This is my favorite manga of all time!

It took me forever to read as there were so many books, but it was truly worth it.

The manga is great, with awesome characters that really draw you in.

I also love watching the live action dramas. There are many versions available.

I adored the Korean version.

And I'm almost done with the Taiwanese version, which stayed closest to the manga story line, a quality that I greatly admire.

Soon, I will start watching the Japanese version.

Seriously, give this manga a chance.

If you have a passion for shoujo manga, this is definitely the one for you!

You'll be hooked from the very first page and won't be able to put it down until you've finished the entire series.

The story is engaging, the art is beautiful, and the characters are unforgettable.

Trust me, you won't regret it!

This is a series that has held an inordinate amount of space in my mind for years. It was a series I devoured dozens of times through poor-quality online scanlations. I even bookmarked complete sets of the series on eBay and seriously considered what it would take for me to spend over $1,000 just to have the entire series on my shelf. (A part of me is rather relieved I never took that leap...)

Then, upon finding out that Libby had this entire 36-volume series available as ebooks, I raced through those three dozen volumes in less than two days. It was truly a throwback to sitting in my parents' basement with a precarious stack of manga volumes beside me, and completely immersing myself in these fantastical worlds. And I'm glad I was finally able to give this series the proper attention it deserved and read it as it was meant to be presented, even if some of my favorite little moments were actually unique to those scanlations and not the accurate translations!

However, this series did not age particularly well (like many 90s era shojos I've read and adored). Not least because its entire central romance is undeniably abusive. I have always adored Tsukushi as a heroine - she's hilarious, tough, and frustratingly, stubbornly proud - but she endures so much from Tsukasa that should have ended their relationship. Ultimatums, physical and mental abuse, assaults, you name it, this series has it. And even with the "I can change him" mindset and Tsukasa's character development from the first volume to the last, it still leaves a very bad taste in your mouth. A lot of this should not be seen as romantic! I was deeply smitten with this stuff as a teenager (think: Twilight and dozens of other series that romanticized abusive or problematic behaviors), and it's a bit embarrassing to think about how much I would have surely defended it then. I really wish these issues were more explored and explained in the story, rather than all the characters just saying "Well, that's just how he is!" Sure, we understand that Tsukasa's family life and upbringing are abnormal, and that he lashes out because of it, but too much of it bleeds into what are supposed to be romantic moments between them, especially when it comes to controlling or manipulative behavior, without Tsukasa fully owning or reflecting on his actions until it's too late in the game. Fortunately, I think readers have caught on to this, and anyone approaching the series now will be able to take what is presented with a grain of salt.

That's not to say that it wasn't still an enjoyable experience delving back into this world. The crazy antics and wonderful cast of supporting characters really stand out and enhance the entire story, keeping you engaged throughout these 36 volumes. I was also glad to finally have the whole Jewelry Box translated, as I had only read the Paris epilogue and got to see additional stories I hadn't read before. Revisiting things that were important to me as a teen is always a fun and enlightening experience, and makes me grateful that I've lived, read, and seen enough to have context for the world outside of my vivid imagination.

(While I firmly believe that graphic novels 100% count as "real reading," I'm not going to add dates to all of these volumes on Goodreads to avoid a true flood on my 2023 Reading Goal. I'm giving myself private credit for the thousands of pages read ;)

I really enjoyed the Japanese live action version of Hana Yori Dango. It was truly a great start to the manga. The story was engaging, and the characters were brought to life in a wonderful way.

The acting was superb, especially that of the lead actors. They managed to capture the essence of the characters and make them relatable.

Also, Domyoji's pineapple hair was hysterical XD. It was such a unique and memorable feature that added a touch of humor to the show.

Overall, I would highly recommend this live action version to anyone who is a fan of the manga or just enjoys a good romantic comedy. It is definitely worth watching!

Better than I expected but still left a lot to be desired.

