Ranked #248

Hana Yori Dango (Manga)

Hana Yori Dango or Boys Over Flowers, as it has been translated, shall forever have a very special place in my heart.

It may be pegged as a "Cinderella story". If you're looking at it that way, yes, it is. A girl from the lower middle-class attends a school for the very elite and very wealthy, and as fate would have it, she became the centre of attention for the four wealthiest, most influential and powerful young men on campus. But what makes this manga so much more brilliant is the twist of it. Yes, she's a Cinderella. But she's no secret princess. This story's about a tough, straight-forward, simple girl, who can do extraordinary things such as change the lives of the stubbornest, most difficult of people.

Hana Yori Dango has a compelling tale. It isn't the most innovative, it isn't the best, it isn't tremendously original, but it is able to capture you in all the right ways, draw you in, and make you want to learn more about the lives of these people and the stories they have to tell.

The series ran for more than a decade. Given that, there have been vast improvements in the mangaka's skill over the years. The art from the first couple of volumes do have a dated, shoujo manga, flowery look to it. However, in the later volumes, especially coming closer to the end of the series, the art becomes very defined. The character designs, though simple, become more expressive. The backgrounds are better-looking as well. On the whole, this manga has a nice, clean look to it. There isn't much shading and sketchiness. You'll find crisp, clear drawings here.

One of the manga's definite strong points is its characters. Personally, I think Makino Tsukushi is one of the best protagonists in the history of shoujo romance. She is a strong, level-headed, hard-working girl. But she is not a simpleton. She goes through emotional turmoil as her life has been turned upside-down and inside-out by the attacks and attention by the series' second protagonist, Domyouji Tsukasa.

Tsukasa is another great character. He comes off as mean, foul-spirited, vicious, spoilt, wicked guy, and that's because he is. But that's not all he is. He is also caring, gentle with those he loves, and brave. Of all the character interactions, Tsukushi and Tsukasa's are the most important. They share an almost Jane Austen-esque relationship, where they grow, learn, change and develop for the better because of one another.

And then there's Tsukasa's best friend and a boy who is Tsukushi's first love: Hanazawa Rui. He can be named the third most important character in the series. He starts off cold, aloof, distant, but as the story progresses, he develops through Tsukushi's influence into a much warmer person. Hana Yori Dango fully utilises its impressive length to create a wide cast of characters, most of whom are very well-rounded and have interesting personalities.

This is a great shoujo manga. I cannot begin to express how enjoyable it was. Every cliffhanger leaves you wanting to get to the next page or volume. Every declaration of love or hate will cause your breath to hitch. Every joke might put a nice smile on your face.

Hana Yori Dango is one of the most romantic, funniest, dramatic and intriguing shoujo manga ever written. It is definitely worth the read. read more

I read this after I watched the drama, and having watched the drama - which I liked a lot - I didn't think the manga would be as good.

My expectations were blown away; the manga is absolutely fantastic, and despite its age compared to the newer dramas, the newer films etc... it still shines. The characters are absolutely fantastic - Kamio Yoko managed to turn around the high school genre on its head, and managed to produce a female teenage protagonist that actually WORKED. She was a brilliant character, with her own flaws, and her own strengths, and is definitely a character I and others can look up to, rather than the 2D static characters I'm used to reading highschool manga.

Her love interests were brilliant; a main female character in an anti-harem of attractive, respected males, in a school where everybody hates her? It doesn't sound very original, and yet Kamio manages to pull it off spectacularly.

It's interesting watching her progress; at the beginning, the art was not the best, but over time she improved an immense deal. If you compare the art near the beginning to the art near the end... it's almost unrecognisable.

The plot was brilliant, and as original as you can make this genre be. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and also plan to re-read at some point - considering how I rarely re-read manga, and how long it is, I can assure you that's quite some achievement for this manga!

If you've seen the drama, or watched the anime, and are interested in the manga... this is a must-read.

And if you haven't seen any of this series at all, then this is also a must-read! read more