in addition to the common differences above...

-So I hadn't watched far enough to see if Julia appears (I've watched 7.5/12 ep)

-the dorm arrangements are changed and they have a principal which plays pranks on them (wth?)...
-the guys have literally screaming girls fanclubs
-they keep having weird competitions

-to sum it up the japanese drama is just weird in a asian-comedy (which i don't find amusing/entertaining way)... its good in moderation, it really is (i'm asian and i like my asian weirdness in moderation)....
-I'll definitely finish watching it... (after my exams though lol xD<--is already procrastinating waaaayyy too much....[I become more active on forums during exams... so so so bad... i guess its stress-relieving yay!])

Please pardon me for my extremely long post

(I also think they should just make a straight anime adaptation of the manga)
And let me know what you guys think!

[img]http://img.userbars.pl/69/13603.gif[/img]

I have not watch the Taiwanese version but I did download and watch the Japanese one. Yes is weird in an asian kind of way. However there were parts that made me laugh out loud because they were so out there and/or ridiculous... I did enjoy it and even if it did not follow the manga as faithfully as I would have wanted, I recommend the series. 😁

Now thanks to lilchoconut, I want to also watch the Taiwanese version 😃
Goggle here I come...

I enjoyed the J-dorama, probably more because it's been a while since I read the manga (which I love). 🤣

There were quite a few changes, but I really think that if you can watch the dorama without directly comparing it to the manga, it's quite enjoyable (in an Asian-comedy-goofy way, which I happen to enjoy quite a lot~). Like Makyxed, there were times when I laughed out loud watching it. 😁

"[English] not only borrows words from other languages; it has on occasion chased other languages down dark alley-ways, clubbed them unconscious and rifled their pockets for new vocabulary."
-James Nicoll, can.general, March 21, 1992

Quote from TofuQueen

I enjoyed the J-dorama, probably more because it's been a while since I read the manga (which I love). 🤣

There were quite a few changes, but I really think that if you can watch the dorama without directly comparing it to the manga, it's quite enjoyable (in an Asian-comedy-goofy way, which I happen to enjoy quite a lot~). Like Makyxed, there were times when I laughed out loud watching it. 😁

That means that TofuQueen has good taste... like me... 😀

I must say I feel differently that you about the dramas. I've tried to watch the Taiwanese one first, but just couldn't stand the way the characters were portrayed. I was constantly embarrassed for them and said "no more" after first episode.
The Japanese version, on the other hand... <3. I've watched it all, laughed at the jokes, almost cried at the part where

Nakatsu says to Mizuki that he doesn't care who Mizuki loves, because he will love her nevertheless

and

at the ending, when the whole school was saying their goodbyes to Mizuki.

I really liked the way the characters were portrayed. And I must say that the actress who played Mizuki was the first actress in a dorama, who didn't annoy the hell out of me with the way she was acting. Sano was cool, although I don't think he was meaner than the Taiwanese one. Nakatsu... well, Nakatsu is love <3. Or rather Ikuta Toma is love <3 🤣 And Nanba... Nanba was the ultimate player. I had the same vibe from his character in the manga.
Kayashima, yes, he was portrayed weirdly. I can agree that he was too weird, but still, he was cute. Especially the raised hands thing and the aura thing, hahaha!
The Japanese Hana Kimi had a subtitle, "Ikemen Paradise" and I guess it was a bishie paradise, eh? 😀
Umeda was cool (not as cool as the Taiwanese one, but still). I loved the way he bickered with Akiha and his phobia against women - priceless.

I can't remember Julia appearing in the Jdorama... she didn't appear, did she?

Current avatar features Badou from Dogs.

@ Layhe
I cried in the second spoiler, my computer probably got over flooded with tears.

@ lilchoconut
I tried to watch the Taiwanese version, but... a fat Mizuki? couldn't watch past the first 10 minutes...

and Akiha, a woman??? didn't make any sense and it annoyed me...

.../l、
（ﾟ､ ｡ ７
　l、 ~ヽ
　じしf_,)

i watched the J-dorama. :3 I loved the way the actors portrayed the chars (well most of them)~

I remember waiting for the next episode to air. XD It was like "ARGH HURRY UP TUESDAY MOARRRRR HANA-KIMI!!" Nakatsu was sooooo amazing~ Ikuta Toma was so great.

Sano was too emo for my taste. =[ I was actually rooting for a Mizuki/Nakatsu ending for the dorama, despite my love for Sano in the manga. ;P I knew Nakatsu and Mizuki could never be, but still... ;;

I couldn't stand the Taiwanese one. -.-; No matter how much I truly love Hana-Kimi I just couldn't watch it.

I didn't like how they crammed 23 volumes into 13 eps though. A lot of my fav parts got cut off (on volume 12.... Whaaaaa). I did cry on the last episode though. ;P I don't remember exactly WHY I cried, but I just know I did. XD

Hm. Funnily, I really preferred the Taiwanese version. I don't think it was meant to be exactly like the manga and it's more like they borrowed the ideas. The Japanese one, I couldn't watch after the second episode. It was just too ridiculous and exaggerated? Too much slapstick for me, I guess. The Taiwanese one was cuter in my opinion, even if most people I talk to say the actors are less suited and uglier. 🤨

[img]http://dragcave.net/image/GKln.gif[/img]

i didn't watch the japanese one past ep 3. however the Taiwanese version i found really funny; especially Umeda-sensi. he was most like how he was in the manga.

..............

This thread makes me sad. =[ Why are people trying to take away my #1 HK fan title away? Dx Someone's neck will end up broken, and it won't be mine.

To start off I generally hate shoujo manga.Hates not the right word, i just never read them, cant usually get into em.

That said, I loved both these dramas, dont know why, just did. I've since tried (sorta) reading Hana Kimi but havent liked it as much as the dramas, i guess its just the order in which you see em. Personally i probably like Taiwanese better just cuz i thought Jiro was a funnier more erratic character (tho jdrama his char was awesome also), otherwise i liked both actors for the characters. These are 2 of my favorite dramas. 😀

Can't read >_<

two syllables

E W

🤢

The Deviant

Quote from Cerulean

two syllables

E W

🤢
1 syllable smartass.

You fail at the English language.
GTFO please.

Quote from Dubby

Quote from Cerulean

two syllables

E W

🤢    

1 syllable smartass.

You fail at the English language.
GTFO please.

ouch...

well, i didnt particularly like the drama, it was just, to much. and the actors didnt fit to me. mizuki was just way off. >___>

[img]http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j333/aella_loves/jensenmisharoadtonowherewp-1.png[/img]

"We know a little about a lot of things,

just enough to make us dangerous."

Because the world needs more babies in trenchcoats.