Meninos Antes de Flores (2005)

How I found out about this drama is through one of my closest friends who is an exchange student from Japan. Three months ago I asked her what would be a good Japanese drama to begin with and she told me to start off a series called Hana Yori Dango. At the time I had no idea what Asian dramas were all about, I didn't even know what a drama even was. In the end I can say it has been three months of me watching non-stop drama watching and because of my closest friend I got on this ride that I don't want ever want to get off.

The Story: Well what I can say about the story, you got hot guys, you got an awesome lead who stands up for what she belives in, beautful acting, and beautiful chemistry between the two main characters, do I need to say more? I told myself I would only watch three episodes during the night, at the time it was about 11 p.m. at night and I finshed the first season at 7 a.m. in the morning, not getting any sleep at all. The story itself is your genral rich guy, poor girl drama, but what I love about this drama is that it adds more storylines then just the typical rich guy, poor girl kind of storyline.
The love story itself was very addicating and fun to watch. You got the main protagonist Makino who does not have a lot of friends and isn't intrested in finding love at all, but when of her only friends gets bullied by the rich and popular Domyouji she decideds to stand up against him which is something that has never happend to him before, you could Domyouji is always used to getting whar he wants and getting his way, but when Makino comes ino his life you start to see a more gentler and nicer side of Domyouji that you come to fangirl and love.

The Acting/Cast: The acting in Hana Yori Dango is superb and the chemistry between each character feels so real that you know the whole cast got along very. The chemisty between Matsumoto Jun and Iinoue Mao felt absolutely real, the chemistry they brought on screen and maybe even off screen had been just beautiful to witness and I hope someday they all will come back together.

Music: The music in this series can get very addicting, I have about all the songs that play during the show on my Iphone and play them daily. If your in a very good mood you can listen to a lot of the fun and upbeat music but when your sad and depressing mood you can listen to a lot of the slow and downbeat music.

Rewatch Value: Well I have already have rewatched this drama about three to four times so the rewatch value for me is very high.

Overall: Overall I would recommened this sereies to just about anyone, if your in the mood for lots of comedy, romance, and beautiful chemistry I highly would recommend this series. So go watch it now beacuse you have no idea on what your missing out.

Leia Mais

This is the very first Jdrama that I saw. It has got a very intriguing plot. The initial episodes focused heavily on bullying and it was a lot of fun to watch that. But to think that such a thing could exist in reality also gave me goosebumps. I expected F4 to be less evil as the story progressed and in fact- they turned out to be very nice guys. Makino Tsukushi is a very tough girl.

Apart from that, the cast was good. They are all good actors. The direction of the show was pretty good and the writing seems to be excellent. It is a no-nonsense show except for the T.O.J. plot which was so boring and that is the only place where the show felt dragged.

At least I can say that it is much better than Boys Before Flowers (Korean version) even though there is zero glamour in this version. Overall, it is a good show with a good rewatch value. I haven't yet seen the second part but I might give it a try in the future.

Leia Mais

Amazing. I am surprised. Not because of the dorama itself, but because it is so overrated. After reading in so many forums that this dorama is the best, that it is recommended for everyone (especially for people new on the dorama world), that it has a Chinese version; a Thai version; a Korean version; a American version... WOW

This is the second dorama I watched years ago -mind you, the second first Episode. After my first experience with Japanese dramas, I was excited to watch more, and after a lot of research, I decided for HYD. I barely finished Ep. 1... I disliked Doumyouji tremendously, although I did like Makino. And I have to admit, I thought the guys were very plain (they were supposed to be the most handsome of the school). So I drop it.

Then, I became a fan of Arashi. This dorama was mentioned once in a while. I started to like MatsuJun. I liked Oguri Shun a little bit. I read the manga then, and WOW, it became the shoujo manga I hate the most. But anyway, i just had to watch this, so here I am.

*This was good:

- The actresses: from Makino to Tsubaki. Makino (Inoue Mao) is a tough girl, she barely cries and she can stand up for justice. She is cute without being too cute; she is strong, she can kick ass whenever it is needed. It is not wonder why Doumyouji loves her.

- The setting: no wonder it is one of the most expensive doramas in Japan. Doumyouji’s mansion O_O, the mother’s office, the school… everything is so vast, clean and bright! But not only the buildings and rooms are beautiful; the streets are as well. It was Christmas’ time I guess, because all the lights in the street are amazing, plus the trees and the sidewalks all covered with yellowish leaves… Japan is so beautiful.

