Hana Yori Dango: The Movie

This article is about the anime film. For other uses, see Hana Yori Dango.

Hana Yori Dango: The Movie
Film information
Director	Shigeyasu Yamauchi
Writers	Yumi Kageyama
Based on	Characters from Boys Over Flowers by Yoko Kamio
Starring	Maki Mochida Naoki Miyashita Koji Yamamoto
Music by	Michiru Oshima
Release date	March 8, 1997
Running time	30 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Preceded by	Boys Over Flowers

"I told you, I choose my own partner. A star shines brightest in the spotlight."

—Tsukasa to Tsukushi

Hana Yori Dango: The Movie (花より男子 The Movie () , Hana Yori Dango: The Movie), also shortened to Hana Yori Dango, is a animated film released on March 8, 1997 at the Spring Toei Anime Fair. It features characters from the Boys Over Flowers anime, but is set in an alternate universe. Shigeyasu Yamauchi, who was the series director of the anime, also directed the film.

It starred the returning voices of Maki Mochida as Tsukushi Makino, including Naoki Miyashita and Koji Yamamoto as Tsukasa Domyoji and Rui Hanazawa. The film was released in Japan by itself on VHS in 1997 and later in a box set with the anime series in 2006. It was not released in America until Discotek Media released the box set in 2016.

Set in New York City, Tsukushi (Mochida) is an apprentice at a dance studio, of which Tsukasa (Miyashita) is the star dancer. When an opportunity arises for Tsukushi to dance in the next show, she has to prove herself to Tsukasa. Meanwhile, she develops a crush on the songwriter Rui (Yamamoto).

Plot

Tsukushi Makino (Maki Mochida) is an apprentice dancer at a studio in New York City, though she has only been doing the cleaning and laundry so far. As she goes about her work, she longs to dance with the others. That night, Tsukushi is walking home when she is suddenly struck by a hopeful feeling. She dances the rest of the way to her trailer, singing of "someday." The next day, Tsukushi practices her dancing after finishing the laundry. Tsukasa Domyoji (Naoki Miyashita) and Rui Hanazawa (Koji Yamamoto), followed by Akira Mimasaka (Yuta Mochizuki) and Sojiro Nishikado (Yoshihiko Akaida), are walking down the stairs and happen to see her. They stare at her for a moment, before she quickly rushes pass them.

Sakurako Sanjo (Rumi Shishido) runs up to Tsukasa, inviting him to lunch. Nearby Yuriko Asai (Yoshiko Shimizu) voices her jealously over Sakurako being chosen as the leading actress. Her friends Minako Yamano (Nami Sato) and Erika Ayuhara (Sahori Kajikawa) agree with her sentiments. The three girls then push Tsukushi, causing the laundry to go everywhere. A pair of underwear lands on Tsukasa's head, leading him to yell at Tsukushi. She is apologetic at first, but refuses to grovel to his arrogant attitude. Tsukushi declares "Don't get full of yourself just because you're the star." Perhaps as a distraction, Rui picks up a handkerchief and shifts the attention to him. Tsukushi realizes this and finds herself blushing as she stares at his receding back. Everyone else disperses.

That night, Tsukushi watches the dancers practice for the upcoming production. Her friend, Kazuya Aoike (Yoji Ietomi) flashes the spotlight at her and waves hello. Another friend, Makiko Endo (Fuko Misaki) is a wardrobe assistant. She promises to someday design Tsukushi's costume for her first performance. Suddenly, the spotlight breaks and a large chord hits Sakurako, injuring her leg. Later, Kazuya says a tearful farewell to Tsukushi, informing her that his manager has fired and thus making him a scapegoat. He apologizes for not being able to "light [her] up" on stage someday. The next day, Tsukushi meets with her friend Yuki Matsuoka (Kanako Tobimatsu), a journalist. She wants to write an article on Tsukushi when she becomes a "star."

That afternoon, Akira informs the dancers that Sakurako's role needs to be recast. Erika immediately suggests Yuriko, but Tsukasa insists "I'll choose my own partner." He then walks up to Tsukushi, asking "Why not show me what you've got?" She is able to keep up with him for a while, before tripping herself and falling to the floor. Tsukasa starts to dance with Yuriko instead. Tsukushi begins practicing vigorously at home and goes for a jog at the park the following day. She changes her clothes to practice dancing some more. Tsukushi hears a saxophone from nearby and finds Rui playing it. Several people begin dancing or playing along with him. Tsukushi herself joins in, thinking how wonderful Rui is though she insists "It's not love."

Sometime later, Tsukushi is walking by a parking lot when she spots Rui with Shizuka Todo (Keiko Imamura), whom she recognizes as a famous ballerina. She asks Rui to come with her to Paris instead of running away again. He tells her "Woman are selfish," to which she asks "Do you hate women like me?" Rui then leans her against the car and kisses her passionately. Tsukushi sits down and hugs her knees to herself, thinking "My chest hurts." Late that night, she practices by herself at the studio. She wonders why seeing the two together was "such a shock" for her, saying again "It wasn't love... I don't think." Abruptly, the lights are turned off and Tsukasa walks up to her saying "What are you staring at the wall for, apprentice?"

