Reviews for Hana-Kimi

Hot garbage. There's absolutely no substance to the characters or the plot. I was excited for the premise, but the execution is terrible. This was the most bland of blands. Everything is so painfully obvious and stereotypical that it's actually impressive how bland of a watch this is. The love triangle was introduced, but the second ML just fades away into a background extra, completely forgotten. The main struggle that the FL is supposed to help the ML with has no tension and is resolved almost immediately. And worst of all, the romance isn't even believable. The FL doesn't do anything of significance to attractthe attention of the ML except exist. I kept watching, hoping it would get better, because it seemed like a popular story being adapted to anime, and the name has made the rounds. So it made me think I was missing something. I've never seen the live action, or read the manga, but I can say with absolute certainty that the execution of the anime was lacklustre at best. I can't even recommend this as something to kill time with.

I like it, but it’s not as good as the Japanese live-action version. Those who are "old school" know what I’m talking about. Again, I like it—there's nothing bad about it—but I noticed the show races through a lot of plots. The overall pace is very very fast. She goes from America to Japan in an instant and makes instant friends in a shorter time span than I was expecting. I’m not sure if that’s because they’re trying to fit a certain amount of the manga into a specific number of episodes. It’s not a bad show, though. Give it a watch; there are definitelyfunny parts. I wouldn’t say I love it, but that's mainly because the pacing could be better. Again not bad, but not great. In the middle.

Hana-Kimi - Is old-school Shoujo finally back from the grave for a modern resurgence? Yes and no... The "direct but not so direct" opposite of the Shonen genre, the Shoujo genre has its fans too where the former precedes action and intensity, the latter precedes romance, rom-coms and the like. It wouldn't be fair to say that Shoujo is the way it is today without some big names throughout history, and for one such mangaka by the name of Hisaya Nakajo, the late veteran who passed away in late 2023 would become one such figure that would shake the Shoujo genre in the early 90s. Apartfrom her rather short-lived 2-volume manga series Sugar Princess which was serialized in Hakusensha's famous Hana to Yume imprint in the mid=2000s, it's her other work of Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, otherwise known as Hana-Kimi from 1996 to 2004, that finally got an anime adaptation 3 decades later that's seeking to adapt the entirety of its 23 volume, 144 chapter long series. And the first result of that with the premiere season here...it has its good and bad.

It's fair to say that series like mangaka Bisco Hatori's Ouran High School Host Club went viral during both its manga run and its eventual 2006 anime release, not just for what it does as a work on its own, but it's also lessons learnt from works like Hana-Kimi (that was seralized in the same publisher through its follow-up LaLa magazine imprint), which the former was released 6 years later in 2002, and went on to receive its share of fanfare...which I can't exactly say the same thing about Hana-Kimi, which is pure Shoujo romance through and through, at least in terms of 90s style of romance.

As for what Hana-Kimi entails, the plot is simple: imagine being a fan of someone from overseas, and going as far as to stalk the person him/herself so much that he/she becomes a part of their life from the very first day their lives are intertwined by fate. This is the story of Mizuki Ashiya, the orange-haired girl who hails from Japan, but is living in the US after moving there with her parents, and finds one such particular figure of interest: Izumi Sano, a high jumper who has earned awards and medals for his accolades, and is set to be primetime for a future athlete in the making. Mizuki's obsession with watching him on the TV screen, envelops her into an ordeal where she becomes the Izumi Sano encylopedia on what makes him tick, alongside his great performances. There's only one issue that stands in her way: the school that the professional high jumper is attending, is the Osaka High School, which is unforuntately, an all-boys school. Regardless, this does not deteriment Mizuki to convince being brought back to Japan just to attend the same school that he does, it just takes one chest vest to hide her sizable breasts for a rather slim figure, and a haircut which perfectly disguises her as a boy, and she's immediately into the school to seek out Izumi, and the rest of the boys, which she's integrated into a dormitory that's allocated under the sports/academic scholarship for athletes and scholars. From there on, it's getting to know who the all-star professional athlete is in person, and the drama that follows the central couple in the series. And believe me, this 90s work is every bit as pure as it gets for capturing what the Shoujo genre worked at that time.

