Hana Yori Dango: Final opened in Japanese theaters yesterday and wrapped up one of the most successful dramas in recent years. The series, based on a Yoko Kamio manga, had two runs of 11 episodes; “Hana Yori Dango” in 2005 and “Hana Yori Dango 2” in 2007, both of which got a consistent 20 share in the ratings. It’s really not hard to figure out why it was such a hit. Take a funny, likable actress like Mao Inoue, stick her in a winning formula (spunky average girl gets accepted by the super rich cool kids), and voila! Cash in. Now I’m going to briefly spoil the TV show so I can talk about the movie. Avert your eyes if you haven’t seen it and care.
In the first series Tsukushi Makino (Inoue) is a poor girl attending the insanely rich Eitoku Academy. A group of 4 arrogant heirs dubbed “F4” runs things at the school and the richest of them all, Tsukasa Domyoji (Jun Matsumoto of Arashi), is their leader. Domyoji rules the school by fear, and if anyone crosses F4 he issues them a “red notice”—which basically equates to a standing order for the entire student body to harrass the person in question mercilessly until they quit the school. Makino hates everyone at the school, especially F4, but decides to just lay low and try to muddle through by staying invisible until graduation. Her plan goes awry when she protects someone that annoys Domyoji, earning a red notice herself. Harrassment goes on for days but she’s too stubborn to quit. Domyoji can’t stand Makino because he feels like her resistance is making him seem like a weak leader, so he keeps making things worse for her. Meanwhile when things get really bad, Domyoji’s fellow F4 member Rui Hanazawa (Shun Oguri) saves her a few times, causing her to develop a huge crush on him. Later on in the season Makino gets completely fed up with Domyoji and knocks him out with a right cross. Suddenly he starts to see her differently. For the rest of the season he persues her in various ways an arrogant jerk would, until she starts to see some good in him and the two fall in love. Unfortunately his mom is an evil hag and forces Domyoji to move New York to learn business in the final episode. Domyoji and Makino share a final kiss and agree that after 3 years they’ll be together again.
The second series, “Hana Yori Dango 2” basically revolves around Domyoji and Makino’s relationship being counter-productive to Domyoji corp. The two keep going back and forth on whether they love each other or not and there are plenty of silly misunderstandings, meddling crazy people, stubborn arguments, and a brief love triangle with Rui Hanazawa until everything finally works out in a way that makes everyone happy. In the final episode Domyoji proposes to Makino, setting up the events of the movie.
Hana Yori Dango: Final begins as Domyoji holds an extravagant press conference to announce his wedding to Makino the following spring. The press is playing her up like a modern-day Cinderella and everything seems to be going well. Later, the families offer congratulations to the couple. Even Domyoji’s mother—who was formerly vehemently opposed to the relationship and tried desperately to break them up at every opportunity—is suddenly happy for them. She even offers Makino a family heirloom: a tiara worth 10 billion yen (about $95 million USD) called “Smile of Venus”.
Later in their hotel room, Makino begins to worry that her life is about to take a drastic change from what she’s used to. Domyoji consoles her by telling her he’ll spend the rest of his life protecting her, but just as he says that a man dressed in black crashes into their room through a window and steals the “Smile of Venus” tiara. Domyoji tries to chase the man but he vanishes into the city. By the time they get back to the hotel room the glass is completely cleaned up and the window is replaced as if nothing had ever happened. Obviously there’s some sort of conspiracy going on. Could Domyoji’s mother be meddling again, hoping to make it look like Makino carelessly lost the tiara herself? Or is someone at the hotel trying to cover up the crime? Domyoji and Makino are determined to get to the bottom of things, and end up going on a wild adventure together which takes them through Las Vegas, Hong Kong, and various places throughout the world. And don’t worry fangirls, the rest of F4 will show up too.
Teaser:
Trailer:
Update:
Nikkan Sports just posted this article about the premiere. So far it’s a huge success. The movie was shown on 400 screens to packed crowds, totaling over 400,000 people in 1 day alone—almost twice as many as “Crying Out Love in the Center of the World” which went on to gross 8.5 billion yen a few years back. Given the vast female audience ranging from young elementary school children to women in their 40s, Toho fully expects “Hana Yori Dango: Final” to gross over 10 billion yen. After such a smashing success expectations for a sequel will rise, but director Yasuharu Ishii maintains that the entire cast and crew went into this film with the intention of it being the final chapter.
