Taiwanese vs. Japanese vs. Manga

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Taiwanese vs. Japanese vs. Manga; What version do you like the most and wh
Topic Started: Jul 30 2008, 11:57 AM (93 Views)
Kejli	Jul 30 2008, 11:57 AM Post #1
Fahrenheit fans make the best friends <3 Posts: 3,321 Group: Admins Member #2 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	So, being a ridiculous Hana Kimi-obsessor, I feel it necessary to create this thread rating the three different versions. If you haven't seen/read all three it's all right; just rate the two, or the one that you know if applicable. Mmkay, so I'll start: 1. Manga 2. Taiwanese 3. Japanese --History-- 1) The manga Hanazakari no Kimitachi e by Hisaya Nakajo was the first I had heard of the series from a good friend of mine, back in seventh grade. Within a couple of years I had become (and still am) obsessive over it and have read it more than ten times in total and some volumes probably more than twenty (but who's counting?). 2) I discovered the Taiwanese drama through the manga and decided to watch it, hoping against hope that it would be true to the manga and make me love the characters even more. At first I was absolutely appalled by Ella's acting lack-of-skills, but Wu Chun and Jiro made the entire show worth my while. 3) This came out after I had gotten started with Hana Kimi, so I was babblingly excited when I read that there was to be a Japanese live-action version of the beloved manga. My hopes were dashed when I saw it, though, and I was greatly disappointed. --Review-- 1) The reason I love this series so much is not because of its epic plot (ha, where?), but because I love the characters probably more than a lot of people in my own life (wow, sad, eh?). Their personalities are portrayed vividly and lifelike, with every character being lovable in their own way (even Umeda or Gilbert... Maybe not Makita, but shh xP). The ending receives quite a bit of controversy with many claiming that it did not tie every loose end the series had posed, but I'm pleased with it and the addition of the first special chapter (which I won't mention in detail, since I don't want to give away any spoliers for those who haven't read it yet). The constant tension between Sano and Mizuki keeps you reading and wanting to see them confess and finally have their happily-ever-after, despite there being separate mini-stories within the overarching central theme. I'm also not a huge fan of ridiculous silliness in manga (which is probably why I don't quite like Ouran) which Hana Kimi delivers impeccably, with a cute-but-smart humor that doesn't need to have you saying, "What the heck was that?" 2) If it weren't for the manga I believe I would like this drama a whole lot better... But then again, without the manga I would have never known about the drama, nor probably even cared about Asian television and Fahrenheit in the first place, so I'm still very glad I watched it. The beginning had me in tears of laughter at Ella's horrid acting, which never quite grew on me. I got used to it, but I always thought that someone else would have been much better in the role. But then there's Sano... My goodness, if the character existed I would probably be worse than Mizuki in stalking him... I was so particular in my portrayal of Sano that if it was messed up, I think I would have hurt something, but Wu Chun did better than even I could have imagined. He and Jiro were perfect for the roles they were cast in, with the rest of the supporting cast at least good enough. I've said for a while that if they had the cast of the Taiwanese version and the Mizuki of the Japanese, that would be one fantastic drama. The beginning and middle were excellent in keeping true to the manga, although it didn't quite make me love the characters as much. The random silliness didn't bother me too much until the ending... My goodness, the ending. I was in shock at the cop-out they presented, and in even more shock when I found they weren't going to make another season. What a terrible ending.... I may create another thread to talk about that so I can warn for spoilers. Still, the series was worth the watch, if not just for Chun and Jiro's fantastic jobs. 3) The beginning of this also had me in tears, but of a very different nature. I was so angry at how they had changed the precious plot into being a school for only bishonen (especially when I believe the actors weren't that good-looking in the first place... Especially when compared to the Taiwanese actors). I loved Maki Horikita's portrail of Mizuki, however, although it was strange that she was one of the only two calm ones in the entire series. I stated previously that I don't like things with random craziness; well, that was pretty much all this drama was. They would get sidetracked on contests between the three dorms that never happened in the manga (or would ever happen) and allowed the plot to be second to random characters running around and doing silly things. Maybe I'm asking for too much, or maybe I just have an entirely different expectation with being from the United States; in any case, this drama I believe was the entire opposite of the Taiwanese drama: the beginning and middle were terrible, but the ending I quite liked since this is where they decided to cram all of the plot they had ignored for eleven episodes. I was disappointed with the lack-of-tension between Mizuki and Sano and the fact that it took Sano until the last two or so episodes to finally start treating Mizuki well. So I'd say only watch this drama if you like crazy-randomness, but don't watch it to learn the story of Hana Kimi because you won't get the true version that will make you love the series. Okay, I believe that's all of my ranting (for now ^^;) You don't nearly have to be as long as me... Actually, I would say please don't (yeah, I'm a hypocrite ^^;;), unless you have a lot to say. ~Kejli



christine	Jul 30 2008, 12:16 PM Post #2
Administrator Posts: 1,224 Group: Admins Member #1 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	I agree about the manga...It was so good. Actually, it's the only manga I've ever really loved. I've read others, but none that I liked as much as Hana Kimi. I actually was a big fan of the manga before I ever watched the TW drama version. I was introduced to the manga by a teenage babysitter and I fell in LOVE with all the characters. Then someone said there was a live-version of it made in Taiwan. I was like, "Taiwanese TV? Meh..." But then I finally watched it and I was happily proven wrong! As far as the Japanese version goes...It came out after the TW version, so I was already a huge FRH fangirl by that time. I still thought it might be good, but after I looked at that first casting picture they released, I decided I didn't want to watch. Basically, the boys, especially the Nakatsu/Xiu Yi actor, were a tremendous disappointment. I mean, TW Hana Kimi was packed with hotties...Besides Chun and Jiro there were Ethan Ruan, Danson, and I even kinda liked the doctor guy (actor's name escapes me...surname was Pei). Anyway, I opted not to watch. And after reading Kejli's review I definitely won't be watching it now! But yes, the TW Hana Kimi's ending was a HUGE letdown. Particularly when the ending of the manga was so sweet. (There were loose ends in the manga? I thought they tied everything up pretty neatly.) I had big hopes for a sequel (I know a lot of other fans did too), but when that didn't happen it was kind of lame. But I still watch it every once in a while. Jiro as a jock...it's so funny to me now. Edited by christine, Jul 30 2008, 12:18 PM.



