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INTRODUCTION

“Writing has always been a means of making crossings

and forging connections between different worlds” (Nasta,

i).

Japanese Literature had its humble beginning about

two millennia ago, borrowing its characters from Mandarin

Chinese and its style from Indian Classical literature.

But soon it grew to develop characters and literary

styles of its own, creating for itself a niche in the

literary world. However, in the 19thcentury,courtesy

globalization, Japanese literature, especially its

popular literature was strongly influenced by the western

culture, mostly by the American superpower and its

literature. Despite the influence, it shone to be the

canon of its own literature then.Nevertheless, in

translation it was barely considered in the overall

literary scenario. Japanese literature in translation is

the least treaded path of literature. And hence it

rightly deserves to be researched upon.

Japanese literature, just like any other literature,

is at its best when read in the original. The

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translations, despite their effort at accuracy, fail to

capture the linguistic nuances of the language,

culturally different ideologies, and colloquially

relevant phrases and idioms. The effect of a witty

repartee is entirely lost in translation.

Nonetheless, by the early 20th century, Japanese

literature in English had gained the attention of the

western critics andreadership, and was winning

spectatorsworldwide. This post-war literature, filled

with emotions and pathos had transcended the language

barrier. Literary works of this period from Japan dealt

with moral issues, and raised social and political

consciousness in its audience. And by the later 20th

century, diasporic writers like Ishiguro Kazuo and avant-

garde writers like Abe Kobo had shunned international and

traditional styles and ambitiously developed a style of

their own, true and sincere to their inner visions. The

author of the international best seller Norwegian Wood,

Haruki Murakami, is the most popular and controversial of

today’s Japanese writers. His genre-defying, humorous,

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witty, simple and realistic works of literature had won

him a worldwide circulation.

The modern Japanese writers have covered a wide

variety of themes ranging from philosophical, through

spiritual, to humorous and have daringly experimented

with various literary forms from modern Haikus to comics

and webtoons. The predominant characteristic of

contemporary Japanese literary oeuvre istheir emphasis on

emotions and emotional concerns more than the development

of plot or their course of action. There is also the

growing prominence of themes dealing with and questioning

the women’s role in Japanese society and the growing

complexities of their urban culture.

In the late 20th century, the line between ‘Pure’

literature and ‘Popular culture’ literature was starting

to become finer andis now almost non-existent in Japan.

The distinction between the ‘Pure’ literature as elite,

ideological and ‘popular’ literature as low, amoral was

avoided from the modern standpoint. This break down of

contrasts came from the structural changes that happened

in the society (Saito, 5).The popular culture literature

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and children’s literature dominated the literary milieu

of Japan then. 1990s was when the newer entrants, many

being young women writers, brought new vitality to

popular culture and children’s literature. This was also

when the already existing literary genre, Manga evolved

its way to popularity, while the genre expanded into

economic and human interest themes and experimented

ground breaking styles. Manga has risen above from just

being children’s literature to major popular literature.

Currently Manga has penetrated almost every sector of the

popular market worldwide.

Manga had commenced centuries ago, in the form of

“cartoon-like” drawings and caricatures. Manga from the

Mandarin Chinese characters was pronounced as Manhua

meaning “Whimsical drawings”. However Rakuten Kitazawa

was the first to use Manga in its modern sense. The word

Mangawas popularized by Hokusai, a famous wood block

print artist, though he himself was not a Mangaka. Manga

by popular conviction, are comics created in Japan or

created by Japanese Mangaka. This style developed in

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Japan in the late 19th century having its root in the

complex pre-historic Japanese art.

Mangais yet another medium, a single fabric woven

from two different raw materials, skilfully narrating a

story. Unlike novels, short stories and novellas, a Manga

has two dimensions, to be exact, words and pictures; both

are necessary and neither on its own is sufficient.

Manga, just like the western comic books read like a

screenplay, the pictures turning the book into something

resembling the storyboard of a film. The pictures and the

words on the page inter-animate each other. Comics have

been considered seriously as an object of study during

the latter half of the 20th century.

In the 21st century, Manga has found a wide-ranging

readership across the globe. This medium of literature

analogous to any other media of literature employs a wide

range of genres like Action- adventure, Mystery, Romance,

Fantasy, Sci-fi, School life, Horror, Thriller, Comedy,

Tragedy, Romantic Comedy, Business and commerce,

Detective etc. Manga are serialized in Manga magazines,

often containing an episode of many simultaneously

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progressing stories to be continued in the next issue. In

case of successful series, like Hana YoriDango, Naruto, Itazura

Na Kisseu,Ultra Black, Fruit basket, etc…, the chapters are

collected and published in paperbacks called Tankobon. The

creators of Manga are called Mangaka, who like Artists

have a studio, with a crew of assistants and like

Novelists are associated with Editors and sub-Editors of

their respective publishing company. Mangaare often

animated or adapted into television series or movies due

to their popularity. The Japanese Mangahave influenced

the original works existing around the world,

particularly, the Manhua of Hong Kong and Taiwan,

Manhwaof South Korea, BandeDessinee of France.

Unlike Western comics, Japanese “Manga are read by

all people regardless of their age. Manga caters to its

readers belonging to different demographic groups, like,

Kodomo

Shonen

Shojo

Seinen

Josei

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Kodomo for children is known to be didactic. Shonen,

meaning ‘few years’ indicating an elementary school boy,

basically, deals with friendship, action- adventure and

good humour. Shojo Manga is intendedfor female audience in

their teenage. Seinen Manga, literally meaning ‘young men’,

encompasses a wide range of subject matters from Business

to Pornography. Celebrating womanhood, theJosei Manga

weaves stories of realistic romance through a mature

storytelling.

Osamu Tezuka, “God of Manga” is another factor

contributing to the popularity of the modern Manga. Osamu

Tezuka’s“Mighty Atom” is known throughout the world under

the name “Astro Boy”. The father of modern Manga,

Tezuka, stated “I don’t consider them pictures… in

reality I am not drawing, I am writing a story with a

unique symbol” (Schodt, 25). FrederikSchodt, the author

of “Manga! Manga! The world of Japanese comics” and the

renowned translator of Tezuka’sreiterated this,

commenting that, “Manga are merely another ‘language’,

and the panels and pages of a Manga are but another type

of words adhering to a unique grammar”(26).

