WARNING: Due to some immature comments I keep receiving, I want to warn those who think Hana Kimi is the best drama ever, this post is not for you!!!!!
Go away, kiddies! Shoo! Shoo!
I don’t think this is even a first impression, but since I haven’t finished watching it, I’ll classify it as it is.
Hana Kimi, a Taiwanese drama, based on a popular (surprise! surprise!) Japanese manga of the same title. It tells a story about a girl, disguised as a boy who entered an all boys’ school to meet her idol. At first glance, even with the small resemblance between the Taiwanese actors and the manga characters, I thought the actors have the potential to carry it off. But as I said, that is, at first glance.
Hana Kimi reminds me of the popular anime and manga, Ouran High School Host Club and the Hollywood movie, She’s the Man. The similarities are obvious as you’ve probably noticed. I’ve been dreaming about a Japanese live action of Ouran but I just can’t decide who to cast as Haruhi. A popular choice would be Horikita Maki, but I dunno…I just can’t picture her as a guy.
Hana Kimi’s Ella, on the other hand, can easily disappear among a crowd of boys. I bet anyone who watches this would stare at her chest and wonder how the heck they made it so flat. Ella’s been getting a lot of criticisms concerning her looks. Geezzz…I mean, how could Senior Nan and Quang look prettier than her, right? Nevermind her looks, that I could forgive. What I can’t accept is her acting. Can’t she even tell how annoying she is? And what’s with her, thinking out loud? I mean, she talks to herself while surrounded by her classmates and they try to convince us that nobody can hear her? wth? It would work in the manga, but not with real people.
Director, what do you take your viewers for? Fools?
The first two episodes are excruciating to watch. But at the end of each episode, they show us behind the scenes and NGs. I think, Ella is a down to earth person during off screen, but the most annoying girl ever on screen. How’s that even possible eh? Well, thanks to those behind the scenes, I think it’ll be the third twdrama I will actually finish.
Quang (Wu Zun) is not that bad. I guess he’s tolerable. I heard he was disastrous in Tokyo Juliet but had quite improved in Hana Kimi. I don’t like the parts where he talks to himself as well. I put the blame on the creators. Jiro Wang’s role is very similar to his Ah Jin in ISWAK. It’s easy to like him even if he overacts. I also like the gay uncle…well, as a matter of fact, all the characters are likeable except for Ella.
I don’t think the Taiwanese did the manga justice (not that the manga is a work of a genius or anything like that). Some things are not meant to be acted out. They are meant to stay on paper and remain as a silly girl’s daydream. It is hard to faithfully adapt a shoujo manga, page by page, into a live action without turning it in a cheese extravaganza. The Japanese adaptation of Hana Yori Dango wouldn’t be so successful if they followed everything on the manga. Aside from HYD, my other favorite adaptations are Nodame Cantabile and ISWAK. I was so content with those two that I found the anime/manga version quite inferior. Whereas this Hana Kimi is making me dig out and continue reading the manga itself.
Related Post: Japanese Hana Kimi
LINKS:
- Directdownload @ Sublimes
- Torrents @ d-addicts
- Manga at goldlilys
I agree with you actually. While I’m still going on ahead and watching the Hana Kimi drama til the end, I liked the manga so much better. Lots of people were introduced to Hana Kimi through the drama though, and since they know all the major plot events between Quan and Rui Xi, they don’t have the interest to read the manga just for the same/similar plot events between Ashiya and Sano. Pity. I *loved* Umeda Hokuto, much more than the Doctor Mei Tian in the drama.
Still, the drama has its own merits; there’s a lot of humour that wasn’t in the manga, and if you try to forget that it’s an adaptation, it really does seem pretty good. Ella gets to be less the nuisance later on, or so I feel… :p
I agree that the acting and the writing are not the best (the characters do have a bad habit of speaking aloud to themselves and just announcing their feelings), but I found the live action to be pretty enjoyable. Ella’s acting may be over the top, but for a TV show like this I don’t think it matters if it’s a bit silly.
Furthermore insulting Ella’s looks and the manga was unprofessional and downright prentensious. In order to create a good review I think it’d be wise to bit a bit more conservative a not insult the fans.
I did say her looks doesn’t matter, if you read my post carefully.
For a tv show like this, i don’t think one can even write a sound review. It’s like trying to produce jane austen out of a hilary duff movie. Forget it. Oh shucks, I’m sorry if that was not professional. I didnt mean it to be one.
Have you finished watching this series? It looks like you don’t like it A LOT. I don’t understand why though. Hehe. Maybe because I’m biased. I like Ella and her acting as well. And I am so in love with Jiro Wang and how he portrays Xiu Yi. Oh well. We all have different tastes.
(or maybe it is just because you read the manga first?)
Yup, yup…we all have different tastes =)
Hey,
I totally agree with you. This Hanakimi or most Taiwanese drama adaptations tend to not follow or give the manga justice. The reason tends to be because the acting really sucks or they overact. Come on, have you seen Meteor Garden?!! People only like that drama because the guys look HOT, but if you watch it closely, they ruined the story. So I totally prefer Hana Yori Dango drama better. Jeez I wish there will also be a Japanese drama adaptation for Hanakimi.
Oh and thanks for linking to my site. Haha.
Hey kababayan =) Glad to know you’re not the typical pinay obsessed with MG. I heard rumors that there’s going to be a japanese live action of Hana Kimi. I think Nishikado Ryo is gonna play the main lead. Already, he is being criticized with his height… Just like Jun in HYD eh. But I know for sure he’ll absolutely do a better job than Wu Zun.
Yah, your site has been successful. I remember the days when u were just beginning…and now, wow. You’re famous! wehehe =)
edit: It is confirmed that a jdrama will be coming this summer! Oguri Shun is playing Sano, not Ryo.
You know, I was sooo biased when I first watched this. I really hated how Ella was so ugly at first and she really didn’t fit the role.. but then I made myself watch more episodes, and then I really started to like Ella, kind of like if you ever noticed how the more you look at people and/or are around them alot.. they tend to get prettier and better in your eyes? I guess. I think Hana Kimi is really good if you can get past Ella and learn to like her. I’m not a big fan of the manga, it was a hard read. My friend lent it to me, and I flipped through pages because I couldn’t just couldn’t stand to read it. But I really like this live-action. I think you don’t like this because it’s not Japanese.. just my observation.
And as for Hana Yori Dango vs. Meteor Garden, I liked both.. I watched Meteor Garden and of course I fell in love with it. I don’t know too much about acting skills and all that, and I’m not much of a critic when it comes to anything, so I thought the cast in Meteor Garden did a good job. It really made me cry.. lol. And truthfully, I thought the Hana Yori Dango actors were hotter than the Meteor Garden actors, and the girl was wayy prettier than Barbie in her Meteor Garden days.. lol. But I still kind of like Meteor Garden better.
“I think you don’t like this because it’s not Japanese.. just my observation.”
That’s not fair…My ultimate favorite romantic comedy is a taiwanese drama – ISWAK. I watched the Japanese version, and I didn’t like it – especially the leading actress.
