I am BACK you guys!!!!
Let's start off the new me with another fangirling post.
This is a love letter I wrote to Hanadan last year, in celebration of its 10th year anniversary. As my Arashi favorite would say:
Enjoy!
(Ang yabang lang eh noh? Hehe.)
--ooo--
I first learned about Hana Yori Dango through Meteor Gardent, the Taiwanese TV drama adaptation that became so wildly popular in the Philippines sometime in the early 2000's. I didn't watch MG during its peak, but some years after, when local channels were beginning to show weekend re-runs. Sure it was ye olde rich boy (Dao Ming Si / Domyouji in the Japanese original), poor girl (San Chai / Makino in the Japanese original), love-hate, love story with plenty of passionate declarations and desperate I-want-you-and-no-one-else-please-come-back chases, but what I thought pretty refreshing about the story was that Dao Ming Si falls in love with tomboyish San Chai not because she dresses up and he realizes she's a hot chick after all, but because she's brave and has integrity. His struggle to win her over was equal parts entertaining, agonizing, and endearing. Because of course, in true melodrama form, his quest to win her heart was complicated by the fact that he starts as a total jerk. He is the arrogant heir to a family fortune and the school's resident tyrant. He likes inflicting misery on random nobodies who displease him in some way. When his attention turns to her friend, she unthinkingly gets in the way. She saves her friend - hooray - but ends up becoming his target. And so he actually victimizes her for a time. When she finally stands up to him, punching him roundly in the face, in that instant it's as if he sees her, truly sees her, for the first time. The series is ridiculously addicting, if you like following characters tortured by longing and unrequited love. Of course they end up together, but only after much struggle (and 26 or 27 episodes).
So years later (many many many years later), I found myself looking for a copy of the jdrama version since the story was based on a Japanese manga. And Oh. My. Ggggggggg. I LOVED IT. If you just suspend disbelief and cynicism and let yourself by wrapped up by the feelingzzzz, I guarantee you this is a story that will have you hugging yourself in happiness, your heart filled with rainbows and sunshine. YESssss.
Hanadan completely obliterated MG in my mind (sorry MG fans). I thought the story and character development was so much more satisfying and rounded out in Hanadan. True, it felt hurried especially in season 1, but I can forgive that small flaw because so so many other things were done right and done well.
1. Makino felt like an actual girl you might know. Only more awesome. Inoue Mao was so great in this series as Makino Tsukushi and the writers wrote her character so well. She's compassionate but not a push-over, cute but not trying too hard, warm and generous and a loyal friend who would stand by you no matter what. As the designated "feisty" female, of course she had a fight mode, but thankfully she was not permanently stuck in it. I liked that she was brave and strong-minded bu wasn't constantly arguing or fighting.
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| "Don't be so full of yourself!" |
She showed different kinds of courage too. Most people would think of that moment when she stands up to Domyouji for the first time as her defining moment of bravery. And it is. The courage to take action is definitely one of her core virtues. But she she also has the courage to stay still and bow her head for the sake of another. I am specifically thinking about that scene when she attempted to deflect lynch mob attention from her friend and practically agreed to lick a shoe to make things stop. Most people seem to consider this scene as showing weakness, but I thought it illustrated a side to her that other adaptations did not --- her great capacity to take on suffering FOR the sake of protecting people she cared about. That is a kind of courage too, so I didn't take that scene against her.
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| "I'll take you on, any time!" |
Even the trigger, the final straw, that leads to the fist-pumping, life-changing scene when finally gives Domyouji the ass-whooping he deserved, is marked by this trademark duality of her courage. Makino shows that her breaking point is also her flashpoint - she cares greatly about other people, and is willing to accept great suffering for herself, if it meant protecting others. But at the same time, this protectiveness is also what galvanizes her into action. Up until Domyouji throws her lunch food, Makino seemed almost prepared to suffer anything thrown her way. But the sight of her parents' hard work thrown so dismissively like that fires her up in a way that no insult or injury to herself ever could.