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The Father of Modern Manga, Osamu Tezuka began to

introduce cinematic techniques into his composition.

Evidently in his Manga, Tezuka had manipulated close

upframes and had composed sequences from diverse viewing

angles and had used many panels and at times even many

pages to faithfully capture movements, moments, facial

expressions and emotions (Gravett,11). This approach of

Tezukato two dimensional perspective stage play style

Mangawas revolutionary and has been raved by critics

worldwide and this style of Tezuka has been borrowed from

by almost all 21st centuryMangaka. This revolutionary

improvisation in Manga by Osamu Tezukajustifies him as

the celebrated “God of ‘Manga”.

All the more so, when dealing with themes of

fantasy, unlike the western comics, Manga tends to

faithfully depict the social reality.Manga are not

primitive and unrefined as universally believed, rather

it is indeed a media, which by expressing byzantine

ideas, erudite ideologiesand stark realities of life,

hope to educate and entertain masses.

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Manga are read from right to left. The Manga, in its

original form, is written in the “Kanji” script. The

panels and the pictures in the storyand the dialogues

progress from right to left with words printed in

vertical columns. Not only does a reader read the pages

from right to left, but the reader also reads the panels

and text from right to left in the original. But

translations read like the western comics from left to

right, be it in the textformat, or panels and pictures.

However, thescanslationsof comics retain the same layout

for the panels and pages, only, caring not to retain the

same formatting for the texts.

Manga feature characters with “Bambi- like large

eyes” and “Razor sharp spikey hairs”, which is

distinctive and enable fairly easier recognition. However

this stereotyping does not limit the style. Each Mangaka’s

technique is distinct and unique within the broad common

stylistic ground, a signature style, like Matsumoto. L's

seemingly unevenly drawn squash-shaped "ugly"

protagonists, through curly haired- almond eyed

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characters of Kamio Yoko, to the soft-edged figures in

Miyazaki's work.

Manga are in black and white unlike the usual

comics, which are published in coloured print. And unlike

western comics there is less emphasis on superheroes.

Most often men and women characters in the Manga are not

exaggerated extremes of their gender stereotypes.Manga

are more complete, novel-like detailed works that are the

visions of a single author. The characters remain

consistent and tend to grow deep and evolve throughout

the story line. The characters grow with the plot. It is

a mix of harsh reality and the tantalizing world of

fantasy that makes a Manga more appealing. Manga are

character oriented. The characters are not forced into

the plot but rather the story grows out of them. And the

villains of Manga do not just wish to conquer the world

and rule it; the antagonists of Manga are simply not

evil. They too, like the protagonists, have dreams and

hopes and in fact have a reasonable excuse to

substantiate their actions.

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“The art (Manga) form has achieved what no other

indigenous cultural expression has managed to do; become

widespread enough to challenge America’s strangle hold on

entertainment” (Goodale,12- 13). This medium of popular

culture from Japan has not only brought worldwide fame

and economic profits to its nation but has also played a

major role as the clarion of the second tide of Hallyu.

Manga has inspired the popular culture of its

neighbouring countries like South Korea, Taiwan,

Thailand, Hong Kong etc. However its direct impact was on

the Republic of Koreaand its contemporary cultural scene-

Hallyu.

Lately the buzz around the South Korean cultural

panorama is Hallyu (한한) meaning “The Korean Wave” or the

“K- Wave”. The Korean Wave or Hallyu refers to the

increase in the popularity of the South Korean popular

cultural products, such as television series, movies, Pop

music, Indie bands and Rock music, technology, Manhwa,

art, cuisine and literature, in other Asian countries as

well as western superpowers since the 1990s.

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If Imperialism is the domination of one nation over

another, then media imperialism is the dominance of one

nation’s media over the other. The Japanese have exerted

their media imperial prowess on South Korea through their

Manga, while the South Koreans, through Hallyu, transfer

the cultural and traditional values and its various

products to foreign societies, suggesting a sort of

cultural imperialism. But it does not cease there. Hallyu

also brings copious profit to their nation’s economy.

South Korea’s ministry of culture, in 1994, began to

strengthen the country’s media sector, encouraging large

business conglomerates and Chaebols(wealthy heirs of South

Korea) to spread out into the film and media sectors. But

following the economic downfall during the Asian

Financial Crisis of 1997, they expanded to the

entertainment sector. And with the release of a big

budget blockbuster Shiri in 1994, which outrun the Titanic

box-office in local theatres, South Korea had begun to

create a strong Foundation for the Korean Wave in the

neighbouring countries. WhenS.M. Entertainment’s H.O.T, a

South Korean boy band, gave an overseas performance with

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a ‘sold-out’ concert in the Chinese capital of Beijing,

it became the first wavelet of The Huge Korean Wave,

which rolled as the South Korean Television series Winter

Sonata hit the Japanese market and a huge viewership in

Japan in 2002. Other K-Dramas released in subsequent

years, such as Full House and DaejangGeum, also saw

comparable levels of success. Since then, television

programming trends in East Asia and Japan began to

undergo a drastic change as TV series from South Korea

and Taiwan filled the slot originally reserved for

Hollywood movies during prime time.

With the debut of SS501, TVXQ and Super Junior, K- pop

made a breakthrough in the world of music of East Asia

ruled by Taiwanese Pop groups like F4,S.H.E. and Fahrenheit. K

pop, currently doesn’t refer only to Korean “Pop” music,

but any song in the Korean language or performed by a

Korean, which includes the original soundtracks of

Television series, movies, advertisements, and also the

songs of the other musical genres like Indie songs, Rock

albums, Heavy Metal, Jazz, Rap, etc…Fuelled by the

increased global interest in K-pop songs, several K-pop

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singers decided to expand their music careers by

releasing other language-studio albums in the hope of

reaching out to world music markets. Though met with an

immediate failure, through consistent persuasion, hard

work, experimentation, effective promotion and

augmentation of the customer appeal, K- pop is slowly

gaining the acceptance of the worldwide audience and

critics. The International sensation “PSY” ofY.G.

