Important Importables Mini: Hana Yori Dango DS
It is so going to be a good summer. Apparently the forces that be took my “I’m going to spend my import game money on gas” threat seriously, and decided to counter by exploiting one of my weak points - Hana Yori Dango.
On July 10, 2008, Konami will release Hana Yori Dango -Koi Seyo Otome!- for the Nintendo DS. If that isn’t enough to get you excited - it is going to be an otome (girl’s dating game) life sim title with mini-games. Like all import games, it’s going to be pretty expensive, retailing for $52.90 at both NCSX and Play-Asia. For that price, I want voice acting - preferably from the Japanese TV drama actors.
Hana Yori Dango, released in the US as Boys Over Flowers by Viz, began as a 36 volume manga series following the adventures of poor girl Tsukushi Makino as she attends an elite school Eitoku. The school is filled with spoiled rich kids, and lead by a group of four guys known as the F4. The F4 routinely assault other students who cross them and drive them from the school. Tsukushi stands up to them, causing the F4’s leader Tsukasa Doumyouji to fall in love with her. Its a very dramatic and engaging shojo series.
The DS title will be yet another entry in a long line of Hana Yori Dango spin-offs. Hana Yori Dango has inspired a 51 episode anime (Hana Yori Dango), an anime movie (Hana Yori Dango: The Movie), a GameBoy Color game (Hana Yori Dango: Another Love Story), two Japanese TV dramas (Hana Yori Dango and Hana Yori Dango 2), a Taiwanese TV drama (Meteor Garden), a singing group (F4, who appeared in Meteor Garden) and a forthcoming live action movie (Hana Yori Dango Final).
And I am proud to admit I have read, listened to and watched almost everything related to Hana Yori Dango. I haven’t finished reading the manga, because it hasn’t been completely translated yet, but I’ve finished the anime series and both Japanese TV dramas. Out of all the interpretations of the stories, I liked the Japanese live action drama Hana Yori Dango best. I think it’s because of Jun Matsumoto. His dashing good looks, voice and acting ability have some kind of hold on me. I even watched all of Kimi wa Petto because of his performance as Momo.
Read [Oricon Style] Site [NCSX] Site [Play-Asia] Site [IMDB: Jun Matsumoto]
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This sounds pretty interesting. Hopefully it’s somewhat English friendly (even though I don’t need an excuse to spend over $50 on another import :P).
I’m somewhat out of touch when it comes to anime and TV in general, so I’m going to have to see if I can catch up on all this somewhere. I love me some good drama :).
on April 28, 2008 at 03:15 PM - LINKI have a feeling it will be. Konami did the Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side DS games, and those are ‘incredibly’ English friendly. Like I have friends who don’t know any Japanese, and they’ve borrowed my TokiMemo Girl’s Side 1st Love to play.
I’d recommend the Hana Yori Dango Japanese TV drama series over the anime. It’s more recent, has a great cast, incredible music and is just really awesome. I know there’s a fansub of it floating on the internet (that’s how I saw it XD). I remember when I first watched it, it was thanks to this Himura Kaoru site. My friend had downloaded the whole first season and said that I ‘had’ to watch at least the first episode. Its a nice, guilty pleasure. :D
on April 28, 2008 at 03:41 PM - LINKHi, I was wondering if you’ve gotten a chance to play this yet? NCSX finally got their shipment in so I’ve just played through a few days, but it’s much harder than TMGS for me, especially because the kanji are all blurry on my first generation DS…
on July 19, 2008 at 12:01 AM - LINKHi blue,
I actually should be receiving my copy in the mail any day. When I do, I’ll let you know how it is. :D
on July 20, 2008 at 08:13 PM - LINKAwesome, I can’t wait.
I wish they made Jun act as dumb as Tsukasa is in the manga (’ ^ ‘)>
on July 20, 2008 at 11:19 PM - LINKHi blue,
Its a great game. Really phenomenal. XD
I’d recommend using an Action Replay DS on it though, if you don’t speak Japanese. Datel has created two codes for it (infinite money and infinite flower chances which help narrow down correct answers) which make it much easier and enjoyable.