Show me a good solid twdarama and I’ll write something good about it. Hana Kimi is not it.
Oh, it depends on how well the drama is acted, the overall story and how it stays true to the manga. I really loved Devil Beside You for the Taiwanese version (just not sure if they made a Japanese version though), but the acting was well done and the two main leads had chemistry. The actors made their roles realistic and I loved the main guy. So it’s not that I like the Japanese version, just it tends to be better most of the time. (An opinion, not a fact)
I just stumbled upon your blog when I was making a general search for recommended asian comedy dramas and I’ve read your comments for ISWAK and Hana Kimi. I think that we have somewhat the same tastes, since my ultimate faves are ISWAK and Full House and I agree with the other comments you made in the ISWAK entry. My opinion on Hana-Kimi even resembled yours at the beginning. I’ve read the manga before I watched the drama so I was a bit disappointed. However, it gets better as it goes on–except for the part where there was trouble with SuiYi and ReiXi kept on crying over and over in one episode. But yeah, Hana-Kimi’s good–not as good as ISWAK and Full House, of course, and not as good as the manga–but acceptable.
At least it’s not really crappy like some other dramas out there… >_>
If you are looking for a solid taiwanese adaption, there is only one gem in my opinion. Mars. Totally awesome. I read the original manga and i quite like this adaption. As a stand alone, it is brilliant. As an adaption it is quite good. Maybe i am biased. But it really is an awesome drama.
ok well hana kimi is my favorite taiwanese drama. It was actually my first asian drama (that was subbed in english instead of dubbed in viet) so i might be biased and stuff. i watched Ouran first and i saw a comment that if i liked that i’d like Hana Kimi. and i stopped being hooked to anime and started on asian dramas.
I think the guys are gorgeous and I love Fahrenheit (thanks to the drama) so yea…I think Wu Zun did a good job in the show. He’s pretty new to the acting scene so i think he acted quite well. I was never into asian stuff until i saw hana kimi and now because of that i’m obsessed. Ella is really actually pretty in real life i think.
They talked out loud but a lot of stuff in that drama is for a comical effect so it’s understandable. at least that’s what i think. Tons of stuff in Hana Kimi are hard to believe like how she could still keep it a secret even with Quan’s help.
I loved Hana Yori Dango A LOT more than meteor garden. i couldn’t even get past the first ep. of meteor garden after i watched HYD. It might of been the clothes and the hair and the girls parents.
ok so this was long…hehe
Quote: “It is confirmed that a jdrama will be coming this summer! Oguri Shun is playing Sano, not Ryo.”
This July! I can’t wait. I’m sure there’ll be an absolute flurry of posts everywhere comparing the Taiwanese version to the Jap version…
http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/hanakimi/index.html
I actually completely agree with you.
I think Ella just OVER does her character. I mean, she EXAGGERATES what she’s supposed to do.
Wu Zun as Quan did a decent job, but I expected him to do a little more. However, it doesn’t really matter, since comparing Ella’s acting to Wu Zun’s, he beats her sooo bad.
Jiro is the best of those 3 I would most likely say. When I read the manga and watched the drama I though: “whoah, he’s just like I imagined!”
Now for doctor Mei Tian, I thought it was hilarious how they made him extra gay in the drama. Some parts which did not occur in the manga were simply hilarious. Nonetheless, doctor Hokuto in the manga was one of my favorite characters and although Mei Tian was nothing like Hokuto (in appearance and in personality), I didn’t mind Mei Tian at all.
For my last point, I also agree: “how could Senior Nan and Quan look prettier than her?!” I don’t think Ella was fit for this role mostly because she did not act girly and was a bunch of time overly annoying.
Overall, I think that Hana Kimi Manga > Hana Kimi Drama.
nice one!! i don’t like hana kimi and i’m so frustrated coz every1 around me seems to like it so much. ella overreacts and i got really bored after 2 eps or so. anyway the japanese version of hana kimi indeed has horikita maki as mizuki. woot!
well for me i hate most of the taiwanese dramas the acting is just crap, the only 2 twdramas i like are iswak and devil beside you i have watched hana-kimi (cuz i think jiro is just HAWT XD) and i have to say that ella is too annoying >
I agree. I didn’t know if I was the only one that got pissed when she made those weird faces (like when she pouted, etc). She looked so freaking ugly when she did that. And she doesn’t even look like she had a flat chest, it looked like she was FAT instead. And along with her looking fat, her butt was kind of (or really) fat too. Don’t know if it was natural or if they stuffed her pants with something, but they were fat.
I love Jiro Wang Dong Cheng.
quoted from Rainbow: “And along with her looking fat, her butt was kind of (or really) fat too. Don’t know if it was natural or if they stuffed her pants with something, but they were fat.”
hahahaha…ah, I shouldn’t laugh. I’m trying to be, ahem, non-judgemental here…but yes, her butt is kinda prominent. I was trying to convince myself she’s just curvy.
wow the things u said is so true!!
they are all the thing i been hating too.
ever since i started episode 1 i hated her acting.it was overdoing it….also her expressions pisses me off =.=
this is not the first time i encnounter this problem.this is also showed in other taiwanese dramas.they need to stop!!!
i already saw the first 2 of the japanese hana kimi it was good!much better than the taiwanese one.
ps i love your edit pic of ella flat chest.
I agree with Jamie. Hana Kimi was also my first taiwanese drama and i really liked it. I’m personally a big Ella fan, which is how i came to watching Hana Kimi.
In general, i think you’re doing the whole judging a book by its cover deal.
I admit that at first, I was also wondering what the heck was up with her faces and the talking outloud, but I don’t think that its reasonable to critize Ella for it, if you’ve seen her outside of Hana Kimi, she doesnt make those faces, it was simply for effect. The talking outloud thing is nothing new, its called an aside (not sure why I know that), used alot in plays like by Shakespeare for effect. I guess if you’re gonna fault anyone for any of that, it best be the director.
Much of your criticism seems to be more appropriately directed at Ella’s character than herself so I think it would be more curtious to use her characters name.
Regarding Ella looks…yes, theres been criticism, but theres also been alot of praise. Exactly why does she have be this so called “beautiful” that we as society require of celebrities? Ella has a unique beauty and can look quite stunning when she wants to, just watch the MV for the theme song of Hana Kimi. On top of that she has an amazing personality, very rare in the celebrity world and really attracts the guys. Anyways it wouldn’t fit with her character, like you said you couldn’t imagine that one girl looking like a guy, it would be the same with may other stars. I am also curious as to how they flattened her chest that much, but I do know that Ella had to wear a “chest protector”, as they call it, to flatten her chest. And she definately isn’t fat, she only weighs around 100 lbs and about 5′4′, if thats considered fat then i must be obese (which i’m not).
I personally enjoyed all the characters and actors, you have to keep in mind Wu Zun and Jiro are new, but they were hot.
The only criticism I have for the show is that it kinda drags and some of the subplots weren’t neccessary, but I guess because its based off the manga
Anywho, this is all just my opinion.
