Hana Yori Dango

There are a lot of plot descriptions, so I won't just another and spit out the same. Onto the review!

Japanese drama is complicated. It tries to get to the point, using enough to say enough sort of thing, that it does not drag compared to Korean dramas, no "fluff" roaming around so that you would think some things should have been cut and if it was it would have been well-rounded. But since Japanese drama is what it is, it loses the natural pain, human rawness and slow pit of emotion that grabs every part of you to cry compared to Korean dramas. "Hana Yori Dango" writers found a balance, a right balance, but what can I say? You win some you lose some.

It's hard to say if "Hana Yori Dango" is perfectly scripted, or if it was the people in it that surprised me and made me like the entire series. But the plot itself is simple, but not so simple as to go with the norm: love triangle, love problems where the two leads couldn't just confess their love when their feelings first develop. There wasn't a love triangle involved, the story was focused on creating a high school atmosphere of the rich and famous, but not such a big significance is put on the division of the high class versus the low class that stopped Domyouji from loving Makino and vice versa. In many different ways, the plot wasn't complicatedly crafted, but written out well to hold enough scenes that made everything work.

How much money was put into this production? I'm guessing some really big numbers. Domyouji's house, when the cameras lets you tour the house, makes your eyes go wide. The houses are not only big, they're royalty. The deep red color really makes everything seem dark, lonely, spacious, but extravagant.

From L-R: Matsuda Shota, Ogri Shun, Inoue Mao, Matsomoto Jun, and Abe Tsuyoshi

Matsomoto Jun as Domyouji: It's odd, his looks are somewhat fitted, and somewhat out of place. You'd think the leader of a pack of rich and famous would be tall, manly, and scary. But he's not that at all, but I was okay with it since F4 are actually nice, down-to-earth goofy friends. Domyouji acts on instinct, which makes him rash, hot- tempered, but childish in those ways. I still think the cutest scene was when Domyouji asks out Makino! Watch out for it, it's so funny. Domyouji's violent nature was supposed to be intimidating, but Matsomoto Jun has yet to prove to me he can pull it off, since he seemed very kid-like in everything that he did. But it works nicely since a child's always reaching out for love, and does things straightforwardly and awkwardly. Domyouji was honest, straight-forward, and did not hold the annoying characteristic of a jerk that's arrogant.

Inoue Mao as Makino Tsukishi: She's by far becoming an actress I really can't hate, for anything. Her acting is consistent, she didn't seem stretched out and tired, her energy and the way she composed herself was the same from beginning to end, something most actresses lack. Her tough girl exterior is actually very cute, not at all annoying compared to most girls that try to do the strong-headed girl act.

Ogri Shun as Hanasawai Rui: He's charming. But he always looks bored to me. Maybe it was the constant hair over his face and his quietness. Shun should have toned down the introverted look slightly, even though I can understand his character shouldn't have went through such a change that he broke through his soft exterior, and started chatting like there's no tomorrow and smiling like a little boy. I could tell Rui shouldn't have talked that much, but given it's nice to see Shun act like such a gentlemen, I don't mind.

Matsuda Shota as Soujroh: I began to like him when he helped out Makino's best friend get even for a guy that broke her heart. Shota has a face that is silent, serious, but gentle. Very suitable to be a guy that drinks tea. There really wasn't anything Shota could do with for his part, but he wasn't in the shadows either.

Abe Tsuyoshi as Akira: He's probably the nicest guy around. He withstands and endures Matsomoto's bossy nature. He's completely understanding and caring. Typical friend.

The ending was very smart. It was satisfying, but the two leads did not exactly live happily ever after.

Soundtrack! How can I not mention the music? Arashi's WISH song for the main theme was light, uplighting, and it was catchy. The song that was used many times ("Planetarium" by Otsuka Ai) was very good, gave me tingles and really got me into the scenes.