This review may contain spoilers
Cut From The Same Cloth But A Higher Quality
Hana Yori Dango is one of my favorite dramas of all time. It's been a central figure of my drama-watching career (I've watched nearly all the versions and read the manga), and while I know it's not groundbreaking and it can be problematic, it's always held a special place in my heart.
I went into Hana Nochi Hare expecting it to fall short, and it absolutely exceeded my expectations. HNH is clearly cut from the same cloth as HYD but of a higher quality. I feel like I may be alone in my affections, which is why it's taken me months write this review. I could dedicate a whole blog to dissecting the bits and pieces of this drama, but I'll just share a blurb from my notes (of which there are plenty!).
The heart of this drama is Kaguragi’s growth. He’s constantly striving for perfection because of his callous, unsatisfying dad who openly deems Kaguragi a five out of ten. Nothing Kaguragi does will ever be perfect to him, and his dad’s perpetual disappointment weighs heavily on him. Edogawa says this beautiful line in episode 2, which begins to transform the way Kaguragi thinks of himself.
“Isn’t it okay not to be perfect? In order to be perfect, you have to put in your best. But I’m sure you have your own strengths, too. You see. When you take muddy vegetables, wash them and cook them carefully, they will become delicious, right? It’s the same.”
It’s a bit muddled in its meaning which might just be a lost in translation thing, but the sentiment still gets across — Kaguragi’s best is enough. And we see throughout the drama that Kaguragi consistently puts his best effort forward and that makes him the perfect version of himself.
It’s a testament to his character when he tries his best with Megurin even if he’s not totally in it, when he continues to support Edogawa wholeheartedly even after she rejects him. He even advocates for Edogawa and Tenma’s relationship to the latter’s parents when she misses their parent lunch because she was busy saving the school from a cake explosion lol.
My absolute favorite scene of the drama is episode 9, when Kaguragi confronts Tenma for not believing Edogawa when she reveals that Konoe, Tenma's best friend, hired some thugs to assault her. This is by far the strongest scene of the show, each character's strengths and weaknesses are on perfect display.
“That’s not the issue here! Let me get this straight. Is Edogawa crying because you’re busy dawdling, when she says this man is guilty… You absolute moron! Why don’t you believe her? Who to trust? You should only have one choice! It doesn’t matter if she’s right or wrong. Why the hell wouldn’t you believe the girl you love? If you actually cared about her, shouldn’t that be obvious? Hase, you’re seriously unbelievable.” - Kaguragi
This was a beautiful moment that highlights the stark difference between Kaguragi and Tenma. Kaguragi is emotional and impulsive and fiercely loyal to the people he loves. Tenma is clear-minded and just and fair, but that’s not what’s needed here. Edogawa was hurt and instead of believing her, that his best friend was the one who orchestrated her assault, Tenma suggested that maybe she was mistaken. It takes literally one second of Kaguragi connecting the dots after hearing about the assault to be all in for Edogawa. The look on Tenma’s face when he realizes that and that he was wrong was breathtaking.
And I’m sure Edogawa didn’t need unconditional trust. I’m sure she would have understood that Tenma had his doubts but he didn’t even take her accusation into consideration before dismissing it entirely.
Throughout the drama, Tenma keeps losing, not for lack of trying, but because he just does not fit Edogawa in the ways Kaguragi fits her. Kaguragi knew what she needed without her telling him. He knew to stay with her after she told the guys to go home. Tenma needed an epiphany to figure it out.
I did not expect to find this much depth in this drama. HYD is not for the faint of heart because of the whiplash of the chaotic story. On the other hand, HNH is much cleaner and more streamlined, but the complexities behind the characters’ relationships are much more fascinating. I could write essays upon essays and still not feel like I’ve fully digested this story. It’s been a long time since a drama has made me feel this way.
