My Review of Hana Yori Dango

First of all, I’d like to say that this is my favorite anime of all time. I’m serious. I doubt I will ever find anything as wonderful as Hana Yori Dango. I think that it is the most beautiful and emotional anime series ever created, as well as the best plotted and most hilarious.

From the moment I tore it from the package, I shoved the DVD into the computer DVD drive and was hooked. The story revolves around Makino Tsukushi, a poor girl that attends a prep school full of rich kids to please her parents, who say that the only way that they can retain a moderate social status is to look like they can afford a wonderful school. (They also are intent on forcing her to marry rich so that they can live happily for the rest of their life. How typical.) Well, Eitoku High School is practically a monarchy, ruled by a gang of the four richest boys in probably all of Japan – the F4. They pick on everybody, and they get away with anything and everything because of their wealth.

One day an accident occurs and Tsukushi’s friend manages to tick off Doumyouji Tsukasa, the leader of the F4. But when Tsukushi defends her friend and insults Doumyouji, suddenly the attention flickers from her friend to her and the F4 red tag her – which means they have given an order for everyone in the school to attack her, pick on her, beat her up, etc.

But Doumyouji Tsukasa never expected Tsukushi to be the strong-willed girl that she is, and when she red-tags him back, he’s shocked.

Then things go full-throttle insane, with a mixture of drama and romantic comedy, and it never gets boring!

If I ever lose my memory, I’m positive this series will be the one thing I remember despite it. If you’ve heard of Hana Yori Dango, then it’s probably because an American company, (I think it’s either Media Blasters or Pioneer), is dubbing the anime and the manga and releasing in North America. Well this is what I say to you – don’t purchase it in English! I don’t care what anyone says, if you watch it in English you will ruin the entire experience. If you want to enjoy this series to the best of your ability, by the complete series in Japanese. Make sure you buy the entire thing together, otherwise the suspense of waiting to get the other episodes will, I guarantee, drive you crazy. I watched HYD in one sitting. (Which meant I was up for a LOOOONNNGGG time, but I didn’t care – I couldn’t pull myself away.)

I love this series – truly, I do. It’s a real roller coaster ride, going back and forth through the ups and downs of Tsukushi’s lonely journey through a world she isn’t from and doesn’t want anything to do with.

I’ll say it right out – I’m in love with Doumyouji. I claim him, so BACK OFF! He is my favorite anime character in the universe, and I don’t think anyone could ever find someone cooler than he! And because I am such a Doumyouji fan, there were many, many occasions when I wanted to throw the series against a wall and scream my head off while jumping on the box and breaking it to bits, but I restrained myself by telling myself that there were more episodes and therefore more chances for everything to go my way.

Whatever you do, DO NOT throw Hana Yori Dango against a wall if you get frustrated – if you do, you’ll just miss out on one of the most beautiful things in the anime world and out of it.

Hana Yori Dango gets 1000 out of 10 points from me, as well as my official seal of approval and the title of BEST ANIME SERIES OF ALL TIME.

There is a big argument over the music selection, and a lot of fans say that they hate it, but I absolutely adore it – I think it fits the series wonderfully, and, because I’m a huge violin fanatic, I listen to the soundtrack nonstop. I give it 10 out of 10.

I have a rule with myself when watching anime – never criticize something for the animation. You have to look deeper to find the morals and the beauty of something. As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. Again, many people find the animation to be horrific, but, also again, I love it. It fits the feel and style of the series, and I have no arguments against it whatsoever. 10 out of 10.