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Hana Kimi SP - My review
May. 15th, 2015 02:30 pmSynopsis
The special took place half a year after the series' end. With Osaka Gakuen getting ready for an upcoming Valentine's Day event, Sano and Nakatsu reflect on the final week of their last summer vacation, which falls into the timeline of the original series between episodes 7 and 8. The special also includes a graduation scene and addresses the relationship between Mizuki and Sano. (wiki.d-addicts)
I think this may be the best school-based Japanese dorama ever. It is really funny! It has a little bit of everything: comedy (a lot), friendship, silliness (a lot), craziness (a lot), romance, gay love... I am reviewing the SP only, but I will comment on the dorama as well. The script, director or whatever, made all the things that were MEH in 11 episodes turn into NICE! in the SP. Like:
- the romance. For 11 episodes it was so MEH. No chemistry between Sano and Mizuki. In fact, it was like he could not stand her (and he was right. She was too meddlesome). And who did not want Mizuki to end with Nakatsu? First time where the third one in the wheel is more appealing than the actual hero.
- less adults, more students. I disliked the nurse, especially because he was such a misogynist. He treated his ex-girlfriend like she was the pest. I hated his "blue" eyes, his hair, his character. Besides all the scenes that were Sano/Mizuki, I fast-forwarded the scenes with the creepy nurse the 2nd time I watched the dorama. But in the SP, his role is tiny! Yokattaaa And the SP was almost 100% about the boys and their silliness.
- Mizuki less focused in Sano. In the SP she realizes she loves her classmates and the school. It is not all about "Sano this, Sano that". It shows pieces of the 7th and 8 episodes, things that happened in between of what we watched it. She spends more time with the boys, creating more memories with them. So it is not untrue when, at the end, she gives her speech.
Now, I will review the boys (+ Mizuki), because each one of them is important to the story. Besides, I don't think this was an "ikemen paradise". Most of them had the worst hairstyle (and I am almost used to Japanese weird hairstyle... ok, not really). In my opinion, there are only 2 pretty boys and 2 cute boys.
Mizuki. I have to say I don't think that Horikita Maki is a good actress. She is too stiff. She can't cry. She does not have many facial expressions. But she is extremely charismatic, and I love to watch her doramas. She is perfect for cross-gender roles: she is not too girly, not too skinny, and she is very cute! Her short hair suits her very much. She looks like a little boy, but a pretty, cute little boy. No wonder why Nakatsu falls for her.
Sano. Hmmmm... I can't understand WHY people says he is good looking. Honestly, he is not. At least in the SP his hair is a little bit better. But, come on! Look at this picture. He seriously needed a cut in the back, where it is close to the neck. Ok, not really. He needed to cut all the ends. And to be honest, he is not really a good actor. He has like, two expressions only: the angry one and the bored one. And I have watched many of his works (the only one where he was good was in Gokusen). Maybe he needs another role where he is not "kakkoi". But he certainly improved in the SP and was more likeable even. What is more important, it was more obvious in the SP that he really liked her.
Nakatsu. His hair is also better in the SP. And he has a solo scene that is hilarious (a monologue, Nakatsu-style). Toma is one of the cute guys. He has a cute smile, too bad for that ugly, orange hair! But he is funny again in the SP, and although Sano's character improved here, I still think Mizuki made the wrong choice.
Nanba-sempai (Dorm Leader 2). Errr.. no need to say he is one of the pretty guys, right? He has delicate features, and I love his hairstyle! In the SP he has a kind of crush on "Julia", a "blond" American girl (haha, I love this in Japanese dramas... the wigs! Excellent). The girl who played Julia has already acted in the dorama, only as a different character. She is gorgeous (half Japanese, half French). And again, Nanba-sempai gets a kiss from his male fan XD
Tennoji (Dorm Leader 1). This guy is fantastic! Basically, his role is the same as it was in the dorama. No changes. Still in love with Kanna (I like how he pronounce it: Kan-na), who is played by a super young Kiritani Mirei. When I saw him in Gokusen I was "Oh! Dorm Head!".
Oscar (Dorm Leader 3). It may be unnecessary to say, but the Dorm Heads are the best! Oscar is like another Tamaki (from OHSH) but more of a drama queen! He makes the whackiest expressions.
Kayashima. Awful hair, nice smile. His role is funny, but too bad he barely talks in the SP. I don't find him handsome at all, he always has weird haircuts that don't suit him at all.
Kagurazaka. Another guy I don't understand why people find him attractive. Just look at that hair in the picture... horrendous! But he cuts it for the SP and his role is tiny but kind of funny. It is related to the kiss Sano gave him in the dorama.
Sekime. 2nd pretty guy. Luckily he does not have this ugly shade of blond, but even so, his hair is a mess, both in the dorama and in the SP. But he has a nice smile, so it is weird no one remembers his name!
Nakao. 2nd cute boy. His hair is longer in the SP, which of course was an incorrect thing to do. In the memories from 7th episode he has short hair, but in the 7th 1/2 episode he has it longer. Not that it was bothersome, but still, it was fun to notice it. As it happened with several boys, actually.
Junpei. He does not even has a name in the dorama, and I thought he was not going to be in the SP, but he was.
Honorary mention: Hibari. A crazy sempai, leader of the girls dorm and head-over-heals for Sano. Even though I've seen her in another doramas, to me, she will always be Hibari, the egocentric chick.
I love the SP, I like the OP song a lot (Ikenai taiyou.. nanananana), I love the actors, I like the OST in general, the setting, the clothes, the competitions and festivals... At the end, 1 hour and 45 minutes felt short. One of the best shoujos doramas I've seen.
