Hana Kimi: A Must-Watch for LGBT Fans

Let’s start with the basics!

It starts with the typical worship idol-groupies around high schools!

The High schools in this drama are all-girls schools or all-boys schools with minimal socialisation between themselves. And of course, the female-only schools are represented by the Queen-bees of the area.

The drama starts with a transfer student from America. The lack of knowledge of the outside world creates the stereotype. Americans are thought to be blonde, have blue eyes, and big muscles. Or a jack bauer, a fictional character secret spy from a US fictional series.

Hard time reading kanji? Don’t feel bad! All boys’ schools can`t read names in Kanji, as well. If you are aware of the Japanese Skill level test, I challenge you to go to Youtube. Search for JLPT N1 Japanese and try to answer. On the drama, they clearly don’t really study, so it’s not surprising they can’t read the names in Kanji. Learning Hiragana is easy, but learning Kanji is a life commitment.

First impressions, the transfer student, Ashiya Mizuki, arrives and suffers the typical praxis bullying. Ashiya made the first mistake by putting the shoes in the wrong place. In her thoughts, she reveals that Sano Izumi, the former athlete and now her classmate, is why she disguised herself. She did this to enter an all-boys school.

Speaking of school, there is an excessive need to make someone join a school club. This includes activities like theatre or Karate. The goal is to win a prize at the end of the year, for example, free desserts.

On a curious level, an LGBT character already shows up. This happens in spite of the drama being from 2007. It is an adaptation of the Manga series from 1996 with the same name. In the end, it isn’t weird that the translation of the Hana Kimi is ¨For You in Full Blossom¨. This title has multiple meanings. It starts with the timeline of the drama. It also aligns with the typical new school year in Japan that starts in the Spring. It also signifies the growth the boys go through. At a certain point, the principal wonders. He says, “I ask myself what type of flowers will bloom in our school this year.” It would be strange if the story only mentioned the typical masculine as flowers. Yet, given all the details inside the drama, this is a must-watch, LGBT-friendly and funny Drama!

The main Actress playing the girl Ashiya Mizuki, who disguises as a boy :

Maki Horikita

She’s an incredible Japanese actress who first came onto the scene in 2003. Since then, she’s starred in many Japanese television dramas, television and magazine advertisements, and movies. Horikita’s roles are diverse and popular. One notable role is the introverted high school student Nobuko Kotani in Nobuta wo Produce. Another is the righteous law student Tsurara Yoshikawa in Kurosagi. Lastly, she played the cross-dressing sports fan Mizuki Ashiya in Hana Kimi.

On 22 August 2015, Horikita’s management agency announced her marriage to actor Koji Yamamoto. He is also an incredible actor. The couple got close in May 2015. They played the role of lovers in the theatrical production Arashi ga Oka (Wuthering Heights). They commenced dating in June.

On March 2, 2017, she officially announced her retirement from the entertainment industry. She did this to look after her family as a mother of 2 at home.

The Main actor playing the Athletic Sano :

Shun Oguri is an accomplished Japanese actor, voice actor and film director. Shun is the son of stage director Tetsuya Oguri. He is the youngest of 3 siblings. Shun started his career as an extra in his father and brother’s works. His official acting debut came at the age of 13 in the 1995 TV drama, Hachidai Shogun Yoshimune.

With a filmography of over 100 credits, Oguri has made an indelible mark in Japanese cinema. He directed his first film in 2010, Surely Someday, in which he also had a cameo role. In 2020, Oguri will make his Hollywood debut in Godzilla vs. Kong. As a voice actor, he is well-known. He played the role of Alfons Heiderich in Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa (2005). He is also known for other series.

⭐ Emoji Ranking – Hana Kimi (2007, Japan)

• 💕 Romance: 💕💕💕💕 (4/5) – Sweet, innocent love triangle between Mizuki, Sano, and Nakatsu.
• 👻 Creepy factor: 👻 (1/5) – Very lighthearted; no creepy vibes.
• 🔥 Action: 🔥🔥 (2/5) – Some sports events and comedic school chaos add energy.
• 😭 Drama (Emotional impact): 😭😭😭 (3/5) – Emotional when Mizuki’s secret is at risk, but balanced with comedy.
• 🌸 Popularity: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 (5/5) – A classic J-drama hit with a huge following across Asia.

Official Opening song: Orange Range – Ikenai Taiyou

Who are Orange Range?

Orange Range is a dynamic Japanese rock band with roots in Okinawa. Formed in 2001, they quickly climbed the ranks, joining Sony Music Japan in 2003. By 2010, they launched their own label, Super Echo, and later signed with Victor Entertainment’s Speedstar Records in 2012.

The current members of the band include Naoto Hiroyama on guitar. Ryo Miyamori is on bass vocals and serves as an MC. Yamato Ganeko handles high-pitched vocals and is also an MC. Hiroki Hokama performs mid-range vocals and acts as an MC. Yoh Miyamori plays the bass. The former member Kitao Kazuhito “Katchan” was the drummer.

ORANGE RANGE is a five-member rock ensemble from Okinawa. They debuted independently with the album “Orange Ball” on February 22, 2002. Their major label debut followed in 2003 with the single “Kirikiri Mai.” The band’s high-quality, genre-defying musicality attracted significant attention. Their considerable popularity led to the release of several acclaimed tracks.

The band’s independent album, “Orange Ball,” was released on February 22, 2002. They made their major debut with the single “Kirikirimai” in 2003. Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2021, ORANGE RANGE has maintained their reputation for producing high-quality music, consistently achieving widespread acclaim.

After their debut, the band released two extra singles. The first, “Viva Rock,” served as the third ending theme for the anime Naruto. The second, “Rakuyō,” was used in a commercial for Daiichi Kosho Mero Dam. Their first full album, 1st Contact, was released at the end of 2003, debuting at number 2 on the charts. Despite an early drop in sales, it reached the position of 15th best-selling album of 2004.

The band re-released the singles “Michishirube” and “Kirikirimai.” They also produced “Kirikirimai (Fantastic Four Remix)” for the soundtrack of the superhero movie Fantastic Four. “Michishirube” notably became the ending theme for the popular J-Drama, Fire Boys: Megumi no Daigo, reaching No. 1 on the Oricon charts.

In 2014, ORANGE RANGE announced their first tour across Asian countries. It was called ORANGE RANGE ASIA LIVE 014. They performed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea from February 14 to 23. Additionally, they held their annual fan club tour. RANGE AID + presents ORANGE RANGE FC TOUR 014 took place from April 2 to May 31. To celebrate the 10th edition of Embu, Orange Range initiated a battle-of-the-bands event. The band organized a special Embu tour. It featured showdowns with different bands at each venue.

In 2021, ORANGE RANGE celebrated their 20th anniversary since formation.

Official Website: https://orangerange.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ORANGERANGE

X (old Twitter): https://twitter.com/orangerangenow 　https://twitter.com/or_staff

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orangerange.official

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orangerange_official