Entertainment and his phenomenal Gangnam Style has

established it. Germany's nationwide public broadcaster

Deutschland radio acknowledged that ‘The Korean Wave” is

"Engulfing the world",France's largest television network

TF1 reported that the K- Wave "phenomenon" is breaking

out into the entire youth demography, and the British

Minister of State from the Foreign and Commonwealth

Office, Hugo Swire, affirmed in a meeting with South

Korean diplomats that the products of South Korean

popular culture has gone global.One important

characteristic of the Korean Wave is the use of cultural

technology to suit the tastes of overseas audiences, as

well as the use of social media to reach a wider

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audience.The Government of South Korea considers the

Korean Wave to be a viable way to increase the total

exports of the country.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

acknowledges that the "boom" in Korean popular culture in

Japan has "expanded" mutual interest and cultural

exchanges between both countries.Several high-profile

aficionados of Korean popular culture merchandises

include Japan's former first lady Miyuki Hatoyama and

Japan's current first lady Akie Abe.The former conqueror

and the conquered are now neighbours with mutual

understanding and support, promoting their popular

culture products world-wide.

The years 2009 and 2010 marked the beginning of

Hallyu, Era 2.0. K- Series, both on its own and through

K-Pop in the form of their original soundtracksand K- Pop

have become the most distinct cultural genre in the

Hallyu 2.0 era.K-Pop has been the driving force of Hallyu

2.0 as Korea exported $80.9 million worth of music in

2010, a 159% increase from 2009.K- Series such as Coffee

Prince, You’re Beautiful,Bel Ami,Faith, To the Beautiful youetc…, K- Pop

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groups such as SS501, Big Bang,SHINee, JYJ,DBSK, T- Ara, B.E.G., Wonder

Girl, 2NE1, B2stetc…, and Manga adaptations Boys over Flowers,

ChangnanseoranKisseu,You are My Pet, Marry me, Mary, City Hunter,

YeppeunNamja, etc… dominated the Hallyu scene overseas. The

Hallyu celebrities were raved by the global audience.

Their international popularity overshadowed their local

success.

The Korean Broadcasting System's Boys over Flowers based

on the Japanese manga series Hana YoriDangoattracted high

viewership ratings and buzz throughout South Korea during

its broadcast in 2009and created another tide of the

Korean wave throughout Asia, sparking a whole new roll of

The Korean Wave- Hallyu 2.0.

HANA YORI DANGO: THE IMPETUS OF HALLYU 2.0– A CRITICAL

OVERVIEW

The celebrated Mangaka who won the Shogakukan Manga

Award of the year 1996, Yoko Kamio,is the creator of the

illustrious Shojo Manga,Boys over Flowers (Hana YoriDango). With

no intention of becoming a professional Mangaka, Yoko

Kamio, in 1989 was led into the field by her love for

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drawing and storytelling. In the following years, Kamio

published Suki SukiDaisuki, Anohi niAitai, and Meri-san no Hijitsu in

Margaret Comics before she finally created Hana YoriDango in

1992.

The Hana YoriDangoManga became recognized relatively

quickly in Japan. Critics as well as the Otaku (Japanese

expression used when referring to a group of people who

are obsessed with Manga, anime and Japanese video games)

have extoledKamio for her realistic portrayal of high

school life and everyday violence through the Hana

YoriDango series.Hana YoriDango the lengthiest Mangadrafted

by Kamio Yoko, consists of 36 volume of 243 Chapters,

progressing from 1992 to 1996, won her the

esteemedShogakukan Manga Award.

Hana YoriDango, chronicles the scrimmage between the

power of Money, Pragmatism and the Love and Friendship of

a High school student, Makino Tsukushi. Makino Tsukushi,

of a lower middle class family, is forcefully sent to the

Eitoku Academy, ‘an extremely prestigious private school’

for the elite, to find for herself a rich Bridegroom and

to support and help her family ascend the social

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hierarchy. However, all sheyearns for is to finish her

schooling without gaining attention or causing trouble.

But soon, her life in Eitoku goes erratic, when Makino

Tsukushi intervenes to save her friend and rival

Sakurako from the Majestic and violentDomyouji Tsukasa,

leader of the “F4” of Eitoku.

‘F4’, meaning “Flower Four” (based on the concept

of ‘Flower boys’- boys as beautiful as flowers) is a

group four of insanely rich, pampered young boys, namely,

Domyouji Tsukasa, HanazawaRui, NishikadoSojiro, and

Mimasaka Akira, who are also the future Heirs of their

respective Family Establishments. Ruled by the ‘F4’,

Eitoku is aninferno on Earth for students who dare defy

them. Neither does the teachers nor does the Principal

hold any authority over the ‘F4’ as the EitokuAcademy is

a Domyouji establishment.

Makino Tsukushi, the protagonist of the Manga is no

‘Wonder Woman’ but a ‘Commoner’; a hardworking High

school student, who works in a Dango shop, part-time, to

support her family. Mr. Makino is the irresponsible head

of the family, whoby his routine gambling and his

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incompetence to procurea stable livelihood,causes

misfortunes for the family. Mrs. Makino, fully aware of

their situation pressurises her daughter to marry a rich

man and also vehemently enrols Tsukushi into the

Prestigious Eitoku Academy, where, all one can hear is

“Galliano”, “Dior”, “Louis Vuitton”, “Alexander Mcqueen”,

etc… replete with talks about men, gossips and

merrymakings.

The young Miss Makino is no mawkish lassie but

rather a headstrong, independent, cheerful individual who

venerates her pride and shields her friends. Her self-

respect does not let poverty manipulate her judgment.

Makino Tsukushi, though very mature and tough, is

undeniably a teenager.