Kejli	Jul 30 2008, 12:34 PM Post #3
Fahrenheit fans make the best friends <3 Posts: 3,321 Group: Admins Member #2 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	Haha, wow, it's pretty hilarious how similar our situations are regarding how we were first drawn into this wonderful world of Fahrenheit and dramas ^^ Yeah, in the Japanese drama they completely changed around personalities, plotlines, genders of characters (Akiha is a female in this version), whatever they could to make it more crazy and random. Hugely disappointing =( When I would go around and read other people's thoughts on the end of the manga I would also be quite confused; I couldn't have asked for a better ending. Sano and Mizuki are finally together and happy, we learn what all the other characters are doing in college, etc. ... Not that I don't want more, but I'm extremely happy with the resolution.



christine	Jul 30 2008, 01:05 PM Post #4
Administrator Posts: 1,224 Group: Admins Member #1 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	I know! I wonder how many others there are who discovered them that way. What?? Akiha is a female? That's weird...Did they just incorporate Akiha and his ex-wife into one character or something? @Manga ending: The only thing better would be to see the actual wedding. sigh Or like the ending of Fruits Basket where you see their grandbaby.



Kejli	Jul 30 2008, 01:19 PM Post #5
Fahrenheit fans make the best friends <3 Posts: 3,321 Group: Admins Member #2 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	Manga ending: I think I would die of happiness, though, so that may not be a good thing ;] And Akiha didn't have an ex-wife... They kind of merged Akiha and Kinuko... It was strange and not good. =/



septemberblue	Jul 30 2008, 03:08 PM Post #6
Member Posts: 20 Group: Members Member #15 Joined: Jul 30, 2008	I think I'll choose the taiwanese version. Even though I didn't like how the changed Mizuki's reason for coming, and Ella's acting made my eyes bleed, I feel the taiwan version was truer to the manga. In the japanese version they changed, merged, and got rid of important events and characters. Edited by septemberblue, Jul 30 2008, 03:09 PM.



Kejli	Jul 30 2008, 03:15 PM Post #7
Fahrenheit fans make the best friends <3 Posts: 3,321 Group: Admins Member #2 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention Mizuki's purpose for coming in the Taiwanese version, thank you! Very good way to put it... Ella's acting made my eyes bleed as well ><



AnnPlusArronIsLove	Jul 30 2008, 09:11 PM Post #8
Posts: 5 Group: Junior Members Member #21 Joined: Jul 30, 2008	I think that the Taiwanese drama is good! I couldn't get enough of it! I think it was fate that led to me seeing this show If it wasn't for this show, i wouldn't have know anything about Fahrenheit! I was home from school one day and i was flipping around the channels on TV and i saw this hott guy on TV....it was Wu Chun lol...and i just had to find out what show it was so i searched and searched and searched online and i found Hana Kimi and fell in love with it! I watched it over and over! haha If it wasn't for Wu Chun's looks, i wouldn't have the chance to learn about Fahrenheit! If love the Taiwanese version! Its fantastic! I think Ella is great! I actually thought she was a boy when i frist saw it, so it was convincing. Jiro's character is great and wu chun's too! I tried watching the Japanese version...but couldn't keep with it. I think that the Taiwanese actors did better. And i haven't read the manga and hope to!



Kejli	Jul 30 2008, 10:10 PM Post #9
Fahrenheit fans make the best friends <3 Posts: 3,321 Group: Admins Member #2 Joined: Jul 28, 2008	Oh, definitely read the manga! I cannot express in words or even random babbling how good this series is. www.onemanga.com has the entire series with the first special chapter ^^



gracie0032	Aug 24 2008, 07:40 PM Post #10
Member Posts: 73 Group: Members Member #93 Joined: Aug 18, 2008	i think the taiwanese drama was da best outta all of them. then the manga, then the japanese version. i actually read the manga by accident [i meant to check for a new chapter of naruto ] but then i had accidentally clicked on hana-kimi [on a laptop]. i read da review and thought it was kool to dress up like dude and go to an all dude skool to meet your idol. and i couldnt stop being obessed over it. its actually the current numbuh 1 manga on my list. it actually kicked naruto down to numbuh 2, no other manga has ever been able to do dat. and since i got nothing else to do, i watched the japanese version. back then, i was totally obsessed with japanese stuff. so i watched that first. i thought it was weird [dont usually watch the dramas for the mangas...] and it wasnt at all like the manga... but i ended up watching it through.... it took me quite a while to start on watching the taiwanese version. i was still into japanese things, so dont kill me. when i started watching it, i grew so obsessed with it. there was dis one time when it was like 2 in the morning and everyone was going to sleep. and my cousin wanted to sleep and i was on the table watching it. i had to listen to it through my earphones... but she complained that it was too bright and that i needed to go to sleep. when i didnt listen to her, she turned very mad. and all i could sat is dat, u dont wanna anger her.... okay, enough of dat, back to the taiwanese version. i thought that it was like the manga except that the gurl got to stay at the skool. but she had to get a cosmatic surgery thingy... i think...



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