- The OST: I liked “Planetarium” by Ai Otsuka. It suited all the occasions so well. And although I am not really a fan of Arashi’s song, the opening “Wish” was fun and young-ish, and it went excellent with the presentation. It has an anime style that goes well with the dorama.

- Soujiro and Akira: I’ve read many times “Oh Doumyouji”… “Oh Hanazawa Rui”. Well, in my case was “Oh Soujiro and Akira”. Not because they are handsome (although Matsuda Shota is attractive in a very period Japanese style) but because they were so nice and easy going. In my mind, they were like Takenaga and Ranmaru (from YNSH), because the first one was more serious and the heir of a house of tea, and the second one because he liked to hang out with older, married women. They provided comic situations, they were just two sidekicks but very likable… from episode 3. Very good friends to Doumyouji (no idea why) and they helped him and Makino several times.

- Doumyouji’s love. I guess I am like all women, because I thought that Doumyouji was very romantic when he wanted to be. The times when he confessed his love to Makino, but more than anything, the times he proclaimed that of course Makino was the best of women because he chose her. And in front of many people, nonetheless! And because I am a big fan of bickers, I love every time he and Makino had their little discussions. Also, the hugs, because it is rare in a Jdorama to have REAL hugs.

- The symbol of the apple. I thought it was sweet, that it symbolized friendship. I love Japan, and find these little meaningful things is a delight.

*Kind of funny:

- The clothing. It was so bad (the shoes, the jackets... again the shoes). I guess that in Japan, while more rich, more tacky, and it is obvious here. It was so bad I liked it. I think it is part of Japan's charm...their over-the-top fashion sense. Although some guys -well, all except Doumyouji- needed a good haircut. I liked Doumyouji curly black hair; I think MatsuJun looks nice with this kind of style.

- Makino's English accent. In the last episode, Makino is a contestant of Teen Of Japan. There is a challenge where the girls have to give a speech in English. She was very cute; I could understand at least 30% of what she said :D

- When she gets trained by the F4 was also very fun. Specially because it reminded me again of YNSH.

*And the "Huh? People like this?"

- Errr.. Doumyouji. While it is true that from Episode 3 he gets more charming, I will never forget his behavior in the first episodes. I still think he is a punk who likes to punch people for no reason. But worst of all, he sent boys to gang-rape Makino. That is unforgivable! That is the lowest of the low. As my dear Mr Darcy would say: “My good opinion once lost is lost forever.” He is a sadist, not only likes to punch everyone, but he is also a bully to girls (he likes to shove them). Not the nice necklace, nor the sweet words, can make me forget and forgive that.

- Hanazawa Rui. This has to be the worst hairstyle of Oguri Shun. That color and cut were awful. He is a good looking guy, but he doesn't look like it in this dorama. I don't understand how girls can say he is a "knight" who saved Makino over and over again. While it is true that he saved her, he is far from being a knight. Or maybe I have Hanazawa Rui-manga impregnated in my mind. The first time he saved her, he told her "May be I shouldn’t have. What is the big deal? It’s only your virginity, right?". What a "knight", huh. They made him more appealing in the dorama, but I never warmed towards him. I never felt the "love triangle" from his side. He liked Makino, but that's it. He was not "in love" with her. (on the other side, it was a positive thing, cuz I hate love triangles)

- The bullying is terrible. The "Red Card" is the silliest of all, the students are all so fake, and the teachers... what teachers? Seems like this school was all students and no staff.

- Finally, to be honest, the plot is not one of its kind. Rich, spoiled boy falls in love with the poor, pariah girl. Love triangle. Bitch mother-in-law. First kiss after one bumps into the other. Both MC locked inside an elevator. Kidnapping. Dangerous situations for the girl. It was nothing new; it was almost like reading any YA book that are so popular nowadays.

To end my review, I would say that I do not regret watching this. It is, of course, A MUST. It has it funny and romantic situations, but also, a lot of silly ones. The good silly and the bad silly. I am not sure I will watch Season 2... I guess I will eventually, but after the last episode, I did not have the urge to continue.

