Hana-Kimi
Encyclopedia
Hana-Kimi or known originally as in Japan, is a shōjo manga
series written by Hisaya Nakajo
. The manga was serialized in Japan in Hakusensha
's semi-monthly shōjo manga magazine, Hana to Yume
. This manga series has ended with volume 23 in August 2004 in Japan.
Hana-Kimi was published in English
by Viz Media
with the final volume released in the United States in April 2008.
The series centers on Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese girl who lives in the United States. One day, she sees a track and field competition on TV, and becomes attracted to one of the high jump competitors, Izumi Sano. She begins to idolize the young athlete and eventually transfers to Japan to attend the same school that Sano attends. There is a catch, however: Sano attends an all-boys high school, named Osaka Gakuen and Mizuki must disguise herself as a boy to enter.
Oblivious to the fact that their daughter is going to attend a boys school, her parents let her go. To enter the school, she cuts off her long hair, disguises herself as a male, and tries her best to give hope to Sano after hearing that he no longer does the high jump anymore. As she settles in, an accident reveals her identity to Hokuto Umeda, the school doctor, and Izumi Sano. Izumi hides his knowledge of Mizuki's gender and tries to help her keep her secret, though it sure is not easy as many situations land Mizuki in compromising positions that will reveal her true gender.
The three grade levels are divided into three classes. These nine classes are divided into three dormitories, as most of the students do not stay around the school area. The culture within the individual dormitories are immensely different.
Most students residing in the first dormitory are athletes who were accepted into Osaka High on a sports scholarship. The head of dormitory is Tennouji. The head of the second dormitory is Minami Nanba. The students in the second dorm are a mix of athletes and scholars who have a sports or academic scholarship. The third dormitory consists mainly of artistic and intelligent people and is headed by Masao Himejima. Inter-dorm rivalries are common and become particularly intense during the school's cultural festival.
Mizuki Ashiya is the female protagonist of the series. She admired Izumi Sano the moment she saw him high jump on TV. She diguises herself as a boy in order to enroll herself into Sano's school, Osaka Gakuen which allows her to get closer with Sano. She is a fun-loving, cheerful and optimistic character who cares deeply for her family and friends. Unfortunately, despite her kind heart, she is what one would call a ditz, so the secret of her gender has to constantly be protected by Sano. She has an older brother who arrived in Japan with the intent of bringing her home, but was forced to allow her to stay. It is suggested in the manga that the protectiveness of her older brother and her sheltered life in general has contributed to her frank and trusting nature, as well as her inability to hide her emotions.
She was portrayed by Maki Horikita
in the Japanese drama adaptation and Ella Chen
in the Taiwanese drama adaptation.
(drama CD)
Izumi Sano is the male protagonist of the series. An excellent high jumper before entering high school, he stopped for personal reasons when he entered high school. He found out Mizuki's true gender due to an accident early in the series. When he was young, his parents were involved in a car accident which killed his mother, impacting the family deeply. Sano ran away from home because of disagreements with his father but father and son reconcile in the end.
He was portrayed by Shun Oguri
in the Japanese drama adaptation and Wu Zun in the Taiwanese drama adaptation.
(drama CD)
Nakatsu is one of the students in living in the second dormitory. He likes Mizuki but he does not know that she is really a girl, causing some of his classmates to believe that he is homosexual. However, it is suggested that he is merely attracted to Mizuki's femininity which she has trouble hiding. When Nakatsu discovers Sano's feelings for Mizuki, he gives them his blessings in order to protect his friendship with Sano and let Mizuki be happy with the one she loves.
He was portrayed by Toma Ikuta
in the Japanese drama adaptation and Jiro Wang
in the Taiwanese drama adaptation.
's semi-monthly shōjo manga magazine, Hana to Yume
in 1996. Its serialization continued where the series ended with 23 collected volumes
with 144 chapters without including 5 special chapters that were published during the series' serialization and another 5 special chapters that were published after the series ended.
The series' 23 volumes were first published under the Hana to Yume Comics. It was then later re-published into 12 volumes of aizōban under the Hana to Yume Comics Special imprint. Each volume featured a new cover illustration and design as well as colored pages.
Hana-Kimi was also published in English
by Viz Media
. The English release was previously only limited to Waldenbooks
from February to May 2004. It was then made available to other retail stores after May that year. The English title originated from a fan abbreviation
of the original Japanese title as the official U.S. translation ends the title with a he instead of e.
under the title, The Art of Hana-Kimi. It was released on November 21, 2006.
