Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Yoko Kamio (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Boys Over Flowers: Hana Yori Dango | Publication Date: August 6, 2003

This classic shojo is featured in a 51-episode anime series. When her only friend, Makiko, accidentally offends F4 leader Tsukasa, Tsukushi boldly defends her. Enraged, Tsukasa puts the dreaded red tag in Tsukushi's locker — a sign that she is now a target for the abuse of the F4 gang and the entire school. But when Tsukushi fights the gang with their own weapon, Tsukasa finds himself falling for her!

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (August 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569319960
• ISBN-13: 978-1569319963
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: addictive, November 16, 2004

By 

Valerie (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I was pretty skeptical when I started reading this manga, mostly because of the graphics: compared with other mangas, I felt they were rather poor, with very little scenic detail. I was also somewhat turned off by the "so 1992" vibe (the clothes, the hair), but this manga is twelve years old and was meant to be relatively realistic, so you can't blame the author. The graphics, however, improve in later volumes in a spectacular manner.

Despite this, once I'd finished the first volume, I found myself going back to the bookstore to buy the next two. I was a little ashamed of myself because, being in my early twenties, I thought I was beyond reading teen romance stories; and at the same time, I kept thinking "I don't care! I want to know what happens next!"

Plot and characters are this manga's strong points. Tsukushi Makino is a barely-middle-class student in a higher-than-upper-class highschool, the kind of school where girls buy Channel by the barrel and boys are all destined to inherit large companies. Although initially determined to get through highschool without getting herself noticed, Tsukushi can't help but stand up to a posse of boys called the F4, the richest, most handsome boys in the whole school, whose pastime is to pick on others. They are lead by the egocentric Tsukasa Domyoji. Thus, she becomes the target of the F4 and the entire school. However, unlike many shojo heroines, Tsukushi is not one to weep for chapters before taking passive-agressive measures. Instead, she fights back head on and isn't afraid to take drastic action.

Apart from having a heroine with moxie, Hanadan is a very interesting depiction of a phenomenon that is (or maybe was)unfortunately pretty common in Japan: ijime. It's not just bullying, it's mass-bullying, when the whole school is either against you, or passively watches on. I was shocked by the lengths Domyoji was willing to go to to break Tsukushi's spirit. There are some pretty harsh scenes in this volume.

Now, this is a shojo nevertheless, so expect romance galore, at least in following volumes. All the confusion and beating around the bush will probably get annoying at some point: Tsukushi is very mature when it comes to many things, but when it comes to love, she's as hopeless as all the other shojo heroines. Jeez, Tsukushi, pick one already! But this is also part of the fun of Hanadan, it keeps you on your toes and gives you an insane desire to know what happens next. I know I'm going out of my mind, after 10 volumes.

Sure, it's a cheap thrill, it's miles away from philosophy, but after the complexity of animes like Akira and Serial Experiment Lain, it's always fun to dive into the simple (and yet oh so complicated) world of Hana Yori Dango. Personally, I'm rooting for Domyoji!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I swore I'd never get involved again in this kind of series, I'm glad I lied!, March 16, 2006

By 

Courtland J. Carpenter (Fort Wayne, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I guess I'm gonna have to look at some things to trash, because I've been giving out too many good ratings lately. I just couldn't help, but give this five stars. I was expecting this to be another Marmalade Boy. (Which by watching I think you start to lose manhood points that can only be recovered by watching Evangelian or Elfin Lied.) That anime had a very similar in appearance, main female as the focus too. Fortunately, the difference, is night and day. Unlike the whiny, neurotic female lead Miki of MB, which had me nearly discontinue the series 3/4 of the way through, this gal is a real heroine.

The story of a girl trying to maintain a low profile and get through and elite high school in Japan. For those of you unfamiliar with the Japanese schooling system (and I'm far from an expert,) some Japanese high schools are prestigious enough that the students funnel directly into a top rated college or university. The heroine of this anime, either due to grades, or some other type of qualification, has got into this top notch school. Trouble is most of the students are the upper crust of society, and have what seems to be a natural disdain for the common folk.

