The appeal and reviews of "Hanasakeru Seishonen": The depth of an anime that depicts the brilliance of youth

Blooming Youth - Hanasakeru Seishounen -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 5, 2009 - February 14, 2010
NHK BS2 April 5, 2009 to February 14, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 39) Every Sunday 23:01 to 23:25

*Broadcast on "Satellite Anime Theater"

■Broadcasting station

Broadcast: NHK BS2

■Frequencies

29 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 39

■Original Story

・Original work: Natsumi Itsuki

■ Director

・Director: Chiaki Kon ^{Episodes 1 to 23} , Hajime Kamegaki ^{Episodes 24 to 39}

■ Production

Animation production: Pierrot Production: Sogo Vision Production and copyright: NHK, Pierrot

■Works

©INA/NHK, NEP, Pierrot

■ Story

"Would you like to play a game, Hanaka? A game to find the man who will become your husband..."

Harry, the chairman of the global corporation Burnsworth Group, also proposed to his only daughter, Hanako.
On an isolated Caribbean island, Hanagaka grew up with a white leopard as her friend.
She meets and is attracted to three men with strong personalities and charms from all over the world.
However, the destiny that Kagaka shoulders involves her in a battle over the succession to the throne of a certain country.
Three men were also deeply involved in this.

What is the complex web of human relationships and the true purpose of the "husband-finding game" that is revealed?

■Explanation

Hanaka is a beautiful girl with a unique charm at the age of 14. She is the only daughter of the president of the world-famous Burnsworth Group, and one day, her father Harry approaches her with a strange proposal: "Find a man to be your lifelong partner."
Then, under the guardianship of Tatsuto, the young head of the Nogizaka conglomerate whom Hanaka regards as an older brother, Hanaka meets three attractive men, as if guided by fate.
The men are Eugene, the third son of the Volkan family, one of Europe's leading financial conglomerates; Rumaty, the second prince of the Kingdom of Raginai, a country that has modernized through its oil resources; and Karl, the eldest son of the Rosenthal family, who is in conflict with Burnsworth.
Hanaka doesn't even know what it means to love someone yet, but as she deepens her interactions with them, she begins to search for "someone" who is important to her.
However, behind this proposal from her father lies a heavy destiny that Hanaka must shoulder... What is this destiny? And who will she choose as her partner?

*Quoted from Pierrot's official website

■Cast

・Kajika/Endou Aya・Ritto (Liren)/Morikawa Toshiyuki・Eugene/Ono Daisuke・Rumati/Namikawa Daisuke・Carl/Fukuyama Jun・Toranosuke/Kakihara Tetsuya・Quinza/Koyasu Takehito・Cao/Suwabe Junichi・Noei/Tsuchida Dai・Harry/Gouda Hozumi

■ Main staff

・Original story by Natsumi Itsuki ・Director: Chiaki Kon (episodes 1-23), Hajime Kamegaki (episodes 24-39)
・Series Composition: Mamiko Ikeda・Character Design: Yuko Kusumoto・Art Director: Mie Kasai・Director of Photography: Atsuho Matsumoto・Editor: Masahiro Matsumura・Sound Director: Hajime Takakuwa・Music: Tetsuya Saito, Tsuyoshi Sato・Animation Producer: Ryunosuke Tsuno・Production Supervisors: Atsuko Kashiwagi, Atsuya Hirooka, Yuji Shibata, Michiyuki Homma・Animation Production: Pierrot・Production: Sogo Vision・Production and Copyright: NHK, Pierrot