In the first two years of her high school life,

Tsukushi had managed to maintain a low profile, but when

her only friend in Eitoku, Sakurako was bullied by the

almighty Domyouji Tsukasa, she confronts the rich “imp”

and pleads mercy, but then is forced to throw a back spin

high kick on his face. Though she regrets her action,

Tsukushi swears not to live a double life, hiding and

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laying low. And soon the awaited misfortune materializes.

The regrettable action of Tsukushihas earned her a ‘Red

Card’ from the F4.

The ‘Red Card’ is a licence from the F4, more

precisely fromDomyouji Tsukasa, authorising the ruthless

bullying of itspossessor, by the entire student body. A

student who receives the ‘Red Card’ becomes a prey for

the whole Academy. The longest a student can withstand

this kind of cruelty is just a day or two.

Tsukushi’s cognizance of the Makinos’ economic

situationcompels her to endure the unfair treatment she

receives. But soon the unanticipatedhappens. The mighty

violent Tsukasa falls head over heels for the daredevil,

Makino Tsukushi. However, Makino Tsukushi has fallen for

the quiet, thoughtful and charming HanzawaRui, who had

saved Tsukushi unintentionally from her foraging bullies.

The plot thickens when both the readers and Tsukushi

learn about HanazawaRui’sfirst loveToudouShizuka, who was

returning to Tokyo from France. Shizuka’s return to

Tokyo, compels Tsukushi to rethink her chances with Rui,

and also causes her to see Domyouji Tsukasa’s good side.

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Gradually, Tsukushi gets over her infatuation for Rui,

while still contemplating Tsukasa’s love for her.

Tsukushi reworks her infatuation for Rui into a

respectful relationship. Later on, as the Manga

progresses, Rui, sluggishly sorts out his emotions and

his feelings for Shizuka. Shizuka acts as a Mentor to

Tsukushi. Shizuka, unlike the other characters of this

Manga, is mature in her undertakings and choices. She is

mostly interpreted as a selfish person, for the shrewd

choices she makes.

As the Mangadevelops,DoumoujiTsukasa tries to win

overTsukushi, while she tries to classify her sentiments

for this bully. Until this point in the Manga, she holds

no love for him. ToudouShizuka, DoumoujiTsubaki

(Tsukasa’s elder sister), HanazawaRui,give Makino an

insight into Tsukasa’s life before she madehis

acquaintance, at times nonchalantly while in most

occasions being deliberate.

Doumouji Tsukasa is well known for his autocracy. He

is a violentand conceited teenager, who wouldn’t think

twice before inflicting harm on others.Kamio Yuko

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transmutes progressively this revolting image of Doumouji

Tsukasa she had created on the reader’s minds, in a

skilful manner. She carefully neutralizes the villainous

image of Tsukasa, by justifying his actions and hinting

that he is capable of transformation- teachable and

improvable, following Confucius’ teaching.As a child,

Tsukasa did not know of parental love; his

parentsoccupied with their business holdings abroad,

entrusted him to caretakers. He was brought up as the

Crown Heir to the Domyouji Corporation and never a loving

son of the Domyoujis’. He was pampered and spoilt, and

was always warned against the necessity of Friendship and

Love. Though this was aimed at making Domyouji Tsukasa a

responsible Heir, it impaired the growth of thechild in

him. His loneliness consumed the goodness and love in

him. He grew up violent, with no one around who had the

authority, to stop him. Though he had the other members

of F4 for friends, they too were in almost the same

situation. But with Makino Tsukushi in his life, he was

able to see the world beyond his own. Makino Tsukushi,

the first person to authoritatively warn him against

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being a spoilt rich bully. She brings out the child in

Tsukasa, who longs for love and care;she says that his

“guileless, rough kindness”, makes her heartthrob. But we

can also see the difficulty that Domyouji Tsukasa faces

with the social class collision when he tries to

establish a relationship with Tsukushi. He, being

accustomed to living in the lap of luxury, finds it

difficult to understand Makino Tsukushi’s poverty, but

finds it even more challenging to understand her

necessity to shield her self-esteem in her poverty. He at

times makes fun of her poverty, while referring to the

‘abnormal’ size of their living room and their use of

public baths, but also longs for a family as that of the

Makinos, who even in their poverty stay together,

supporting each other.The readers may find the jealous

Tsukasa both funny andschmaltzy. It angers him to find

Makino Tsukushi spending time with her other friends who

are either the boys form her former school or HanazawaRui

or her new male acquaintance from the work place. To

Tsukasa’s misfortune, Makino Tsukushi, receives numerous

love confessions, starting from her former childhood

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friendAoikeKazuya, through the rich and mysterious

AmakusaSeinosukefrom the rival Eirin Academy, to

HanazawaiRui, who because of Tsukasa holds in his

emotions. Tsukasa, when faced with situations where he

has to doubt Tsukushi’s loyalty, he does react as the

situations demands, but deep inside him he does trust

her, and patiently waits for them to be united.

One of the reasons for the character Tsukasa to

be so popular could be that he touches the

nature of embedded masochism of viewers by being

mean and then he can be kind all of a sudden,

getting the counterpart to appreciate that even

more…(Lee)

Kim Mi-hyun, literary critic and professor of

EwhaWomans University.

Tsukasa enrols Tsukushi into the “Teen of Japan”

contest, in order to prove to his mother DomyoujiKadae,

that Makino Tsukushi is worthy to marry the Domyouji

Heir. Makino, who would’ve disagreed heatedly,complies as

she sees it a way to end the debt with Tsukasa and also a

way of thanking DomyoujiTsubaki, HanazawaRui,

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ToudoShizuka, Akira and Soujiro for their support they

have extended towards Makino. Makino Tsukushi is no way

talented toregister for the “Teen of Japan”, however she

agrees and works hard for the cause. With only two weeks

for the competition which is unpredictable and tough,

Makino Tsukushi learns new languages, learns ‘Tea

Ceremony’, Flower arrangement and other etiquettes that

the women of high class society are expected to master.

Makino Tsukushi with sheer luck and good heart wins the

second place losing the title to KurimakiAyano,

AmakusaSeinosuke’s fiancée. This competition serves to

give the readers a deeper insight to Domyouji Tsukasa’s

character as well as Makino Tsukushi’s. Tsukasa is

supportive of Tsukushi and stays by her side throughout

and supports her despite the odds. Tsukushi stays

determined though the result was obvious.