On August 20, 2009, a manga anthology was published as a tribute to the series was released under the Hana to Yume Comics Special imprint. It was titled, and was drawn by various manga artist including Satoshi Morie, affiliated with the magazine where Hana-Kimi was serialized. The cover was illustrated by the original author herself.
Another Taiwanese series, Secretly Loving You, is based loosely on the manga. The storyline is changed, but it uses the idea of a girl disguised as a boy to get into the school where the guy she idolizes attends. The series was aired in 2002 with a total of 30 episodes. Another Japanese adaptation of the same name of the original 2007 Japanese series is set to be released in July 2011 on Fuji TV. The lead female role has been cast to AKB48's Atsuko Maeda.
On 10 March 2011, SM Entertainment
announced that they have aqcuired the rights to the manga and will film a Korean adaption of the manga. Representatives revealed, "The Korean version will have a total of 16 episodes that draw out stories of hopes and dreams. It’s a teenage comedy with a cute, but strong storyline and a slew of handsome cast members. We’re planning to begin airing it this summer." The Korean adaptation is titled "Beautiful You (아름다운 그대에게)".
The English release of volume 17 was ranked 8th in the Publisher's Weekly Comics Bestseller list. The 23rd volume of Hana-Kimi was released by Viz Media on April 1, 2008 and it was ranked 5th in the monthly Top 20 Graphic Novels rankings for the March 31, 2008 to April 27, 2008 period.
The total sales for the series' Japanese volumes came in 5th after Death Note
in the ranking of the most read series throughout year 2007. The series ranked 37th place in Matt Blind's Top 300 series in 2008. It was later chosen as one of the series for the GC4K Summer Reading Challenge in 2009.
Maria Lin noted that while she normally disliked female protagonists in manga, she praised Mizuki as an exception, crediting her with lifting the manga above other "pretty boy manga", enjoying her "never-give-up attitude". While Lin enjoyed the art style, she found the male characters' designs at times generic. Sheena McNeil felt that the premise was "shallow", but upon reading, found herself "caught up in the story". McNeil praised the art, citing its importance in a story of deception, enjoying the "gorgeous" character designs, but appreciating the departure from strict aesthetics for humour.
Liann Cooper felt that Hana Kimi was one of Viz's most important shoujo properties, due to its combination of humour, angst, and the artwork, but criticised their cover design.
Kat Avila, due to the fourth volume's humour and attractive male characters, found she enjoyed Hana Kimi better than Girl Got Game
.
By the fourth and fifth volume, the author had increased the cast, but Maria Lin felt that the storyline was still coherent despite this.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written by Hisaya Nakajo
Hisaya Nakajo
is a Japanese manga artist born in Osaka, Japan.Nakajo came in 39th in the 2007 Most Searched Mangaka Names by the Japanese search engine, goo.-About:...
. The manga was serialized in Japan in Hakusensha
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
's semi-monthly shōjo manga magazine, Hana to Yume
Hana to Yume
is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...
. This manga series has ended with volume 23 in August 2004 in Japan.
Hana-Kimi was published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
with the final volume released in the United States in April 2008.
The series centers on Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese girl who lives in the United States. One day, she sees a track and field competition on TV, and becomes attracted to one of the high jump competitors, Izumi Sano. She begins to idolize the young athlete and eventually transfers to Japan to attend the same school that Sano attends. There is a catch, however: Sano attends an all-boys high school, named Osaka Gakuen and Mizuki must disguise herself as a boy to enter.
Plot
Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese girl living in the United States, watches a program on TV featuring a high jumper named Izumi Sano. She was amazed by his performance and begins following his athletic career. Years later, she does research on him and discovers that he is currently attending Osaka High School. The school is unfortunately an all-boys school and Mizuki convinces her parents to send her to Japan by herself.Oblivious to the fact that their daughter is going to attend a boys school, her parents let her go. To enter the school, she cuts off her long hair, disguises herself as a male, and tries her best to give hope to Sano after hearing that he no longer does the high jump anymore. As she settles in, an accident reveals her identity to Hokuto Umeda, the school doctor, and Izumi Sano. Izumi hides his knowledge of Mizuki's gender and tries to help her keep her secret, though it sure is not easy as many situations land Mizuki in compromising positions that will reveal her true gender.