Nowhere is that more apparent than with the F4 a group, four boys from some of the most prominent families. They use their status, and just plain meanness to intimidate everyone in sight. One day our heroine can't take watching this any more, and speaks out. Her life may never be peaceful again after this, as it seems the entire class is now against her. Instead of folding under the pressure, she decided to fight back. When she attacks the leader of the F4, he becomes intrigued, and asks her to be his girlfriend, (on the sly of course)problem is she likes another member of the F4.

While the romantic motivations of this series are a bit shallow, they are not unlike those in many real life situations. The F4 leaders motivation for liking the heroine is that she's probably the first female to ever stand up to him. Her infatuation with another member is he is the one member who can't quite tolerate the other students going overboard to "punish" the outcasts on his behalf, and helps her on several occasions. While these are both quite shallow reasons to begin to like someone, isn't that often the start of a lot of relationships, a "gut" reaction. I found that to be very real. Typically long term relationships are formed when those initial reactions lead to the person taking the time to get to know who they've been drawn too. Sometimes it works out sometimes not. Such is life.

What's great about this is that while the stories of this are essentially soapers, they find time after time a way to suck you in at the end to want to see what happens next. Unlike many anime of this type where its obvious who will "get the girl or guy", this manages to keep you guessing till the end. Which is another thing to recommend it, it does have an ending. It didn't run out of budget like some series, or just terminate with no conclusion, or grow stale, and have a default ending.

There are a few reasons not to buy depending on your point of view. Truth be told, this anime is just one step removed from "His and Her Circumstance" in the use of limited animation stills. Fortunately it doesn't "cross the line" like H&HC did when it began using rough cut black and white story boards as anime frames. The art looks very air brushed and water colored, a very 80's look for a 90s series. The other reason is that if you buy volume one, you will have to buy the whole series. This is not a series like Ranma, LUM, or others that you can just watch self-contained episodes. You'll be compelled to see the entire series, don't say I didn't warn you!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yatta!! HYD finally hits US soil!!, September 26, 2003

By 

Cat Chow "rebeckie44" (Still in front of my computer) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This Manga is one of the most endearing story in most of Asia. It has spawned several live action shows as well as an anime. It has plots that keeps you wondering what will become of Tsukushi and the F4. Kamio-sensei developed her characters so well that you come to care about even the supporting characters such as Shigeru, Sakurako,Yuuki and Tsubaki, just to name a few. When they are introduced, they know how to make in impression. Tsubaki is the only woman Tsukasa will bow to,(whether he likes it or not) Shigeru is his energetic fiancee and one of Tsukushi's best friend..(EH? you'll see) Sakurako is a scheming, psychotic minx (book 5) turned good friend to Tsukushi(book 6 and beyond).

Tsukushi is unlike any manga female ever. She is a STRONG character who won't take crap from anyone. She has a strong sense of right and wrong and a good enough heart to forgive those who have wronged her (though it does gets irritating at times to see her do that...you eventually come to admire her strength in her faith in people) She's violent, she curses, she's stubborn. She's prone to make mistakes like everyone. She's original.

The Pun about the weed is that Tsukushi is a Japanese weed, something like a horsetail weed. To be in Eitoku is to be in a well maintained garden. Beautiful flowers thrive under pampered conditions...Kind of like the F4 and the rest of the student body. But a weed in the garden, though you may stomp on it, and spray it and try to kill it on several occasions...(and you'll see what I mean by Book 5!!) the weed will grow back stronger.

As for Kamio-sensei's drawing style, if you're not too crazy about it, keep reading her side comments. She was learning her skill as she was developing the story. By the end of the story (which ended in Japan in August 2003) Her drawing and storywriting skills were perfected. Looking through her earlier books and comparing it to the later ones, it's hard to believe it's the same author. Trust me, Tsukasa will not always look like Medusa and Tsukushi will lose those braids!

Hana Yori Dango (Boys over Flowers)is truly a one of a kind story with unforgettable characters and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end! But a fair warning for you all... the Japanese Mangas concluded by book 36. If you hate waiting, go to your local Japanese Bookstore or check the web for translations. Oops, can I say that?