Oops. sorry that was really long. I know I am biased towards Ella and you must think that I’m one of those stupid kids in your title after all that, but i did do alot of research as I watched this show and just wanted to clear the air about some things.
I know you are entitled to your oponions, but I think its important to not judge something at first glance.
Can’t wait for Hana Kimi 2 in 2008!
mayday: Nope, my disclaimer is intended for people who come bashing me just because they don’t agree with my post. If you like Hana Kimi, you can say so and are allowed to comment here just AS LONG as you do it in a CIVILIZED MANNER. You did except that you have to learn how to read coz you are accusing me of things I haven’t even said in my post. Thank you very much.
SO agree! Ella plays the most annoying girl ever >.>
Funny how you say HORIKITA MAI~ should play haruhi. Actually Hana Kimi has just been done as a japanese drama. Annnd Horikita Mai plays ashiya (main girl). And she makes a much better boy, cause the boy she pretends to be doesn’t look…well…ugly. And her annoying personality is so much more toned down and she acts more like haruhi from ouran than ella’s ashiya.
The Jap version is tonnnns better, watch it =p
Your critic of the drama is certainly from a point of veiw I’ve never seen before, but I can tell where you’re coming from.
I think it’s the over-exaggeration that not only creates but adds more and more to the annoying atmosphere surrounding the character Ella plays.
However, I don’t believe the director takes his veiwers as fools. I’d say that he’s taking a rather bold risk in trying a style that most people aren’t used to seeing in dramas. The results were unpredictable to him and the actors as well. I’m pretty sure that the actors felt rather stupid at times, doing very awkward things.
If the point of this drama (and I do believe it is) is to be over-exaggerated and kua jang beyond belief, then I think the actors were extremely successful. I’m a third year theatre arts student in university and I’m telling you (plus others who may raed this) that it’s not easy at all to do.
However, I agree that it does get kind of lame at a certain point. There’s only so much cheesiness one can take before it starts to go bad.
Anyways, I’ve appreciated your interesting point of view on this drama. Feel free to respond to my reply.
Take care, Aniklya.
I watched the Jap version (Hanazakari no Kimitachi-e) and it was definitely good. But it’s pissing me off slightly how you all criticize the Taiwan one sooooooooo much. I mean, yea, Ella’s acting is over the top but it’s really unfair to talk about her being a really crap actress and all that stuff about her being ugly. She looks really nice in the OST (Zhen Me Ban) MV for Hana Kimi (Taiwan version). But Hana Kimi did originally come from Japan so… Anyway, both were quite good even though the Jap one was more realistic so my main point is, Ella doesn’t deserve this much criticism!
Hmm, I agree. I did like the Taiwanese version, no matter how difficult I found it to listen to Chinese continually, but some of the key parts just don’t make me happy. Like Ella, and how she takes about five years and a day to make one particular confused face. I don’t care how she looks; personally I think she pulls off looking like a guy very well, although in a drama it shouldn’t matter too much either way. I just hate the way she’s she’s so effing loud and dense and uber face-makey in that role. Sigh.
I also don’t like how they effed up the ending. Saying that Nakatsu liked Julia?? WTF? That really is a total insult to Nakatsu and an absolute lie. I don’t care how they wanted to finish everything up so they could make a second season. Nakatsu would NEVER like Julia; he’s made that quite plain.
The Japanese version effs it up, too, but it does it right off the bat, so I’m not expecting it to go like the manga. At least I won’t be disappointed in the end.
I agree and disagree. They should of thought of different characters. Ella may look like a boy but isn’t as the other character in the Japanese Hana Kimi. But, I think It’s not as bad as you think. It’s still pretty good!!!
I watched about 3-4 episodes and I just give up. Like you, I don’t really like Ella’s acting. It’s a bit annoying…and the picture I was having for Mizuki when I read the manga is totally different from Ella.
I am currently watching Hana Kimi drama the Japanese version right now. And I have to say that I like it much much more than the Taiwanese version.
I mean, about her chest, haha, i was wondering how they got it so flat like that.
Evereyone’s different.
wow ella is so annoying! i love all the people except her…they should have got a better actor no offense….it would make the movie better.
To answer your question about Ella’s chest, they use some kind of strap shirt to extract it on the chest.
maki horikita is on the japanese version. Well, a bit biased ’cause i’m a fan of hers, but i think the japanese version is better. It works for me because even though they didn’t follow the manga story exactly, they carried it out well. And the manga is japanese in the first place, what better way to portray it than using japanese characters! Because only they can actually make the ‘manga feel’. Lastly, the japanese version is lighter and more hilarious. Their expressions are so funny without going over the top (unlike the taiwanese version)
I started with the manga, and I loved it so much that I just kept repeating the whole cycle a few times.
Then I followed with watching the Taiwanese drama version. If you want to talk about acting, everyone were over-the-top, so it was like a “I’m laughing because it’s so painfully silly” kind of drama. Although, I must say I like XiuYi the best. His character is cute even with the over-acting. I can’t believe Quan is prettier than RuiXi (check out the pink lips!), MeiTian is so not cool at all, and they totally ruin Taiki’s character by putting a weirdo guy as XiuYi’s roomie.
And now, we have the Japanese drama version. I’m okay with most of them, although I’d prefer Taiki to be a cooler guy. But they ruined Masao (looks like an old uncle). Storyline-wise, I wouldn’t expect them to follow the manga exactly, but some parts would be nice (e.g. Sano unknowingly displaying his affections for Mizuki). Prior to ep5 of the drama, Sano was downright annoying. Nakatsu is still the cutest. Haha
Maki Horikita in the Hana Kimi Japanese drama makes me think she’ll look great as Haruhi in Ouran Kouko, if there will ever be a live version of that.
As with my kababayans here, i liked the HYD dorama better than MG too. The acting wasn’t as wooden as the Taiwanese actors, even though Jerry Yan carried the larger physique than lanky Matsumoto. However, the Japanese F4 did better than the lot form MG.
The japanese version is much much better
So far, it is one of the best adaption from a manga.
Please don’t criticize Ella’s look as a personal insult to her because she has to look “ugly” in the drama. How do you expect some down-to-earth beauty to take that role? I’m not a big fan of Ella but I think she is quite professional at sacrificing herself to look ugly and fat and totally unsexy in the drama.
I didn’t like the drama at first either because Ella exaggerates too much. But I guess if for those of you who just don’t like Ella at all can ignore her cheesiness, you will enjoy the drama a little more. I appreciates this drama for that it follows the original story. But I also really like the jap version for that it adds originality to the drama by not following the comic’s storyline. I find it hard to compare the 2 dramas because they differ too much and each of them has something unique that the other one doesn’t have.
By the way, Ella got sick because she has to flatten her chest everyday and that I heard she has D-cup.
Hana kimi the Taiwanese drama must be the worst drama I have ever seen.
I wanted to kill myself.
Ella is actually quite normal-looking in real life. She’s also very masculine, and dislikes feminine clothing – which is why the directors saw her as a good choice.
Ella is supposed to act stupid and stubborn; I’m sure she doesn’t want to.