Tags: aki nishihara, hana yori dango, jun matsumoto, mao inoue, shota matsuda, shun oguri, tsuyoshi abe, yasuharu ishii
Comments
Judging from the trailer it seems to be a nice ending. all the bit characters are in it like Shizuka and Sakurako. I’m just glad it seems to be more of an adventure story than a frustrating relationship story this time around. 2 seasons of indecisiveness was plenty.
Posted by kevin at 1:30pm EDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008
when can we in the Uk get to see the film i have waited too long to see this and it beginning to fell like i have to wait forever.
Posted by Amanda at 5:25pm EDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008
arghh~ im big fan of HANA YORI DANGO~ i already watch the anime, read the mangga, watch taiwanese version both n also japanese version both~~ if im damn rich i will fly to japan n watch it in theater~ i cant wait~
Posted by myra at 5:34pm EDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008
Unfortunately movies like this don’t seem to get much play on the international festival circuit, mostly because the people that program those are dudes in their 30s who absolutely hate stuff like this and practically go out of their way to resent it. That’s sort of why I decided to write about it here. It’s not fair to fans that coverage is so narrowly focused sometimes.
I don’t know much about UK distributors, but here in the US the people you should ask are Viz Pictures because Viz are the ones that distribute the manga and they’ve been buying up the rights to live-action manga adaptations lately. Try to generate some buzz on your own blogs and hope they pick up on it. They’re not going to distribute something unless they think it will sell. Web buzz is one of the best ways to convince them it will.
Posted by kevin at 8:04pm EDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saddest part is that the movie premiered on the 28th and I left Japan on the 27th...I was/am soo sad!!! I wished I could have seen it! Good things I made new friends in Japan....
Posted by Cynthia at 3:35am EDT on Tuesday, July 1, 2008
OH EM GEE! i looove Hana Yori Dango! i first saw the anime in 6th grade when i was sick lol then i read the manga! then my dad’s gf got me the dramas first season and i FELL IN LOOOVE! ive been wait for this movie since January of 2OO7! im going to japan on sunday!! so me & my sis are gonna go watch it xD <333
Posted by Akiko at 5:12pm EDT on Thursday, July 3, 2008
if i were to die i wud die happy. am so gonna wait 4 it 2 come out in subs and i have been hocked on shun (sano) am watching every series and movie he is in. i find him so dreamy ;D.
does any1 knw wen the subs come out. if yes plz email me
mercy--O_O--@hotmail.com
thnx
Posted by Cynthia M at 4:36pm EDT on Friday, July 4, 2008
I can’t wait to watch this final movie of this drama.I start fall in love with this drama when my dearest cousin were watching the first drama at the middle of the night that I was cannot close my eyes to sleep.at first i was not too dramatic to watch it but as the second episode in hana yori dango,that made me end up that without sleeping at all.what a great drama,i say to my cousin.now four years i been waiting the end of this dramatic love story between domyoji and makino....hope their will end up with happy story...LOVE THIS DRAMA VERY VERY VERY MUCH!!!!HANA YORI DANGO WILL BE THE BEST DRAMA EVER THAT I HAVE WATCH!!!!MUUUAAAXXXXX.....
Posted by Ayranne at 5:40am EDT on Saturday, July 5, 2008
arrrgghhh.. it’s finally out and i’m dying to see it…
but i still can’t watch it..
does anyone know who’s subbing this and when it will be out for aussie fans to enjoy?
thanks in advance : )
Posted by Vick~ at 3:17am EDT on Sunday, July 6, 2008
LOVE the drama.. i totally cant wait to watch the final! i wan to know the ending.. =P
Hana Yori Dango is so cool in anime and drama! gosh i love the story!!!! o(n_n)o
Posted by ウエンデイ．バーガです at 10:16am EDT on Monday, July 7, 2008
buti pa ako napanood kona..its nice and very cool.grabe nakakainlove..grabe narin ako naadict sa jdramang ito.arienai tsuno!!!!!!!!
i love you domyoji.
