Hanazakari no Kimitachi e

The series begins when a Junior high school girl named Ashiya Mizuki (Horikita Maki) decides to go back to Japan after her family migrated to the United States. She is a member of the track and field team in her school. While on vacation, she was watching a sports program featuring a pole vaulting member of the Japan-All-National - Sano Izumi (Oguri Shun). She watches in awe at how beautifully he executed his performance. Ever since that day, Mizuki idolizes him and goes all the way to Japan to meet this guy. However, even with her perseverance she meets many hardships before she can run into this talented young lad - one of them is to disguise herself as boy to enter Izumi's school – an all-boys boarding school called Ozaka Guen.

Determined to make her dream possible, she cut her hair, trained to act like guy and left her comfort zone. However, her cover was immediately blown by the homosexual (but really understanding and cool) school doctor. The school doctor, whose name is Umeda Hukuto (Kamikawa Takaya), promises to keep the secret if her reason for her deceitful act is rational. She hesitates at first but finally told him the real the story. She met Izumi in America in one of his games and Izumi saved her from a group of men who wanted to hurt her but he got hurt while protecting her. The next day, he did not show up in the competition and withdrew from the game. Mizuki never heard any news about him since so she made up her mind to repay her debts to the man who saved her life and risked his own dreams. She said she wanted to see him jump again and smile again.

Dr. Umeda was so touch by this story, for he also really want to see Izumi back in action. Mizuki is so happy that someone is supporting her plans. However, her happiness is momentarily cut off as her brother came to bring her back to America. Her brother somehow felt upset because Mizuki never lied to him and never hid anything from him before. They had a heated argument and Izumi accidentally learned of her little secret when he was about to enter the room. Izumi remains quite about it.

Izumi meets Mizuki's brother. Apparently, Mizuki brother, Ashiya Shizuki (Okada Yoshinori), knows everything about Izumi, how his sister felt so burdened when he did not return to compete. Shizuki pretends he did not know about the arrangement that his sister manages to pass off as a new guy in school. However, Shizuki feels that somehow Izumi knows about the little secret. Izumi told Shizuki it's not his sister's fault why he did not return. He reasoned out that jumping does not anymore make him happy but becomes a burden as people's expectations become higher. But Izumi is touch by Mizuki's braveness to leave her comfort zone to see that simple dream of hers to take place. So Izumi promises Shizuki that he will now do his part. However, even with his promise, he still acts so cold towards Mizuki. But his coldness cannot match Mizuki's big heart as she manages to warm it with truth and the meaning of life, and Izumi somehow helplessly falls for Mizuki.

It is not only Izumi who is falling for Mizuki. She meets Nakatsu Shuichi, a soccer ball player, who instantly falls for her. Nakatsu now battles his emotions of falling to a guy – he thinks he is homosexual. He tried everything to control the odd feeling. But the more he tried the more he falls so deep enough not to care what other people think about his forbidden love.

Without them noticing, Izumi and Nakatsu both vie for Mizuki's attention. But Izumi is fortunate as Mizuki's eyes are only for him from the beginning. She does everything to see that smile again. Izumi is somehow annoyed but secretly likes the attention. This somehow let Izumi forget the burden he is carrying – his younger brother hates him and he hates his father.

Izumi is separated from his family. His mother died a year ago and he was so hurt because his father, Sano Takehiko (Sugimoto Tetta) acts like nothing happened. Apparently, Takehiko is also a national team coach and he was not able to be there at Izumi's mother's deathbed because of an important event. He knows his wife will understand but that's what Izumi does not know. Tekehiko is also sick and he is in so much pain but he does not want to show that pain to his children because he wanted to be strong for them. But Izumi did not understand this. Later on in the story, his father relapses to his previous sickness and this is the start of the healing process.

His younger brother Sano Shin (Daito Shunsuke) secretly admires him but also hates him for running away from his dreams and their family. He hated him for being so weak but inside his heart he wants to hug his brother and play with him side by side. With Mizuki around and her pure heart she not only manages to patch the wound but also healed it.

There are more men in her life and some women who became her instant family while living on her own.

Moriguchi Yoko as Nanba Io – Minami's cool mom; Umeda's older domineering sister, who also knows her real identity. She helps her through a lot and visits her all the time to check on her.