It's truly fascinating to observe how numerous K-drama plots have their roots in this Japanese manga from 1992. The themes it explores are quite engaging, such as class warfare, intense school bullying without any adult interference, girls competing with each other to date jerks, and the "cool" and aloof guy who turns a blind eye to the terrible deeds of his friends. It seems to be a formula for a story that would appeal to young, heterosexual girls who have a penchant for bully romance (I'm assuming). In my opinion, Rui allowing his friends to treat others in such a way makes him a bully as well.

Makino is a student at an exclusive private school run by the F4 - the Flowery Four. These are four wealthy guys whom everyone desires to date and emulate. If anyone incurs their wrath for any reason, they essentially unleash their entire army of admirers on that person, resulting in shunning, humiliation, and even assault. I was truly shocked when one of the guys set up the MC to be sexually assaulted simply because she stood up for her friend. Are these really the guys that the girls at this school look up to?

Anyway, although I didn't quite understand the MC's rapid emotional shifts from sadness to bravery every few seconds, I have to give credit for this not being a typical story where the MC just allows everyone to walk all over her until someone else comes to her rescue. She manages to get help in an extremely awful situation, and for the most part, she is able to stand up for herself.

This manga, along with Ranma 1/2, left me pleasantly surprised when it comes to older manga. I found it easier to enjoy compared to a lot of the newer manga I've read. It's not without its flaws, but it managed to hold my attention, and considering the time period and it being a shoujo manga, there wasn't any excessive sexualization of the characters that would have put me off.

I initially read this series during 2010 and was completely enamored with it.

However, as of 2023, upon re-reading volumes 1 - 3, I have a very different perspective.

To be honest, this volume would not sit well with me if I were reading it for the first time today. The reason being that one of the love interests makes a truly abhorrent offer. He offers to pay some dudes to sexually assault the protagonist. Additionally, he slaps her in the face, although he later apologizes and claims it was an accident.

Despite these disturbing elements, I'm still continuing to read the series. This is mainly because I have those nostalgia goggles on and I vividly remember how much I adored the drama when I first read it all those years ago.

Nevertheless, I can no longer in good conscience recommend this series. The fact that this nonsense is never properly unpacked or addressed is simply unacceptable.

As a result, I've decided to create a twitter thread. This thread will be filled with screencaps, spoilers, triggers, and my honest thoughts and critiques. I feel it's important to share my newfound perspective with others who may be considering reading this series.

I've watched the Japanese live-action "Boys Over Flowers" starring Matsumoto Jun. However, it turns out that I've never read the manga before!

The attempted rape scene is just as disturbing in the manga as it is in the drama. Nevertheless, aside from that, it has a very captivating opening.

The early nineties styles that the boys sport are truly amazing. (Doumyoji's hair: seriously, why????? But at the same time, it's such a magnificent piece of character design that fully conveys the fact that despite having all the money in the world, he's still not that great.)

It's a blast from the past, but in a good way! It's interesting to see how the story unfolds in the manga compared to the live-action version. I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the manga and exploring the world of "Boys Over Flowers" from a different perspective.

I completely forgot how much I truly love this series! Rereading Boys over Flowers has been an incredibly nostalgic journey. It's truly amazing to see why this series has inspired the creation of around 5 dramas based on it.

Book 1. Although it's a rather thick manga, the first book is actually only about two-thirds related to the main story, with a non-related short story taking up the final third. Tsukushi comes from a poor family and attends a prestigious high school. She's a smart and hardworking girl, simply trying to keep a low profile so she can get through high school without any issues with her wealthy classmates. Then an incident occurs involving a friend and one of the famous F4 Boys at her school, which causes her to stand up to them and puts her in a position to be bullied by the entire school.

Tsukushi is finally pushed beyond her limit and ends up kicking the leader of the F4 (Domyoji) in the face. Surprisingly, this ends up making Domyoji take a liking to Tsukushi. I'm well aware that this series is quite old, but I must admit that I forgot just how extreme some of the bullying gets. This series, despite being a major shojo classic, has some events that can be quite off-putting as an adult many years later. Don't misunderstand me, I would still highly recommend the series if someone can get their hands on it, but I would definitely give them a heads up about some of the potentially triggering events that occur.

