#Hana Yori Dango Thailand

[academyofbrokenhearts]

I just watched it as well (told you I was going to start this). I absolutely love the cast, and Bright especially carries himself with the exact sort of intensity and utter insanity I would expect from the main male character of HanaDan.

I didn't watch the mainland Chinese version (didn't watch any of the live action versions of HanaDan actually with the exception of the Japanese version, which I adore), but omg, playing bridge? What the fuck. That's so removed from the spirit of the story it's not even funny.

I watched the making of Thai Hanadan and I am so excited!!!!

I was not happy with the Korean version and I downright loathed Mainland Chinese one from a few years back but this looks promising.

At the very least, a lot of clips showed Domyoji beating up people wearing terrible clothes so it’s better than “we play bridge” nonsense of the Mainland one.

I mean, here he is drowning someone in a pool:

And clearly he skinned a cheetah:

Thank you, LORD!!!

They’ve also kept the “appropriate” degree of awful bullying because without it, the story doesn’t make sense.

And Mama D looks truly awful, just like she should be!

I mean, if she doesn’t emotionally abuse her son into a psychotic breakdown, is she even Mama D?

Also, my secondary OTP looks awesome!

And the director gets it!

I mean, is there any shoujo manga more influential and pervasive than Hanadan?

Oh, and in conclusion, this is hilarious:

[away-ward]

People complaining about F4/Boys Over Flowers/Hana Yori Dango/Meteor Garden and whatever other adaptation as if there's some kinda of over arcing lesson to learn from it...

The lessons are whatever you want to take from it, but be sure, this was just a trashy romance. There was no lesson you meant to learn. You were supposed to suspend your belief and enter a world where love and friendship can and do win over all. Can't do that, fine. But stop trying to bring this story into the real world.

It doesn't belong here.

[sojirosteacup]

As you know, I'm researching for a Hana Yori Dango fanfiction. I was watching bits and pieces of several dramas the other day. This got me thinking about when the many drama adaptations of Hana Yori Dango were filmed, each production team used a different version of the Saturn Necklace. Is there a version of the Saturn Necklace that is your favorite and why? I know many necklaces were based on star themes because of Meteor Garden. I have a soft spot for the Saturn Necklace from the J-Drama because it was the first drama I watched based on the series. However, I also find the Thai version pretty.

So, about the necklaces

I'm gonna start by saying I don't really have a favorite or least favorite bc they all have their own charm. Idk, as an astronomy nerd I just like space themed necklaces in general.

Like, I love the saturn necklace. Not only bc it's the closest one from the manga (though, at least in the above image, i kinda miss the engraved stones the manga one has), but also bc i'm a capricorn like Makino and saturn has always been my favorite planet. I'd love to have a saturn necklace for that reason (there is a specific one, i believe was a Margaret sweepstakes prize, that has a bunch of colorful engraved stones on it and it's adorable, i wish i could find one for sale without needing to sell my kidney for it).

Both the meteor garden remake one and the f4 thailand one are pretty and the ones closest to today's fashion. They feel like something i could see someone wearing on the street nowadays, but this is probably bc they are the newest adaptations, so of course they don't feel as dated fashion wise. Ask me this again in ten years. I feel that the Thailand one is the prettiest of the two, but the meteor garden one is the easiest to recognize from afar that it's supposed to be a shooting star.

I haven't watched the og meteor garden so i don't know if i'm right but is it supposed to be a star with things orbiting it? Idk, but it's still pretty.

The kdrama one feels very late 00s and a bit out of fashion nowadays (again, ask me this in ten years) but it has a soft spot in my heart for the same reason the jdrama one is your favorite: it was the first version i've watched. It's also the necklace I have so I've worn it more times than i can count. And I really like the little moon. It's pretty.

TRDL:

[nightrae13]

Don't know why I watch when I know the endin' Wanna skip right to the part it doesn't hurt Thinkin' that night, boardin' that flight With a bruised up heart and a carry-on bag A long-lost love that I'll never get back, wanna get it back

Maybe next time I'll be enough You'll give me everythin' instead of givin' up Maybe next time won't be a waste You'll be the one and not the onе that got away So, I count down the days 'til I won't have to say

Maybe next time - Jamie Miller

-------

Tell me this isn't Rui singing about leaving Makino, taking that flight, missing his one-chance in a lifetime with her, and never getting it back no matter how much he loved her IN EVERY NEXT TIME.