■ Main Characters

Hanaka Louisa Rikumi Burnsworth The only daughter of the Burnsworth family, one of the world's largest conglomerates, she has a free-spirited personality. Because she was raised isolated from the outside world from a young age, she lacks common sense and often makes those around her nervous. She is the protagonist of the story.
・Fan Lieren
As the head of the Chinese conglomerate, the Fang family, he is a shrewd man who received a gifted education. Although he cares for Hanaka more than anyone else, he cannot let go of his sense of mission for the prosperity of the family, and continues to worry alone as Hanaka begins to search for a husband.
Eugene Alexandre de Volcan: The third son of the Volcan family, one of Europe's leading financial conglomerates. He has a bewitching beauty that draws people in. He is always calm and collected, and is not shaken by things, but he also has a tendency to say nasty things to people he doesn't like. One of the potential husbands.
Rumati Ivan die Raginei The second prince of the Kingdom of Raginei. He has the looks and charisma of his grandfather Mahati, who built the Raginei of today. His arrogant behavior is typical of a prince, but he is pure and honest at heart. He is one of the candidates for husband.
Carl Rosenthal The eldest son of the Rosenthal family, who are in conflict with the Burnsworth family. He is a sharp-witted man, but because he is fundamentally honest and kind, he is unable to be completely ruthless. He suffers from claustrophobia due to a childhood trauma. He is one of the potential husbands.
A boy with a baby face who serves as a bodyguard for Toranosuke, V, and Haga Kagura. He inherited his father's skills. He has a somewhat childish personality, so he is often teased by those around him, and he has a hard time every day.
Born into a distinguished family that has served as chamberlains in the Kingdom of Raginay for generations, he is the head chamberlain to the second prince, Rumati. He is a very shrewd man who works hard for his country and Rumati, and is also greatly trusted by Rumati.
・Cao Wangqing
He is a subordinate who serves Tatsuto, the head of the Nori family. He handles everything calmly, and even Tatsuto has a high regard for his abilities. He is a good advisor to Tatsuto and one of the people who supports the Nori family as a good friend.
- Isaac Noe is a guard of the Crown Prince of Somand and a member of the Royal Guard of Raginai. He admires Somand deeply and is very loyal to him. He is not only rugged but also intelligent, making him a model soldier.
Harry Burnsworth is Hanaka's father and a businessman who built the company he founded into a major global corporation in one generation. His success is largely due to his natural charisma, but there are rumors that there is a secret about his origins.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1/Innocent Girl (2009/04/05)
・Episode 2/Love in the Rain (2009/04/12)
Episode 3: Sleepless Night (2009/04/19)
Episode 4: The Dawn of the Long Night (2009/04/26)
Episode 5: Meeting ~ Reunion (2009/05/03)
・Episode 6/Pure Heart (2009/05/10)
Episode 7: For Whom Do You Think (2009/05/17)
Episode 8: Promise (2009/05/24)
Episode 9: Things That Don't Change (2009/05/31)
・Episode 10/Cross Days (2009/06/07)
・Episode 11/Shape of Love (2009/06/14)
・Episode 12/Hitori (2009/06/21)
・Episode 13/Land of the Sun (2009/07/05)
・Episode 14/Warmth (2009/07/12)
・Episode 15/Moonlit Shrine Maiden (2009/07/19)
・Episode 16/Pride (2009/07/26)
・Episode 17/Unrequited Love (2009/08/02)
・Episode 18/Opposition (2009/08/23)
Episode 19: Uncontrollable Feelings (2009/08/30)
・Episode 20/Turning Point (2009/09/06)
・Episode 21/An unforgettable day (2009/09/13)
・Episode 22/Repose (2009/09/20)
Episode 23/Farewell (2009/09/27)
Episode 24/Confusion (2009/10/04)
Episode 25: The Unfilled Pieces (2009/10/11)
・Episode 26/Puppet (2009/10/25)
・Episode 27/Heavy Chains (2009/11/01)
Episode 28: Beyond the Misunderstanding (2009/11/08)
・Episode 29/In the Wheel of Fate (2009/11/15)
・Episode 30/Unstoppable Steps (2009/11/22)
Episode 31: Conflicting Ideas (2009/11/29)
・Episode 32/Lies and Truth (2009/12/06)
Episode 33: Seeds of Disaster (2009/12/13)
・Episode 34/Triumphal Return (2009/12/20)
・Episode 35/The Beginning of the Millennium (2010/01/17)
・Episode 36/Forever (2010/01/24)
Episode 37: Because I Love You (2010/01/31)
・Episode 38/Engraving Words (2010/02/07)
・Episode 39/Promised Sky (2010/02/14)

