Asian Offbeat



The new summer drama season has started in Japan and boards are buzzing over a few in particular. Fuji is running Hana Kimi (Hanazakari no Kimitachi), a drama adapted from a manga in which a young Japanese girl (acted by Horikita Maki) formerly living in America impersonates a boy in order to attend an all male high school where she hopes to meet her idol (acted by Oguri Shun), a young athlete she saw and admired on television.Here is a commercial of Fuji TV's Hana Kimi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlrAzoMVA8U

Producers seem somewhat keen to repropduce elements of Hanadan (as Hana Yori Dango is affectionately called), by showcasing nasty popular girls and a plucky heroine standing up to a bunch of self-centered boys. They also seem to be attempting to recreate the success of perennial fave Gokusen, in which a bunch of good looking boys try to make it through high school.

Fuji has also nabbed Hanadan actress Inoue Mao as–you guessed it–a young Japanese girl who has been living in America and who returns home to Japan to see her brother in a drama titled "First Kiss." The story is billed as a romantic comedy.

LIFE is another Fuji-manga-drama adaptation which tackles the subject of high school bullying in Japan (seems so far no American background involved), and the continuing Taiga drama Fuurin Kazan, in which gender bending Gackt is finally appearing (and which is finally up on Crunchyroll). Fuji really seems to have a bunch of hot dramas this summer. Last season TBS pretty much swept the ratings with Hanadan and the Kimura Takuya vehicle Karei Naru Ichizoku and this time Fuji might win.


This post has been edited by dee-lush: Jul 7 2007 3 25 AM

Ever since Meteor Garden... one drama after the next is being made into a drama series.. but hey.. i'm not complaining.... the stories are pretty goood.

Did the new wave of manga adaptations happen because of all the success in Taiwan? What an interesting ping pong effect

all those drama seem interesting.
cant wait to see them.
the poster for Japan's version Hana Kimi looks really good.
I wonder of Japan's Hana Kimi is largely a comedy like TW's version

This post has been edited by babigrl: Jul 6 2007 5 03 PM

OMG I love Hana Kimi! I can't wait to watch the Jap version of it. Mizuki looks pretty believable. When is it going to come out?

wow I didn't know they turned it into a drama series..I've only watched the anime =P

Hana Kimi (in Japan) has just started airing last Tuesday. Comes on every Tuesday at 9PM. The first episode has already been fansubbed and is floating about the internet.

I'm really, really looking forward to watching this show. No offense meant, but I hope that this Japanese version will be better than the Taiwanese one. I do liked some moments of the latter version, but it doesn't exactly fit into the concept I have of Hana Kimi as I'm a huge fan of the comic. Either this Japanese version is good or otherwise, I'll still watch it cause it's Hana Kimi after all. :)

definitely agree that manga adaptation is really great! and the poster looks so good .. am definitely going to watch the series.

I dont know why First Kiss is there, thats not a manga adaptation, its a real script with a good plot...

but its nice that Japan is making live adaptations of its own mangas...

ill see Hana Kimi next year, too many dramas to watch and since i already watched
the Taiwanese version of Hana Kimi, the Tw version left me very satisfied....

I can't wait to see Hana Kimi and of course Shun. I've fallen in love with him ever since Hana Yori Dango, he is such a pretty boy.

i think horikita maki portrayed mizuki perfectly (appearance wise) prolly better than ella... she looks like the manga mizuki. i didnt watch nobuta or wotever she's in but hopefully she acts good too. looking forward to watch the jap version.

I can't wait till it comes out!!!
They alread made a Taiwan version and I thought that it was pretty good.
I hope it turns out better I cant wait till it comes out.
I think it is so weird that taiwan has to make it first then Japan will make it even though it is a japanese Manga

I love Japanese series! Granted, I never watched Meteor Garden, but I'm sure Hana Yori Dango was WAY better than MG. These Japanese actors are talented! They also know when to spend for a big production and how to make it look fabulous! I wouldn't mind seeing Mao in something new but I secretly hope to watch another season of HYD even though the second season ended perfectly. I think I just loved Doumyoji.

This post has been edited by sparkles_n15: Jul 7 2007 1 33 AM

Just watched the first episode and i really liked it.Maki was just great.Her appearance and acting was really good.Ella's acting was a bit uncomfortable to watch in Hana Kimi.

Mangas made into drama normally has an interesting storyline. As for the acting stuff, i can't comment. Well, i look forward to more... series by japan then.

i have to admit some stories are only good as mangas and animes only - it just gets too weird when they try to adapt it for the small screen...however, at the moment i find that japanese versions are so much better than the TW versions (even though they seem to do it first)

I really want to see it......Oguri Shun and some others from Gokusen! Hana Yori Dango was a huge hit..i liked it more than the tw version....i wonder if this one will be better

Wonder if they'll make a live action drama of Death Note.

Theres already the 2 movies anyway and it was a big hit esp. for the L lovers.lolz!

BTW~ The Hana Kimi poster has no Toma(Nakatsu) in it.lolz!
I watched the 1st epsiode of hana Kimi jap. version and Maki is really really cute. Im really beginning to love this girl since Nobuta Wo produce and Kurosagi. She's a very good actress despite being 18.

Im waiting for the Kurosagi movie though~ Maki + Yamapi and its also based on a manga.

They will make another Gokusen? lolz! Gokusen 2 was one of the highly rated Jap. live action though. Well they better put Yamapi next time for the ratings.lmao! Jin and kame were in G2 while MatsuJun and Oguri Shun plus Hiroki narimiya were in G1

i love live-action series....Gokusen and Hanada are two of my favorites, and also of course ISWAK...Hana kimi (Japan)looks much better than the Taiwanese one

I just finished watching the first episode on youtube. I didn't think I was going to like Japanese one but turns out I really like the way that they are making it original but still staying true with the integrity of the manga and characters. (although the TW boys are much better looking, in my opinion )

woaah..really!omg..I can't wait to see more manga series!I just really love Gokusen 1&2 and of course Hana Yori Dango 1&2!!!omg..I hope there will be another season for that two jdorama which I really love the most!!:) I hope Nakama Yukie and Matsujun will co-star again in a new jdorama!I love their pairing up!:) Oh well,I'm looking forward for Hana Kimi jap vesion and also the other upcoming manga series!:) Oh well,I think jdorama are better than taiwan series in terms of stories.. But anyway,I'm more addict with kdrama..hehe!:)

thats pretty true that most of the popular dramas are adapted from mangas....sometimes its even addicting...lol....hope theres more to come....