Horikita Maki is a poor choice because there’s NO way anyone can mistake her as a boy – no matter how short she cuts her hair or baggy her clothes are. I keep thinking to myself ‘how could they keep mistaking her’ that it ruins my like for the Jap ver.
the japanese version is way better!
its Horikita Maki
i liked her in nobuta wo produce
Well of course you can picture Horikita Maki as a guy if she was to cast as Haruhi in ‘Ouran High School Host Club’. She already acted as ‘Ashiya Mizuki’ for the japanese version of Hana Kimi.
By the way, the Hana Kimi manga was released much earlier than OHSHC and “She’s the Man”. So if this series reminded you anything, it is probably because they got the idea of ‘a girl who disguises themselves as a boy’ from this series.
Hana Kimi–>original run: 1996-2004
But I do agree that Ella was annoying in this series because she had too many facial expressions (if anyone noticed). Overall, I liked the series. My favourite characters were Doctor Mei Tian, Jin Xiu Yi and Liang Si Nan.
I agree with you I wanted to watch the first episode but I dind’t finished that it.
:P.
her acting is just ……… just like you said annoying.!!
I wanted too say this on youtube, I can’t because they all love ella and iff i said it they will all call me an evil b*tch or something.
but it’s just my oppinion.
I feel much better now .
see ya later byebye(K)
To Sara and all the others who think I’m unaware of the jdrama Hana Kimi: I am aware of it as I am also waiting for the next episode to come out. Check out the date pls. I wrote this on March, way before the airing date.
“She’s the Man” was based off on one of Shakespeare’s works during the 1600s, wayyyyyyy before the Hana Kimi manga.
Jessica: No problem. If I don’t find a post that agrees with mine, I’ll make up my own. Although, this one is pretty mellow. Hehe
i wanted to watch hana kimi, and thought that the japanese vers. would be more honest to the manga, but i couldn’t even start it!
The guys is in the Jp. version are soooo UGLY!! what’s wrong with japan? can’t they get any decent looking guys to play the lead roles?? and although the girl is cute, there’s no way i can imagine her blending into a guys school, c’mon with that voice? bleh!
Ella is downright ugly. How would Nakatsu fall for someone with no visible feminine features? Horikita Maki is way better than her in terms of acting and beauty
Haha, IMO, Ella was made to be like a “manly man”. But thank god Japan has its come back at this horribly made(IMO yes, it is >.<) drama. I mean, come on, Horikita Maki is SOOOOOOOO much better than Ella. At least she still looks like a girl? And I really think it sticked to the manga well. Because in the manga, she’s supposed to be looking like a girl, not a manly man. lol
I dunno, maybe it’s this hatred of mine towards most of taiwanese dramas….lol
It’s quite obvious that nobody commenting on this site has ever been to Japan, a Japanese school, etc. There are plennnnnnnnnty of feminine boys here, of which many can pass as girls and even looking more feminine than real women. Horikita Maki as Ashiya Mizuki is actually pretty easy to believe, as the character is supposed to be a boy who looks very girly but in fact really is a girl, and if you think all boys have deeper voices than her fake one, you’re wrong. There’s plenty of Japanese boys who have higher pitched voices, long eyelashes, high cheekbones… puts some girls to shame! Horikita does a good job with acting as well- she doesn’t take it over the top. As for the boys… while they may have better looking boys out there to play the parts, the acting is quite satisfying IMO…
at any rate, the JP version of Hana Kimi is definitely better than the TW version.
Wow already so many comments!! Anyways, I’m so glad the Japanese came out with their own version. It is so much better than the Taiwanese version in many ways.
The acting is not overly done and yes, Mizuki is not supposed to look like a guy. I mean Horikita Maki did well portraying her without overacting unlike Ella. As what kristine said, you guys haven’t been to Japan so you guys can’t say how Japanese people look. I’ve seen a lot of Jdoramas lately and lots of idols do look so feminine that they can pass off as girls. Eehh Japan is so open to all kinds of fashion huh.
One more episode for Hanakimi Japanese version and I can definitely say its a 9.5/10 . Not perfect because I’ve seen too many dramas and its hard giving a 10/10 everytime. Overall, much better version than the Taiwanese.
I think the Taiwanese really should stop adapting stories from Japan and instead do a drama of their own mangas like Gapz Garden or Real Fake Princess. That would make a lot more sense wouldn’t it.
I don’t want to offend anyone here for those who love the Taiwanese version of Hana Yori Dango, but the Japanese version, Hanazarki no kim tachi e, is definitely the better interpretation of the manga. I felt that the actress who plays as Ayashi Mizuki was more suited to the role compared to the Taiwanese actress. I might be bias here because I watched the Japanese drama before I discovered the Taiwanese one, however this doesn’t give the excuse for the Taiwanese version to be so bad. I have seen other Taiwanese dramas that were a rip off of Japanese manga: Mars, Marmalade Boy, and even Meteor Garden (I was told it was originally a JPop group). But the outcome of these imitations only gives out a reputation of how horrible Taiwanese actors/actresses are because they always seem to have no talent. Also, the writers always makes everything more dramatic by adding in super corny scenes and lines. I’m not trying to hate on Taiwanese shows or anything, I just wish they were more original.
Oh yes, I HAVE TO ADD THIS IN! I know that the girls are supposed to pretend to look like a guy, the girl who played as Mizuki looked sorta like a guy but she still had her female features; but for the Taiwanese girl… she really looked like a guy–with or without the extra makeup to “enhance” her appearance. It was just odd. Mizuki was definitely much cuter than the other girl.
I have to say, though, compared to the j- drama version of Hana Kimi, the tw version is much better. not only does it follow the manga closer, I like the actor playing Sano (Quan) more. I think that as long as you treat the live actions as you would treat a book to movie. It’s not supposed to be the same.
…I agree on the part where Ella exagerates… and the whole… annoying thing… XD
I have no ill intentions…
i just get creeped out half way through…
I can imagine Maki as a guy though… except for her voice..
whatever…
haha
Taiwanese versions are long….and… uhmm.. long-er…
When I watch Japanese dramas adapted from mangas like HYD/POT/Nobuta wo produce/Maison ikkouku… and more… they just seem… natural…
they’re not trying hard…
I dunno.. I just feel that way…
lol
about Ella, yeah, she is exaggerating…
but I have nothing against her.
when I look at her chest I go “Ouch”. Doesn’t that HURT?!
sorry to offend those “hardcore fans of MG and other taiwan dramas from japanese mangas” [if you guys even know another one beside MG T-T..because usually, you guys don't D8< ]
I really like japanese dramas. I think japanese dramas are able to hit closer to home than taiwanese dramas. I first watched the taiwanese version of Hana Kimi and found it a little over the top and I didn’t find ella that lovable. I found this site where they show a lot of asian dramas and the japanese version of Hana Kimi is there. I’m watching it now and I totally enjoy it better than the taiwanese version.
I didn’t NOT LIKE the taiwanese version but i thought the entire drama was pointless and a huge joke. And Ella, she’s lovable at times but yes, annoying at other times.
