ザラ Notes: 花より男子2 Hana Yori Dango 2

17 March 2008

花より男子2 Hana Yori Dango 2

Title:

花より男子2 Hana Yori Dango 2
花より男子 ~リターンズ~ Hana Yori Dango Returns

English Title:

Boys Before Flowers 2
Boys Over Flowers 2
Boys Over Flowers Returns

Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Year: 2007
Episode: 11
Cast:

井上真央 Inoue Mao
松本潤 Matsumoto Jun
小栗旬 Oguri Shun
松田翔太 Matsuda Shōta
阿部力 Abe Tsuyoshi
松嶋菜々子 Matsushima Nanako
佐田真由美 Sada Mayuki
西原亜希 Nishihara Aki
加藤夏希 Katō Natsuki
貫地谷しほり Kanjiya Shihori
佐藤めぐみ Satō Megumi
生田斗真 Ikuta Tōma
戸田恵梨香 Toda Erika
小林すすむ Kobayashi Susumu
石野真子 Ishino Mako
加賀まりこ Kaga Mariko
冨浦智嗣 Tomiura Satoshi
瀬戸早妃 Seto Saki
深田あき Fukada Aki
松岡恵望子 Matsuoka Emiko
デビット伊東 David Ito
加藤貴子 Kato Takako

SYNOPSIS

嵐 Arashi - Love So Sweet

Dōmyōji Tsukasa has been staying in New York for almost one year. Although he initially contacted Makino Tsukushi regularly, he just stopped communicating with her at one point. He also lost touch with his close friends Hanazawa Rui, Nishikado Sōjirō, and Mimasaka Akira.

The F3 convinces Tsukushi to visit Tsukasa in New York. When she got there however, Tsukasa ignores her and even seems irritated to see her. Heartbroken, Tsukushi goes back to Japan.

Tsukasa is unnerved by Tsukushi's impromptu visit. Although he really loves her, Tsukasa decided to focus all his attention and resolve on his societal obligations and corporate responsibilities as the future leader of his family's conglomerate.

His mother suddenly tells him that they are going back to Japan to host his grand birthday party. During the celebration, his mother announces his engagement to Okawahara Shigeru, the only daughter of a successful tycoon.

Tsukasa begins dating Shigeru and Tsukushi is heartbroken. She wants to forget Tsukasa and move on but she finds that she loves him too much to do so. Meanwhile, Rui confesses that he has fallen in love with Tsukushi. He tells her that he'll care for her and protect her the way that Tsukasa did not.

In this complicated turn of events, will Tsukasa and Tsukushi truly go on separate ways?

REVIEW

宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru - Flavor of Life

I don't really like sequels in general because most turn out as big disappointments. However, Hana Yori Dango 2 has managed to be as good as the first season, if not better.

Expect great acting from the cast; both from new actors appearing for the first time in this drama and from all the actors also casted in the prequel. Each and everyone managed to make their characters relatable. Matsumoto Jun and Inoue Mao, the two actors playing the main characters are perfectly casted; they portrayed their characters exceptionally well and they have good chemistry together.

The amazing cinematography, great direction, perfect lighting, elegant sets and gorgeous locations are still evident in the second season. The fact that the production team behind the drama was able to produce excellent work two times in a row shows that they definitely know what they are doing.

Although Dōmyōji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi's love story is quite interesting, the whole world does not revolve around them and it would be nice to get to know the other characters and find out their stories. I like how Nishikado Sōjirō's story got more coverage this time around. I wish Mimasaka Akira and Hanazawa Rui got more coverage though.