“Why doesn’t anybody even think about my

feelings?”- We find Tsukushi lamentingthroughout the

series. Her life has always been someone else’s choices

and decisions, right from the food she ate, the school

she went,through the university she will be attending,to

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her love. Either her parents or her financial situation

or Domyouji Tsukasa made the choices and decisions for

her. AndTsukushi always ended up accepting it. Tsukushi

is a strong personality who stood up for what was right

and just; she was the wonder woman who rescued the F4’s

preys. She acts like an adult, taking care of her family

and its financial matters, handling her education and her

part-timeappointments effectively,but as far as her

personal life was concerned she was not as determined. In

fact Domyoujihad forced his love on her, against which

she rebels at first, but then by the time she could set

boundaries and make Domyouji understand that she doesn’t

like him, she gets used to it and also returns his

feelings at a point in the story. She even struggles and

collaterals her life to save her love from Tsukasa’s

mother DomyoujiKadae. But she says she does this for her

the sake of her pride, or to save her family and friends

from the stranglehold of DomyoujiKadae, while the readers

know that she does this for ‘Love’ (be it for the love of

her family and friends orDomyouji Tsukasa).

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The Manga is not just known for the lead characters

but also for the supporting ones, HanazawaRui in

particular. Rui, Tsukasa’s best friend and an F4 member,

is an intriguing character.Rui is a silent and passive

personality. A car accident during his childhood has

traumatized his life. Since then, he has been living in a

shell, in a different world, living reliving those

frightening memories. ButToudoShizuka worms her way into

Rui’s life, bringing him out of his cocoon only to push

him down a dark abyss later by the practical choices she

makes. She disowns her Toudo name and leaves for France

to pursue law, and is followed by Rui. Though Rui is firm

in his decision to hold on to Shizuka, Shizuka’s busy

life and other emotional hiatus tear them apart. Rui

strives to accept the reality and move on. He finds his

strength in Tsukushi. But by the time he had settled

himself for a new relationship, and was ready to confess

his love for Tsukushi, Tsukasa had let Tsukushiinto his

life. Rui, like a gentleman,smothers his love for

Tsukushi and ultimately supports Tsukasa and Tsukushi. He

has always looked out for Tsukushi and had always wanted

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the best for his friend Tsukasa. When AmakusaSeinosuke,

confesses his love for Tsukushi, Rui voices his deepest

emotion in a way that will guide Tsukushi gently to

Tsukasa: “Because it was Tsukasa, I gave you up”.This

quote not only aids to reveal Rui’s romantic affection

for Tsukushi but also his ‘Bromantic’ affection towards

Tsukasa. Though HanazawaRui knows that Tsukushi liked

him, he did rather give her up and hurt himself than be

the cause of Tsukasa’s broken heart.Domyouji Tsukasa and

HanazawaRui share a good friendship which they don’t

declare but show in action.

The other F4 members, NishikadoSujiro and Mimasaka

Akira, also play an important role in the series. In the

beginning they strike the readers as rich and handsome

comic fillers, but as the story advances we get to know

more of the serious aspect of their characters. They do

not interfere with Domyouji’s bullying business but they

do take part in his happiness and grievances. They also

become Tsukushi’s friend. They feel grateful towards

Tsukushi for spicing up their otherwise mundane school

life.

29

NishikadoSujiro is portrayed as a ‘play boy’, who

abandons women when their relationship becomes more

emotional. He had earlier loved a girl named ‘Sara’, whom

he considered to be his soul mate, but misses his chance

with her as he failed to see her sincerity then. He

realises his fault when his actions could no longer be

retracted or could their shattered relationship be

mended. He strongly believes that true love happens only

once and having missed his one true love Sara he takes

all women who are interested in him for granted.

MatsuokaYuki, Tsukushi’s friend gets involved with him

and tries to reform his reckless ways. She tries to help

Nishikado and Sara mend their wrecked relationship,

however the couple part ways peacefully, as friends,

understanding the stark reality of their lives.

KamioYouko however, in later chapters hints at Soujiro

and Yuki’sfuture romantic association.

The young man who takes a liking towards older

women, Mimasaka Akira, acts as the bonding factor of the

F4, the one who holds them together.Mimasaka Akira is the

only reasonable person who takes care of the three

30

‘brats’ entrusted unto his care, the ‘armour-member’of

the F4. Akira’s mother and two younger sisters were

absolutely pampered rich ladies who acting like

kindergarteners have contributed towards the speedy

maturity of Akira, the high schoolboy. Having taken care

of his immature ladies home all his childhood Akira

doesn’t want to spend time with more childish young women

butgoes out with women who are elder to him by 10 years.

He enjoys being taken care of for once.

Suojiro, Akira and Rui, makes sure Tsukasa and

Tsukushi don’t leave each other. They pull them back

together no matter how far the distance between them

becomes. When Tsukasa suffered from amnesia, he totally

forgets Tsukushi.Soujiro, Akira and Rui stay by

Tsukushi’s side and help Tsukasa remember her by

himself.They have always shielded each other, stood

united and like warriors, have bravely faced the wrath

of DomyoujiKadae for the sake of friendship.

When the whole planet was convening to help Tsukasa

and Tsukushi, DomyoujiKadae was conspiring against them.

DomyoujiKadae, Tsukasa’s mother and the CEO of Kadae

31

group of hotels. She is addressed as the ‘Witch’ by the

F4. She is not the type of mother, whom children love

unconditionally and confide in. Tsubaki, Domyouji

Tsukasa’s elder sister had to agree for a “Marriage of

convenience” and give up her love for the sake of their

family’s business. She was threatened by Domyouji Kadae

into this marriage. The history was repeating itself.

Tsukasa is in the same situation his sister was in, years

ago. To Kadae, social status was significant.Tsukushi had

neither money nor good family name or background,

naturally, Kadae rejected her as the future daughter-in

law, even before Tsukushi could love Tsukasa. Kadae using

her financial influencedismissesMr. Makino, andMr.

