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39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My personal favorite, March 5, 2004
This review is from: Boys Over Flowers - Declaration of War (Vol. 1) (DVD)
I have had the good fortune of seeing the entire series of Hana Yori Dango. I own it on fansub. When I finally got through the final episode, I realized that I had enjoyed it more than any other anime series I've seen. If you are hesitant to watch it because of the shoujo stigma, you really HAVE to give it a chance. I'm a 26 year old male, and I feel no shame in saying that this show was just the greatest thrill I've had watching anime. It's actually not quite like other shoujo series that I've seen, like Marmalade Boy and To Heart for example. Romance isn't really the central theme for most of the series, as it is more about Tsukushi's trials and tribulations in school. Of course, there is romance in this show, and it just wouldn't be as good without it. You see, this show does one thing phenomenally well that almost no anime does right: character development. By the end of the show, you will care about the characters, deeply. I think the reason shoujo anime is so appealing to me and others is because you really get to know the characters and feel like they are friends. You just don't get that in run of the mill anime, and certainly not in regular TV shows. If you are sick of seeing walking stereotypes in anime, you really need to see Hana Yori Dango to see a truly engaging series. Another thing I love about this show - it's intelligent. It will make you think. The characters in Hana Yori Dango are not "good" and "bad", they have a little bit of both in them, just like real people (imagine that!) There are no easy answers in Hana Yori Dango - Tsukushi, and all the other characters, make mistakes and do terrible things at times. There are some episodes that utterly shocked me, and I that almost never happens to me anymore. You see, even though the bad things that happened in Hana Yori Dango weren't as gruesome or outlandish as the things that happen in, say, Berzerk, it is much more shocking because they are happening to people that I cared about. Hana Yori Dango is, simply, a slice of real life. To that end, it is the best anime I have ever seen. On a side note - Amazon, please fire Charles Solomon now! Why does a guy who hates all anime review the majority of it? The only time I've ever seen a remotely good review come out of him is for Trigun, and I mean, come on! It's as if he picked one out of a hat to give a good review to. I'm not saying Trigun sucks, but it's just doesn't compare to some of the series he's made his smarmy negative comments about, like this one and Key the Metal Idol, for example. I think everyone should email Amazon and tell them to get rid of that hack.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Addictive Anime, September 27, 2003
This review is from: Boys Over Flowers - Declaration of War (Vol. 1) (DVD)
Finally, a break for the usual whiney, silly girl, magical situations, mecha loaded anime that is out there. Hana Yori Dango or Boys over Flowers is a school setting drama about a young girl trying to fit in yet remain true to herself at any cost. The series will hook you in by the first episode. Based on a hugely popular Manga in Japan, and most of Asia, HYD follows the adventure of Tsukushi Makino, a poor girl from the wrong side of the track who enters the Elite School of Eitoku. Her one wish is to pass the two years she has left in high school quietly and unnoticed. If that happened, this series would only be only an ova. Eitoku is a miniature society ruled by the intimidation of the most powerful sons of Japan, Sojirou Nishikado, Akira Mimakasa, Rui Hanazawa and their volatile leader Tsukasa Domyouji. Collectively they call themselves the F4 or the Flowery Four. Lame name for really tough guys. (Looking beyond that, you see that it's a metaphor for the story. Tsukushi's name is a horsetail weed in Japan. Therefore she is a weed among flowers) Within 10 minutes in the anime, Tsukushi brings herself to the attention of the F4 by standing up to them while they bully her friend. Unable to standby and watch as the rich and powerful flaunt their wealth and mock those of lower status, Tsukushi insults the F4 infront of the student body. Only after she has opened her mouth and finished her insults, the realization of what she had done sinks in, and the battle begins. The anime is a softer palette of color than most shoujo anime. Opting for more earth toned, the colors fit for the mood of the story. This is not a bubble gum romance. The characters are presented in a realistic setting facing problems of fitting in and dealing with peers and hazing. The story line varies from funny to serious and the colors seem to go with the themes. The music tends to go towards the melodramatic. I simply turn down the volume at times. The music theme reminds me of 1950 sitcoms. The music does help enhance certain moods quite successfully. On a whole, the music is not very memorable. It's the story lines that makes this Anime move along. After one episode ends, you can't wait to see what will happen next. (Sound familiar soap opera addicts?) As in most anime that is based on manga, a lot of information is lost and holes in the storyline is obvious. How does a girl like Tsukushi get into such a rich school like Eitoku? In Japan, one has to take a test to enter most high school. In the Manga, Tsukushi scored high enough to gain entrance into the school and her parents make sacrifices to pay for her tuition. This goes to show that Tsukushi has a high intelligence. Why does Tsukasa become obsessed with Tsukushi, you'll understand when you meet his sister Tsubaki. Why do the other F3 help her while Tsukasa continues to harrass her...they're more mature than him. Why should you watch this? For one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride it will give you unlike any other Anime out there.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Incredible Series Perfect For Both Girls And Guys, September 15, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Boys Over Flowers - Declaration of War (Vol. 1) (DVD)
This series outsold every other comic in Japan, its popularity based on strength of characters and storytelling. The story was not only turned into this animated series, but also a live action movie, animated stand alone movie, and even a wildly popular Chinese-language tv series (Meteor Garden). Boys Over Flowers has a strong female lead character, humorous lead male, and a story to melt the heart of any romantic. It should be noted that the animation is somewhat flat when compared to contemporary flashier shows and the color scheme relies heavily on a yellow and brown palette. In addition, it isn't an action show, it doesn't have the syrupy sweetness and silly but dumb female leads of Marmalade Boy or Fruits Basket, and although there is quite a bit of humor, it is not a comedy. Fans of the show are consistently attracted to the more 'reality' oriented feel of the gripping storyline (i.e., no one turns into zodiac animals, there's no magic, the leads don't have mecha hidden in their basement, and the characters don't find themselves in utterly improbably situations). Definitely not boring, Boys Over Flowers can really be addictive. What the series does best is tell a great story that hooks you the first time you see it. The most common anime romance stereotypes are flipped around and you easily find yourself both laughing and crying with the characters. Best of all, this anime is something for both female and a male viewers to enjoy together.
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