I’m going to be covering the game for Siliconera, so if you check there next week, there should be Hanadan DS stories. :D
on July 30, 2008 at 01:17 PM - LINKHi Jenni,
I can read Japanese, but it’s really tiring, you know? Although my proficiency exam training game will arrive soon (hopefully). I can understand TMGS almost completely, but HanaDan seems more like a Bandai game than a Konami game (maybe because I keep neglecting to save for weeks and never get to the good part. I’ve gone on ONE date with Domyoji.... and I was too poor to make a bentou.
Looking forward to your review, maybe then I can play with some ease.
on July 30, 2008 at 10:50 PM - LINKHi hi blue!
I think Hanadan DS is a lot like Duel Love actually. :P I’ve noticed that you ‘have’ to talk to certain characters at certain times to trigger scenes (like if you wanna see Shizuka and Rui off, you have to talk to Rui beforehand), but the game will basically say “Hey, I should go talk to Rui and Shizuka.”
I’m at the point where I just went to Atami with Tsukushi and Kazuma and Domyouji & co showed up. Well, just past that point. I’ve been on 2 dates with Domyouji too. Note: He seems to like the octopus hotdog things (2 yen), the chocolates and the one black dish that’s in the second group that has little chunks of stuff in it.
on July 31, 2008 at 12:30 PM - LINKYeah, I’ve basically been following the manga’s story for more important choices, but it feels so weird because Tsukushi is right there! It would be fun if we had to play her and then dodge food fights and stuff :3
But yes. It reminds me a lot of Duel Love and Nodame (my 2 bandai games), including the day-to-day pace.
Heehee, thanks for the tip. Maybe Domyouji’s more of a pain in the game because I don’t have the ease of English translation or spoken Japanese (I’m better at listening than reading) :)
I used to not like Kamio’s style, but it gradually grew on me, and now looking at these streamlined, smoothed-out characters, I really miss it. I’m going to check out your review right now \(^o^)/
on July 31, 2008 at 02:39 PM - LINKOops, sorry. I don’t know why I thought my e-mail said you posted the review. It was too late to stop posting…
on July 31, 2008 at 02:40 PM - LINKIt is kinda weird. I kinda like having her there though - its kinda like your character has support and backup.
Do you mean the Nodame music one for the DS? I picked that up at Play-Asia when it was on sale and really enjoy it. :D (I love Duel Love as well - Date’s my favorite. I also like Asakura and Ryozoji. Its such a silly and fun game. XD)
I’m the exact same way with Japanese! I’m much better with spoken than with written. Unless its all in hirigana/katakana - then I can sometimes manage.
Are you going for Domyouji as well? I am. :P I figure for the first playthrough I’m chasing my favorite. (Its so funny how easily he blushes.)
You know, I like Kamio’s style as well, and found these new figures a bit jarring. To be honest, I stopped buying the manga at vol 8 (I plan to pick up 30-32 once Borders has one of those buy X get 1 free sales) and I kind of liked the rougher style better. :P
on July 31, 2008 at 03:21 PM - LINKIt was on sale? Darn.
I bought it full price. The games are perfect for passing time in a more fun way, but not $50’s worth. Over time, cleaning Nodame’s room has become one of my favorites, but it seems I can only enjoy Taiko at the arcade (the PS2 drums are LOUD!). I love how the conductors get more sparkly, and Milch is kind of cool looking, but I like the drama and the comic and not the anime, so… (to be fair, I only watched the first dvd). But so far the comic’s style seems to have remained the same. (Oops, I was going to say something here about YnM Matsushita’s Oriya furoku, but according to wikipedia, her style changed becauce of her hand injury. ;_;)
Sometimes hiragana messes me up though, e.g. when super common/easy words like “watashi” and the rest of the sentence are in hiragana but then some kanji pops up. But I feel so sad, because I can understand almost all of lovecom (movie), but not a little paragraph of text? <(>o<)>
Yes :) Haha for the same reason as you. Although it’s kind of sad; I have a tendency to like the main character/guy/love interest/whatever you want to call it. The only exception that comes to mind at the moment is Nobuta wo Produce, but maybe that’s because I started rewatching it yesterday after getting my brother into it :P Akira SHOCK!