Setting
or Ohsaka Gakuen as written in the entrance gate of the school in the Japanese drama adaptation, is an all-boys school and the setting of the series. Its sister school is St. Blossoms, an all-girls high school.The three grade levels are divided into three classes. These nine classes are divided into three dormitories, as most of the students do not stay around the school area. The culture within the individual dormitories are immensely different.
Most students residing in the first dormitory are athletes who were accepted into Osaka High on a sports scholarship. The head of dormitory is Tennouji. The head of the second dormitory is Minami Nanba. The students in the second dorm are a mix of athletes and scholars who have a sports or academic scholarship. The third dormitory consists mainly of artistic and intelligent people and is headed by Masao Himejima. Inter-dorm rivalries are common and become particularly intense during the school's cultural festival.
Characters
(drama CD)Mizuki Ashiya is the female protagonist of the series. She admired Izumi Sano the moment she saw him high jump on TV. She diguises herself as a boy in order to enroll herself into Sano's school, Osaka Gakuen which allows her to get closer with Sano. She is a fun-loving, cheerful and optimistic character who cares deeply for her family and friends. Unfortunately, despite her kind heart, she is what one would call a ditz, so the secret of her gender has to constantly be protected by Sano. She has an older brother who arrived in Japan with the intent of bringing her home, but was forced to allow her to stay. It is suggested in the manga that the protectiveness of her older brother and her sheltered life in general has contributed to her frank and trusting nature, as well as her inability to hide her emotions.
She was portrayed by Maki Horikita
Maki Horikita
is a Japanese actress and endorser. She debuted in 2003 as a U-15 idol and has since starred in Japanese television dramas, television and magazine advertisements, and movies.- Childhood:...
in the Japanese drama adaptation and Ella Chen
Ella Chen
Chen Chia-Hwa , more commonly credited as Ella, is the oldest member of the Taiwanese girl group S.H.E. Her name 'Ella', which means courage, was given after the personality test given by HIM Management Co....
in the Taiwanese drama adaptation.
(drama CD)
Izumi Sano is the male protagonist of the series. An excellent high jumper before entering high school, he stopped for personal reasons when he entered high school. He found out Mizuki's true gender due to an accident early in the series. When he was young, his parents were involved in a car accident which killed his mother, impacting the family deeply. Sano ran away from home because of disagreements with his father but father and son reconcile in the end.
He was portrayed by Shun Oguri
Shun Oguri
is a Japanese actor, director and voice actor.-Career:Born to a theater director father, Tetsuya Oguri, and having an actor brother, Ryo Oguri, Shun Oguri started his acting career quite early in his life...
in the Japanese drama adaptation and Wu Zun in the Taiwanese drama adaptation.
(drama CD)
Nakatsu is one of the students in living in the second dormitory. He likes Mizuki but he does not know that she is really a girl, causing some of his classmates to believe that he is homosexual. However, it is suggested that he is merely attracted to Mizuki's femininity which she has trouble hiding. When Nakatsu discovers Sano's feelings for Mizuki, he gives them his blessings in order to protect his friendship with Sano and let Mizuki be happy with the one she loves.
He was portrayed by Toma Ikuta
Toma Ikuta
is a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.-Career :Ikuta Toma used to be in a variety show for kids called Tensai Terebi kun. Being a member of a then all-children band called Strawberry Parfait, he was popular with the audience...
in the Japanese drama adaptation and Jiro Wang
Jiro Wang
Jiro Wang , nicknamed Da Dong meaning "Big East", was born on 24 August 1981. He is a Taiwanese actor and singer, who started his career as a model. He is a member of Taiwanese Mandopop vocal quartet boy band Fahrenheit.-Biography:...
in the Taiwanese drama adaptation.
Manga
The manga series was first serialized in the 20th issue of HakusenshaHakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....
's semi-monthly shōjo manga magazine, Hana to Yume
Hana to Yume
is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...
in 1996. Its serialization continued where the series ended with 23 collected volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
with 144 chapters without including 5 special chapters that were published during the series' serialization and another 5 special chapters that were published after the series ended.
The series' 23 volumes were first published under the Hana to Yume Comics. It was then later re-published into 12 volumes of aizōban under the Hana to Yume Comics Special imprint. Each volume featured a new cover illustration and design as well as colored pages.