Matsuoka, Yuki’s father, while causing Kazuya’s family to

go bankrupt, to compel Makino Tsukushi abandon her son

and go her way.Kadae was determined to have it her way.

She had gone to the extent of arranging again a marriage

of convenience for Tsukasa withOukawahara Shigeru. Though

Kadae had tried every possible way to ‘eliminate’ Makino

Tsukushi from Tsukasa’s life, the trial they have went

32

through has only made their love for each other stronger,

utterly resilient.

The Manga is narrated by Tsukushi herself. The

readers get to know Tsukushi through her narration of her

story and her description of the characters. The readers

are exposed to Tsukushi’s inner thoughts and at a point

the decisions she will make is somewhat predictable and

readers sense the same emotions and endures the identical

inner turmoil Tsukushi goes through. Every time Tsukushi

isconned, the readers feel a little deceived too.

Although love was the chief concern of Hana YoriDango,

it additionally deals with various themes. Hana YoriDango

was basically meant to deal with bullying. KamioYouko had

begun to write this Mangain an attempt to explore the

difficulties school students undergo due to harassment

and maltreatment by fellow senior students in Japan. This

was an issue dealt by students worldwide. In fact the

themes and issues ‘Hana YoriDango’ concerns itself with

are pervasive. The readers are able to empathise with the

characters of the Manga, especially with the protagonist

33

Makino Tsukushi. The universality of its theme is a major

factor contributing towards is success.

Hana YouriDango besides love and intimidation and

bullying of students, also deals with the gender roles

played by men and women in the Japanese society. Hana

YoriDango shatters ‘the kimono clad, bamboo parasol-

toting, bowing female walking three paces behind her

husband’ (Iwao, 4) image that many foreigners hold of a

an average Japanese women. The Manga showcases the most

fascinating dimension of the women of Japan, where they

have been changing and acquiring freedom and independence

quietly and unobtrusively. Hana YoriDango portrays through

its male and female characters and the relationship

between them based on the modern principle of the

contemporary Japanese society which is described by some

as “danseijoi, joseiyui” meaning men superior and women

dominant. DomyoujiKade best depicts this expression.

Though she is portrayed as an incarnation of evil she is

what MahadeviVarma describes in her essay “Links in our

Chain” as a woman who is high as a mountain peak and just

as lonely. All her life she had tried her best to live up

34

to the ‘Domyouji’ name. Though she loved her children her

social status stopped her from public display of

affection. The moment when her only son, Tsukasa is

hospitalized, KamioYouko religiously captures Kadae’s

expression, an expression of pain and expression of

regret of not being able to take care of her son, an

expression of relief that her son is alright and an

expression of ‘It is not one of my concerns’ to hide her

feeling from the world, to hide her weakness.

Friendship, loyalty and trust are other key emotions

dealt along with Love in this Manga. Makino Tsukushi

valued these more than love and often these were the

main cause of dispute between Tsukasa and Tsukushi. But

more often Friendship, Loyalty and Trust were what that

kept them together. Tsukushi and HanzawaRui’s

relationship worked under the same principle. Humans

cannot exist happily without at least one of these. And

‘Hana YoriDango’ teaches its readers this. But it also

warns the society through the trouble MakinoTsukushi gets

herself into by trusting and befriending any random

person.

35

This Romantic comedy of KamioYoukoHana YoriDango sends

its readers rolling on the ground laughing. The most

serious of characters like Tsukushi and Tsukasa

themselves provide the necessary comic relief. The

mightyDomyouji Tsukasa, the leader of F4, the one who had

mastered ‘The Tea ceremony’, the martial arts buff, the

one who could speak almost any foreign language fluently

and at ease had trouble uttering the right phrases and

idioms in Japanese. He has always confused a word with

another word of similar pronunciation. Once Tsukasa had

said ‘Mencho’ instead of ‘Mentsu’; He had meant to ask

Rui whether he had wanted the F4 to lose their face

(Mentsu) in front of Makino and other students but he

ended up asking if Rui had wanted the F4 to lose their

‘Mencho’ (an ingredient used to make Japanese noodles).He

also fails to recognise the difference between ‘pride’

and ‘privacy’. When Tsukasa forces his way into the

Makino’s house to stay there for a day or two, his

inability and efforts to adjust to the living condition

of commoners spurs a roll of laugh each time without

fail. Makino Tsukushi the one who talks with her hands,

36

stimulates laughter in reader every time Tsukasa is

misunderstood by Tsukushi and becomes a victim to

Tsukushi’s ‘talking hands’. And the sheepish grin

Tsukushi wears everytime she prejudicially accuses

Tsukasa of a wrong doing is likewise funny. The witty

remarks of Shigeru irritateDomyouji while her spontaneous

creation of proverb- like phrases infuriates Tsukushi.

KamioYoukovibrantlysketches the expression of each

charactervividly capturing the humour of the situation.

Japanese society has simple but firm class

distinction. The capitalist nation houses both the elite

and working class. The rich are destined to get the best

of bests in the Democracy of japan while the working-

class are no better than refugees. Hana YoriDango

explicitly disapproves and unveils the ugly truth behind

the class distinctions. KamioYouko draws a contrast

between the life of the elite and the working class and

the clashes when the two classes meet. The prejudiced

hatred DomyoujiKadae radiates on Tsukushi aids to

showcase the mentality of the top class of the Japanese

society. “What is your Name?”, “Makino? I’m not familiar

37

with that name.”, “What does your Father do?”, “I’m

asking whether she is suitable for the Domyouji Family or

not…”: were the unfamiliarly outlandish questions fired

at Makino Tsukushi when the F4 introduced her as their

friend to Domyouji’s mother. DomyoujiKadae was more

anxious about the number of cars, mansions and

establishments the Makinos’ owned than the fact that she

was her only son’s love, the first woman he had ever

loved.