There's not really any wrong with the story, at least for this premiere season which adapts the first 5 out of 23 volumes, which for some reason, the school's setting is what struck me as the first notable and interesting thing, that's surprisingly better than the story itself. Because you see, the all-boys school itself is huge enough to have dorms allocated for everyone, since most students don't stay around the school area. Even more decidedly, these 3-by-3 grade classes (which count for a total of 9 classes) have totally different cultures according to the dorms they're placed in: Dorm 1 for purely athletical students under a sports scholarship; Dorm 2 (where Mizuki and the other main support characters are) for a mix of atheltical and scholar students under the mix of sports and academic scholarship; and Dorm 3 for students being artists and scholars under a mix of academic and arts scholarships. These 3 dorms operate their own sets of rules, terms and conditions, and inter-dorm rivlary is common and intense especially during key school events like Osaka High's cultural festival (which is prominently shown in this premiere season).

So, with quite the environment about Osaka High, you'd imagine a nobody like Mizuki who dares to step in by infilrating as a guy on a sports scholarship, would get the attention of the regular boys who think of her as a boy and nothing else. However, the adults would be the first to sniff her out and her reasoning for joining the school to want to see Izumi, like the school nurse Dr. Hokuto Umeda, who has the Ikemen looks of a ladies' man and a player, but that he's a true doctor in every part of the detail. Even worse, is realizing that his new roommate (which his room has always been left to by himself alone) is not the boy who he seems, and trying to live on the fact that Mizuki sometimes shed her boy-ish looks to reveal her feminine traits, which Izumi has to always be careful and avoid overstepping his borders to protect her always like a guardian. Even with the other characters in tow, you can already imagine it's like Ouran High School with the harem trope (before it was even a genre at that point) but in an all-boys where looks can be deceiving. This is exactly the case for the support cast, of which includes Shuuichi Nakatsu who's always fantasizing Mizuki with her feminine looks (despite being a true female), her form's Resident Advisory Minami Nanba, as well as her classmates of Senri Nakao and the rest, who became her close clique trying to figure out what is going behind the scenes in Osaka High. And this story and its development, it's not the prettiest picuture for modern standards of the 21st century with its tropes that seem new for the time, but kind of overstayed its welcome with how much they're being recycled on and off. At least it's a TRUE Shoujo romance story, so I'll give this a passable grade.

Hana-Kimi being the first-ever anime that's produced by Hayate, the joint venture of the Sony Music Entertainment Japan-backed companies of both Aniplex and Crunchyroll, you can think of this as the NEW Crunchyroll Originals label that's at least doing a much better job that what the latter did back in its heyday, which to say it was a mess of absolute measures. Normally, any animation company backed by Sony's 2 giants will show improved production quality, though in the case of this show, Signal M.D. is not one of those companies with a track record for good production. It's fair to say that quality was a hit-and-miss, though at least it feels consistent for a good showing.

This is not to mention having famed composer Masaru Yokoyama for the series's OST, on top of Yoasobi helming both OP and ED theme songs, of which "Adrena" and "Baby" are decent hits coming off from one of the biggest names in modern J-Pop. But overall, it's decent and rarely (if not ever) shows up having key moments to define the anime...at least not yet.

Despite the numerous live-action dramas that went before it back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Hana-Kimi may not stand aloft on the top as a show that exist on the minds of the Westerners, and even to the Asians (of which not just Japan, but Taiwan and South Korea getting live-action adaptations of it, that I think frankly is a lot better received), it's a series that...if I may be very frank, just exists as a footnote in Shoujo history as one of the works that has a reputation behind it, but that it feels plain-jane at best despite being decent to good.

Hana-Kimi may not be peak 90s Shoujo, but it is alright and fairly enjoyable, and should be given at least a try. Just try not to be overloaded with modern-day brainrot before coming into this one.

