Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Hana-Kimi: For You in Full Blossom

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I’m not usually one to write reviews, but I decided that with the recent announcement of the Hana-kimi anime and as someone who decided to pick up the manga and see what it’s all about after the announcement without any knowledge of the series before the anime announcement, that I should write one.

Hana-Kimi is hands down a very well-made shoujo manga. I can see why so many people loved this series and were excited about the news of the anime adaptation. The story is well-written, the romance between the two main characters is adorable, the art is beautiful despite the art style being very 90s/early ... 2000s. Like I'm talking some of the characters having "Doritio chins". Speaking of the characters, they are hilarious. Especially the iconic school nurse and one of the main character's love interests who spends a lot of time questioning if he's into men because he has a crush on the cross-dressing female lead, but doesn't know that she's a girl. I’ll admit the series reminds me a bit of those old-school rom-coms, with the vibes and the humor.

I’m a fan of older shoujo, and I’ll admit the manga really pulled me in after the first few volumes because the story was interesting and because the characters were so funny. I was also really rooting for the main character, Mizuki Ashiya and her love story with Izumi Sano. I don’t think there are that many mangas where the main girl crossdresses to attend an all-boys school just to meet her idol, especially nowadays. I’ll say it reminds me of a lot of the crossdressing/body switching movies we had in the 2000s here in the US, so it was refreshing to read now and also felt like a blast from the past.

My only complaints are the overall pacing of the story and some of the language the series uses. I felt like the ending was very rushed and sudden, and the pacing at times in the story randomly had filler just to make you keep reading or to add something last-minute which didn’t make sense before going back to the story’s plot. I also felt like parts felt jumpy or rushed, but there’s only a few I can think of. The language is more coming from perspective of how media is today compared to back then, as the series was made during the 90s and early 2000s. There are some slurs that were acceptable to say back then, but not so much now, throughout a couple of parts of the manga. Given the time frame it was made and since I remember back in the day when media had this language, I'll let it slide. However, I thought it was something to mention in case anyone gets offended or doesn’t like that type of stuff in media.

Overall, I recommend checking out this series if you’re a fan of shoujo series, especially older ones, love a good comedy, a cute romance, and a story with lovable and well-developed characters.

With all that being said, I’m looking forward to the anime adaptation of this series.

Just wanted to sidenote: The two one-shots - Cage of Summer and Thirsty Moon - I actually want more of those. I was hooked, and love the characters. I'd like more stories like those. It is kind of a shame that the "info"/page for each of them is really just the detailed info for Hana-Kimi, because they were captivating enough in their own right.

Since I'm here, tho. Hana-Kimi. I actually really love/like all the characters. The "bad guys", the side guys, all of 'em. They're all endearing and entertaining. It's honestly difficult to choose or root for any one favourite. That says a lot, in ... my experience, because it's not often I feel that way.

I should also mention I really did not enjoy the ending. I felt like it was rushed, abrupt, and it didn't really feel satisfying *at alll*. Almost enough to kind of negate the enjoyment of the entire series for me. There was all this build, all this development, and then poof, end.

Enjoyment (10):
I don't think this manga has the best story or characters, but it really does get your heart beating! It's manga comfort-food, and if you like romance, you will fall head-over-heels for Hana Kimi.

Art (8):
The art style in this manga is pretty "shojo." It's usually well done, and the characters are all expressive. Most importantly, when the manga wants a character to look cool or cute or excited, they do. However, there were minor anatomy flaws and it's not exactly my style? So personally, I'd rate it an 8. I never noticed the panelling, which means it's doing its job, but the page ... layouts never blew me away. (As a point of contrast, I've often been impressed by the panel layouts in Fruits Basket and Blue, Clean.)

Character (8):
All the characters are really likeable and have fun dynamics with one another, but they aren't super deep (which is OK for a light manga like this). Though I love Sano (so much), Mizuki was pretty dense. I know they comment on it in-universe, but... It's a little frustrating? But she kind of had to be dense because...

Story (6):
...The show must go on! The story does wrap up in a satisfactory way, so this isn't an eternal rom-com, and it deals with all the sub-plots nicely (in my opinion.) That being said, I thought that the Sano/Mizuki relationship conclusion could have been more emotional/dramatic? You may disagree, though. One of my gripes with the story is that, sometimes, important moments are interrupted with fluffier stuff. It totally kills the mood! So, Mizuki being oblivious+OK conclusion+mood-kill=lower story-score. There are a lot of really tense, fun, and endearing moments in Hana-Kimi, but some of the more dramatically important ones fall flat.

Overall (8):
This is a great series for people who like engaging group dynamics and romantic tension (and mild homoeroticism). I was kinda harsh in this review, but when I first picked up this manga, I really needed it. Every time I sat down with a volume, I ended up feeling calmer, more happy, more optimistic. I recommend this fully if it sounds like your cup of tea, and even if it isn't... C'mon, c'mon, try it! Just one measly volume, it's probably in your local library for free...