Konno Mahiru as Hara Akiha – the local photographer and who also admires Dr. Umeda.

Shirota Yuu as Kagurazaka Makoto – Sano Izumi's arch rival in jumping. He won many gold but is not happy because he has still has not beaten Izumi.

Ishigaki Yuma as Tennouji Megumi Dorm 1 Leader

Mizushima Hiro as Nanba Minami Dorm 2 Leader – this cute dorm leader, comical but a caring young man. He was left by his first love but act so maturely when he meets her again and finally let her go.

Kimura Ryou as Senri Nakao – this young man made Mizuki aim more towards her goal. Nakao is a simpleton who only wants to be with Minami all the time and supports Minami's dream. If he could also take any burdens of Minami's, he will do it.

Okada Masaki as Sekime Kyogo – the incompetent track and field member who never wins any matches but this determined young man and finally wins at the end of the tv program in third place.

Yamamoto Yusuke as Kayashima Taiki – the odd student with the skill to see and feel spirits. He cheers up Nakatsu whenever he feels down. He is also Nakatsu's room mate.

Kyo Nobuo as Himejima Masao (Oscar M. Himejima) Dorm 3 Leader and a lot more...

Some insights to the story....non-sense but will make you laugh hard till you drop.

Izumi so jealous...

Izumi remains quite about the secret. Even with his coldness towards Mizuki, he still inadvertently cannot stop protecting to her. Nakatsu transferred himself to Izumi's and Mizuki's room when Dorm 3's dorm was under repair. Since Nakatsu is battling his feelings, he tried getting closer to Mizuki. On the first day, Izumi saw Nakatsu getting up to Mizuki's room and immediately stops him (but he feels so tense because, he is thinking that someone already discovered Mizuki's identity). He put off the lights but immediately put it on and saw Nakatsu close his eyes, in Mizuki's stairs.

Mizuki and Nakatsu came in from outside with each other's arm around them and Izumi felt so jealous seeing this. He warns Mizuki, almost revealing that he knows the truth.

It's almost end of the semester and everyone is studying to pass the exams. Nakatsu and Mizuki study together in their room. One time, Mizuki is listening to music and closes her eyes and Nakatsu tried to kiss her but Izumi sees what he is planning to do and he stops him by knocking him out. When Mizuki opened her eyes, he explained that he is just sleeping.

Izumi a kissing monster...

Izumi becomes a kissing monster whenever he eats anything with alcohol. He kisses any man or a woman, and he does not care. Mizuki becomes also his victim and Mizuki is hurt because that was her first kiss and Izumi is not serious about it. Almost everyone in the school is his victim, even outsider Kagurazaka Makoto, who visited him when he fell ill.

Nakatsu is gay?

Whenever Mizuki is near, his face turns so hot and he tends to nosebleed because of this.

He battles his confused sexuality through engaging what men do – dating. He acquired a girlfriend but immediately dumped her because he cannot take it to see someone in pain.

More funny moments...

In one of Izumi and Mizuki's heated disagreement, Izumi accidentally touches Mizumi's breast and he felt so awkward because he knows Mizumi's real identity.

The all-boys cheering that look so cool and entertaining.

More touching moments...

Mizuki joins the first dorm event – running in a marathon as Izumi declined to join the contest. Even with his big declination Mizuki is determined to see Izumi jump again. To Izumi's annoyance, Mizuki did not stop persuading Izumi to run again. She nonchalantly encourages him which leaves him empty and burdened more because truly Izumi's desire is to jump again. Mizuki informs Izumi that her dream will happen. On the day of the event, since everyone learned that Mizuki is a fast runner, dorm 1 strategized to hurt Mizumi so their dorm 2 will not win. But Mizumi is determined to win because she wants to prove something. She got spiked but continues running even with so much blood but is unable to finish as she stumbled on the last leg. Seeing this, Izumi immediately pick her up and carry her in a piggy position. Mizuki endlessly apologizes and this touches Izumi's heart.

The Ashiya siblings had their first heated argument in their life. Shizuki was insulted that his sister is not confiding to him anymore but he was so touched because of his sister's concern for other people. He saw determination and love in her and quietly backed out to see his sister's happiness.