This song is the tragedy of how fate was never in his favor no matter how many "next time"s he wishes and gets. It's his song about her, and no one should tell me otherwise.

[the-ace-up-y0ur-sleeve]

I would like to formally thank Bright for giving us an understated but iconic kick scene

This is the face of a man realizing Some Things about himself

[helenrourke]

It's abot time someone addressed this. Thank you, Tsubaki. Honestly Doumyouji has such tunnel-vision when it comes to Tsukushi.

[thencomethecherryblossoms]

Come December, it’ll be 3 years since f4 thailand???? Oh my god???? What the fuck?????

[nakyome-dangoflowers]

I was looking for a cute F4 & Tsukushi manga panel so I could paint them on glass but... I ended up editing 😎 I think the F4Thailand visuals are beautiful and wanted to see something similar with its manga, it was stressful but I don't regret, each minute spent was worth it 😎✨��

So happy with the final result.

[avniluthra]

The hold boys over flowers (all the versions) has over me even after all these years is crazy 😩

I’m not saying it’s a great story,it’s not it’s super messy but I absolutely love it❤️

[sebfreak]

Finally watched the thailand vers. of Boys over flower. Yeah two years later lol and what should I say?

I love it. It´s beside Hana Yori Dango (the drama and anime) one of my most fave. version of this story. Also I really loved how they changed a few things. It was kinda refreshing and surprising. I don´t wanna spoiler but it´s more realistic in my eyes. And I love Thymes mother. The actress played her role so good. I kinda wished we could have seen a little bit more romance but maybe it´s the fact I watched Hana Yori Dangos movie and so I´m a little bit spoiled. 

Now I wanna rewatch the anime. <3  

[elenion-et-al]

Okay, but the caption tho? I always hate watch and poke fun at all the versions. But I bet on my life I'll still probably think about this story every now and then in 50 years time.

you can tell a franchise is special when everyone who watches it thinks the story is outdated and god-awful but we’ll still gobble it up like starving savages as soon as another country tries it

[away-ward]

I've decided to watch F4 Thailand after hearing that it's the best adaptation. At first I was like 'might as well' but the first minute has me so excited. I'm nostalgic but the ML quote was so good and nailed why I love this series so much. I heard the changes make sense.

I think I'm gonna have fun with this.

[sojirosteacup]

Makino's school uniform design, or, what are the colors of her clothes anyway?!

Hello, here is another post of me dissecting this 30 yo manga. This time we are focusing on Tsukushi's many uniform designs over the years! Enjoy!

If you ever read the manga and watched the anime, you may have noticed that Tsukushi's school uniform looks a bit different in both versions:

Her manga uniform has a gray tone, indicating that it is a dark color. Meanwhile, her skirt is checkered

In the anime, her uniform is yellow with a blue (not checkered!) skirt. It's a bit different from her manga design, but that's what usually happened with anime adaptations back then.

(They also changed the direction her suit buttons close. That's because the manga one was an oversight from the mangaka, girl's uniforms don't close that way.)

I imagine the animation studio changed the color pallete and a bit of the design to make the animation easier (again, as was common for anime from that time) and the mangaka kept them in her illustrations to keep the characters recognizable

also, were the black socks in this one an oversight or a reference to some of the dramas? Probably an oversight i'm reading too much into this

I know what you are thinking: "This is just our regular manga vs anime design difference from the 90's, why does it deserve a post?"

Because there is more!

Some of the anime merch shows her... wearing a red uniform?!? Its more often found on the VHS tape covers, but you can see it on some other merch too, like this puzzle i just saw on mercari:

?????????

Why red??? This is not the manga design, the suit color is dark but the skirt is different. It's also clearly anime merch. Was that some kind of prototype color pallete before the anime release?? Was there some version of the anime using a different color pallet? What is going on???? I have no idea.

This color was clearly the inspiration for the J-drama uniform, though (with a few changes).

So what was the original color of her uniform anyway? Well, we may never know. Correct me if i'm wrong, but i can't find any color art of her or another character in uniform from before the anime aired. The color images from the early days of the manga tended to show the characters in normal clothes. Unless there is some Margaret color page I don't know about.

However, when you look at the color version of the manga (released digitally, many years later) you can see they colored it blue with a yellow checkered skirt.