Sorry my post is more frenetic than usual; I must be more excitable because of the peach I just had and the limeade I’m drinking :d
I used to buy from Suncoast, and B&N;for the discount, but a few years ago it became impossible to find the volumes I wanted unless I went right when they arrived; they were either dog-eared or missing (Suncoast’s copies were good, but now they’re fye and my membership years have become money lost). I used to like Borders when I didn’t live here, and so I started buying there, but then their copies became icky too (I guess the B&N;readers migrated?).
Ironically, the last purchase I made from Borders was several volumes of HanaDan (up to and including volume 9, the next covers were ruined until later volumes, but I didn’t want to skip ahead with my books - now I think I should’ve got them then.)
I didn’t know Borders was still doing the sales. I think B&N;stopped a while ago, but I almost never go to bookstores now. I mostly use Amazon (comics) and AbeBooks (textbooks) unless I’m getting something new or shrinkwrapped (Suppli).
on July 31, 2008 at 06:54 PM - LINKI even typed my last sentence (limeade) smack in the middle and didn’t realize it until I’d hit “submit”. Ack!
on July 31, 2008 at 06:55 PM - LINKYup - it was like $16.90 or something at Play-Asia. That’s when I got it. :D
I really enjoyed Nodame Cantabile DS as well. It was just so fun, and I liked how it wasn’t all about the conducting portions of the game. (I especially enjoyed the Taiko part, because I didn’t really want to spend $40 on a Taiko Drum Master DS game.)
Its funny, because normally I don’t like the main guy. I think Hana Yori Dango is the only anime/manga series where the main guy character ended up being my favorite. (Ex: Ouran High School Host Club I think the twins and Huni and Mori are awesome, in Bleach I think Renji and the other shinigami captains/vice captains are best and in Fruits Basket I always liked Shigure, Hatori and Ayame - the Mabudachi trio <- I definitely spelled that wrong :P)
Usually I get my manga from either Borders or Half Price Books. Barnes and Nobles around here have a horrible selection, and I don’t really run across many Fyes or Waldens. Borders always has the series I collect (since I occasionally collect 4 less popular titles - Aria, Alice Gakuen, Sugar Sugar Rune and Ouran) and other stores (aside from Amazon) don’t. Half Price Books I stop at for Fruits Basket and Bleach - usually people turn those in after they get tired of them, and I’ll swoop in and pick them up for $3 or $4. One time, I got volumes 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6 of Bleach for $7 in a bundle deal. :D
Yup, Borders still does the sales. Barnes and Noble doesn’t though.
(As for the last thing - it happens. I’ve accidentally hit submit before as well. :D)
on August 1, 2008 at 01:22 PM - LINKI hate the shipping, but I love the sales. I picked up the two PUMP games for the $20 deal.
Hm, I guess if we’re not talking main GUYS, then in KareKano MIyazawa is my favorite character, but if we are, I’d have to admit Asaba is a lot more entertaining than Arima (esp. at the end). Also, in TGMS2, Shiba is pretty funny (even though his dates get tiring after a while and he asks my character out nearly every week!). In the first game, it’s a tough choice between Kei (the model photos :3), Suzuka, and Himuro-sensei. Amanohashi is sooo kimoi, but I got his ending by accident and then half a year later, deleted 1.5 yr’s worth of playing (I’ve done it twice before, after getting 1 ending - Shiho’s. Why do they make it so easy to delete ;_;)
But yeah, it’s kind of sad; even in Persona3 I think the main character’s the coolest ;) (OK, in KH gameboy I liked Axel better, but who doesn’t?)
The spelling is not an issue with me: of the series listed, I’ve only read a couple volumes of Ouran and maybe one or two chapters of FB so I wouldn’t know :).
Ooh, I completely forgot about Waldenbooks; they have the best sales! But yeah, in my area and the next state over, Barnes and Nobles are the most common with the worst selection :/ Plus I have to check both “Teen Series” and the Manga section.
Right now I’m collecting Nodame, Suppli, and trying to catch up with LoveCom. But hopefully when I get a DS dictionary I can just pick up the originals cheaply at BookOff :) (Although after so many years, it might feel weird not to get the English versions...)
