I found this show to be incredibly entertaining in various ways. I have seen this version and the Korean version, so there will be a few comparisons in this review.
The story is based on a manga so the show is not 100% original, but it is very good and was (in my opinion) very well done. While the Korean version focuses more on the sports and love triangle aspects, the Japanese story had more aspects to it, even with less episodes. While sports and romance are a part of this show, there is also an incredible emphasis put on friendship and growing up. I found this to be much more enjoyable. The show also utilizes the "extra characters" much more, showing how each person interacts. Of course, seeing as this is manga based there were over the top and exaggerated moments, but that added to its charm. There are the moments of heartbreak, disappointment and angst that seemed to fill the To the Beautiful You (Korean) and parts of the manga, but Hana Kimi highlighted more of the shenanigans and trouble high school boys and friends get into. I felt more of a draw to continue watching Hana Kimi and liked it more than its Korean counterpart.
The acting is what made this show a stand out for me. I found new favorite actors and was delighted with a couple of my well-known favorites that appeared too. Everyone played their parts so well and interacted with each other in the best manner possible. You can identify with struggles and with the passion they have. Each actor fills their role to the max and is on point completely. Not to mention there is not one ugly person in this show; it's eye-candy galore. No wonder they're known as the "hottie school".
For the amount of music in the show, it was not bad. The opening theme was a lot of fun and gets stuck in your head. I even downloaded it. However, I grew tired of the end theme fairly quick. The sound effects for the show were not bad at all, they were well-suited and did not draw unneeded attention. The few random shows throughout the episodes were fun as well, adding to the humor.
As for rewatching? I would totally rewatch this show and with it's length it wouldn't be hard to do so either. Rewatching would be a very good idea if you want to watch the performance of different actors/actresses each time, especially since it would be just as fun and enjoyable as the first watching.
Overall this was my favorite version of the show and I loved it for many reasons, the only thing that keeps it from having a perfect score is a little bit of a cliffhanger ending. That is supposedly addressed in the special though, so no big deal. I definitely think everyone should give this a show, especially if you have read the manga of seen one of the other versions. Nothing beats the original. :)
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