I don't know if this is the originally intended color, or if the colorist designed for the job just thought it fit the design (though, i imagine they had some guidance for the colors), but it might be the closest thing to the original vision for her uniform colors.

This design + the black and white manga one was clearly the inspiration for the k-drama uniform (again, with a few changes)

(it might not look like in the picture, but Jandi's uniform is dark blue)

Also, in a few scenes she is shown to wear something else beside the normal uniform. Probably an alternative uniform for hotter days:

Which i think served as inspiration for the thai-drama/lakorn uniform

(I also think it served as inspiration for the coat Jandi wears under her uniform in the k-drama, but i could be reaching here)

What's the point of this post? Idk, it's late and i should be sleeping and this is probably full of spelling mistakes i'll only notice tomorrow and cringe at, but i hope you enjoyed the random uniform trivia.

[helenrourke]

No matter what adaption I read/watch, this scene where Tsukushi looks for the necklace has always been a favorite of mine. I find it a pivotal point of the series, when Tsukushi realizes how deep her love for Doumyouji is.

I know in many adaptions that Amon is replaced with Rui. However, even with that change the message behind this scene isn't lost.

For example let's look at the most recent adaptation: F4 Thailand.

(how is this the only gif I could find for this scene)

In that adaptation Gorya (Tsukushi) lies to Thyme (Doumyouji) saying their relationship was only about money, after being convinced by Thyme's mother that she is dying of cancer.

Honestly, I found this version of the scene refreshing, with Thyme's character telling Gorya it wasn't like her and they could work things out. Instead of just accepting things like Doumyouji did.

Anyway Gorya offers Thyme the necklace and he tosses it towards a gutter, which it falls in and Gorya is devastated (Honestly Tu Tontawan's acting was spot on during this scene. She really sold it for me here).

Gorya was willing to leave the necklace behind only seconds ago, however now that she let Thyme go, the necklace was her only thing she had left to prove that they loved each other.

The next scene you see her leaving for the village where he family now lives and we are left wondering if she managed to pull up the grate and retrieve the necklace.

She opens up a tin and as you can see she managed to get the necklace on her own. Without Amon or Rui to help her. I appreciated how this version interepeated the scene allowing her to get the necklace back with her own two hands.

The point is this scene, no matter which adaptation. highlights why the Saturn Necklace is such an important symbol for the two and why it plays such an important role in the story.

[academyofbrokenhearts]

Absolutely, 100%, none of them are okay. Ren is just extremely passive, and even if he disagrees with what's going on, he prefers walking away rather than voicing whatever objections he might have. Gorya clings to him because he's the only F4 member who shows a bit of humanity towards her, but she should be furious with all of them.

Only one episode in, but I'm really digging this adaptation.

F4 Thailand is everything Hanadan adaptations should be!

Take that, China and Korea! Their Makino is awesome and their Domyouji can compete in a psycho-off with Matsujun and Jerry Yan. MY HEART IS FULL!!!!

I love her but her hair is giving me OCD and I want to sweep those two strands off her face something fierce!

I love how they updated it for the digital age. When the manga came out in the early 90s. CCTV was not a thing.

Also, the bullying in this is FUCKED UP INTENSE!!!! Probably the only version I’ve seen that can compete with the Taiwanese one.

I love the way they introduce the F4 here. It’s not walking through the hallways adored - they are still adored and girls are still screaming - as they walk to beat the hell out of an innocent kid and ruin his life. Ooof.

Domyouji (called Thyme in this version) clothing taste is appropriately awful. Those clashing leopard prints are as big a crime as his bullying club. But also, I have never seen this actor in anything (I know he became famous due to 2gether which was a huge hit of a BL series, but I don’t do college fluff, not my thing) but I love him for this role. He’s got the great “psycho who would knife you for kicks” vibe.

Seriously, he is THE WORST! And it’s glorious. No studious bridge player here.

He is gonna get athlete’s foot walking in that dirty warm water.

Good luck, kid!

And he walks off with his posse, leaving this whistleblower to be beaten within an inch of his life (one of his buddies off-hand mentions “leave him alive.”) That is why I never thought any of the four were OK and Makino’s starry-eyed crush on Rui was delusion - sure he doesn’t beat people up himself but neither he nor the rest of them stop their buddy from running a reign of terror and actually assist him. Also mmmm the hypocrisy!

[thencomethecherryblossoms]

Every day I wish that the pinoy boys over flowers adaptation hadn’t been cancelled