■ Related works

・Blooming Youth Compilation ・The World of Blooming Youth ・Blooming Youth Interview Special

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・CHANGE
・Lyrics: J-Min
・Composition: Takashi Kobayashi ・Arrangement: Takashi Kobayashi ・Singer: J-Min

・ED1
・One
・Lyrics/Yuka Matsumoto・Composition/Shinjiro Inoue・Arrangement/Takaji Kobayashi・Song/J-Min

Hanasakeru Seishonen - Review and Recommendation

"Hanasakeru Seishonen" is a TV anime series that aired on NHK BS2 from 2009 to 2010, and is based on the manga of the same name by Itsuki Natsumi. The story is about Hanaka, the only daughter of Harry, the chairman of the global Burnsworth Group. Hanaka grew up freely on an isolated Caribbean island with a white leopard, but when her father suggested a "game to find a husband," she meets three men from all over the world, and the story depicts her complicated relationships with them.

Although this anime is a long series of 39 episodes, it features a storyline that draws viewers in and attractive characters. In particular, it delves deeply into Hanaka's purity and growth, as well as the personalities and backgrounds of the men around her, making it easy for viewers to empathize with her. In addition, the subtitles for each episode are cleverly set to match the progression of the story, and there are many ingenious ways to draw the viewer's interest.

The anime was produced by Pierrot and directed by Kon Chiaki and Kamegaki Hajime. The beautiful visuals by character designer Kusumoto Yuko and the detailed background art by art director Kasai Mie especially enhance the appeal of this work. The music was also composed by Saito Tetsuya and Sato Go, and the moving background music matches the atmosphere of the story and captures the hearts of viewers.

The cast is also impressive, with Endo Aya as Hanaka, Morikawa Toshiyuki as Tatsuto, Ono Daisuke as Eugene, Namikawa Daisuke as Rumati, and Fukuyama Jun as Karl. The acting skills of the voice actors bring out the best in the characters. In particular, Endo Aya's performance, which realistically portrays Hanaka's growth, leaves a strong impression on viewers.

As for the story, the way Hanaka meets and is attracted to three men, her destiny becomes clear, and the plot unfolds beautifully. In particular, the gradual revelation of the true purpose of the "husband-finding game" proposed by Hanaka's father, Harry, is an important element that draws viewers in. In addition, the backgrounds and relationships of each character are depicted in depth, allowing viewers to empathize with their struggles and growth while enjoying the story.

The appeal of this work is that it is not just a love story, but a mixture of various themes such as politics, economics, and family ties. As Hanaka grows, the complexity of the world around her becomes clear, deeply moving the viewer. The subtitles of each episode are also cleverly set to match the progression of the story, and there are many ingenious ways to attract the viewer's interest.

Related works include "Hanasakeru Seishonen Omnibus", "Hanasakeru Seishonen no Sekai" and "Hanasakeru Seishonen Interview Special", which allow viewers to understand the story even more deeply. In addition, the theme song "CHANGE" and the ending theme "One" further enhance the moving story with J-Min's beautiful voice and Takashi Kobayashi's composition.

"Hanasakeru Seishonen" is a deeply moving work that intertwines various themes, including not only romance but also growth, family, politics, and economics. In particular, Hanagaka's purity and growth, as well as the personalities and backgrounds of the men surrounding her, are explored in depth, making it easy for viewers to empathize with her. Additionally, the subtitles for each episode are cleverly set to match the progression of the story, and there are many ingenious ways to capture the viewer's interest. This work is recommended not only for those who like romance anime, but also for those who want to enjoy a deep human drama.