Tsukasa forces Tsukushi to dance with him in an attempt to prove she will never be more than an apprentice. Tsukushi falls again, but Tsukasa picks her up this time. She dances for a long, before collapsing. Tsukasa then says "Well, I guess that's all you've got." Later, Tsukushi walks onto to the stage, having decided to give up her dream. As she is about to leave, Rui starts to play the piano and encourages her to dance. She nearly falls, but Tsukasa catches her and tells her "I told you, I choose my own partner." At Tsukushi's first performance, Kazuya works the spotlight, Yuki takes photographs of her, and Makiko has designed her costume. Tsukushi dances to "Ordinary Sunday" with the rest of the cast.

Cast and characters

• Maki Mochida as Tsukushi Makino, a dancer in training at Freedom Dance Studios, who has high hopes for her future. She lives in a trailer near the beach.
• Naoki Miyashita as Tsukasa Domyoji, the arrogant star of the dance studio. After Sakurako's accident, he vows to choose his own partner and gradually helps Tsukushi hone her dancing skills.
• Koji Yamamoto as Rui Hanazawa, a reserved and talented songwriter who can play saxophone and piano. He is a close friend of Tsukasa which allows Rui to compose all of the studio's music.
• Yoshiko Shimizu as Yuriko Asai, a dancer who treats Tsukushi rudely. She is jealous of Sakurako being the lead actress and wants the part for herself.
• Yuta Mochizuki and Yoshihiko Akaida as Akira Mimasaka and Sojiro Nishikado, friends of Tsukasa and Rui. They work as choreographers and dancers at the studio.
• Nami Sato and Sahori Kajikawa as Minako Yamano and Erika Ayuhara, Yuriko's loyal friends who also like Tsukasa. They are dancers at the studio.
• Rumi Shishido as Sakurako Sanjo, a young dancer who likes Tsukasa. She is set to be the leading actress in the next show until her leg is badly injured in a lighting accident.
• Fuko Misaki as Makiko Endo, Tsukushi's friend who works as a wardrobe assistant at the studio. She promises to design Tsukushi's outfit for her first performance.
• Kanako Tobimatsu as Yuki Matsuoka, an aspiring journalist and friend of Tsukushi. She works part-time for a publishing company and has recently been given a column.
• Yoji Ietomi as Kazuya Aoike, Tsukushi's good friend and spotlight operator. His manager lays the blame on him for Sakurako's accident. He returns home, where his family has recently struck it rich.
• Keiko Imamura as Shizuka Todo, a famous prima donna and ballet dancer. She comes to New York for Rui, who she wants to bring back with her to Paris.

Additional voices: Norito Yashima, Yusuke Oguri, Daisuke Kishio, Naomi Matamura

Staff

• Original work: Boys Over Flowers by Yoko Kamio
• Director: Shigeyasu Yamauchi
• Script: Yumi Kageyama
• Producers: Tan Takaiwa, Tsutomu Tomari
• Production supervisor: Osamu Honma
• Editing: Masaaki Hanai
• Planning: Hiromi Seki
• Key animation directors: Yuji Kondo, Tomoaki Matsumoto
• Assistant director: Tatsuya Nagamine
• Art director: Yuki Yukie
• Photography: Kazuhiro Yoshino
• Music: Michiru Oshima

Production

A flier for the 1997 Toei Anime Fair

The Boys Over Flowers anime was still airing when production on the film commenced. It is likely for this reason that the film was set in a different time and place. Series director Shigeyasu Yamauchi directed it and Yumi Kageyama wrote the script. The majority of the its staff had worked on the anime previously. The voice actors from the series also performed in it, including leads Maki Mochida, Naoki Miyashita, Koji Yamamoto, several minor characters, and background voices.

Hana Yori Dango: The Movie was released on March 8, 1997 at the Toei Anime Fair in theaters across Japan. The films, Hell Teacher Nūbē: Gozen 0 toki Nūbē Shisu and GeGeGe no Kitarō, premiered along side it on the same day.

Home media

See also: Boys Over Flowers home media

The film was released on video cassette on November 14, 1997. It was later included on the DVD box of the anime series on May 21, 2006. The film was released in America on October 25, 2016 by Discotek Media, who included it in the anime box set as well. It is only available with English subtitles. A trailer for the film was also included as a special feature.

Cover	Release date	Contents
VHS
	November 14, 1997	Details Language: Japanese Subtitles: None Running time: 30 minutes

Music

Encore Piece from Tsukushi released in 1997

Main article: Encore Piece from Tsukushi

Encore Piece from Tsukushi is the soundtrack to Hana Yori Dango: The Movie as well as the second soundtrack for the anime series. It was released on March 21, 1997 by Bandai Music Entertainment. Background music from the original anime and the movie can be found on the soundtrack.

"Ordinary Sunday" by Tomohiko Kikuta served as the theme song of the movie and the anime series. It is heard at the beginning of the film and played again at the end against the opening animation of the original series.

Gallery

Boys Over Flowers Wiki has a collection of images on this topic. (view gallery)

Notes

• The film is the first Boys Over Flowers related media to be an original story line.
• It aired exactly one day before the premiere of the anime episode, "Sleepless Night!"
• The anime's opening animation, which likely served as inspiration, is featured at the end of the film. A couple new frames of Tsukushi dancing in her practice outfit were added in.

External links

• Hana Yori Dango: The Movie on Japanese Wikipedia
• Hana Yori Dango: The Movie at the Anime News Network
• Hana Yori Dango: The Movie at the Internet Movie Database

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