2. Domyouji was every bit the stupid, violent, lonely, loyal, tragically permed but somehow suddenly wonderful character he was meant to be. The jdrama does not chicken out on portraying Domyouji Tsukasa's more distasteful qualities. Because Domyouji doggedly pursues the girl and swears his undying love, viewers conveniently forget that he was an abusive bully at the start of the story. All they tend to remember is the Edward Cullen version of him, the devoted suitor. But Domyouji has some serious issues, and the Japanese version never lets us forget that. He doesn't magically turn into a well-behaved prince. He does not even lose the terrible perm!
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Domyouji starting random fights
I just needed an excuse to post this one
because this scene was beautifully
shot. The still does not do it justice.
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As his friends say, he's pretty emotionally warped. Left alone by a distant, seemingly indifferent mother, with few friends and people he could truly trust, he often behaves in socially unacceptable ways. Anger and frustration are expressed by lashing out physically, while softer, gentler feelings if felt at all, are denied or covered up gruffly. And he continued to behave this way, while he was he struggling to understand his feelings for Makino. This dies down in season 1 as he and Makino begin to connect but starts again in season 2 when he begins losing her. I appreciated that they continued to show this side of him because Domyouji is NOT supposed to be the perfect hero, or even the hero of the story, period. He's the damsel in distress in the story. It is actually Makino who saves him.
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A distressed Domyouji
saying goodbye to his best
friend |
It really is a credit to Matsumoto Jun’s charm that he was able to portray such a difficult person sympathetically. You feel bad for Domyouji, his loneliness, his emotionally-deprived childhood, growing up in such wealth and power but having virtually no one he could trust, save for his elder sister and his 3 friends. He starts as a jerk, true, but he is also such a terribly sad guy.
It's when he starts pursuing Makino in earnest that Domyouji begins displaying the many qualities that have made him (and other characters like him) a female fan favorite for years. He's tough and badass but would think nothing of letting himself get hurt to protect his girl. He is straightforward about his feelings and declares it clearly, but understands that she needs time to figure out her own. He suffers no insult or hurt to her, and rightly or not, would beat anyone who would dare hurt her or her feelings. Yet, despite his physical nature, he never really forces himself on her (although I think this is purely the jdrama interpretation). And he gets so giddy at the thought of spending time with her, turning into such a dork, that you can't help but think, awww... he's not so bad after all.
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A contrite Domyouji begging
for a second chance |
But for me, the most winning quality of the jdrama Domyouji was this: he was teachable. He was capable of confronting his own mistakes and failings and making amends. He doesn't make excuses for them. This was so very clear in season 2 which is probably why I loved that season so much. In it, I finally saw Domyouji as a viable partner for a sensible girl like Makino. Because he was capable of growing up and outgrowing his old ways.
Domyouji actually goes through struggles to change as a person. He doesn't just get amnesia and have his entire personality rebooted into the ideal doting boyfriend. Ahem.
3. Domyouji was NOT yearning to escape the responsibilities of wealth. In fact he was eager to assume the mantle and make his mark in the world. 4. Also, Makino had goals and dreams outside of Domyouji. I liked that the jdrama writers gave Makino and Domyouji a life outside of each other. And I liked that they had things in mind other than the tortured agonies of their young love.
I liked that Makino started seriously pursuing a career path after Domyouji broke her heart in season 2. She started studying to enter law school. And I liked that Domyouji wasn’t just some spoiled rich kid yearning to escape family expectations. He had ambitions, leadership qualities, a compelling personality that naturally drew people to him. What he lacked before meeting Makino was a moral center on which to anchor such a personality.
5. Makino gave a reason for choosing Domyouji. 6. And you can clearly see why Domyouji loves her so much too. Makino explains it simply… she chose Domyouji because she feels the most like herself around him. She doesn’t feel the need to be “proper;” she is not shy around him. She expresses herself freely, including disapproval of his actions when called for.
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An enamored Domyouji 'crushing' on
Makino for defending her frenemy |
For his part, Domyouji clearly loves Makino because she represented all those things he yearned for that were absent in his life --- kindness, compassion, integrity. You will catch him, in moments when her best virtues shine through, watching her with pride or tenderness or delight.
Most of all he admired her fighting spirit, how she never lets anything get her down. She was someone that cannot be bullied or bought. Someone, finally, that he can trust.