I want to preface this by saying I have seen the japanese live action but have not read the manga. When I heard a Hana Kimi anime was coming, I was excited to see what a studio would do with it. I did worry about how they would condense the story & flesh out so many characters into 12 episodes, however, I thought some hard cutting would probably happen. It was fine and to be expected. I don’t actually mind changes as long as they work well and make this version of the story interesting. Sad to report that this anime is a mess. It’s extremelyrushed and over ambitious so, it constantly fails to flesh anything out. I mean, one of the most important aspects of this story is the love triangle between the MC, Sano & Nakatsu yet, it feels so weak. The story will randomly remember Nakatsu is also supposed to be a love interest & will give him a few minutes then he quickly becomes a background character again.

Sano also quickly just accepts jumping again within the first few episodes?! This aspect of the story is supposed to be a BIG deal! There’s supposed to be a push and pull between Sano & Ashiya when it comes to him jumping again but instead, it feels like it just happens and then we move on to another shallow plot point.

Like I said, I didn’t mind changes at all, but the backbone of the story has to be there or it’s not really the same story.

Pretty disappointed in this adaptation. I can see how a 12 episode limit could make a story like this hard to adapt but, they really dropped the ball.

This show is really the product of it's age, which in itself is not a bad thing at all. Sure, some things are outdated by today's standards but overall this anime was a nice ride from start to finish. I am watching this as anime only watcher so I cannot talk about difference from the manga, I only know that for that time it was very popular. To the point that before anime series this got a live action one. That alone speaks for the popularity of medium. Animation and music: music is industry standard, nothing to add here worthy of notion as it isgetting it's job done. Animation is nice change of pace as they really tried to recreate that early 2000's anime style. And it was refreshing to see it. Beside that the rest is of it was solid. There were no bad frames or low quality animation.

Overall - old style animation really set it apart when compared to other shows this season, while music is ok.

Characters: it is a solid cast, even if there is nothing worthy to add as none of them change that much from the 1st episode. Ashiya is your standard female lead who always gets into sticky situations and need others to save her, but on the other hand most of the time she is voice of reason and comfort among her friends. Sano is quiet and cool guy with a lot of regret from the past, he is standard guy who starts with cold emotions toward MFC and by episode 12 he is kind and overprotective over her. Then we have Nakatsu who is comic relief of the group, always doing the main job in background while two main leads flirt etc... There are few other characters, but they all stick to their respective traits and never evolve. But in this anime defense they only adapted first 5 volumes, manga has 23 so there is a lot left for the 2nd or 3rd season to let others develop as well.

Overall - characters are your standard anime characters trope form early 2000's. Which if you like will be great for you, and if not then you will find this show really annoying really fast.

Story: the story is simple - Ashiya is gushing over Sato so much that she decided to disguise as a boy and enter all-boy's school in order to pursue him. What follows from that is typical love story with a lot of different situations that by the end usually revolve around MC saving FMC is one or other situations and FMC giving the MC courage and determination to move forward. The story did not move much from there as not everything from manga has been adapted, but what we got is your standard love story from early 2000's with all of it's cheche's and tropes. Which may throw some viewers as strange since a lot has been changed since that time despite only a bit over 20 years have passed since manga has ended.

Overall - it is a standard love story with crossdressing trait added to it for good measure. If you enjoy these kind of medium then you are in for a good time.

Overall grade: 8. It is as I expected, a usual love story with a small twist that FMC is crossdressing. Realistically it is around 7 but I quite enjoyed it as a relic of a now past time and gave it an 8. For me, it was an enjoyable watch on nice and calm Sundays. If they ever release season 2 I will watch it for sure.

And if you are a lover of old-school love stories then this one I can easily recommend. If you are more of a modern type of fan, then I recommend watching first 3 episodes to see if this is suited for your taste or not.