Right now, I am currently watching the Japanese version of Hana Kimi. I guess you can say that so far, it’s better than the Taiwan version.
And also, Oguri Shun is a gabazillion times cuter than Wu Zun!!
I watched the whole taiwanese Hana Kimi and I must say that I hated Ella so much. Not because of her looks (although i first though she was a male teacher) but because of her acting. It was so annoying how she makes all those facial expressions and had no feminine sense. In the manga Mizuki at least looked like a girl. Wu Zun was dying cute in it so i have nothing against him. : >
The japanese version Hanazakari no Kimitachi e was good. I liked how they gave the dorms more screen time than in taiwanese version. Nakatsu was actually so good that i almost hoped that Mizuki would have ended up with him. This version was maybe better ’cause they didn’t make it go just like in the manga but they change it. I would have gone bored (like i did when i watched the taiwan vers) if this would have gone the exact same way as in the manga. Someone criticized the jap vers that it had no hot guys. JUST COME ON! Compare the jap and taiwanese dorm one guys. In the taiwanese version they were so butt ugly that it almost made cry.
Thank you, I was waiting for someone to say that!
I’m Japanese but I like the Taiwanese version A LOT MORE than the Japanese one. I watched it with English sub and it really made me laugh. Nakatsu from the Jap. version is quite cute but the drama was soooooooo boring that I had to stop at episode 6.
Wait wait wait…sorry to intrude in all you expect’s opinion…but THERE’S A TAIWANESE VERSION AND A JAPANESE VERSION!!???
They’re two different series? 0___0
Oh I totally agree with all you said and when someone mentioned Meteor Garden…I was like AMEN. I made it to episode two, suffered through that and noticed there were about 20+ eps and then for part two to have 27 eps. I was like, almost 50eps of poorly acted leads (give me a break)?! My mind couldn’t handle it and rebelled. Then I saw HYD 1 and II and said…”Now this is fantastic!!” Short and sweet, and instead of a third movie they had me calling for a third season. It was just that good. MG is a curse, I felt the same about Mars (sorry to all the zai zaixbarbie shippers). Ick!
All in all the Jap versions always seem that one step better except with ISWAK, where I loved Itazura Na Kiss, it was just too short. ISWAK really gave me the balance and length I needed without being forced and making think that by episode 16 they should have stopped.
Oh by the way…I’m a “Down with all things Ella!!” Don’t even get me started with The Rose, I got 5 minutes into the program and said, “Oh Hell to the NO!!!”
“She’s the Man” was based off on one of Shakespeare’s works during the 1600s, wayyyyyyy before the Hana Kimi manga.
Yup, Jaycee is right, it’s called Twelfth Knight, or What You Will. I have seen every single adaptation of this story in it’s original context (ie. not speaking of the new gender bender stories which are adaptations of this. I speak of the movie adaptation in classic dialogue). Definitely my favorite story. I couldn’t stand Romeo & Juliet, when this was far more reaching and believable a situation/context.
actually, this the first time i’ve ever heard of that show but i think jaycee05 is a bit incorsiderate regarding the part where the character talks to herself loudly…In Malcolm in the Middle, the characters even faces the camera while talking and no one notices…
no comments about hana kimi though, i haven’t watched a single episode, though i really like Ouran…:)
And you think I don’t think you’re not inconsiderate for thinking I am inconsiderate when you didn’t even watch the bloody show?
i love your post…it made me laugh so hard….especially the red letters……lol…..
when i started to watch it(actually i barely watched the first 5 minutes of the first episode so i’m completely stunned and impressed how you continued it @.@) i was like: WTF?? what’s up with her acting….but what surprised me even more are the comments that i found under the video(i watched it on veoh)….how many people said it is a great drama and they love it…….i couldn’t believe my eyes….in that moment a part of me died….and it can never be brought back to life again…
OMG i watched hana kimi jap version first, and then i watched the taiwanese version ( lyk the first ep ^^)
i couldnt bring myself to watch more…. it was soooo annoying!!
oh my god…. the actress that plays Ella (lyk posted before) exaggerates somuch, it was unbearable….
i was kinda disappointed dat the JP version didnt quite stick to the manga, but Horikita Maki was just as i expected Mizuki to be…
so im content with this. ^^
Oh man, this reminds me of how my boyfriend always bagged on how Ella made those really stupid facial expressions.
In Malcolm in the Middle, the characters even faces the camera while talking and no one notices…
^ So? Are you honestly going to compare that sitcom to TW Hana Kimi? I mean seriously, Malcolm was trying to bring in the audience to his thoughts. Ella was more like “omg what am I going to do? What if he finds out about me?!” Saying it out loud. She was most certainly not looking at the camera and saying “hey you guys. What do you think? Yea, what if he finds out?” Two totally different things. Even in the manga, Mizuki wasn’t like “yea, you readers, what do you think about all of this?” DUH. Well, I guess this quote does come from someone who hasn’t even watched the drama, so yea, I guess such ignorance can be overlooked.
I agree with Jaycee05, and I can tell that many of the people who criticize you for criticizing the TW Hana Kimi didn’t read half of your post. Or they just have a short attention span.
I actually watched about 9 episodes of the Taiwanese Hana Kimi — yea that’s right, I sat through all of that. It was funny at times, more like funny stupid. Actually, the only times that were funny are the ones with Nakatsu, because Jiro Wang’s over-the-top acting was what I imagined Nakatsu to be. BTW someone mentioned that Ella looks prettier in the Zen Me Ban music video — well yea, cause she gots lotsa make-up on. You know what I realized about dramas? That you see what people REALLY look like in their dramas, without so much makeup on. Even Barbie Xu looks different on screen than she does in pictures and other stuff.
And the guys from HYD, Hana Kimi (jdorama), and Nodame Cantible are soooo hot.Hotter than any Taiwanese actors that I’ve seen. Oh yea, and to all the people that dissed the girly-looking men in the Japanese dramas – oh come on, at least they resembled the manga much more closely. Not only that, but they’re SUPPOSED to portray high schoolers. You’re going to tell me that Wu Zun looked so hot and totally played the part well while looking like his 28 year old self? He’s 28 and looks 28. At least Oguri Shun, who’s 24 or something, LOOKS like he could pass for maybe 18. Thing about it. *thumbs up*
I suffered through maybe 17 episodes of Meteor Garden. I was like “Oh how nice, it follows the manga so closely. Oh wow, almost word for word.” Except Barbie lacked the attitude that Makino possessed in the manga. At least Inoue Mao had the attitude and look right. Barbie’s voice sometimes sounded scratchy or too soft.
Anyways, back to Hana Kimi. I’ve only seen 2 episodes of the Japanese one, but the first two episodes at least I liked it so far. I just hadn’t had time to finish it, that’s all. But I will, eventually. It’s something I look forward to, since now I can watch it all in 1 round. Plus, I liked that the Japanese versions have soem sort of twist — it really keeps you wanting to watch because you don’t know what to expect. :]
kurisu: You have no idea how much I enjoyed reading your post.