My rating: 10/10
The special took place half a year after the series' end. With Osaka Gakuen getting ready for an upcoming Valentine's Day event, Sano and Nakatsu reflect on the final week of their last summer vacation, which falls into the timeline of the original series between episodes 7 and 8. The special also includes a graduation scene and addresses the relationship between Mizuki and Sano. (wiki.d-addicts)
I think this may be the best school-based Japanese dorama ever. It is really funny! It has a little bit of everything: comedy (a lot), friendship, silliness (a lot), craziness (a lot), romance, gay love... I am reviewing the SP only, but I will comment on the dorama as well. The script, director or whatever, made all the things that were MEH in 11 episodes turn into NICE! in the SP. Like:
- the romance. For 11 episodes it was so MEH. No chemistry between Sano and Mizuki. In fact, it was like he could not stand her (and he was right. She was too meddlesome). And who did not want Mizuki to end with Nakatsu? First time where the third one in the wheel is more appealing than the actual hero.
- less adults, more students. I disliked the nurse, especially because he was such a misogynist. He treated his ex-girlfriend like she was the pest. I hated his "blue" eyes, his hair, his character. Besides all the scenes that were Sano/Mizuki, I fast-forwarded the scenes with the creepy nurse the 2nd time I watched the dorama. But in the SP, his role is tiny! Yokattaaa And the SP was almost 100% about the boys and their silliness.
- Mizuki less focused in Sano. In the SP she realizes she loves her classmates and the school. It is not all about "Sano this, Sano that". It shows pieces of the 7th and 8 episodes, things that happened in between of what we watched it. She spends more time with the boys, creating more memories with them. So it is not untrue when, at the end, she gives her speech.
Now, I will review the boys (+ Mizuki), because each one of them is important to the story. Besides, I don't think this was an "ikemen paradise". Most of them had the worst hairstyle (and I am almost used to Japanese weird hairstyle... ok, not really). In my opinion, there are only 2 pretty boys and 2 cute boys.
Mizuki. I have to say I don't think that Horikita Maki is a good actress. She is too stiff. She can't cry. She does not have many facial expressions. But she is extremely charismatic, and I love to watch her doramas. She is perfect for cross-gender roles: she is not too girly, not too skinny, and she is very cute! Her short hair suits her very much. She looks like a little boy, but a pretty, cute little boy. No wonder why Nakatsu falls for her. Sano. Hmmmm... I can't understand WHY people says he is good looking. Honestly, he is not. At least in the SP his hair is a little bit better. But, come on! Look at this picture. He seriously needed a cut in the back, where it is close to the neck. Ok, not really. He needed to cut all the ends. And to be honest, he is not really a good actor. He has like, two expressions only: the angry one and the bored one. And I have watched many of his works (the only one where he was good was in Gokusen). Maybe he needs another role where he is not "kakkoi". But he certainly improved in the SP and was more likeable even. What is more important, it was more obvious in the SP that he really liked her. Nakatsu. His hair is also better in the SP. And he has a solo scene that is hilarious (a monologue, Nakatsu-style). Toma is one of the cute guys. He has a cute smile, too bad for that ugly, orange hair! But he is funny again in the SP, and although Sano's character improved here, I still think Mizuki made the wrong choice. Nanba-sempai (Dorm Leader 2). Errr.. no need to say he is one of the pretty guys, right? He has delicate features, and I love his hairstyle! In the SP he has a kind of crush on "Julia", a "blond" American girl (haha, I love this in Japanese dramas... the wigs! Excellent). The girl who played Julia has already acted in the dorama, only as a different character. She is gorgeous (half Japanese, half French). And again, Nanba-sempai gets a kiss from his male fan XD Tennoji (Dorm Leader 1). This guy is fantastic! Basically, his role is the same as it was in the dorama. No changes. Still in love with Kanna (I like how he pronounce it: Kan-na), who is played by a super young Kiritani Mirei. When I saw him in Gokusen I was "Oh! Dorm Head!". Oscar (Dorm Leader 3). It may be unnecessary to say, but the Dorm Heads are the best! Oscar is like another Tamaki (from OHSH) but more of a drama queen! He makes the whackiest expressions. Kayashima. Awful hair, nice smile. His role is funny, but too bad he barely talks in the SP. I don't find him handsome at all, he always has weird haircuts that don't suit him at all. Kagurazaka. Another guy I don't understand why people find him attractive. Just look at that hair in the picture... horrendous! But he cuts it for the SP and his role is tiny but kind of funny. It is related to the kiss Sano gave him in the dorama. Sekime. 2nd pretty guy. Luckily he does not have this ugly shade of blond, but even so, his hair is a mess, both in the dorama and in the SP. But he has a nice smile, so it is weird no one remembers his name! Nakao. 2nd cute boy. His hair is longer in the SP, which of course was an incorrect thing to do. In the memories from 7th episode he has short hair, but in the 7th 1/2 episode he has it longer. Not that it was bothersome, but still, it was fun to notice it. As it happened with several boys, actually. Junpei. He does not even has a name in the dorama, and I thought he was not going to be in the SP, but he was. Honorary mention: Hibari. A crazy sempai, leader of the girls dorm and head-over-heals for Sano. Even though I've seen her in another doramas, to me, she will always be Hibari, the egocentric chick.
I love the SP, I like the OP song a lot (Ikenai taiyou.. nanananana), I love the actors, I like the OST in general, the setting, the clothes, the competitions and festivals... At the end, 1 hour and 45 minutes felt short. One of the best shoujos doramas I've seen.
My rating: 10/10