I haven't read the source material (or watched the live-action drama), nor do I have any idea why it's so beloved, but I can give my perspective compared to the other shojo romance anime I have seen recently. Hana-kimi is painfully bland and boring. The premise is a lot of fun, and it's something that I would've been into when I was in middle school or early high school. I don't usually watch seasonals either, so when I saw a beloved shojo manga from the late 90s was finally getting an anime adaptation, I decided I would watch it. Unfortunately, I've grown up, and now I can'tget over characters that are as one-dimensional as a rock. None of the characters are compelling, and there are no interesting or new storylines besides the fact that Mizuki goes to an all-boys school. Honestly, besides Mizuki and Sano, none of the other characters matter at all and could be removed and nothing would change (which is VERY disappointing because Natsuki could've been a fun character, and I really liked Dr. Umeda). All the conflicts are stupid. They could have done so many other fun things with the concept, but instead it feels like a boring romance and oooh look the main character is a GIRL at an all BOYS school. Wrap it up... the whole time I watched this I kept thinking: "They could've done this!" or "That would've been a fun addition!" I was bored out of my mind; I think the only thing I found funny was Natsuki's crush on Mizuki (where he thought he was gay) but they overuse it in the same exact way over and over which unfortunately made it unfunny pretty quickly. Also, he's supposed to be the main rival, but he NEVER gets any development and is kind of just there. After awhile I just started feeling bad for him because he's constantly sidelined by Mizuki.

My biggest gripe BY FAR is the art. Again, I haven't seen the source material, but I have seen it's art. The late 90s/early 2000s art is fun and cute, and I hate how they modernized it. It makes an anime with already no story have no personality as well. At least pick one... I've seen some greatly directed anime with fun art and style that have crappy stories, but they are by far more enjoyable than this trainwreck. Personality is SO important in making a good anime (and any piece of media in general) and there is nothing here. Also, random note, but I thought Mizuki and Natsuki's voice actors were ridiculously annoying; it impeded my enjoyment even further.

More than anything, Hana-kimi is just a disappointing adaptation. I went into this seeing the love people have for the manga, and I feel bad for anyone who has waited 20+ years for it to be adapted. There are so many things in this anime that could've been developed to make it more enjoyable, but instead I was just bored, disappointed, and a bit sad for the manga readers.

4/10

As I’ve said numerous times, we are in a golden age of shoujosei. This is the best time to be a fan of either demographic in decades. The rate at which new high quality shoujosei series are being pumped out is incredible and we are finally seeing long awaited titles like Hanakimi adapted into an anime. Even after 20 years, the demand didn’t die down and fans were in disbelief to see this get an anime. Hanakimi was one of the OG peak shoujo titles from the late 90s and Signal.MD really captured the magic of what makes this series so special here. Theysuccessfully brought the story to life while also updating it for a newer audience. It’s got that same 90s charm, with modern production values and a few tweaks here and there. It’s a shame this ended up being so underrated.

Hanakimi’s premise is a bit crazy because the idea of a girl moving across the world and pretending to be a boy just to meet a guy she has a crush on from watching him compete in sports is WILD, even more wild that staff at the school eventually find out and just let things play out, but then again it is a shoujo from 30 years ago so you just have to let some things play out here. If you can get past the somewhat silly premise, what you’ll find it a really cute and heartwarming story that deals with some very important themes like identity and self discovery, emotional vulnerability, learning to communicate and gender roles. Mizuki’s relationships with Sano and the other characters in the story are very well done and most importantly, there’s not a lot of long drawn out misunderstandings or unnecessary drama. You do have drama, but everything usually gets resolved at the end of the episode or by the next episode at max. The only thing that really drags on in this series is Mizuki keeping her “secret” from the other boys at the school which realistically should’ve failed after like a week, but hey, it’s anime. I did like that some characters, won’t name who, discovered the secret and had to try and act normal around her.

