I recently tried to read Hana Yori Dango out of curiosity, and I have to admit I only made it to a handful of chapters before I closed the tab in disgust and fury. I once watched the Japanese live action adaptation, which was already alarming enough in its own right, but the manga just takes the cake. I don't even know where to start. But maybe with the main couple, Tsukasa and Tsukushi. Apparently, Rui was originally supposed to be Tsukushi's love interest, but audiences preferred the dynamic she had with Tsukasa. But like... how? He's violent, immature, rude, elitist, treats her like shit, actively instigates the horrific bullying she goes through at the hands of the other students, tries to rape her several times... and audiences thought this was cute? Are these the same people that would have shipped Dramione in the present? I get that this series is relatively old, but even for a story that was built on tropes that really haven't aged well this series is particularly extreme. How does Tsukushi even end up falling for Tsukasa, Stockholm syndrome? I understand that he had a difficult upbringing, what with his parents never showing him or his sister affection and treating them like mere pawns. But you know what? I have absolutely no sympathy for him. He's an asshole. And his friends aren't much better. They could be doing something productive and useful with all that money between them, but no. They behave no more no less like common criminals. And I'm not leaving Rui out of this either. He couldn't give a rat's arse about all the people his friends were mistreating before Tsukushi came along, and he didn't do anything to help her until it went as far as attempted gang rape and public hazing. Oh, you're off brooding in a corner because the girl you love is off doing her own thing? Poor you. That's so sad. Alexa, play Despacito.
Another thing that irks me is that in stories like this one no-one ever seems to be capable of minding their own business. Why are those three girls so obsessed with Tsukushi when they claim that she's not worthy of being around people like them? Tsukushi doesn't even LIKE you, why are you so hell bent on making her miserable? It sure as hell isn't going to make the F4 ignore you less than they already do.
And now the thing that irks me the most: catty female rivalry. This is so overdone. And it's always over a guy. Tsukushi aside, you can literally count the number of nice female characters on one hand: Yuuki, Makiko (who doesn't defend Tsukushi during the first hazing), Shizuka, Tsubaki (who beats up her little brother) and Shigeru. That's it!! Every other female character is either a psychotic bully, or not a bully but an active participant in public hazing, two faced, out to steal Tsukushi's man (which, honestly I would just let her, by all means help yourself), all of the former, or an abusive mom. Lovely.
Manga Possibly the most infuriating shoujo series ever.
I recently tried to read Hana Yori Dango out of curiosity, and I have to admit I only made it to a handful of chapters before I closed the tab in disgust and fury. I once watched the Japanese live action adaptation, which was already alarming enough in its own right, but the manga just takes the cake. I don't even know where to start. But maybe with the main couple, Tsukasa and Tsukushi. Apparently, Rui was originally supposed to be Tsukushi's love interest, but audiences preferred the dynamic she had with Tsukasa. But like... how? He's violent, immature, rude, elitist, treats her like shit, actively instigates the horrific bullying she goes through at the hands of the other students, tries to rape her several times... and audiences thought this was cute? Are these the same people that would have shipped Dramione in the present? I get that this series is relatively old, but even for a story that was built on tropes that really haven't aged well this series is particularly extreme. How does Tsukushi even end up falling for Tsukasa, Stockholm syndrome? I understand that he had a difficult upbringing, what with his parents never showing him or his sister affection and treating them like mere pawns. But you know what? I have absolutely no sympathy for him. He's an asshole. And his friends aren't much better. They could be doing something productive and useful with all that money between them, but no. They behave no more no less like common criminals. And I'm not leaving Rui out of this either. He couldn't give a rat's arse about all the people his friends were mistreating before Tsukushi came along, and he didn't do anything to help her until it went as far as attempted gang rape and public hazing. Oh, you're off brooding in a corner because the girl you love is off doing her own thing? Poor you. That's so sad. Alexa, play Despacito.
Another thing that irks me is that in stories like this one no-one ever seems to be capable of minding their own business. Why are those three girls so obsessed with Tsukushi when they claim that she's not worthy of being around people like them? Tsukushi doesn't even LIKE you, why are you so hell bent on making her miserable? It sure as hell isn't going to make the F4 ignore you less than they already do.
And now the thing that irks me the most: catty female rivalry. This is so overdone. And it's always over a guy. Tsukushi aside, you can literally count the number of nice female characters on one hand: Yuuki, Makiko (who doesn't defend Tsukushi during the first hazing), Shizuka, Tsubaki (who beats up her little brother) and Shigeru. That's it!! Every other female character is either a psychotic bully, or not a bully but an active participant in public hazing, two faced, out to steal Tsukushi's man (which, honestly I would just let her, by all means help yourself), all of the former, or an abusive mom. Lovely.