The secret meeting of Izumi and Shizuki. When the two share a part of their life. Izumi promises there that he will do his part to make Mizuki's dream came true.

Izumi and Mizuki have another heated argument when she feels that Izumi is still running away when he meets his brother. Later in the evening Mizumi is worried of Izumi's whereabouts, she receives a phonecall from Nakatsu to meet him in the field tracks. Not far away they saw Izumi practicing in the dark. They later confront him and it's the first time Izumi laugh heartily with them.

When Minami went home and brought his friends to their beach resort, he meets his first love and learns that she is off to marriage. He felt betrayed because 3 years ago she left him without a word. But Nakao, who only dreams of his happiness and satisfaction ask him – what does he care more for - his happiness or her happiness. He faces her maturely the next day and finally said goodbye.

Izumi tried out again to join the Nationals team and is recommended to drop out. Having learned about this from Dr. Umeda, Mizuki run all the way from the beach back to the training grounds to support Izumi but she saw Izumi kneel to plead everyone to accept him. She felt so sad because she is putting burden to his shoulders instead of helping him. She left without saying a word to him. They did not talk about it and ignored each other. In one of his practices, Izumi was able to jump and beat his record but not in an official stage. Hara Akira was able to capture it. Upon learning this, Mizuki confronts Izumi of why did he did not inform her. She is now also sad because she felt it's her time to go. Izumi embraces her and this time Mizuki now knows that she not just a friend to help Izumi to follow his dreams but actually is in love with him.

Mizuki now feels the burden of persuading Izumi. After seeing the evidence – picture taken by Akihara of the jump - she has now decided to leave for America. Nakatsu tried to stop her and persuade Izumi to stop her. Izumi did not budge so Nakatsu tried his best and almost ended up telling her about his feelings for Mizuki but Izumi suddenly came from nowhere and said that she cannot leave because she have not yet seen his jump in an official stage.

After Nakatsu breaks up with his girlfriend, he is determined to win Mizuki's heart even though he knows that Mizuki's eyes are only for Izumi. He gathered all his courage to tell her when they performed as dance partners in one of the dorms event.

After the dance and a heated argument with Izumi, Nakatsu informs Mizuki of his feelings no matter what and she was taken aback and sleeps in the school clinic room.

Nakatsu accidentally learns the truth about Mizuki when he borrows shampoo from Izumi and saw Mizumi's naked body. He was so happy upon learning it.

Nakatsu has a clash with a new temporary teacher who thinks his students are shadows of his rebellious late brother. He accuses Nakatsu of cheating even to the point of suspending Nakatsu.

Mizuki tried to help Nakatsu but it ends up badly. Izumi learns about this and he embraces Mizuki and both feel awkward but did not let go of each other.

The Sakura committee is reborn because all dorm leaders get together to oppose the oppressive judgment of the new teacher. All students are willing to drop out if the teacher does not waive the suspension that is really unreasonable because Nakatsu was still not yet proven guilty. The unity amongst the 3 dorm members let them see the true justice.

Izumi and Nakatsu both agree to compete silently for Mizuki's heart through a dorm event. Everyone is confused of this because it's a dorm competition but it seems both Izumi and Nakatsu is out doing each other.

In the last episodes...

Where the members of Sakura committee decides to let go of Mizuki's deceitful act.

Where Mizuki's class finally understands Mizuki's purpose dorm 2 boys continued supporting Mizuki because they thought that she was the reason why Izumi got back to his dreams. They did everything to protect her, led by Sekime.

Where Mizuki quitely slid away unsuccessfully; where everyone said their goodbyes to Mizuki.

The temporary goodbye sweet kiss of Sano and his funny face where his face still does not want to admit his real feelings for Mizuki at the airport.

Comments

This TV program may be unrealistic but if you want to unwind from office stress and everything bad happening in your life, watch it and savor the sweet moments, romantic scenes, and funny comical scenes. This drama will make you look like a grinning monkey even when you are not watching it and just thinking about it.

I like all the cast, even the nonsense cast because the comic act they do removes all my hardship coming in from a whole day of work. Shun and Maki have great chemistry together, especially when they are together alone inadvertently sharing things about their life.

If only in love triangles everybody gets to go home happy! I also want Nakatsu and Mizuki together because they look good together too.