Tsukasa himself was no different from his mother at

first. He despised everything ‘commoner’, until he came

to know Tsukushi better. He tries to change her and gets

her to be accustomed to having a rich lover. But Tsukushi

was not an easy person who could be manipulated by money;

instead of changing herself to suit Tsukasa’s lifestyle

shecasually makes Tsukasa understand the life of a

commoner and that a commoner is no different from

amoneyed highborn man. Tsukasa learns that a commoner is

just another human being entitled to his pride and

dignity.

38

While this is the case with the upper-classmenfolk,

the working class is no better. They are just as

prejudiced as the elite. Tsukushi calls the F4, ‘Fly

Four’ instead of ‘Flower Four’, to exhibit her contempt

on the rich spoilt ‘brats’. Even before she knew them she

makes generalized statements on the despicabilityof the

upper-class. However Tsukushi later revises her views on

the upper- class people after her happenstances with

DomyoujiTsubaki, ToudoShizuka, Oukawahara Shigeru and the

F4. Tsukasa and Tsukushi are indebted mostly to the class

distinction existent in the Democratic Japan for the

problems they face in their life. KamioYouko gives us an

insider’s view of the life of the elite and the working

class alike. Their living conditions, their concerns,

their leisure, their family and lifestyle is explained,

criticized and narrated and skilfully added to the story

giving it more life- like touch.

The life in school is the one to be cherished,the

part in one’s life where an individual grows in a

protected environment learning the ways of the world and

equipping oneself to face the world. When an individual’s

39

life is like crossing a desert the memories of one’s

school days serve as the oasis, reviving them to face

the world again more bravely. But the entry of class

system into the school system is contemptible. In Eitoku,

the elite ruled. The class distinction is much more

complex inside the school than in the society. They had

created a wealth oriented hierarchy. The elite themselves

were divided with F4 at the peak of the Pyramid, while

the ‘Nouveax Riches’ like Aioke Kazuya at its base. And

apparently Tsukushi was an outcast. In a place where one

has to learn and have fun, the Eitoku students had

created a miniature society in their school. Education

for all had becomeeducation for the Elite. Instead of

learning and expressingherself and having new friends,

Tsukushi had to lay low and subdue herself.Tsukushi’s

main concern or for that matter the concern of any Eitoku

student was not being academically successful but being

accepted by their peers. But this pyramidshattered when

an outcast was accepted by the Mighty Tsukasa, Tsukushi

became Tsukasa’s woman.Students who didn’t know she

existed before started exalting her then.

40

Hana YoriDangois familiar to its readers. They are

able to connect with the Manga series instantly. This

could be owed to its setting in the Modern Japan, where

the Kimono clad Japanese, Ninja warriors, and

Samuraiswith austere culture and tradition are nowhere to

be found.In the modern Japan where the life is fast

paced, where buildings were piercing the sky, where

internet started to reigned, where women were invited

into the business sector to lead it on equal stances with

men, we find this heavenly appearing ‘Hell’ called Eitoku

Academy educating our protagonists. And this romantic

comedy of the ‘Tsuky’ couple also develops in various

locations in the modern world, scenic places. We travel

with Tsukasa and Tsukushi on Domyoujis’ private jet to

their private island along the coasts of Japan, enjoying

the scenic beauty of unaffected nature. Supporting and

cheering Tsukushi, we chase Tsukasa to New York when he

tries to abandon her to save her from his mother. The

ever entertaining F4 (excluding Tsukasa) Shigeru, Yuki,

Kazuya and Sakurako strand Tsukushi and Tsukasa on an

Island to test their love. The readers with the

41

pranksters feel proud of the young duo and cheer them on

while enjoying their adventure with a frightened Tsukushi

and hungry and confused Tsukasa in an unknown untamed

island.Hana YoriDango all at once is regional and

universal, be it the themes or the setting or

characterisations. The Manga is full of newness with a

familiar aura about it.

Hana YoriDango is visually appealing. Though not

colourful it still appeals to the readers. The Mangas’

characters usually show over exaggerated emotions. When a

character cries, it usually surges like a deluge, when

they laugh, their face seems engulfed by the size of

their mouths and their eyes become slits. An angry

character will have rosy cheeks and steam rolling from

around their body.Tsukushi when furious emanates fire.

This use of emotion would most likely be categorized as

cartoonish.

The characters and their characteristic features are

unique. Their characters evolve through the series and

the evolution is exposed in the minute yet easily notable

changes in the features of the character. KamioYouko

42

establishes the unrefined character at the beginning and

gradually the characters develop, she takes care to do

likewise to their image. Tsukasa’s untameable curly hair

representing his untameable wild self becomes wavy

andfashionable in the last few chapters of the Manga

series indicating his transformation into a responsible

adult. Similarly Tsukushi’s hair is shortened half- way

through the play symbolizing her determination to face

off DomyoujiKadae instead of hiding form

reality.KamioYouko religiously follows Osamu Tezuka’s

cinematic technique in the creation of scenes and panels

to perfectlyillustrate the moment.

When simple but universal themes are woven more

convincingly into the fabric of good plots and characters

with style, the ‘unexplained’happens.Hana YoriDango is one

suchsorcery. It is an amusing, theatrical and romantic

Manga with slow and intense or adventurous and

frightening disposition that sweeps the reader off their

feet. Hana YoriDango according to Annet Rowan, the author

of ‘Manga Edge’, comprehends a sophisticated spiritual

optimism, not simplistic ‘Good over Evil’matter. Hana

43

YoriDangois indeed a true gem among worthless gravels in

the mine of Manga that should not be neglected. It seems

to open a little portal into other world that will

entertain, educate, and delight.

44

CONCLUSION

The gem was polished and embossed into the crown;

Hana YoriDango was adapted into a stately Korean Television

series Boys over Flowers (Kkotbodanamja).

Towards the later 20th century, the contemporary

west and even the remotest spot of the colossal Asia had

started experiencing a growth in the popularity of Korean

dramas and K- pop songs.Despite the early success of the

Hallyu-wave towards the turn of 21st century, the equally

noticeable growth in cultural imports from Taiwan, which,

like South Korea, is also one of the Four Asian Tigers,

had started to stifle the K- wave. With the release of

Boys over flowers in Korea Broadcasting system, 2009, the

Smothered K-wave was resuscitated, marking the roll of

Hallyu 2.0.