It might be tropey, but the romance in this series is so good to me. Sano and Mizuki going from strangers, to friends, to something greater that neither can truly put a title on is a really fun ride. There’s so much yearning and romantic tension between the two of them that made every single interaction sweet. You also have to remember these are both young kids going thru a delicate time in their lives and figuring themselves out as well as learning about each other and I just love seeing that process play out. The way they depend on each other and are always there to support one another is beautiful. The love triangle with Nakatsu was also really good to me. Nakatsu x Mizuki is cool because it deals with sexual identity exploration since Nakatsu doesn’t know Mizuki is a girl and is still clearly in love with her. I love seeing a good bi awakening. Nakatsu is a sweetheart and even though he might be a bit slow, he has a heart of gold. Both the boys help Mizuki grow in their own way and have a unique relationship with her! The best love triangles are when both interests bring something totally different to the lead’s life.

The supporting cast in Hanakimi are all brilliant. Hokuto, Nanba, Senri, Kagurazaka, etc., make sure there’s never a dull moment even when we’re not doing romance stuff every episode is so fun and engaging because this cast are funny as hell and have great chemistry with each other and Ashiya. Also, can I just say how cool it is that there’s several openly gay male characters in here and they’re not depicted as caricatures or jokes, but just normal human beings. Their sexuality isn’t batted an eye at or even made out to be a big deal. It’s just a fact of life. God, 90s shoujo authors were so cool.

I actually really like the production values of the show, the art looks pretty to me. The animation is a bit weak at times, but it’s a romcom so you don’t need anything crazy. There are a few very well directed scenes as well. Signal.MD were able to take 90s shoujo character designs and add a little modernity to them while keeping that charm intact. We have yet another Yoasobi banger for both the OP and ED and they’re both great. Idc what anyone says about Yoasobi, they make amazing music and that’s why they do so well in the charts. The voice acting is also great!

It really goes without saying, but if you’re a shojosei fan, this is a must watch. It’s one of the all time greats for a reason, has an amazing cast, heartwarming story, good romance and is very competently written without unneeded drama. I really don’t get why more people weren’t talking about this one given how big the manga was and how good the show is, but I guess that’s the downside of airing during such a crowded season. Still, Hanakimi was near the top of my heart this season and I’m glad it’s getting a full adaptation. I just wish Nakajo sensei could’ve been here to see it. God rest her soul.

Hanakimi gets 8 out of 10.

For a comedy, I thought it was pretty fun. There were several moments that got me laughing out loud, and all the characters are charming in their own ways. It's not some deep, complex story, but I didn't start watching it expecting that anyway. It's a rom-com that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, where characters often just go along with whatever the protagonist is doing just to move the plot forward, and honestly, that's totally fine. The way it played out kept my attention enough that I couldn't stop watching. I loved the vibe, and I'm getting back into shoujo anime because oftomboy protagonists. My favorite character, though, in this case, is the school doctor—he's always surprising me with his unexpected or funny reactions and his family drama. Anyway, I'd recommend it because it's a fun anime, but if you're looking for something more serious, this might not be for you.

8/10 +Atypical heroine that breaks the mold +Slow burn romance with solid character foundations +Hilarious supporting cast adds to lighthearted tone -Crazy premise not grounded in reality -Stiff animation and subpar character designs; poor production values Hana Kimi’s head scratching premise doesn’t give the best first impression. A lovestruck girl transferring across the world and disguising herself as a guy in an all boy school’s to be close to her idol may raise some red flags. The overall production for this classic 90s manga also appears average at best, with stiff animation and subpar character designs. With outdated themes, a questionable premise, and so-so production values,it’s no wonder it’s not on everyone’s radar.

Yet if one can look past its laughable premise, somewhere in here is an endearing romance about two incomplete people finding each other. As one of the precursors for series like Ouran High School Host Club, Hana Kimi carries its own unique charm. There’s zany antics, yearning turned up to an eleven, and a hilarious supporting cast. Mizuki for the most part is also likeable: she’s independent, straightforward, and confident, a far cry from other protagonists often seen in this genre. Add a mature slow burn romance and you’re in for a good time.