Leia Mais

Hana York Dango is honestly the best drama I have ever watched! Its so good and everyone reading this has to watch it.
The female main character is so likable. She isn't the typical shy and cute school girl who get bullied and is then saved by a man. No she is a strong and powerfull woman who stands up for herself even if the whole school is against her. She is very feisty and sassy and even though she comes from a poor family she still holds her chin high in every situation. She is amazing and a great actor.
The male main character is also very great. I love the fact that he is a bad boy who runs the school. The whole storyline is great and the drama focuses on some very important issues.
I have watched it many times over and over because its so AMAZING!
Their romance is so cute and sweet and there is always new and exciting things so it doesn't get boring. I also love how the main character interacts with the other guys from the clique. There is just a great chemistry.
I wasn't disappointed and I don't think I will ever watch as good a drama as this one. The second season was also very good.

Leia Mais

This drama was the first Japanese drama I've ever watched and it moved me to watch several more after. I watched again recently (two years after the first time) and I can proudly say this is one of my favorites. I love every single character, they are all very important to the story and also they are so amazing that I think I could watch an entire movie about each of them. The romance convey here is amazing, beyond good, it made me cry every single time. Furthermore, sometimes it makes you want to hug or kiss someone, sometimes when the characters are courageous, it even makes you want to punch someone. All in all, great show, amazing characters, amazing music, definitely watch, I know I will watch it again several times more in the future.

Leia Mais

I'll try my best not to be biased or compare to the Korean version, although I do like this version a bit more.

I just finished rewatching this drama so I can do this review, and it took a lot of effort to sit through it again. It's so hard not to compare the two versions, since I did see the Korean version first, and I didn't want that version to influence how I felt about this version. Maybe it did a little, idk. Anyways, I have so many issues with Hana Yori Dango (story wise). Since I never read the manga, and I never plan to, I don't know if this story is suppose to come off as extremely classist, but that's my biggest issue with this drama. Domyouji is so entitled, I just cannot root for the guy. And he's supposed to be the one everyone roots for, but goodness I hate him. He's very controlling and possessive, and I definitely don't find that romantic. And I swear Makino's feelings for Domyouji are a result of manipulation. Manipulation from his older sister, manipulation from her own freaking family, ugh it makes me so mad!
This is more of a rant than a review lol. I'll start over.

Hana Yori Dango is the story about a "poor" girl who attends a very rich and elite high school. She ends up being target of F4 (a group of 4 rich, entitled popular boys, whose leader is the biggest douchebag). The leader of F4 ends up "falling" for her (*rolling my eyes*). The leader's mother disapproves of their relationship, because the girl is a commoner (*rolling my eyes*).

I can't even continue. Domyouji treats Makino like his freaking property. And I'm sorry, but I find her so stupid for falling for his "charms" (*throws up*). Honestly, I'd just rather Makino end up alone and happy, but whatever. Every woman needs a man *sarcasm*.

The ending was actually nice though. I thought it was really cute and sweet, but it didn't erase the rest of the problematic episodes. I've got a memory like an elephant. I think the reason I just can never be on board with their relationship is because he hired people to rape her. Or to "scare her and make her think they were gonna rape her." I DON'T FREAKING CARE, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE! I will leave my review on this note. Hana Yori Dango had some potential. I think I could have really liked it IF they addressed these problematic issues, but they didn't. Music is on point, I think HYD has one of the best OST's out there. And everyone knows how I rate the rewatch value. Nothing else to say except THIS IS A PROBLEMATIC DRAMA AND I HOPE GIRLS DON'T THINK OF DOMYOUJI AS THE IDEAL MAN.

Leia Mais

We're all too familiar with the story of Hana Yori Dango and how it's been adapted in every country in the world but for me, this adaption in its mother country did the story the most justice. the drama stuck to the original plot with some occasional tweaks which made it much easier for viewers to digest (The red card, bullying scenes etc which were much more brutal in the manga).
Anyway, on to the good part, isn't then lead couple just the CUTEST beans together? I was sceptical of Domyouji's actor at first cause I'm a freaking superficial bitxch and thought he wasn't good looking enough to play the innocent bad boy but HOLY HELL was I wrong. His charm won me over by the 5th ep and I was team Domyouji all the way to the last ep, despite always having second lead syndrome in the Taiwanese, Korean and Chinese versions. Like, I give him serious credit for being able to do that.
Female Lead is probably the most irritating one out of all the versions. This girl has her own mind and there is no overacting or cringy moments with her, which was a recurring problem in the Korean remake. she fits the role so well and I really ADORED her and Domyouji in the end.
The side characters complement each other so well and their group dynamic/CHEMISTRY is just the best.
If you're looking for a fun, light-hearted and utterly charming drama, look no further cause I'm telling you, THIS IS IT.