Posted by angelina at 11:16am EDT on Wednesday, July 9, 2008
I do like Hanayori Dango because I love Inoue Mao. She is my fave actress and am really hoping that in would be shown again in Philippines. Hanayori Dango 1 and 2 is shown in GMA7 and hoping that the final movie would also be shown here....Hanayori Dango is indeed one of my favorite Japanese series.
Posted by Deane at 2:23am EDT on Thursday, July 10, 2008
i wanna see this already!! <3<3<3 matsujunxinouemao forever!!
Posted by Jill at 6:51am EDT on Thursday, July 10, 2008
halu..i have watched hyd season 1 and 2 ... im totally in love with the story...plsss.. who can lend me hyd manga and anime...havent seen that stuff here in my place...i really want to read the manga and to watched the anime series...tnx a lot...;P
Posted by coleen at 11:18am EDT on Thursday, July 10, 2008
MOSHIMISHI (HELLO IN JAPANESE) I’m an japanese fan and i love hanayoridango, please could someone tell me where i can watch hanayoridango final??!! PLEASE!!!!!!
Posted by superbizz at 1:26pm EDT on Thursday, July 10, 2008
AH! i wish there will be a copy of this movie here in the philippines as soon as possible, coz i am really excited to watch this movie. i am an avid fan of jun matsumoto and inoue mao pair up!
i just hope that this wont be the end of seeing them together in a drama and in movie.
Congratulation on the success of your movie!
omoedatto!
Posted by samantha at 9:58am EDT on Friday, July 11, 2008
all the hana yorians throughout the world were celebrating after knowing that there’s hyd final…
GRABE!!TODO NA TO!1
Posted by MILEE GRACE at 12:52am EDT on Saturday, July 12, 2008
i really wish it came out here in the US but of course it isn’t coming out here so i will just have to wait for the DVD
Posted by centaur_chik at 12:55am EDT on Sunday, July 13, 2008
yah...HYD is the best..i would love to watch it...People from the philippines is there a chance that we could get an original dvd here in our country… i would love to see it...;p
Posted by coleen at 10:55am EDT on Sunday, July 13, 2008
this movie is absolutely romantic. i rally love this movie because makino doesn’t to speak about her feeling to doumyouji. both of the are great couple. viva for HYDF
Posted by sendoh at 9:55pm EDT on Sunday, July 13, 2008
im glad i just started it like a day ago! so i dont have to wait much longer!!
i wonder if it will come out on dvd in America.....
i want to watch it so much!
>.<
this is whats going on in my mind right now… about hana yori dango....
“ Ma-ki-no! “ Hanazawa Rui said.
“ Hmm? “ Makino said.
“ I… love you! “ Hanazawa Rui said.
“ o.o w-w-what did you say? “ Makino stuttered.
“ MAKINO! “ Domyoji Tsukasa said. “ I love you! “
* Tsukasa kisses Makino *
* Rui walks away *
“ Domyoji… “
Posted by Tiffany at 11:27pm EDT on Monday, July 14, 2008
Omg !!! I can’t wait for it to come out in dvds !!!! Its like one of my fav’s Japanese Movies/t.v. series ..... I wonder if Rui actually hired sum1 to steal the Tiara ?!! Anywayz ... I really want Rui and Makino be together cuzzz they r meant for each other !!!! Rui alwayz be there for Makino everytime she’s in Danger !! Omg ... can’t wait 4 the movie to come out in DvDs ..... BTW .. Rui is sooo cute !!!!
Posted by Elyanna at 10:10am EDT on Tuesday, July 15, 2008
OHMYGAAAAAAAD!!!
OMG OMG hana yori dango is like.. THE BEST!
im inlove with it!
WTHHHHH i wanna watch the last one already! how come its not out yet? well i heard it was on japanese theaters. no subtitles yet?? AAAAAAH i’ve been waiting for this ever since last year when i first heard about it. oh my goodness IM GOING CRAZY. and i watched the trailer with english subs, the one you have here doesnt have subs. I LOVE HYD! i have the dvd for both HYD 1 & 2. OH GOSH i love them !!
inoue mao and matsumoto jun are the best japanese actors. oh and oguri shun! theyre all sooo GOOOD!
even though i watched a lot of dramas, this is the ever ever ever ever best one! omg im so inlove with this!