It's been years since this drama came out, but I really hope more people give it a chance. Sequels always have so much to live up to, and it couldn't have been easy for HNH given HYD's gigantic shoes. It’s not a perfect story by any means, but if you watch the drama with a clear mind, you will definitely see its beauty.
I went into Hana Nochi Hare expecting it to fall short, and it absolutely exceeded my expectations. HNH is clearly cut from the same cloth as HYD but of a higher quality. I feel like I may be alone in my affections, which is why it's taken me months write this review. I could dedicate a whole blog to dissecting the bits and pieces of this drama, but I'll just share a blurb from my notes (of which there are plenty!).
The heart of this drama is Kaguragi’s growth. He’s constantly striving for perfection because of his callous, unsatisfying dad who openly deems Kaguragi a five out of ten. Nothing Kaguragi does will ever be perfect to him, and his dad’s perpetual disappointment weighs heavily on him. Edogawa says this beautiful line in episode 2, which begins to transform the way Kaguragi thinks of himself.
“Isn’t it okay not to be perfect? In order to be perfect, you have to put in your best. But I’m sure you have your own strengths, too. You see. When you take muddy vegetables, wash them and cook them carefully, they will become delicious, right? It’s the same.”
It’s a bit muddled in its meaning which might just be a lost in translation thing, but the sentiment still gets across — Kaguragi’s best is enough. And we see throughout the drama that Kaguragi consistently puts his best effort forward and that makes him the perfect version of himself.
It’s a testament to his character when he tries his best with Megurin even if he’s not totally in it, when he continues to support Edogawa wholeheartedly even after she rejects him. He even advocates for Edogawa and Tenma’s relationship to the latter’s parents when she misses their parent lunch because she was busy saving the school from a cake explosion lol.
My absolute favorite scene of the drama is episode 9, when Kaguragi confronts Tenma for not believing Edogawa when she reveals that Konoe, Tenma's best friend, hired some thugs to assault her. This is by far the strongest scene of the show, each character's strengths and weaknesses are on perfect display.
“That’s not the issue here! Let me get this straight. Is Edogawa crying because you’re busy dawdling, when she says this man is guilty… You absolute moron! Why don’t you believe her? Who to trust? You should only have one choice! It doesn’t matter if she’s right or wrong. Why the hell wouldn’t you believe the girl you love? If you actually cared about her, shouldn’t that be obvious? Hase, you’re seriously unbelievable.” - Kaguragi
This was a beautiful moment that highlights the stark difference between Kaguragi and Tenma. Kaguragi is emotional and impulsive and fiercely loyal to the people he loves. Tenma is clear-minded and just and fair, but that’s not what’s needed here. Edogawa was hurt and instead of believing her, that his best friend was the one who orchestrated her assault, Tenma suggested that maybe she was mistaken. It takes literally one second of Kaguragi connecting the dots after hearing about the assault to be all in for Edogawa. The look on Tenma’s face when he realizes that and that he was wrong was breathtaking.
And I’m sure Edogawa didn’t need unconditional trust. I’m sure she would have understood that Tenma had his doubts but he didn’t even take her accusation into consideration before dismissing it entirely.
Throughout the drama, Tenma keeps losing, not for lack of trying, but because he just does not fit Edogawa in the ways Kaguragi fits her. Kaguragi knew what she needed without her telling him. He knew to stay with her after she told the guys to go home. Tenma needed an epiphany to figure it out.
I did not expect to find this much depth in this drama. HYD is not for the faint of heart because of the whiplash of the chaotic story. On the other hand, HNH is much cleaner and more streamlined, but the complexities behind the characters’ relationships are much more fascinating. I could write essays upon essays and still not feel like I’ve fully digested this story. It’s been a long time since a drama has made me feel this way.
It's been years since this drama came out, but I really hope more people give it a chance. Sequels always have so much to live up to, and it couldn't have been easy for HNH given HYD's gigantic shoes. It’s not a perfect story by any means, but if you watch the drama with a clear mind, you will definitely see its beauty.
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