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Makino and Domyouji on an
actual happy date |
7. Last, but not the least, Makino and Domyouji are just MAGIC together. Without a doubt, the biggest reason for the success of this series is the chemistry between Mao and Jun playing Makino and Domyouji. There are so so so many things I love about how they relate to each other. I mean, within the context of this particular trope – the enemies-turned-lovers trope.
7.a. Domyouji and Makino actually get along. Many romantic comedies rely on the humor generated by the bickering and head-butting of the main couple. To be honest, it is entertaining. Up to a point. Beyond that point the pairing loses credibility, because as funny as it is, you just begin to question how a couple that fights so much can stay together.
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| "You have nothing to worry about." |
Not so with Domyouji and Makino. They don't spend all their time onscreen fighting for the sake of rom-comic laughs. They talk about problems and worries. Domyouji comforts Makino in times of distress. He unabashedly and loudly declares his support and belief in her when everyone else was laughing at her. And he tells her her skirt looks cute on her, even though he is upset with her.
And Makino, even while indecisive about him at first, was at least always fair to him. She gives him a shot. She shows him kindness even after he had been cruel to her. When she mistakes his gallantry for thoughtless insensitivity and then realizes the truth, she is woman enough to apologize. And when she finally acknowledges how she really feels, she was not so proud that she would not chase after his plane to make her confession. She's kind of badass in her emotional fearlessness.
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Makino's badassery includes
the ability to chase planes
and make them stop
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"You're stupid, selfish, and self-centered,
and yes I do love you..." |
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Domyouji, all bluster and bravado gone,
when Makino returns his feelings |
And they almost succeed at making a long distance relationship work. Although we don't see it first hand, we learn in season 2 that they spoke on the phone almost everyday after Domyouji leaves for New York at the end of season 1. (Am I just imagining this? I rewatched season 2 again I can’t find the reference for this anymore hahaha!)
7.b. Plus… plus, plus, plus…. Domyouji genuinely cherished and respected Makino. The Domyouji character is best known for his grand gestures of love: letting himself be beaten in order to protect Makino, beating the sh*t out of guys who call her ugly, refusing every other girl's advances. In the Taiwanese version, he chases after her bus to beg her to stay with him. But for me, the best moments of Domyouji, which I only saw in the jdrama, were the small gestures.
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| Domyouji twirling around lampposts |
He notices when Makino is upset. When he finds out what it is, he helps her fix it. The task is tedious but he enjoys himself, twirling around lampposts, happy. When she asks him why he is enjoying himself so much, he answers simply, because she is with him.
When he points out that he has never seen anyone enjoy their food as much as she does, he says it amusement. When she suggests that they play badminton in the park by borrowing other people's rackets, he responds with incredulity, but gamely follows her lead.
He is also visibly discomfited when Makino assumes a subservient role to him. In other Asian dramas I think this is the part when the male lead would try to dominate the girl for rom com laughs, making her do this and that, crazy difficult things, and the guy would gloat because the girl can't say no. But Domyouji never gets this way. Even when Makino works as a maid in his house, though he briefly entertains kinky fantasies about her as a personal maid, he doesn't actually take advantage of his position. In fact when they are alone, he insists that she act normally. He doesn't even want her to call him sir.
And I love that this Domyouji almost never bought Makino clothes, except for the prom dress (I am not counting the black dress he buys her back when he hadn't properly figured out his feelings for her). I love that he wasn't constantly trying to upgrade her looks as if her looks wasn't good enough. And even when he does buy her a dress she never gets to wear it. Circumstances are such that she forgets to bring the prom dress, and in fact misses the entire event. This exasperates him but in the next breath he laughs it off, and when he looks at her grubby appearance, it is with affection. She is who she is. It wasn't how she looked that mattered to him.
And that's how he proposes to her. Her in her grubby uniform, him in his pompously gold tuxedo. To the cheers of a stadium full of people. Look at them below.
How can you not root for a couple that looked at each other like that?
7.c. I guess, in the final analysis, that is one of the great strengths of their story.
You just cannot imagine them with anyone but each other - because they really do make each other happy.
