Hana Yori Dango
[Episodes 1-51 Reviewed]
[Reviewed by Bethany]

Dear Lord, I love this show. Sure, its melodrama rivals that of Fushigi Yuugi and Marmalade Boy, and its use of toys make me want to clobber someone — but it would win points for sheer entertainment value, even if the characters weren't some of the most amusing and likable lads and lasses in anime. You might not get a revelation about the good in all people or the reason for life, but odds are, unless you're totally anti-shoujo, you're going to like this show.

Story
Tsukushi is poor... attending the rich and ritsy Eitoku Gakuen. Her family struggles to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table — while Tsukushi goes to school with people who have had everything handed to them on a platter. (I believe she got in on a scholarship — way to be an intelligent anime heroine, Tsukushi.) Meet the F4: the four richest boys in school, both worshipped and feared by the student body. Even the teachers are cowed by their power ... so much in fact that you'll never see a single one of them actually attend class. Tsukushi, who has always been pretty assertive and outgoing, has tried to remain subdued since entering Eitoku, trying to escape notice. Sadly, everything Tsukushi ever does works against her: when one of her friends comes under attack by the F4, Tsukushi swings into action and gets herself targeted ... particularly by Tsukasa Doumyouji, the leader of the group. Soon, the entire school is out for her blood — but that's just the beginning of her troubles, as once Tsukushi fights back and shows her spirit, she gains a new interest in Doumyouji's eyes... and has a new problem.

What Else?
Poor Tsukushi is surrounded by psychos. No, really. None of those people can be very mentally stable ... but they're so amusing in their quirky insanity, that even while you might want to scream at or strangle them, you can't help but like them. You find yourself rooting for someone who should, by all rights, be labeled a jerk. And melodramatic though it is, there's something incredibly endearing about the way the characters interact. And even though I mock it endlessly by randomly screeching H--hanazawa Rui! ... I can't help but love it. It's energetic and emotional... and its opening is very dancey. I was turned off at first by its washed-out backgrounds and an art style I wasn't accustomed to, but I've since come to really like both the art and animation, even if I can't really stomach the high-drama BGM.

The Bottom Line
Hana Yori Dango is intelligent and quirky... and very much a shoujo show. It has melodrama up the wazoo and more flashbacks and flower petals than you could use to fill Alaska. Still? I dare you to try to dislike this show. I dare you.