Posted by HYD fan at 9:30am EDT on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
OMG… I can’t wait to see this movie.. I hope it will be aired on our country.. but I think not...huhuhhuhuhu… I hope there will be a release of DVD of this movie in our country....... haaaaaaaiizzzz....
I love HYD…
Posted by Lois at 9:53pm EDT on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
the whole philippines amaze in hana yori dango ,even our president,GMA!
Posted by hana yori dango tribute at 10:37pm EDT on Thursday, July 17, 2008
wow. im very excited to watch it.
Posted by engshi at 12:34pm EDT on Friday, July 18, 2008
woowh ii cant wait to see it im so exited inshallah i will get to see it soon:D… i live in holland so it wont come out down here…
ill just wait for the dvd… one thing to bad rui isnt the one for makino pff i like him so much more
anywyz its just a story^^...:)
ciOaa(L)
Posted by Kaaha at 11:12am EDT on Sunday, July 20, 2008
Hana Yori Dango is mine.
not yours.
same goes for my Hanazawa Rui.
yeah he’s mine too.
dare steal them and I’m telling
Homer on you.
so watch it. ;)
Posted by Kaori Nishidake at 10:16pm EDT on Thursday, July 24, 2008
wow..at last i can see hyd again after 1&2;season..
can’t wait to see it. i really love this hyd..must be excited movie i ever seen..
Posted by liena at 12:00pm EDT on Friday, July 25, 2008
HYD is the best!!! I hope it will shown here in the Philippines. i can’t wait! Inoue mao and Jun Matsumoto have a good chemistry. i love Matsujun!!!! Congrats for the huge success!!!!
Posted by lambing at 11:13am EDT on Sunday, July 27, 2008
HYAAA~ Love hana yori dango. It’s the best manga ever~ it’ll be showing in my country soon in September, can’t wait!
DomyoujixMakino Forever!!!!
Posted by rabitherabbit at 7:12am EDT on Monday, July 28, 2008
anyone know when the dvd is going to be released?
Posted by marybeth at 6:10am EDT on Wednesday, July 30, 2008
huh? that’s no fair! there’s nothing about it here in shanghai! sucks! no fair! I’ve been waiting like for so long. let’s hope I’ll find it huh? jun is a wonderful actor.
cheers.
Posted by Felicia at 5:56am EDT on Friday, August 1, 2008
ummmm does anyone know when the movie will come out in the U.S. i would be really happy if someone could tell me. i cant wait to see it
Posted by Itzel at 8:30pm EDT on Friday, August 1, 2008
Awesomee!! Hanadan is the best!! i cant wait to see the moviee........ it takes AGES to come to asia!! urghhhhhhh pls come soon. i cant waittt!!
love makino and domyouji togetherr!!
Posted by Viv at 7:13am EDT on Saturday, August 2, 2008
If you think it takes ages to come to asia from asia, think how long it takes to come to europe!
Posted by marybeth at 1:01pm EDT on Saturday, August 2, 2008
omg!!! im gonna die, its gonna be like a year until someone will watch it! I am a seriously dum person i was like counting down the days till the 28th of june and then i realised it should be more like the 28th of december or something!
But the film looks so good and hyd is the best series eva!
Dam it why do i have to live in england!
Posted by sukato at 2:17pm EDT on Monday, August 4, 2008
woops meant sub not watch!
c u can c the complete chaos i am in because of not being able to see hydf!
Posted by sukato at 2:19pm EDT on Monday, August 4, 2008
I can’t wait to watch this! I hope they’ll be in Philippine cinema too.
Posted by Mai Li at 7:13am EDT on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
i love the drama and i am so so so anticipating the movie… hope subtitled DVD’s will reach the Philippines soon!
Posted by gel at 10:20pm EDT on Saturday, August 16, 2008
Hana yori dango is awesome. I hope that there will be a sequel for the final
Posted by Whitney at 1:43am EDT on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
OMG.... I can’t wait to see the movie! I first read Boys over flowers when I was in the 7th grade...thanks to my older sister and I fell in love with the story! Now in college after seeing the show and loving the actors way of portraying the anime im just at the edge of my seat! I have been waiting to see this movie since last summer!!!! My problem is I dont speak japanese and have to wait for it to come out on dvd with subtitles… so sad! I truly cant wait
Posted by Roxanne DeAngelo at 1:07pm EDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008