HANAYORI DANGO
background info:
Hana Yori Dango began as a manga story shown in the monthly magazine Margaret. In around 1994 it began to air as an anime series, but since the story is still running in Margaret they had to create an ending for the anime. The anime is only 51 episodes long. There is also one animated movie, a live action movie and a Taiwan evening live-action drama(Meteor Garden) based on the characters. Currently there are 30+ volumes to the manga series, but as I said it is still a running story.
basic character info:
Makino Tsukushi is a poor girl who attends the prestigeous Eitoku Academy. She is too poor to be able to afford the tuition, and thus was accepted on an academic scholarship. She dislikes the school and keeps to herself mostly. The only reason she attends is because she knows her family expects her to snag a rich husband from among the wealthy students. The F4 are the four richest and most sought after guys at the school. They basically rule the school, including the faculty, because their parents contribute so much money to the school. Among these four is Hanazawa Rui who plays the violin and has managed to catch Tsukushi's attention because he seems to be different than the others. He is quieter and more calm. Rui does not seem to get the same thrill from being cruel to the other students. But he also does not stand up to his friends to try and stop them. The F4 are known for being extremely cruel to anyone who angers them. They will put red tags in people's lockers to mark them as targets for hazing. This hazing tends to get to the point where it is better for the student involved to just leave the school than to deal with it. During hazing the other students are expected to do anything and everything they possibly can to drive the target to drop out of the school.
anime storyline:
Tsukushi is content with her quiet and invisible existence at the school until one day her friend, Endou Makiko, falls down the stairs and onto the leader of the F4, Domyoji Tsukasa. Tsukasa is not known for being a forgiving person, so everyone knows that Makiko will not be forgiven when she appologizes for falling on him. He immediately insinuates that Makiko will be the next target for hazing, which drives Tsukushi to speak up and voice that it is not fair because she had appologized. Tsukasa laughs at what he terms a "cheap show of friendship." Everyone witnesses Tsukushi's outburst and knows what her punishment will be for standing up to the F4. The next day when Tsukushi goes to school she opens her locker to find a red tag. The day has just begun, and she goes to her class to have an egg thrown at her, her desk was stolen and then after gym class she finds her uniform was stolen. She tries to remain strong and not let the other students see that they are getting to her. The next day she begins the day knowing that she can deal with this because she has to remain at this school. She goes to school and the first thing to happen is an egg comes flying at her head again. This time she is prepared and stops it with what looks like a fly swatter and proceeds to inform the students that they will not be able to get her with that same trick again. Then she hears the F4 walking by and runs out in the hallway after them. Tsukushi jumps at Tsukasa and kicks him in the head and then slaps the red tag on his forehead and says that was her own little declaration of war....
And thus the story begins....
info:
It is a girl's anime, but I have some male friends who really enjoyed it too. The basic story revolves around Tsukushi, her interest in Rui and Tsukasa's interest in her. A strong female lead and complete opposites as the other parts to the love triangle makes for an amusing story. It is a prime example of the politics of high school life and coming to know what you really want as you learn to understand yourself better. A highly recommended series in both anime and manga form.
Hana Yori Dango began as a manga story shown in the monthly magazine Margaret. In around 1994 it began to air as an anime series, but since the story is still running in Margaret they had to create an ending for the anime. The anime is only 51 episodes long. There is also one animated movie, a live action movie and a Taiwan evening live-action drama(Meteor Garden) based on the characters. Currently there are 30+ volumes to the manga series, but as I said it is still a running story.
basic character info:
Makino Tsukushi is a poor girl who attends the prestigeous Eitoku Academy. She is too poor to be able to afford the tuition, and thus was accepted on an academic scholarship. She dislikes the school and keeps to herself mostly. The only reason she attends is because she knows her family expects her to snag a rich husband from among the wealthy students. The F4 are the four richest and most sought after guys at the school. They basically rule the school, including the faculty, because their parents contribute so much money to the school. Among these four is Hanazawa Rui who plays the violin and has managed to catch Tsukushi's attention because he seems to be different than the others. He is quieter and more calm. Rui does not seem to get the same thrill from being cruel to the other students. But he also does not stand up to his friends to try and stop them. The F4 are known for being extremely cruel to anyone who angers them. They will put red tags in people's lockers to mark them as targets for hazing. This hazing tends to get to the point where it is better for the student involved to just leave the school than to deal with it. During hazing the other students are expected to do anything and everything they possibly can to drive the target to drop out of the school.
anime storyline:
Tsukushi is content with her quiet and invisible existence at the school until one day her friend, Endou Makiko, falls down the stairs and onto the leader of the F4, Domyoji Tsukasa. Tsukasa is not known for being a forgiving person, so everyone knows that Makiko will not be forgiven when she appologizes for falling on him. He immediately insinuates that Makiko will be the next target for hazing, which drives Tsukushi to speak up and voice that it is not fair because she had appologized. Tsukasa laughs at what he terms a "cheap show of friendship." Everyone witnesses Tsukushi's outburst and knows what her punishment will be for standing up to the F4. The next day when Tsukushi goes to school she opens her locker to find a red tag. The day has just begun, and she goes to her class to have an egg thrown at her, her desk was stolen and then after gym class she finds her uniform was stolen. She tries to remain strong and not let the other students see that they are getting to her. The next day she begins the day knowing that she can deal with this because she has to remain at this school. She goes to school and the first thing to happen is an egg comes flying at her head again. This time she is prepared and stops it with what looks like a fly swatter and proceeds to inform the students that they will not be able to get her with that same trick again. Then she hears the F4 walking by and runs out in the hallway after them. Tsukushi jumps at Tsukasa and kicks him in the head and then slaps the red tag on his forehead and says that was her own little declaration of war....
And thus the story begins....
info:
It is a girl's anime, but I have some male friends who really enjoyed it too. The basic story revolves around Tsukushi, her interest in Rui and Tsukasa's interest in her. A strong female lead and complete opposites as the other parts to the love triangle makes for an amusing story. It is a prime example of the politics of high school life and coming to know what you really want as you learn to understand yourself better. A highly recommended series in both anime and manga form.
MAKINO TSUKUSHI
DOMYOJI TSUKASA
Community Member