I try to be an open minded person…good comments, bad comments– as long as they don’t border to self-destructive-stupid-posts– I approve them…but you know, it’s not just the same when I receive opinions that are close to mine.
63. dora – 2007-11-18
i love your post…it made me laugh so hard….especially the red letters……lol…..
when i started to watch it(actually i barely watched the first 5 minutes of the first episode so i’m completely stunned and impressed how you continued it @.@) i was like: WTF?? what’s up with her acting….but what surprised me even more are the comments that i found under the video(i watched it on veoh)….how many people said it is a great drama and they love it…….i couldn’t believe my eyes….in that moment a part of me died….and it can never be brought back to life again…
YES!!! SUPPORTERS!! A PART OF ME DIED FOREVER TOO! I demand to be brought back to life!! I was bs*d on you tube for disagreeing with their horrendous comments… This place is heaven! I don’t even know EllA but she sure sucks at acting as Mizuki, EVEN if i hadn’t read the manga, I KNOW a good drama when I see it!! all the other main actors were fine though. Those faces she makes are horrid!!
kurisu: You have no idea how much I enjoyed reading your post.
I try to be an open minded person…good comments, bad comments– as long as they don’t border to self-destructive-stupid-posts– I approve them…but you know, it’s not just the same when I receive opinions that are close to mine.
Ahh you’re welcome. :] And the Nodame Cantabile live action totally blew me away. I’ve only seen a little bit of it, and it’s amazing.
Oh and I don’t know if you got to the part yet (I can’t remember which episode it was), but when Mizuki (Ella) in the TW Hana Kimi was reunited with her brother, omg her brother did NOT look the part. No offense, but I couldn’t figure out how/why the chose that guy. Mizuki’s brother decides that he wants to fit in the campus, so he starts wearing these baggy clothes with bright colors and a hat (I think he even turns it sideways?!). TOTALLY WRONG. I mean it was bad enough that Mizuki became a whiny crybaby, but when you start changing the characters in a way that doesn’t really fit into the story, then that’s crossing the line. *shakes fist* haha I will forever remember that horrid outfit (i think it was pink and green and yellow) that her brother wore. =_=”
I thought Senior Nan was the hottest amongst all the guys in the TW Hana Kimi. And then you have Yang Yang’s character. Oh man, Yang Yang XD HILARIOUS! So whiney, but funny.
Okay back to the Japanese one. I’m actually watching it again… I’m on episode 4 now. ^_^v
Ha ha ha….The chubby brother? That episode was horrendous! Ah, why’d you have to remind me again?
just_typingout_the_unDENIAbleTRUTH!!: I still haven’t finish watching it. I still have a couple of episodes left. I don’t think I’ll continue though.
Why do the Taiwanese version always comes out first??? why is meteor garden more acknowledged than Hana Yori Dango… Why did hanazakari kimitachi e comes out later than hana kimi… uugghhh pathetic.
I have to say this, JDramas are BETTER in all aspects, directing, actors and plot… since btw, they are based on MANGA. i always watch it first before reading the manga to see how satisfied i was. by all means, manga versions are always better than the drama. but japanese adaptation always gives the better outcome. No matter how i look at it.
why do they ruin it… why why why????
To: FreyaDee
-HUGHUGHUGHUG-
From: Kero’s Friend
Postscriptttttttt……….
Actually, I watch the dramas because I’m too impatient to read the manga, or some other reasons. But normally, I read before watching. It’s like breaking a commandment for me or something. Iuno. I think I’m going to hop on over to The Liar Game. I have finally realized that reviews always ruin things for me. ;_; Because everything would turn out bland if I’m looking for this actress’s bad habit, or that scene’s flaws, or this or that…..;……. I am going to stop that.
-determined face and fist-
And I’m sorry for posting a comment concerning Ella’s acting on the Jdorama version of Hana Kimi;;; I forgot about checking the Taiwanese section for the Taiwanese version.
I haven’t finished the taiwanese version,,,I just finished episode 2 and so far I’m really liking it despite the fact that I have seen jap version first and I’m totally not an ella fan. Ella’s acting might be over the top but I guess, they wanted her to be anime-like, all silly and exxage, besides, don’t blame her acting that way, it was the director who asked her to do so. In fact, she is really into the character, never mind the fact that she looks more manly than wu zun.
Wu Zun is cute. I’m not a Shun Oguri fan but he acts better than Wu Zun in Hana Kimi. Wu ZUn looks a bit shy and distant from his character…I was expecting that his ‘cold’ character would be more like the way joe cheng treats ariel lin in ISWAK.
Jiro Wang is like Ajing in ISWAK and his acting is almost the same as Ikuta in hana kimi Japanese. I really like the way Jiro acts, it’s so natural, out of the three, he is the better actor. I hope he would be starting in dramas with him as the lead guy, not always the third party.
There are more touchy scenes in Taiwanese than in Jap, most of the time, it was dorm competition in the Jap version.
ISWAK is still the best!!!I can’t wait for ISWAK 2!
Reading this I was a little hurt my your opinions of Ella, but I understand what you mean though. She is fairly “annoying” in the drama, but really I don’t find it so. Chinese people generally really like the show and Ella’s acting in it because generally they way the humor works is more geared toward Taiwanese/Chinese audiences. Technically if you really watch any Chinese drama they often exaggerate their characters because the Chinese theatre tradition is to overact one’s part, so it just carries over to modern entertainment now. Technically the only drama that I know of that was praised for good acting and story was MARS because there was more subtlety in the show where people would call it more “Japanese-y acting” because Japanese tradition of acting is more about subtlety and thoughtful laughter and reflection.
I believe the way they formatted it with the talking out loud is like a soliloquy rather than them seriously actually talking loudly thinking no one is around. Because honestly if that were really the case that she was just speaking out loud, she (or anybody else who does it) would have been caught into some tangling plot already.
And back to Ella. Technically as Lacus commented, Ella committed herself to the character the way she was instructed she was like as more “anime-like.” Technically if you want better acting from Ella watch “The Rose,” “Reaching for the Stars,” and “Magical Love.” She consistently plays a similar type of character being the outgoing not so pretty one, but I don’t think that’s really a fault in her range but rather those are characters she is always asked to do. She isn’t an actress, so she doesn’t audition for roles. She plays lead in all the dramas she does and basically that’s because they seek her out for the role which was probably made for her or with her in mind.
I feel kinda sad that the Japanese version came out almost right after the Taiwanese version finished because there is endless comparisons when they are two totally different products geared toward two culturally different audiences. Its based on the same manga but really Taiwanese versions just nab the basic storyline and characters and just add their own stuff to make it more appealing to a Chinese culture, which I like better because, well yeah, the Japanese version should stick to the manga because that is the culture. But Taiwanese version should add a little XO sauce (yeah I don’t particularly know if this a Chinese specific sauce, but I never heard of it before except when we go for Hong Kong cuisine) to a manga everyone really loves (because for some reason Taiwan really loves manga).
