Hana zakari no kimi tachi e: Ikemen paradaisu

... started with Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (or rather, "That one good show I can't pronounce the name of.")

Now, several of my friends regularly scour the Internet in search of good Asian dramas to watch. Until recently, I have been very skeptical of the shows they watched (ProDai, 1 Litre of Tears, Hana Yori Dango) and even somewhat looked down on them and the shows. Yes, I was pretentious.

Until one day, a friend of mine was describing this scene in a television show she was watching and I couldn't stop laughing. I knew that I had to see this show. So, when I asked what channel it was on, she replied "Well, it's from Brandon" (the catalyst for this WHOLE obsession with Asian dramas). And then I knew I had been converted.

Let me tell you, this is an excellent show. It's funny, smart, sincere and awesomely awkward. If you're wary about watching J-Dramas or still aren't convinced that it's a legit form of entertainment (which I totally was), this will change your mind. Yes, it's (loosely) based on the manga, so the acting is a little over-the-top and the scenarios are unbelievable, but that's just the awesomeness of Hana-Kimi. All the actors are perfectly cast in their roles and the script is witty and hilarious. Yes, you will actually LOL. I do. Every time. And yes, you should find someone to watch it with so you can grab and squeeze them when it gets just too cute (which it does).

Moral: Watch. LOL. Cry. Squeal. LOL more. Be a better person.

Plus, the soundtrack is sure to get you in a good mood, without a doubt.

I don't usually watch Japanese dramas before, because I preferred Korean ones. But one day, when I was channel surfing, I saw the promotional commercial for this drama. And the same day, I also saw the promotional commercial for the Taiwainese version but in another station. Yes, both was aired the same time here in our country. At first, I was interested in the Taiwanese version (because I'm more familiar with Taiwan's dramas, you know, Meteor Garden and such), that I decided to watch it over the internet. But I got bored in the middle part so I switched to the Japanese version (I was hesitant at first, honestly). It's shorter than the Taiwanese one but it's better (in my opinion). The plot is well written. I can't remember a single episode where it got me bored. It was very entertaining. Plus, the cast is amazing. They did a good job acting their roles. Even the minor characters, the drama won't be as good without them. I love every single detail of the drama. But I'm most impressed at Ikuta Toma. He did an excellent job acting as the witty and funny Nakatsu Shuichi. He's my favorite here. It's like, he was born for the role.

So, give this drama a shot, and you won't be disappointed. It's filled with comedy, romance, friendship and lots more that you'll surely love!

Ashiya Mizuki is a Japanese teenager living in California. She is a star runner at her high school. One day she finds out that Sano Izumi, a famous high jumper from Japan, is competing at a meet in California. She goes to see him and is immediately enamored by his graceful jump. On her way home, she is jumped by a group of thugs. Sano happens to be close by and comes to her rescue. She gets away. However, she later discovers that Sano was stabbed right under his ankle that night, which required him to stop competing until he fully healed. Even after he healed, though, he refused to jump again. Ashiya, feeling guilty because she blames herself for his injury, decides to move to Japan and find a way to make Sano jump again. Since Sano goes to an all-boys school, she must disguise herself as boy to be a student there and get close to Sano. The adventure begins.

This show has a large cast, yet there are 3 main characters that move the plot. The rest offer an incredible amount of comedy, so the show is not too serious. The school's only criteria for acceptance is that the applicant be good-looking, so there are groupies outside their school everyday. In addition, a group of four girls, that attend their sister school, have made it their mission to make sure all the good-looking boys are happy. If that is not enough, there are three dormitories that compete with each other, thanks to the school's principal. They are hilariously competitive, with so many unique characters.

There is so much going on. I've only touched on all the things that are set up in the first episode. It is a must-see and very enjoyable.

To be honest, I don't watch too much Japanese drama - most of the series that I had seen were those which were really good and worth watching. I'll usually do some research before deciding which one to watch. Hanazakari No Kimitachi E was one of those drama. Watching the 1st episode, I was stuck until the end of the series. Maki Horikita and Oguri Shun played their parts very well, but I must say that Ikuta Toma was the one that really stood out. In my opinion, he was the "X-factor" of the show. However, besides these 3 people, other actors/characters also made a great impact to the series, such as the 3 dorm leaders and the aura boy. Combined with great plot, hilarious comedy and cool soundtracks, you cannot afford to miss even an episode. I strongly recommend this romantic comedy to all of you out there who love J-drama, and even to those who had watched the Taiwanese version of this series because this one is better.