Not all stories have to be grounded in reality. With the romance genre, heroes are often a reflection of the fractured parts of ourselves. Hana Kimi isn’t perfect, but’s it’s enjoyable, if not incomplete mess.

I will start this by stating that I have read all 150 chapters of the manga, so I'm one of what seems to be very few people leaving a review who actually knows the original source material. Most of the reviews I see have only seen the live-action drama, which I haven't seen, so this review is based purely on my memory of the manga and the thoughts and feelings I had while watching this adaptation. Note: I honestly can't describe anything more about the series than what the Synopsis has already given you. It's a slice-of-life romance story that was originally published from 1996 to2004, so you can expect the usual steps of a slow-burn romance story from that era (i.e. "Is my admiration turning into love?", "How do I support him without revealing my feelings?", "Is my presence around him just a nuisance?", "Is there a possibility that he might be falling for me too?" etc, etc.), just add in a dash of crossdressing.

Story: 7/10

This season covers content that is EXTREMELY early in the manga, like, only the first four-and-a-half volumes (with some scenes or details being completely removed or changed), so of course not much progress is made.

BUT, it does get you used to each character's general personality and how they behave. (i.e Ashiya is bubbly but stubborn, Sano is calm and cool, Nakatsu is energetic and goofy, etc. etc.)

Art/Animation: 7/10

It's odd. When I first looked at the trailer, I thought "Well these guys look nothing like they did in the manga!", but the more I watched, the more I started to see glimpses of the mangaka's style in their designs, especially with certain expressions or angles.

And while the animation can be a bit stiff at times, I honestly don't mind it, as I've never been too much of a stickler for those kinds of things.

The eyes are beautifully done, and the color pallets for everything are very pleasant. Bright and vibrant, yet not so much so that it hurts to look at.

Voice Acting (JP): 10/10

When I was reading the manga, I always had a sort of idea of what each character would sound like (i.e. Sano having a low but smooth voice, Ashiya sounding boyish, but not too much so, Nakatsu having a rougher sounding voice, etc. etc.) and the VAs all nailed it.

Everyone sounds fantastic, and the fact that they got Koyasu Takehito to voice Himejima like the Mangaka would have wanted was such a nice touch.

Overall, I give this season an 8/10. It's not perfect, and it's barely scratching the tip of the iceberg that is Hana-Kimi's full story, but it's an adaptation for a manga that I absolutely love and had convinced myself was never going to get an anime adaptation in the first place, so all in all, I very much enjoyed it.

I do recommend giving the anime a try. And if you liked it, or if you don't want to try the anime but are still curious about the story, then please go read the manga. (Just do your best to ignore the trait about Ashiya's brother that they removed in the anime. It was a different time, after all (^^;))

First of all, it doesn't have a proper ending for season one, it just ends somewhere, and basically nothing interesting happens the whole season. Other than that it has barely any romance and funny parts, mostly just some dumb drama. Totally not worth the time, absolutely not recommend it. Maybe if it gets a season 2 or 3 later, and something interesting happens, then it can worth it to check this out. But for now, just leave it. This review app doesn't let me post my review unless I write more. Man... My whole fing point was that NOTHING happened so I have nothing to fing write about...

The animation was not good, but it was still cute and watchable. I enjoyed watching this overall, even with its flaws (such as the sexism and subpar animation). The real kicker for me, though, is that any time I come across a story like this, I can't help but think how much better it would be as a trans story. The whole time I was craving for it to end up as a trans masc story bc it really overlaps with so much of the trans masc experience (especially gender dysphoria and the fear of needing to be perceived as a man or risk being outed).That said, this did give me *major* inspo to make a manga that's an achillean trans masc version of this trope! One day... one day I'll do it

As someone who has watched an extensive range of anime and live-action adaptations, I went into *Hana Kimi* Season 1 expecting at least a baseline level of narrative progression, character engagement, or tonal payoff. Unfortunately, the experience falls noticeably short on multiple fronts. The most immediate issue is the lack of a proper conclusion. Season 1 doesn’t feel like it ends—it simply stops. There is no sense of narrative closure, no meaningful climax, and no satisfying emotional resolution. It feels less like a completed arc and more like an unfinished draft that was cut off midway. Even more frustrating is the overall lack of substance throughout theseason. Very little of significance actually happens. The plot drifts from episode to episode without building momentum or delivering impactful developments. What should have been engaging character dynamics or evolving relationships instead come across as stagnant and underutilized.