The Japanese versions of dramas are of higher quality no doubt. They have much more money put into them than Chinese/Taiwanese dramas do. Like even MARS which is pretty well acclaimed looks like a home video because of the way its shot, the sound quality, and etc. Really Taiwanese drama industry is fairly lacking in budget compared to Korean and Japanese dramas. THey don’t have money to make sets or go to really nice expensive places like in Hana Yori Dango. THey make do with what they can possibly find, rent, and borrow from people they know.
I love ISWAK, but I think you probably don’t like the Japanese version is because it was made in the mid-90s so the taste is different back then as well as quality.
that’s funny. ella’s acting in hua yang was a really exaggerated…especially her facial expressions! mehn! i didn’t know the face could make those kinds of expressions. hahaha. but they looked funny on her. i think the director wanted her to act that way though. i guess its not her fault. i terms of casting, i think they made the right choice of selecting ella. when a friend of mine saw a picture of her with S.H.E., my friend was confused if ella was a guy or girl. poor ella
. wu chun, on the other hand, made a lot of improvements from tokyo juliet…and i mean a whole lot! and i felt the chemistry between quan and rui xi…something that the hana kimi jdorama lacked.
btw, i just stumbled on to your site searching for nodame pics
. very interesting entries! i want to comment on almost every entry. but i’m in the office…so i have to wait when i get home to read everything. your comments/reviews/suggestions are very enlightening and helpful. keep it up!
LOL, it’s funny because when i first watched hana kimi and saw ella, i thought she was a dude wearing a wig… (the first scene), and this was after watching the japanese hana kimi and realizing that this girl cutting her hair was ashiya mizuki… lol… my order was japanese hana kimi –> taiwanese hana kimi (for comparison purposes) –> hana kimi manga
i read all of the posts up there (except for the ones that just bashed the review without putting much thought into it), and i agree with some, and disagree with some… either way, if you all watched mizuki’s brother, in either episodes, you don’t see the cute blonde guy who wants to protect his sister from the “wolves’ den” that is all boys high school… shizuki is just plain… UGLY (i’m sorry, but i really think he was… if you don’t agree, that’s fine), plus that dude slaps mizuki during their argument!!! i was like… dude, that ain’t right… -_-;; and rui xi’s brother looked younger than rui xi, i thought… but at least he didn’t slap her… ^^;;; well, anyways…
each drama had their hott boys and their ugly boys… wu zun was hott, and so was jiro wang; but so was oguri shun and shirota yu, for example… so let’s not fight about who’s hotter; they’re all celebrities within their respective borders, after all, and we all have different tastes… ^^;;; like i prefer men with some muscles… so for me wu zun was better than oguri shun, but i know he’s got some really cute pictures lying around on the internet (and that dude looks pretty hot with blonde hair too… but anyways, i digress…)
ratings wise, hana kimi taiwanese version totally beat hana kimi japanese version, but that can’t be used to grade them either; i think if japanese hana kimi followed with the manga a little closer, i would have definitely said, japanese hana kimi trumps over the taiwanese! it’s not that i don’t expect surprises (because i didn’t know what to expect when i first watched hana kimi jap. ver.), but i felt like none of the episodes really connected too well. after reading the manga, i was like (the cafe was nothing like what the book said; i would have preferred oguri shun in that “mystic chick” getup instead of the french maid get up and see if he pulled it off), and the relationship between nakatsu and ashiya being more intimate than between sano and ashiya… lol.
hana kimi taiwan had its flaws too, like the dr. being disowned by his parents (that didn’t happen in the manga), quan as the “tomb raider” (that was so bad, i couldn’t watch it) at the cafe, or the whole “kiss me Quan~!” part (it would have been better if she had fainted instead), and so on…
but at least there was a plot. i felt the japanese version really didn’t have much of a plot except for mizuki constantly trying to get sano to high jump, or making him do something “for his own good”. hibari, dude… she didn’t fuss over sano in the book; it would have been more awesome if she had been that “high-class” female counterpart of Oscar Himejima completely throughout the drama, but i don’t have much against her. sano acted too much as the “outcast” i thought, and the change between sano before mizuki and after mizuki is very little; in the manga or even in the taiwanese, you see the change more distinctively…
ah, it’s too long again! well, i really liked all three hana kimi versions (i know they’re not of the best acting qualities, but they’re one of the few dramas that i actually finished, so i sorta have a bias for them). they’re not the best, i’ve seen some real good acting, and this wasn’t it, but i felt that they were relatively enjoyable for a light laugh on a rainy day or when you’re sick and need something other than drugs to make you feel better.
“It is hard to faithfully adapt a shoujo manga, page by page, into a live action without turning it in a cheese extravaganza. The Japanese adaptation of Hana Yori Dango wouldn’t be so successful if they followed everything on the manga.”
i totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i am so for HK JAPAN.and they’re airing it in our country this month! and then i also found HK taiwan will be airing as well on a different channel here in our country..which annoyed me to say the least..i mean, people are raving about hk taiwan when hk japan is actually way better
jaycee05 2007-04-16 at 8:52 pm
I did say her looks doesn’t matter, if you read my post carefully.
For a tv show like this, i don’t think one can even write a sound review. It’s like trying to produce jane austen out of a hilary duff movie. Forget it. Oh shucks, I’m sorry if that was not professional. I didnt mean it to be one.
haha! you’re right!!! i am so on your side jaycee05.
oh my gosh filipino ka pala jaycee??? —>
“Hey kababayan =) Glad to know you’re not the typical pinay obsessed with MG. I heard rumors that there’s going to be a japanese live action of Hana Kimi. I think Nishikado Ryo is gonna play the main lead. Already, he is being criticized with his height… Just like Jun in HYD eh. But I know for sure he’ll absolutely do a better job than Wu Zun.
Yah, your site has been successful. I remember the days when u were just beginning…and now, wow. You’re famous! wehehe =)
edit: It is confirmed that a jdrama will be coming this summer! Oguri Shun is playing Sano, not Ryo.”
i was obssessed with mg before but when i saw hyd, it was so good i forgot about liking mg. hahaha!
JAP DRAMAS are really of higher quality. really. really. seriously. XD
i gave up watching the taiwanese hana kimi ever since the first episode.. i went through like the first 5-10 minutes of the episode and i surrendered, after vowing that i’ll never ever try to watch any dramas as such anymore.. i’l kill myself.. i watched the taiwanese hana kimi before the jap one.. i didn’t watch much of the taiwanese one anyway, but you have to say, for manga adaptations, i have to give it up to the japs..
i don’t care that much about the casts and how ugly they look, but i seriously think that the taiwanese hana kimi drove me mad with its sloppy acting.. yep, it’s REAL sloppy, and there are certain additional scenes and greasy acting that was totally unnecessary..
i honestly don’t mind the self-monologue part,jap dramas like gokusen also have those kind of stuff.. and overreacting is sometimes necessary when you want to make it more manga-like.. but somehow, the taiwanese overreacting-to-make-it-more-manga-like-stunts seemed so.. OFF.. they’d kill any intention you have of watching the drama.. so, all in all, i like the jap version more.. they SO pulled the overreacting thingy more impressively..