If you suffer from anxiety, have a history of trauma, or have been diagnosed with a panic disorder, you definitely don't want to encounter this. The bullying depicted here is extremely real. In fact, an attempted gang rape in a high school hallway is just one of the nasty elements within the bullying smorgasbord. For girls who struggle with self-esteem and boundaries, this kind of content can have two effects. It might push them right over the edge, or it could make them rise up in fury. Overall, in manga, the mistreatment of girls and women seems to be quite pervasive. After the first tale, a more fun story follows. However, the first story has already made me lose interest in reading much more of this series. I'm beginning to think that this misogyny might be a cultural thing. It's really concerning and makes one wonder about the values and messages that are being conveyed through such works.

I'm neverrrrr going to be into graphic novels, manga, or whatever. But I thought since I like the TV show so much, I could give this a try. But NO.

Here are some things to know if you're new:

It's black and white, which might not be as visually appealing as full-color comics for some.

It swipes backwards, and as a result, it reads like Arabic, from right to left. This can be quite disorienting for those who are used to reading from left to right.

Moreover, the Kindle edition doesn't have that convenient tap to the next "scene" feature like comic books do. :( SAD. This lack of a seamless transition between scenes can make the reading experience a bit less流畅 and enjoyable. Overall, it seems that this particular format has several drawbacks that might make it less appealing to some readers.

I have a great affection for history and I didn't want to miss reading the manga.

I really enjoyed it and liked learning new aspects of these characters.

The manga presented a unique perspective on historical events and figures, which made it all the more interesting.

It was fascinating to see how the author had reimagined and developed the characters, adding depth and complexity to their stories.

Each page was filled with vivid illustrations that brought the story to life and made it easy to immerse myself in the world of the manga.

Overall, it was a wonderful reading experience that not only satisfied my love for history but also introduced me to a new and exciting form of storytelling.

I would highly recommend this manga to anyone who has an interest in history or enjoys reading engaging and well-written stories.

I am currently reading Hana Yori Dango. It is a Shojo manga that belongs to the mainstream category.

Moreover, Hana Yori Dango can be considered as a modern-day Taming of the Beast. This is because Tsukushi Makino plays a crucial role in transforming Tsukasa Domyoji into a more humane individual.

I firmly believe that the themes explored in this manga are love, family, and relationships. It has taught me a valuable lesson that love holds more significance than money.

The hero's journey in the manga is truly captivating. The Call to Adventure and Trials and Failure segments are particularly well-crafted.

In terms of perspective, the Eye level view is the most commonly used, followed by Speed lines. These perspectives enable us to clearly understand the view from the character's eyes and their movements.

Overall, Hana Yori Dango is an engaging manga that offers a wonderful combination of romance, drama, and life lessons.

Cuma baca sampai vol.3 \\"\\"( _ _)

I like strong female characters, but unfortunately, the female character here is not \\"strong\\" but just \\"brutal\\".

Meanwhile, due to her weakness, she is simply swept along by the current of those rich kids, or perhaps also by the \\"handsomeness\\" of the boy she likes?

And as a result of being swept along, she places herself in a position that maybe the intention of the comic is to be funny (I don't think it's funny >,<), but if it really happened, it would be 'horror beyond all horrors'~

There is nothing more terrifying than a teenage girl who is 'enchanted' by the new world she enters, whether it is by the wealth / handsomeness of the people in it, and is simply swept along without being able (or willing) to control the situation or the treatment of those people towards her.

Don't worry~ (^ ^) I don't mean to think that every comic must become a Guidebook for Troubled Teens.

If only this were a crazy comedy story, like My Heavenly Hockey Club, where the reader can directly recognize the impossibility of each character, I would be okay~

But this comic... when I read vol.1, I was still hoping for development because it uses a (supposedly) realistic situation (although there are also many impossibilities^ ^), but until vol.3, the situation has actually become even 'worse' (＃＞＜) ...I really can't continue~