HANA-KIMI

Mizuki Ashiya is a Japanese-American track standout who quietly transfers from California back to Japan, but she chooses a very specific destination: an all-male school where her athletic idol, Izumi Sano, studies. To be near him she cuts her hair, alters her voice, and poses as a boy, winning a room next to Sano. Complications pile up as Sano accidentally learns Mizuki is female and begins to fall for her, while classmate Shuichi Nakatsu, unaware of her secret, develops his own feelings. The show keeps its focus on friendships, school life, and romantic confusion without revealing major plot turns here.

The 2007 TV adaptation was created by Hiroyuki Gotō and Shogo Muto, based on the manga by Hisaya Nakajo. It stars Maki Horikita, Shun Oguri, Toma Ikuta, Mahiru Konno, and Takaya Kamikawa, and it brought the manga's mix of school comedy and sports drama to live action TV audiences.

The series didn't collect major industry awards, but it earned steady viewer appreciation during and after its broadcast. It helped raise the profiles of several cast members, who went on to larger roles in film and television.

Hana-Kimi made a mark on pop culture through its memorable character interactions and comic situations centered on gender disguise. Fans still quote moments and debate the love triangles, and the show is often mentioned when people talk about manga-to-drama adaptations from the 2000s. Its blend of humor and heart made it a reference point for later television romantic comedies in Japan.

Critics and audiences tended to enjoy the chemistry among the leads and the balance between lighthearted scenes and more serious athletic competition, reflected in an average user rating around 7.3 out of 10. Major themes include identity and performance, friendship loyalty, and the awkward honesty of teenage attraction, all presented with a steady mix of laughs and emotional beats.