I’m new to this post, and I cannot say that I watched the J Hana Kimi yet, but I have to agree that the TW version of it really dissappinted me. I coulndn’t stand watching any more of it. I got through a coupla minutes, and I was ready to tear my hair out. Im not trying to bash the TW one though. It just doesnt really appeal to me
. I really want to go and watch the J one now, cuase now from reading this post, I know that one exists! Thank you all for talking about it, cuase I would have never known that one was in existence!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!
yknow I totally agree with you on the Taiwanese version of Hana Kimi. They ruined the story completely…The acting is disappointing aswell. I’m not being one sided Japanese drama all the way here, but Japanese know their thing better than other culture. Theres now a station war of which Hana Kimi is the best(GMA or ABSCBN) and labelled the Tai version as “original”? Goodness! I watch BOTH so I can determine which is better myself…not purely deciding on the rabid fangirls
On the little side….I thought Ella was a man when I saw her. I’m not pinning the actress on the trash or anything here. I just hated the way she acted on this drama.
Japanese drama all the way~! Hana Yori Dango or Hana Kimi!
I think Hana kimi Taiwanese version was the best. Ella is not annoying at all ._. . I really like her acting.She’s funny and she really looked like a boy. In the japanese version Horikita didn’t even looked like a boy , that was so dumb =_=.
The same with Jiro and Wu zun, I think they were cool, and they looked sweet and cute.
NO ofense but i think hana kimi japanese version sucks in comparison to the Taiwanese version.
^_^ GOO Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu!<3
I think that ella was really annoying.Even not in hana kimi she is still annoying.The taiwanese version of hana kimi was the most horrible i’ve ever watch.Try to watch hana kimi the japanese version and you’ll know why ..
I still think that HORIKITA MAKI(wish i spelled this right!!) is the best who act as ashiya !!
Even I’ve read the warning i still commented at this on e!!
(coz i’m only 14!!)
I completely agree with you about her acting. Looks? I wouldn’t have cared so much about that if her acting made up for it… but gosh, HORRIBLE acting. I was trying so hard to give it a shot, but I hated the way she acted in it. Even though the Japanese version strayed from the manga plot, I watched all the episodes. But the Taiwanese version… I only stopped watching honestly because of Ella.
For me ella is good actress, and I like the way she act
..she look cute
If you think the Taiwanese version of Hana-Kimi is bad (I think it is too) you should see the Japanese version. It gets a lot better.
i love ella chen and her acting…most especially in hana kimi..
and the acting is not bad at all. looks is not the basis, its the performance.
Go eLLA CHEN!!!
HANA KIMI taiwan version is far far far better than japanese version..
sorry guys..
we are no film critics or media men but we have our own opinions dont we? this is not to bash the TW version or ella or whoever character they have. i do respect that thing about having different audiences each of them are geared towards. but i guess, i liked the jp version better. not that i am a fan of any of the actors because i dont know them. its just that, the jp version used a more realistic approach..they showed more angles of the character other than the ones they should portray.
1. jp version had more humanistic sides..things that normal people like us encounter on a day-to-day basis. Things like sadness, concern, love, friendship, camarederie, leadership, determination and passion. whichever emotion they were trying to convey was delivered well that i cried when it was sad and i laughed when it was funny.
2. they were succesful in creating different angles to the characters..they weren’t at all one dimensional. you could just feel for them when they act.
3. horikita wasnt supposed to look like a boy because after all, she’s a girl. the point was, she disguised herself as a boy not fool anyone that she was one, but to actually help sano gain back confidence. AND WHO WOULD WANT A GIRL THAT LOOKS LIKE A BOY??man that has to be horrifying!!
4. oguri and horikita had chemistry. ikuta did superb acting. i not only saw how he was funny with his antics but i saw the angle where he was hurt. and that made it CONVINCING. the others werent left out. they had the share of their stories as well.
5. i felt the all boys school vibe!!!they were wacky and crazy, funny..but not over reacting.seriously.
i think overall, the jap version was more multi dimensional. it has the mix of comedy and drama and a totally youthful approach.
Isn’t the point of the drama to have a girl pretending to be a guy instead of a “guy” pretending to be a guy? (now tat would be pointless -.-”) having a “guy” such as ella to act like a cute girl pretending like a guy would be seriously disgusting. the cute and funny part of this type of manga would mostly be how a cute girl pretend to be a guy isn’t it? i seriously doubt the creator of the tw version of hana kimi truly understand wat the manga is about. -_-
i totally agree with you on ella!!! omg. i thought i wouldn’t find another person who thinks the same way! every one else is a fan and would be more than willing to scrape off my head if i say a bad comment about hana kimi twb version. you’re my new best friend. haha. i write reviews too. not as extensive as yours though. visit icecapades@LJ if you have time:P
well i guess HK jp version has more intelligent viewers..neh??;D
the characters are so annoying..mostly the girl-turned-boy..
she is freaking ugly..
i dont like her..she is so over acting..she doesnt fit an acting career..
Why is that so? almost all chinese drama are making over acting moves? which i think is not good..
even though wu chun is so handsome, i still dont want the drama..
i prefer the japanese version even though wu chun is here..
to sum it up..i really hate the girl..rawr! cant help being irritable when she has a scene..
Jaycee, you gathered so many comments on this post. Your warning upfront – NICE!! that made me laugh.
I think hana kimi drama is Very imaginative………but I like it ^_^….
I don’t know why you people argue about what’s better..
I mean they weren’t created to compete with each other..
I know that in the Philippines different versions were aired at the same time from 2 rival networks..and I know people can be quite loyal and maybe a little too much..but you shouldn’t say you can’t stand the other drama or you hate it just because you hate the network..it’s not fair..
HK Tw was created before HK JP..and the JP deliberately made some changes so that it would be different from the TW version..
Each version were made to satisfy the culture of their people….TW version was made to satisfy the culture of TAIWANESE audience and JP version was made to satisfy the JAPANESE audience..that simple..it wasn’t made to satisfy other cultures..it may or it may not but they would careless…
if you hate the drama, hate the drama but not the actors and actresses cuz they were only there to act..
I personally like the taiwanese version better yes ella’s acting is alittle bit over board but if you watch her in the behind the scenes she is the copmplete oppiste of Rui xi which makes it alittle funnier because Rui xi is all Quan ‘follows him ever where’ and ella is all like Wu chun get away from me. When you see them in the behind the scenes you relize how good of actors they really are and Ella is not ugly she is so lucky because she dosnt need alot of makeup to look pretty like others have said check out zen me ban she looks stunning in that black dress :]
I actually read the manga long time ago and liked it very much. As you said, Hana Kimi should really stay as a manga but to be honest I enjoyed both dramas the Japanese and the Taiwanese, but as a comedy I really lughed about how silly they act and really both dramas are not meant to be taken seriously they are only for you to laugh and about ella till now I’m confused because till now I can’t believe she is a girl, but the problem is if they chose a cute actress we will feel offended because it will be hard to believe no noticed she was a girl.