Hana-Kimi was also published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
. The English release was previously only limited to Waldenbooks
Waldenbooks
Waldenbooks , operated by the Walden Book Company, Inc., was an American shopping mall-based bookstore chain and a subsidiary of Borders Group. The chain also ran a video game and software chain under the name Waldensoftware as well as a children's edutainment chain under Walden Kids...
from February to May 2004. It was then made available to other retail stores after May that year. The English title originated from a fan abbreviation
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
of the original Japanese title as the official U.S. translation ends the title with a he instead of e.
Books
An illustration collection titled was released on May 19, 2004. 11 days later on May 30, 2000, a character book titled as . The illustration collection was also licensed in English by Viz MediaVIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
under the title, The Art of Hana-Kimi. It was released on November 21, 2006.
On August 20, 2009, a manga anthology was published as a tribute to the series was released under the Hana to Yume Comics Special imprint. It was titled, and was drawn by various manga artist including Satoshi Morie, affiliated with the magazine where Hana-Kimi was serialized. The cover was illustrated by the original author herself.
Drama CDs
There were a number of drama CDs released for the series. Only 2 were released commercially by Hakusensha and Marine Entertainment. The first drama CD was released on April 26, 2000. The second drama CD, titled was released on August 23, 2002.Live-action drama
Hana-Kimi has been adapted into several live-television dramas:- 2006 - Hanazakarino KimitachiheHanazakarino KimitachiheHanazakarino Kimitachihe , is a 2006 Taiwanese drama starring Ella Chen of S.H.E, Wu Chun and Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit and Danson Tang. It was based on Japanese shōjo manga series Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, more commonly known as Hana Kimi, written by Hisaya Nakajo.This drama was produced by Comic...
. It starred Ella ChenElla ChenChen Chia-Hwa , more commonly credited as Ella, is the oldest member of the Taiwanese girl group S.H.E. Her name 'Ella', which means courage, was given after the personality test given by HIM Management Co....
of S.H.ES.H.ES.H.E is a Taiwanese girl group whose members are Selina Jen, Hebe Tien, and Ella Chen. The name of the group is an alphabetism derived from the first letter of each member's name. Since releasing their first album Girls Dorm , S.H.E has recorded 12 albums with sales totalling over 15 million, and...
, Wu ChunWu ChunWu Chun was born on 10 October 1979, birth name Goh Kiat Chun, is a Brunei-born Taiwanese actor, singer, former model and gym instructor....
and Jiro WangJiro WangJiro Wang , nicknamed Da Dong meaning "Big East", was born on 24 August 1981. He is a Taiwanese actor and singer, who started his career as a model. He is a member of Taiwanese Mandopop vocal quartet boy band Fahrenheit.-Biography:...
of FahrenheitFahrenheit (Taiwanese band)Fahrenheit is a Taiwanese boy band who has been active in Asia since 2005. The group debut with four members: Jiro Wang, Calvin Chen, Aaron Yan and Wu Chun. They are managed by Comic International Productions . The group's music is distributed by HIM International Music in Taiwan, by WOW Music in...
and Danson TangDanson TangDanson Tang was born on 2 September 1984. He is a Taiwanese actor and Mandopop singer, who started his career as a model before pursuing an acting career and later singing...
. The adaption was aired on Chinese Television System (CTS)Chinese Television SystemChinese Television System is a broadcast television station in Republic of China .-History:Founded on October 31, 1971, CTS started off as a joint venture between the ROC's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education. At the time of its establishment, CTS was the only VHF-supported...
and Gala Television (GTV) Variety Show/CH 28Gala TelevisionGala Television Corporation is a nationwide cable TV network in Taiwan that is operated by the Gala Television Corporation, established on June 13, 1997.-GTV Channels:GTV currently operates three commercial cable television channels:*GTV One / CH 27...
from November 2006 for 15 episodes.
- 2007 - . It starred Maki HorikitaMaki Horikitais a Japanese actress and endorser. She debuted in 2003 as a U-15 idol and has since starred in Japanese television dramas, television and magazine advertisements, and movies.- Childhood:...