That BLEACH deal sounds amazing. Now if they could do that for HanaDan… (^x^;;)>
on August 1, 2008 at 01:53 PM - LINK@blue -
Sorry it took so long to respond, I was waiting for Siliconera to publish the first Hanadan DS article:
http://www.siliconera.com/2008/08/05/living-the-privileged-life-in-hana-yori-dango-koi-seyo-onago/
I took advantage of Play-Asia’s PUMP deal as well :D
I know what you mean about easy deletes - in TMGS1L I accidentally deleted ALL my save data a month after I got it. I had to replay and get Madoka and Reiichi’s pictures.
I just got Persona 3 FES, and still have yet to play it. I finally set my PS2 back up because I was tired of getting PS2 games and claiming I’d play them later.
I wish Barnes & Noble would just put them all in one section. I feel weird walking through the kids and teens area looking for a series like Ouran. >.<
I’m collecting Alice Gakuen, Aria, Ouran and Fruits Basket. But if I see cheap or used copies of Bleach or XXXHolic, I’ll pick them up as well. (Also I’m going to buy the last 3 volumes of Hanadan.)
I just always keep an eye out at Half Price Books and Goodwill. I found 3 volumes of XXXHolic at Goodwill for like 89 cents each or something ridiculous like that.
on August 6, 2008 at 01:25 PM - LINKOh yeah, I’ve read one of their TokiMemo reviews, etc…
I know, I got both Reichi’s shot where you have to be really stupid and fail the exams as well as a friendship and one love ending (;_;) I was playing through Madoka a few weeks ago when I deleted it all, so I have half a Madoka game to finish, but the first half’s worth of memories are gone. I can’t deal with it right now so I’m concentrating on winning Shiba :)
FES! I also want to play that game… When Persona3 first came out, I heard bad things about Persona FES but now they’re all good :( Maybe I’ll get the Japan version since I have the US version of the original, but I don’t know if I’m up to it (language-wise)…
I was obsessed with that game, but am too lazy to set up my brother’s (US) PS2. I can see how it would be boring, but somehow I really enjoy it even though I don’t like things like “Random Battles.” I can play in the tower for hours on end, day and night (=_=;;)> Maybe I’ll play tonight, hehe…
Seriously! Whenever I go to the teen section, there’s always a couple of girls and a mom, and then some dad in the corner staring at me weirdly.
I don’t think I live near a Goodwill (at home or school)… but I can’t drive well yet, so that might not be true…
on August 6, 2008 at 04:41 PM - LINKOkay cool. So I’ve already written another 2 Hanadan DS story for Siliconera that should be up soon, and I have 2 more planned (one explaining how to handle dates) that may be up next week.
I really should go back and finish TMGS1L, but I’m still distracted by TMGS2S. I just like the characters better overall, I think. (Like I hated Mihara, but adore his TMGS2 counterpart Christopher.)
I’ve been playing Persona since Persona 1 on the PS1, so I really should start Persona 3. I kind of want to go back and play Persona 2 also… when I got it I was frustrated by the difficulty and put it aside. But now I want to give it a second chance.
You should check the Goodwill website for locations. I really adore my local one - I even found 3 Namie Amuro albums there.
on August 7, 2008 at 04:39 PM - LINKSweet, looking forward to it. I thought I saw your name on the review you linked to, but wasn’t sure if I remembered correctly.
Mm, yeah, I like Kei better than Teru (plus I don’t like his first name) except for at the amusement park, hehe. But Himuro is waaay cooler than Wakaoji :) I’m not close friends with Haruhi, but Kinki Japanese is so cute! Plus, she’s not paired with the Kansai guy (although though the two brainy characters are a pair).
How are Persona’s 1+2? Just reading about them on the net, they seemed really different from P3. I remember reading about some politically incorrect character in P1 for the US version...? Hehe.
I can’t wait for P4 to be localized (but I really wish Atlus’d get better voice actors. Not that they’re bad as they are now though, just very typical… I kind of like Sanada’s voice though… Oh, and bring the PS1 Snowboard Kids stateside so I can play it without my N64.)
