The manga this week
Hana Nochi Hare (Boys Over Flowers Season 2)
By Yoko Kamio (Shueisha)
What's the best-selling girls' manga in history? It isn't a popular title like "Garasu no Kamen" (The glass mask) or "Versailles no Bara" (The Rose of Versailles). It's actually "Hana Yori Dango" (Boys Over Flowers) -- a manga series by Yoko Kamio that has sold more than 61 million copies to date in book form. The record will likely remain in place for the foreseeable future, as it was achieved in the 1990s, the golden age of manga.
This week's manga is essentially a sequel to Kamio's legendary work. To be honest, I haven't properly read "Hana Yori Dango." When I picked it up in my 30s, I felt uncomfortable with the story of an ordinary girl surrounded by four handsome young men from good families. The narrative is similar to that of Cinderella, with her four princes. I know I'm not qualified to discuss the sequel, "Hana Nochi Hare" (Boys Over Flowers Season 2), but I couldn't stop once I started reading it.
The story is set in Eitoku Gakuen, the same elite high school featured in the original series. The school's prestige and brand power are in decline following the graduation of four star male pupils called the F4. In response to this sense of crisis, five elite students form a sort of vigilante group that they dub the Correct 5 (C5).
They begin to "hunt" poor students who they consider unfit for the school, and even attempt to force them out of the academy. The story's heroine, Oto Edogawa, hides her identity as one such student, but her secret is discovered by C5 leader Haruto Kaguragi.
Haruto projects an image of confidence and authority, but he's a wimp in reality. He is attracted to Oto's weed-like strength, but Oto is already engaged to Tenma Hase, her childhood friend and a member of the super-elite at Eitoku Gakuen's rival school.
Thus begins a complicated love triangle in which two princes fight over an ordinary heroine, essentially a continuation of the storyline from "Hana Yori." A major difference between the two is that the "hero" Haruto is not the least bit heroic. The "Hana Yori" series began in 1992, shortly after the collapse of the bubble economy, when the world was still rosy. Eitoku Gakuen, which has faced a decline in "Hana Nochi," seems to reflect the hopeless future confronting contemporary Japan.
Haruto nevertheless tries to protect the glory of the F4 by galvanizing his own hollow personality to the best of his abilities. In this sense, he is quite lovable. The story also adeptly portrays the subtle shortcomings of Tenma, a prize pupil who displays perfect affection for Oto.
I believe the real theme of "Hana Nochi" is not romance, but rather how the protagonists become independent from their parents. This is meant to encourage young people to forge their own paths, unshackled from the previous generation. As a result, readers are inspired to cheer on Oto, Haruto and Tenma. As a member of an older generation, I'm happy I now have the maturity to enjoy Kamio's work.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