, Shun OguriShun Oguriis a Japanese actor, director and voice actor.-Career:Born to a theater director father, Tetsuya Oguri, and having an actor brother, Ryo Oguri, Shun Oguri started his acting career quite early in his life...
and Toma IkutaToma Ikutais a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.-Career :Ikuta Toma used to be in a variety show for kids called Tensai Terebi kun. Being a member of a then all-children band called Strawberry Parfait, he was popular with the audience...
. The adaption was aired on Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
from July to September 2007 for 12 episodes.
- 2011 - . It starred Atsuko Maeda, Aoi NakamuraAoi Nakamurais a Japanese actor.-Biography:Nakamura portrays Hibiki Akagi in Boys Esté.He appears in Perfect Blue a television movie based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe...
and Shohei MiuraShohei Miurais a Japanese actor and model from Tokyo. He won the Japan Academy Prize for Best New Actor in 2010 for Umizaru 3: The Last Message.-Movies:* Gokusen The Movie as Kamiya Shunsuke* Real Onigokko 2 as Sato Hiroshi...
. The adaption was aired on Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
from July 2011 until now.
Another Taiwanese series, Secretly Loving You, is based loosely on the manga. The storyline is changed, but it uses the idea of a girl disguised as a boy to get into the school where the guy she idolizes attends. The series was aired in 2002 with a total of 30 episodes. Another Japanese adaptation of the same name of the original 2007 Japanese series is set to be released in July 2011 on Fuji TV. The lead female role has been cast to AKB48's Atsuko Maeda.
On 10 March 2011, SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment
S.M. Entertainment is an independent Korean record label, talent agency, producer, and publisher of pop music, founded by Lee Soo-man in South Korea...
announced that they have aqcuired the rights to the manga and will film a Korean adaption of the manga. Representatives revealed, "The Korean version will have a total of 16 episodes that draw out stories of hopes and dreams. It’s a teenage comedy with a cute, but strong storyline and a slew of handsome cast members. We’re planning to begin airing it this summer." The Korean adaptation is titled "Beautiful You (아름다운 그대에게)".
Reception
The 22 Japanese volumes of the series has sold over 11 million copies in Japan, the final volume was released on November 11, 2004. The English release of volume 6 was ranked 9th in the Bookscan chart while six months after, volume 9 came in 5th as one of the top-selling graphic novels in North America. The English release of volume 1 and 2 of the series were nominated under the Graphic Novel category of The Quills Awards in 2005. The series came in 3rd place for Top Shōjo Manga in Singapore in February 2007. According to Tohan, aizōban volumes 11 and 12 ranked 6th place for the week of September 12, 2007.The English release of volume 17 was ranked 8th in the Publisher's Weekly Comics Bestseller list. The 23rd volume of Hana-Kimi was released by Viz Media on April 1, 2008 and it was ranked 5th in the monthly Top 20 Graphic Novels rankings for the March 31, 2008 to April 27, 2008 period.
The total sales for the series' Japanese volumes came in 5th after Death Note
Death Note
is a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
in the ranking of the most read series throughout year 2007. The series ranked 37th place in Matt Blind's Top 300 series in 2008. It was later chosen as one of the series for the GC4K Summer Reading Challenge in 2009.
Maria Lin noted that while she normally disliked female protagonists in manga, she praised Mizuki as an exception, crediting her with lifting the manga above other "pretty boy manga", enjoying her "never-give-up attitude". While Lin enjoyed the art style, she found the male characters' designs at times generic. Sheena McNeil felt that the premise was "shallow", but upon reading, found herself "caught up in the story". McNeil praised the art, citing its importance in a story of deception, enjoying the "gorgeous" character designs, but appreciating the departure from strict aesthetics for humour.
Liann Cooper felt that Hana Kimi was one of Viz's most important shoujo properties, due to its combination of humour, angst, and the artwork, but criticised their cover design.
Kat Avila, due to the fourth volume's humour and attractive male characters, found she enjoyed Hana Kimi better than Girl Got Game
Girl Got Game
Girl Got Game, originally published in Japan as Power!!, is a manga series written and illustrated by Shizuru Seino. Originally serialized in Bessatsu Friend from 1999 until 2002, the individual chapters have been collected and published in ten tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
.
By the fourth and fifth volume, the author had increased the cast, but Maria Lin felt that the storyline was still coherent despite this.
External links
- Active Anime vol.19 review
- Comics Worth Reading series review
- Sequential Tart vol.23 review
- Wild Vanilla Hisaya Nakajo's Official Website