I just finished the Taiwanese one. My firefox crashed as I was re-writing this review. I'm going to try and make everything as short and sweet as possible cause I hate re-writing things. This review may be worse of better *shrugs*
Characters:
All the characters are basically the same, except Quan and Sano. They're not all that different either but I.. half the time I felt like smashing Sano's head into the wall. Why? I really don't like the silent characters who just wallow in their self-pity. People like Sano. I'll even mention Sawada Shin because, yes, I did hate his guts in Gokusen as well. Quan isn't like that, he was never like that honestly. I mean, Quan is a lot more outu-going, nicer, smily and fun and maybe Sano isn't like that in the manga but I don't care. The fact that Quan does not wallow in his own self-pity makes the entire drama so much more enjoyable for me.
Other characters I want to mention are all the side characters, the dorm heads, the photographer, in the Japanese one they appear like every episode and are almost like main characters except not whereas in the Taiwanese they come and go respectively. They appear for their little story and then never come again, which I like. I don't know why the Japanese focused so much on the side characters -_-''
Oh, the doctor. I sort of like the Taiwanese one more cause he's more sadistic, and he appears more.
Actors:
You think I'd like the Japanese actors more considering I've seen them more but.. appearently that is not the case.
I like Wu Chun a lot. I like Shun a lot. But... I like Wu Chun more. A bit odd, but I do. In this I will be superficial and say it's becuase Wu Chun looks hot xD But acting wise, both of them are very good and they acted very well. I really can't choose when it comes to acting and skill. And their behind-the-scenes personalities are also equally appealing. I mean Shun's really cute and funny and I find Wu Chun amusing cause he's always mentions eating and screws up on his Mandarin.
For Maki and Ella. I have to say Maki did her acting better than Ella, but Ella looked a lot more like a guy than Maki did. In my eyes anyways. Why? She totally reminds me of some guy in my grade. But yes, Maki's acting was better than Ella's so you'd think they'd be equal in my eyes. But they're not. I've seen Maki in HanaKimi and Kurosagi and although she is quite a good actor I've honestly never been interested in her at all. Ella though has really captured my interest. Maybe it's because she's so tomboy-ish and open and so I find her a lot more amusing and entertaining.
Jiro and Toma. Now choosing between these two guys is really hard. I really don't think I can honestly. I mean, both their portrayals of their characters were quite good but again, I have never really been interested in Toma. For both these guys I only like them in their respective roles but outside I don't pay much attention to them.
Wu Chun > Shun
Ella > Maki
Jiro = Toma
Story:
For the Japanese drama they focused more on side-stories in the beginning and then fell into the whole "high-jump" thing. Although I have to say, as much as I found the side-stories enjoyable they were also a bit tedious, there were so many characters (dorm heads, etc.) and they just kept re-appearing and it was a bit annoying. Although the story is not bad overall I don't really like the flow of it. I mean, I know at the end they were trying to show that because of the little trials, Sano changed and high jumped and blah, but... Sano was so emo for so long it was just sort of like "oh my god..." and although you sort of did see the relationship develop it wasn't as special as the Taiwanese relationship.
For the Taiwanese drama they got the whole High Jump thing over with all nice and fast within the first 3-ish? episodes and then focused on the developing relationship as well as the side stories (in which the characters left and appeared respectively). I like that a lot more. Because focusing on the relationship was enjoyable, you really see Quan slowly fall more and more in love with Rui Xi and then the little stories pop up, coming and go, yet flowing very nicely all together. I was actually glad they didn't focus on High Jump so much -_-''
Ending:
I. Hate. Hate. Hate the ending of the Taiwanese one. I know, strong words. Although my hate and dislike seems to mostly stem from my intense Chunella fangirling but really, I don't like that ending. The entire last episode was just so "wtf" for me. I mean, I understood (somewhat) the closure between Xiu Yi and Rui Xi but then there was the whole "Quan I have to tell you something", "Okay I have to tell you something too Rui Xi" and then they get interrupted billions of times and then when they finally are about to spit out that "I'M A GIRL" and "I ALREADY KNEW YOU WERE A GIRL" it never happens! They never tell each other, even at the end. I mean, they could've kept the last scene of "I lied to them about your secret" but all I want in that ending WAS FOR THEM TO TELL EACH OTHER! I mean, Rui Xi doens't have to tell the entire school but at least she could've told Quan, or Quan could'v told her what he knew but NOooooo. The producers have to be dumbasses >_> That's what I was waiting for the entire fricken drama. -_-'' But Noo... they never do. They leave the ending so open for a sequel and then the producers/director people are like "Nope, no sequel cause we don't think it'll be possible" *sigh*
Yes, I'm really pissed off at the Taiwanese drama.
As for the Japanese ending. It was... alright. I mean, the only part I really remember is the really long "good-bye" thing (which I skipped actually) and then the really crappy kiss at the end BUT they KNOW. They find OUT, they get ficken TOGETHER there is CLOSURE. Something the Taiwanese one did not have >_> So although the Japanese ending was not the best ending in the world ever, in my opinion it beats the Taiwanese just for the single fact that, Mizuki tells her secret out. It is known. It's not enough for me that Quan knew from the first episode, I want Rui Xi to actually say something. The fact that Quan knows from episode 1 does nothing for me. It just serves to build up to the end when he is supposed to tell her but never does.
alright, I'm going to shut up about how disappointed I am at the ending now. Sorry ^^''
Overall Comments:
Alright, I remember posting on here somewhere about how I hated Taiwanese dramas more than Korean ones, but Hua Yang completely contradicts that. I love this drama so much and most of it boils down to the wonderful chemistry that Chunella have on (and even off) screen. It makes everything so much more enjoyable for me. Shun and Maki did not have much chemistry together, if at all.
I think Hua Yang is like my HanaDan, my complete and utter love. The only difference is that, whereas HanaDan had a sequel, Hua Yang did not and probably will not and that really pisses me off. (but I don't go on about that).
....
Overall - I like Hua Yang more than HanaKimi.
(if I say anymore I will just continue on and on about Chunella and the whole "no sequel" thing so bye bye, done my review ^^)