The romantic elements—arguably a core appeal of this type of story—are surprisingly minimal and underdeveloped. There are hints and setups, but they rarely translate into moments that feel rewarding or memorable. Similarly, the comedic aspects fail to land consistently. Instead of sharp humor or charming interactions, much of the screen time is occupied by repetitive and often uninteresting drama that doesn’t add depth.

The result is a season that feels hollow—neither emotionally engaging nor entertaining enough to justify its runtime. It’s not that the series lacks potential; rather, it feels like it never actually capitalizes on it.

At this point, it’s difficult to recommend *Hana Kimi* Season 1. It may become worth revisiting if future seasons (Season 2 or beyond) expand on the groundwork and deliver meaningful progression. However, as it stands now, it feels incomplete and largely uneventful.

Ironically, the biggest challenge in reviewing this season is that there simply isn’t much to say—because, for the most part, nothing of real consequence ever happens.

A story that aged terribly. These aren't the '90s anymore; adapt or be forgotten. Hanakimi came with the reputation of its live-action predecessors. A beloved story shrouded in nostalgia. It arrived as a contender for the romance of the season. Unfortunately, it never rose above that, remaining a mere contender. The story puts us in the shoes of a girl who enrolls in an all-boys school to meet her idol who studies there. The problems begin right from the premise. Just hearing the synopsis, your first thought is probably, "Damn, this could be as interesting as Mulan." A story where a girl challenges masculinity, enters amale-dominated ecosystem, and shakes it to its core. Except here there's no Mulan; we only have a future criminal wanted by multiple law enforcement agencies.

Initially, the protagonist has no clear motivation for meeting her idol. You might think I'm exaggerating, because you don't need reasons to meet someone you admire? But I think that to move from the USA to Japan, falsify documents and your identity to enroll in an all-boys school, putting your safety at risk, and do it behind your family's back, you must have compelling reasons. The anime doesn't even bother to explain why Mizuk makes this sudden change, nor does it explain how she was able to enroll in the school without her family's support. You're left to guess the extent of the fraud she's committing.

The premise is thrown out the window. We're back to Mulan. One of the most interesting parts of Mulan is seeing General Shang question his sexuality. I expected the same here, that the boys would question their sexuality when they're attracted to a "boy." The anime gets rid of this element very quickly. By letting the main character know from the start that the protagonist is female, they want to sell you a romance between boys, but maintain this safety net of a heterosexual romance to avoid complaints. It's 2026, and homosexuality is no longer taboo like it was in the '90s. This is where you realize that the story didn't need a faithful adaptation, but rather a reinterpretation to be told more effectively. By removing the restrictions of the '90s, they could have created a more organic, and above all, more coherent story.

There's only one worthwhile character, Nakatsu, the second main character. It seems he was the only one who read the script and understood what the anime was about. He's the only one attracted to the male version of the protagonist, the only one who questions his own tastes and preferences, and the only one who does anything to tell the story well. Except it's all for naught because he alone can't tell the whole story. Nakatsu is the only character I'd salvage from the series, and if this review isn't a 1, it's thanks to him.

This series had a massive marketing campaign. It even featured Yoasobi in the opening and ending themes. For a story with that kind of investment, I think instead of seeking media attention, they should have focused on narrative coherence. If I didn't know about Hanakimi before and thought it was irrelevant to visit, after watching the anime, I can confirm it. It's irrelevant to visit.