Wow. As I'm sitting here attempting to write a review on this great anime, I'm not quite sure where to start. Many times it’s a great joy to be able to recommend others a show, and describe its many merits to them, but here I am truly at a loss. Hana Yori Dango (loosely translated to "Boys Before Flowers," which is a pun based on an old Japanese proverb) is definitely not the sum of its parts, for its plot is average and the visuals are passé, but yet I can’t help but be swept up into the plight of its protagonist and her eternally melodramatic life.

The story revolves around 16 year-old Makino Tsukushi, a lower-class girl attending the elite Eitoku Gakuen on scholarship. Because of her small bank account and only average looks, she just wants to get through the rest of her school years quickly and silently. However, all that becomes a dream one day when her friend falls down some stairs and lands flat onto Doumyouji Tsukasa, the leader of the F4, which is a group of the four wealthiest, and of course good-looking men in school. He then threatens to “red tag” the girl (plant a red ribbon in her locker, which signals the entire school to begin hazing her), but Tsukushi stands up for her, and thus earns herself a red tag. This causes the entire school to turn on her, with her finding her only source of tranquility in a developing crush on Hanazawa Rui, the silent member of the F4. However, then enters Rui’s supermodel girlfriend and Doumyouji’s increasing interest in Tsukushi herself, and all hormone-induced Hell breaks loose.

The above paragraph is simply the start of the show, and in all honesty does not describe it anywhere near what could be considered thorough. This is because there is no set storyline in the show, but instead ALL further developments and twists come entirely from the characters and their actions. There is no ultimate goal to venture towards, no problem to be solved, but instead we just have the simple story of a girl tangled in a web of romance that at times we aren’t even sure she can escape from, much less how. That may sound clichéd, but I assure you, every episode will keep you guessing and you’ll rarely ever figure out what is going to happen next, if merely out of the fickleness of the characters at hand.

Speaking of which, Hana Yori Dango has a fantastic cast to create all of this melodrama. Tsukushi embodies all of the familiar traits in a shoujo heroine; she is strong-willed and very likable, but is also completely unprepared to deal with the situations she has gotten herself into. Thus, in a sense, she is the quintessential girl next door and anybody can relate to her. Complimenting her down to earth style are Doumyoji and Hanazawa, both of which provide two drastically different options for Tsukushi, neither of which is perfect. Doumyoji is a brash narcissist, but yet head-over-heals devoted to her. In contrast, Hanazawa is deep introvert who cares for Tsukushi, but also shares those feelings with his love from childhood. Later on other side characters are introduced, most notably Doumyoji’s sister, and all are there with the mission (be it intentional or not) to further complicate the story. At times the sheer soap opera-like drama of the characters can be a little unbelievable, but the brilliant execution of the plot twists help keep our feet close to the ground.

One of the most unattractive factors in Hana Yori Dango is the visuals. Hailing from the mid-90s, it forgoes the flashy colors predominate earlier in the decade for instead a much milder and simple look. Earth tones, especially browns and pale yellows, coat the screen in all their plain glory, and the character designs, while not ugly, are definitely not pretty and don’t have the polished look that current animes go for. Instead, the characters often look bland, especially Tsukushi. Also, in a move to heighten melodrama (as well as conserving their meager budget), pans and continual usage of the same cel occurs often, and can prove to be highly distracting. Certainly when compared to present series (or really even OVAs from the early 90s), Hana Yori Dango looks very unappealing, but compensation comes in the form of the music. The opening is a light-hearted and fairly kitschy number with major staying power; you’ll be humming its tune days after hearing it. Per usual, the ending is much slower, but thankfully is not just filler to play the credits by. Instead, its vaguely barbershop quartet style is a nice cool-down after watching all that melodrama. The background music is slow and heavily centered around the violin, but definitely proves its worth when used, even if it is a little ham-fisted at times.

To put it bluntly, I cannot find any one particular fault in Hana Yori Dango, other than the previously listed cosmetic ones. The series has characterization, storytelling, and suspense all packed into one nice little show, but I must warn you that it’s just not some people’s thing. The series is shoujo in its purest, and thus is full of violin chords, fluttering bishounen, and other shoujo mainstays, which will obviously not appeal to those who need bloodshed and nakedness to enjoy a story. But to those that can enjoy character-based melodrama in its finest form, Tsukushi’s life will prove to be simply fascinating, and with all its twists and turns, I guarantee you’ll savor every moment.

Distributor: Viz
Creator:Toei Animation
Aired: 1996-1997

Plot: B
Character Design: A
Animation Quality: B-
Music: A-
Overall: A