45

Boys over Flowers (kkotbodanamja)wasthe television

adaptation ofKamioYouko’sHana YoriDango.Television

adaptation is the transfer of a published work in print

form in part or as whole into television series, a

derivativeproduction. Starring Ku Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho,

Kim Hyun-joong (of SS501), Kim Sang-beom, Kim Joon (of T-

Max) and Kim So-eun,it aired on KBS2 from January 5 to

March 31, 2009 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:50 for 25

episodes.The series is the fifth television adaptation of

the manga following the Taiwanese Meteor Garden and its

sequel Meteor Garden II and the Japanese Hana YoriDango and

its sequel Hana YoriDango Returns.

Though the adaptation is true to the Manga insprit,

it does display certain differences in order to cater to

tastes and suit the social culture of the South Korean

audiences.

I had to change a few details in the storyline

because of the cultural differences between

Japan and Korea, but I tried to bring as much

originality as possible. One important feature

was the characters. We tried to cast actors that

46

looked almost exactly like the characters in the

comic book…(Han)

Jun Ki-sang, the producer of the drama, said during

a press conference, December, 2009.

In the manga, the characters are in high school in

season 1, but F4 (minus Domyoji) attends Eitoku

University in season 2. In the Korean version, the

characters are also in high school, but the F4 move on to

Shinhwa University located in the same campus from

episode 13 onwards.

How Geum Jan-di (Makino Tsukushi) came to attend the

same school as F4 is changed completely. In the manga

version, Makino's parents sent her to Eitoku against her

wishes to attend another high school with her middle

school friends because they thought in order to increase

chances for Makino to marry a rich guy, she will need to

go to a school full of rich people.In the Korean version,

Jan-di saves a student from committing suicide while

delivering laundry (her family owns a dry-cleaning

business), and in order to subdue the negative press from

the incident, Shinhwa Group offers her scholarship to the

47

school. Geum Jan-di is reluctant to attend and at first

declines, but complied because of parental pressure and

because the school has a state-of-the-art swimming pool

(she is a competitive swimmer).

The relationship between Soujiro and Yuki (Soo Yi-

jeong and Chu Ga-eul in the Korean adaptation) is merely

hinted, while in the series, their relationship gradually

develops having their own significant plotline instead of

working like a sub- plot.JoonJi-hoo, the Korean version

of HanazwaRui has more significant role in Geun Jan Di’s

(Makino Tsukushi)life, and is more strongly depicted as a

soul-mate and mentor. Unlike his Manga version(Mimasaka

Akira), Song Woo-bin does not take a liking towards older

women nor does his family appear in the series.Tsukasa’s

Private Island in the television series was located in

New Caledonia while Macau replaced New York.

Boys over Flowers attracted high viewership ratings and

buzz throughout South Korea during its broadcast in 2009,

and created another Korean waveworldwide. The cast

members became household names and shot to stardom

overnight, and after the series ended, several of them

48

became the faces of various endorsements and

advertisements. The show is credited with launching the

career of its lead actor, Lee Min-ho, who had previously

appeared in a small number of low-budget high school

dramas.

The drama's local filming locations became tourist

attractions, such as Damyang Dynasty Country Club in

South Jeolla Province; Ragunghanok hotel in Silla

Millennium Park in Gyeongju. And the overseas locations

such as New Caledonia and Macau also became sought-after

holiday destinations.

Lee Min-ho, who had to show off curly hair as the

main character, went through four perms to get the right

look, while Kim Hyun-joong was chosen not only because of

his overall image, but also his height, which matched

original character Rui's.Their similarity impressed even

cartoonist Kamio, according to drama production company

Group Eight. Kamio visited the Korean drama's cast before

the first airing and showed her support, signing

autographs and even drawing a sketch of the characters

for the cast.

49

The series' international popularity extended to

Japan,Thailand,Vietnam, Singapore, India, Nepal,

Philippines,Taiwan, USA and Saudi Arabia among others.

The cast members held various sold-out events across

Asia, such as concerts and fan meetings.In North America,

YA Entertainment released the series in two DVD box sets;

volume one was released in November 2009 and volume two

in December 2009. The K- Drama had won for various

categories the 45thBaeksang Arts Awards, the 14th Asian

Television Awards, the Netizens Award, etc…

KkotBodaNamja created another tide of the Korean wave

throughout Asia, owing its success to KamioYouko’s

critically acclaimed Shojo MangaHana YoriDango, sparking a

whole new roll of The Korean Wave- Hallyu 2.0.

50

Works Consulted

Boys over Flowers.Dir. Jun Ki-sang.Perf.Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-

joong, Ku Hye-sun, Kim Sang-beom, Kim Joon and Kim

So-eun.Group 8, 2009. TV Series.

Goodale, G. Animated Japan. Christian Science Monitor, 24

Jun. 2005. Print.

Gravett, Paul. Manga: 60 years of Japanese Comics. New

York:Harper Design International, 2005. Print.

51

Han, Sang-hee.Boys over Flowers to air in January.Korea Times.Korea

Times P. N.d.Web.10 Dec. 2013.

Iwao, Sumiko. The Japanese Woman: The traditional image and changing

reality. Massachusetts: Harvard UP, 1994. Print.

Kamio, Youko. Boys over Flowers.Manga.Viz Media LLC [San

Francisco], Aug 6. 1995. Print.

Nasta, Susheila.Writing across worlds: Contemporary writers talk. New

York: Routledge, 2004. Print.

Schodt, Frederick L. Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics.

New York: Kodanshe America Inc, 1983. Print.

Electronic Citation

Lee, Joo-hee.Rise of the ‘flower boys’. Korea Herald. Korea Herald

Archives, 30 Mar. 2010. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

52

Saito, Shinji. Trends in present day Japanese Literature.Trans.

Kaori Ueki.APPEREB.ACCU/UNESCO. 2001. Web. 30 Nov.

2013.