Ike ike! Ikemen! Is it really a paradise?! イケイケ！イケメン！パラダイスは本当にでしょうか？！

Long blog title. Wanted to sound all LOLZ WEEABOO or whatever.

So, now, its the start of the Summer 2007 drama season in Japan (well, last week) and there’s been a bustle of dramas ranging from the serious to the all out wacky, high strung, craziness that Japanese television is known for having; and apart of this season’s line up is the live action adaptation of the hit, long running, manga Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi for short), a story about a girl so infatuated with a sports star, she packed up everything she had and flew to Japan to be next to him.

Thing is… its an all boys school… and she’s a girl….

… So how does she get in?

Crossdressing of course!

With the formula of crossdressing + all boys school, we get the solution of ‘ hit summer drama with current hot, young, actors at prime time slot ‘.

Sure to guarantee the ratings, right? Well, with an opening for 14% (overall national), its doing about average for what is, currently, the most hyped up drama in the Summer 2007 line up. Not really the most ‘expected’ ratings for a show featuring Japan’s current heart-throb, Shun Oguri, and a cast full of pretty boys (ranging from the dominating Johnny’s Entertainment to rival D-Boys), theme songs by popular artists, and constant pimping on every single network. But when its trying up step the strong precedence that its predecessor, Hana Yori Dango, left behind in its quake; anything 14% and up will do in order to make this summer hopeful a smash hit.

Well, what is Hanazakari no Kimitachi e ~ikemen paradise~ and does it live up to its hype?

Of course it does! I was never a fan of the manga; I read the first two volumes of the manga and asked myself ” Why is this so popular “? Like Fruits Baskets, I was completely baffled on why these series lasted for so long and why so many people liked it. But, due to time constraints, Ikemen Paradise (as the drama is commonly referred to) takes Hana Kimi and condenses a 24 volume story in twelve episodes, taking the elements which made the manga appealing to others and expanding on that. Ikemen Paradise relies on quick, witty, and crude humor which sets itself apart from other dramas in its category which puts much emphasis on the fact that there’s a girl in an all boys school.

Everything from the way guys talk to the things they do to each other is heavily emphasized in order to bring out the fact that Mizuki, our protagonist, is really a girl in a world completely different from her own. While the manga pretty much fantasized the aspect of the all boys school; Ikemen Paradise takes it and makes it ‘real’: Guys will be guys and everything from hazing to talking about how big Chii-chan’s boobs are expressed in this drama which makes everything more hilarious than what the manga could ever present. While the series drops subtitle ‘fanservice’ for the girls, it still stays firm in the ‘mannish’ aspect… proving that something manly can be maintained when you have a cast known for ending up in very… ‘interesting’ situations with other male cast members (and each other).

But the one element that sets some people off, and from what I have noticed, watching the first two episodes is that it many ways it comes off more like Ouran High School Host Club rather than Hana Kimi. Mizuki’s character is too sarcastic at times and comes off as a Haruhi Fujioka moreso than the Mizuki in the manga who is very girly, dense and fangirlish at times. It also doesn’t help that Mizuki’s actress comes off looking more like Haruhi than Mizuki. In some instances, if you’re not careful, the show’s wacky scenes may almost come off as a scene from Ouran. While I prefer this over the manga, many people tend to find it turn off. Will this hurt Ikemen? Time will only tell.

All the male characters are memorable and stand out. Everyone, from Nanba’s carefree attitude to Oscar’s over dramatics, every character in Ikemen stands out and becomes a character of their own. You grow to love all the characters and they leave impressions in your mind, good impressions that don’t get lost in the wind. They’re not just supporting characters, they’re the students of Osaka Academy, and that is a good element to have where many shows have failed (like Gokusen). While you have your three central characters that you obviously know will be involved in a love triangle, you also have a vibrant cast that makes up for holes in the central plot. That is what makes a good series.

Ikemen Paradise is only two episodes in but I’m sure that the next ten episodes will be an exciting ride. Will it be as big as it’s predecessors (Hana Yori Dango, Gokusen, GTO)? Or will it trip over itself and fall down a path to be forgotten? Ikemen has a lot against it with fans of the Taiwanese version being a critical as fans of the manga but I’m certain Hana Kimi will prevail.

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e ~ikemen paradise~ (Blooming Flowers for Us ~good looking men paradise~) airs every Tuesday @ 9pm on FujiTV.