Hana Yori Dango: The rich get angstier. With pleather.

[dangermousie]

I am continuing with my watch of the Hana Yori Dango jdorama. Relax, I am not really going to go into in-depth character analysis, because I think I've already wrote up pages and pages of character analysis on the anime and the Taiwanese live action (Meteor Garden) versions, and the characters and the story are basically the same.

I do like both anime and the Taiwanese mini better, because they have a lot more room to develop the characters (anime being 50+ eps and MG being around 20 or so hours). Character transitions feel somewhat abrupt in the jdorama as a LOT of stuff has been left out. Still, this is definitely very entertaining, though I have no idea how I would have found this if I haven't seen the anime and MG. I think the girl who plays Makino Tsukushi is super adorable and though I found the actor who plays Doumyouji nothing like my image of him at first, he's certainly grown on me and I really like him now. And they have good chemistry. I love it whenever he is so proud of her being bossy and cool and everything.

Kaede creeps me the hell out. She is the scariest one yet (if I were Tsukushi, I'd never marry into that family because I'd have to see that woman from time to time). I adore the soundrack (anyone knows what's on it. It's really good. I especially like the song playing when Domyouji rushes to rescue Tsukushi). I also find it interesting that this version made explicit the connection between Doumyouji's violence and his alienation.

This actually made me browse the manga shelf in the bookstore today, and HYD (called Boys Over Flowers) is up to volume 19. It's up to the part where Tsukushi ends up being a maid in Doumyouji's house (and has to wake him up in the morning. Hey, she better feel grateful she doesn't have to wake ME) which I remember from MG. Cuteness and hilarity abounds: gosh, they are so teenagerish. Make out session follows this pattern. She: hey, don't touch my breasts, they are mine. He: so what am I to do? She: you are supposed to ask permission He: 'So if I ask 'can I touch them?' that's OK? She: that's not what I meant *headdesk.* (This is paraphrased but pretty close to the gist). And she 'orders' him on a poor person date and it's all pretty cool but I wonder why these characters are never drawn with any teeth. Didn't they get enough citrus as children? I am also wondering what on earth happens in that manga later because it went for 36 volumes and it's getting pretty close to where MG ended (I think 5-6 volumes tops) so what on earth happens after? Funnily, as I was leaving the store, I saw a girl sit on the floor and grab a volume and start reading. Heh.

This is actually making me want to rewatch MG. Or even better, Mars, which is the one that started my Asian live action series obsession. Yeah, actually I am going to rewatch that next.

Comments

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

You should rewatch Mars because I never got the time to watch it and I still have it on DVD and I could do with watching it with someone else! (Not that I am selfish or anything :-))

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heh. You should definitely watch it. I actually like is better than Meteor Garden mainly because the characters are so dysfunctional and yet work together (and the glorious levels of angst).

We could have a watch-along if you want, schedule and everything, but I don't think this is what you are looking for (I am game if so :P) I do remember the reams and reams I wrote about Mars on first go, so I am wondering if there is anything left to write about (knowing me, of course there is).

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I am all up for a watch along, but if it reaches critical levels of angst I am not sure I couldn't help myself from rushing along to the next disk to ensure that things will work out. It was your posts that got me to buy the thing in the first place - along with Meteor Gardens, which I watched and had great fun with.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay. Let's do a watch along. Maybe we could talk others into it. I know at least one person on my flist (catdecember) has seen it.

You can pick the schedule as I am pretty flexible. Is one ep a night too much, too little? And of course, when critical angst hits, marathonning is de rigeur :P

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I am fairly easy with the schedule as well; one episode a night sounds great (how many are there, btw? if there are 9 billion it might be too little...). And luring others into this sounds like a good idea.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

There are 21 eps, under an hour each.

I am going to try to lure people in the next couple of days by doing giant begging posts and we could start a watch later in the week (Wednesday or Thursday or so)?

If you want, we can do more eps per day. I do suggest starting with the premiere one and then you can set the pace (or you can want to do more than one right away). I am honestly very flexible.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I think 1 a day is pretty good. I am willing to go along with whatever everyone else wants as well - I would just have a lot of fun watching this angst fest along with other people.

Thank you so much for being willing to watch again and for being willing to write begging posts!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Begging comes naturally :P

And I really am looking forward to rewatching.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Huzzah! And I am looking forward to see this angstorama for the first time!

[catdecember.livejournal.com]

everytime i see HYD or Boys over Flowers, i keep on wanting to watch MG. *lol*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I know. It's like a Pavlovian reflex.

[catdecember.livejournal.com]

*lol* that is so right!

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

hi...I promised you, I would remind you of the Barbara Stanwyck film 'so big(1932)' when it is being shown on TCM, so you could tape it for me, which I'm so VERY grateful.
They're showing it: July 29, 12:00 AM.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That's saturday, right. I hate to be a pest, but any way you can remind me later in the week as well?

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

Yup it is....I definitely will... Thank you sweetie :)