What other games do you play? Musashi for PS2 had terrible voice acting but it’s a great game. Oddly, I enjoyed one of the FMA games too. But my favorite is probably the Jak and Daxter series (haven’t played X or Daxter yet though). I just found out Naughty Dog came out with a game for PS3 last year, and now I’m dying for one more than ever! I have yet to see one in real life…
Really? Usually I go to BookOff, which probably isn’t as cheap, but I can always find something I want there, and it’s conveniently located. If only my kanji were better, I would probably clean out the $1 manga section :) (it’s huge. I don’t know where you are, but if you go to NYC you should check it out. I think there’s one in Cali too, but I’m not sure...)
on August 7, 2008 at 06:57 PM - LINKPS: going to the white tiger exhibit and seeing past flame Kazuma is really awkward :)
on August 7, 2008 at 07:03 PM - LINKOh Himuro is much, much better. I did like Wakaoji sensei’s English though. It was kinda funny when that event popped up. XD Haruhi WAS cute, but I went after Hariya my first run-through and couldn’t use her as a friend for boosting popularity and such.
Persona 1 is similar to Persona 3, but Persona 2 is somewhat different. I haven’t played either since my freshman year of high school, so its been a while. I remember really enjoying Persona 1 (I even got the secret character who could do magic tricks), but I got stumped by the dark world map near the end. (I couldn’t find my way either to this castle/hospital or this park area...) I’m pretty sure Persona 1 did have some kind of objectionable character, but I can’t remember at the moment. :P
I’m looking forward to P4 as well. Wasn’t Snowboard Kids already localized and released on the DS though? I’m fairly sure I saw a Snowboard Kids title around the time the DS launched.
As for games, I adore portable RPGs on the GBA, DS or PSP. I also like PS1 and PS2 games, mainly RPGs. I also like quirky titles like Katamari and music games. I have the PS2 Musashi and a PS1 one if I remember right. I’ve never played the FMA games or the Jak and Daxter series. (I do have the Daxter game, as it came with my PSP, but I’ve never played it.)
I really adore simulations and rpgs though - something with a great story and characters that I can get lost in. I also enjoy games based on my fav anime and mangas (like the Nana DS game and such). Plus I adore classic NES and Intellivision titles - I’m a master at Shark Shark! and Nightstalker.
I’ve never been to BookOff or seen one in the Chicago area. There probably is a location here that I’ve just never noticed.
I don’t think I’ve seen the white tiger exhibit and Kazuma event - When I accidentally erased my TMGS1Love data, I was just starting a Kazuma route. Then I went and redid Madoka and went for Reiichi and Kei.
on August 8, 2008 at 05:21 PM - LINKI preordered P4 yesterday ^o^
Snowboard Kids did have a DS release (SBK), but it was on N64 first (I have 1+2). I haven’t tried the DS version yet, but I hear the old character designs are missed.
Musashi does have a PS1 title, but I haven’t tried it, since I finally got an N64 right before it was discontinued and my brother received a PS2 at the same time (I had to wait years before I was finally allowed to get a console...)
My favorites are live-action RPG’s. FFTactics (PS1, not GBA) is the only FF game I completely enjoy (although I still haven’t finished it...). Thanks to TMGS, I like stat-raising games, and Katamari is amazing as well (although after not playing games the whole summer, I now suck at it… uuu… I want to roll up the king!). I have to admit I’m a huge PUMP fan (don’t have a PSP yet so can’t comment on the portable). As for classic games (I don’t know if this counts), I used to enjoy Tekken and Puzzle Bobble (Bust-a-Move in US).
Most of my handheld experience (until TM1) was on the GameBoy up to GBA, so I mostly played Kirby, etc. (I have one Fire Emblem game, and FFTA, which was terrible in comparison to PS1v.). I tend to obsess over the PS games more than the Nintendo games, so I can’t wait to get a PSP (I can bring Katamari everywhere, hehehe).
According to their website, there is no Chicago location :(
Here is a list of US stores, so if you’re nearby, you should check it out. Or if you visit Japan :D
http://www.bookoff.co.jp/en/info/kaigai02.html
About the White Tiger exhibit, it’s in TokiMemo2. Supposedly the TM1 characters only show up during certain months, but since I happen upon them, I don’t know if that’s true or not. I think I took Shiba to the zoo when the exhibit was announced in the News. All the TM1 characters I’ve seen (Kazuma, Hibiya, Sakuya-ugh, Kei) look really weird though (except Kei :3). Don’t you think Hibiya looked good for that one moment when he didn’t have his hair in that weird do? I wish that were his normal hairstyle…
on August 9, 2008 at 04:04 AM - LINK