Leia Mais

This story will completely overwhelm your mind. When I started watching this I became immensely drawn into the story. The plot is wonderful. Although some may think it's cliche, Hana Yori Dango takes every situation and add their own twist that will have viewers on the edge of their seat. "Are the going to kiss? Will she have a change of heart? Will this character ever come back?!" These questions along with waves of different emotions ran through my head throughout every episode. Violence, Romance, Friendship, Laughter, Sorrow, Jealousy and Confusion all come together harmonically and make one great story.

The cast are wonderful! They picked the perfect actors for this story. Although the story is totally unbelievable when you think about it, these thoughts will never cross your mind while you're watching. The actors take these fictional characters from a manga and make them realistic.

The music is great. I love the opening theme the most! The music during the series is very nice and always appropriate for the scene.

This is my first time writing a review and it's all because this series inspired me to write about it's awesomeness! IF YOU LOVE ENTERTAINMENT WATCH HANA YORI DANGO!! ^_^

Leia Mais

May not be the first adaptation of the drama but certainly the most faithful to the original plot. I was able to watch the other drama adaptations but of course if you really want to stick with the original plot I'd say go for this japanese drama adaptation. It stays true on the original story and the actors were able to portray their characters well. As expected Jun Matsumoto and Inoue Mao were perfectly cast for their roles and they did justice to the character as well as the other actors. I love the music of the drama aside from I'm biased of Arashi music, it fits the drama well. I could definitely re-watch it again since it's not that long and it's story never gets old. One of the classic dramas you need to try to watch out for.

Leia Mais

Hana Yori Dango is, as I understand it, practically one of the basics to romance drama. As a newcomer to drama overall I don't have that many dramas on my completed list, but I'm happy to say that I'm warming up to it and I'm getting into the groove of things. So basically, without knowing the cast and without having watched the anime before, I liked it!

Well, first things first, woah it kept me on my toes. My friend on skype can vouch for that - I was freaking out the entire time, like what the heck?! So many pretty boys, so little feels capacity. But I will say that I wasn't impressed at first... As the story started out, it felt very typical. Girl not that rich meet boys who are very rich - "OH how I wonder how this is going to play out" were my initial thoughts... As of yet I've noticed that I've ONLY watched dramas of this sort, and I've started to find it boring. But thankfully the story moves quickly, so I had enough interest in the circumstances to keep going. As it progressed I just couldn't stop. I almost finished it all in one go, and for someone with a short attention span I'd call that an achievement! Also, as I said, the story moves quickly, but without being confusing so rest assured.

I'd definitely recommend this to fellow romance enthusiasts, but if you're not that big of a romance fan you might just find it cringe-worthy. It's a bit cheesy and might get a bit immature at times, but it's very sweet and I think it's worth watching!
I hardly ever rewatch anything I've already seen... however, if it's for Rui, I'd do it any time of the day! Besides, it's not a very long drama, it only took me two evenings to finish. I could've finished it the first evening had I started earlier, easily! But you know, your poor heart needs a bit of a break too - it's hardcore romance, after all.

So, I give Hana Yori Dango an overall score of 9! I truly enjoyed it and I look forward to watching season 2. But for now I need a break from rich meets poor, it's getting kind of tiring... however, I'm coming for you Rui! You bet your sweet face I am!

Thanks for reading this review, until next drama!

Leia Mais

Hands down one of the best JDramas ever I have watch. The cast of this drama was excellent. Each episode is worth watching it was mostly unpredictable. There's characters you want to like and characters you want to hate so much in this drama. I didn't want to watch this drama at first but when I watched Gokusen with Jun Matsumoto I decided this drama might be as great as well. After watching this drama I now have 3 new favorite actors/actresses. I think the music in this drama is damn good. Jun Matsumoto played his part very well which is why this drama is worth watching. If you want to start watching JDramas start watching Hana Yori Dango.

Leia Mais