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Is Hana-Kimi Anime In Production? Here's What We Know
Shojo manga Hana-Kimi, which ran from 1996 to 2004 in Hakusensha’s Hana to Yume magazine, has an anime adaptation in the works.
A long-awaited anime adaptation of Hisaya Nakajo's beloved shojo manga Hana-Kimi was officially announced today, on May 15, according to Crunchyroll’s official website. The news comes nearly two decades after the manga's conclusion and just months after Nakajo's passing in October 2023.
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e was created by the late Hisaya Nakajo, who passed away in October 2023 due to a heart disease. The premise of the manga involves Mizuki, a girl who has returned to Japan from America, attending an all-boys school under disguise as a boy in order to meet her idol, Izumi Sano.
Hana-Kimi anime is officially in production
The official website and Twitter account for the Hana-Kimi anime adaptation have been launched, revealing that the manga adaptation is in production. Crunchyroll has announced that the anime will be streamed on the service when it premieres in the future, with the series expected to be available in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and India.
The Hana to Yume editorial department also released a congratulatory comment following the announcement:
“‘Hana-Kimi’ is becoming an anime!
This is a project that's been discussed for a while with Hisaya Nakajo-sensei as we moved things forward.
Nakajo-sensei had been watching over the rough drafts of the characters and the scenario, and she was looking forward to seeing the world of "Hana-Kimi" presented in a different way than the manga.
It's very unfortunate that we weren't able to see the completed product along with Sensei, but because of the passionate support of the readers, 'Hana-Kimi' is coming back again in the form of an anime right around the 20th anniversary of when the manga ended, and we are truly grateful for that fact.
Hana to Yume editorial department and the production staff have been working together so that we can live up to the expectations of Nakajo-sensei and the readers, so please look forward to the broadcast!"
The announcement coincides with the 20th anniversary of Hana-Kimi’s manga ending, making it a bittersweet celebration for fans.
What is Hana-Kimi about?
Hana-Kimi centers on Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese girl who lives in the United States. One day, she sees a track and field competition on TV, and becomes attracted to one of the high jump competitors, Izumi Sano.
She begins to idolize the young athlete and eventually transfers to Japan to attend the same school that Sano attends. Sano attends an all-boys high school named Osaka Gakuen and Mizuki attempts to disguise herself as a boy to enter.
Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese girl living in the United States, watches a program on TV featuring a high jumper named Izumi Sano. She was amazed by his performance and begins following his athletic career.
Years later, she does research on him and discovers that he is currently attending Osaka High School. The school is unfortunately an all-boys school and Mizuki convinces her parents to send her to Japan by herself.
Oblivious to the fact that their daughter is going to attend a boys school, her parents let her go. To enter the school, she cuts off her long hair, disguises herself as a male, and tries her best to give hope to Sano after hearing that he no longer does the high jump anymore.
As she settles in, an accident reveals her identity to Hokuto Umeda, the school doctor, and Izumi Sano. Izumi hides his knowledge of Mizuki's gender and tries to help her keep her secret, though it sure is not easy as many situations land Mizuki in compromising positions that will reveal her true gender.
Crunchyroll and VIZ describe the anime as follows:
"Japanese-American track-and-field star Mizuki has gotten herself to transfer to a high school in Japan…but not just any school! To be close to her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano, she’s going to an all-guys’ high school…and disguising herself as a boy! But as fate would have it, they’re more than classmates…they’re roommates! Now, Mizuki must keep her secret in the classroom, the locker room, and her own bedroom. And her classmates–and the school nurse–must cope with a new transfer student who may make them question their own orientation…"
The 23 Japanese volumes of the series has sold over 17 million copies in Japan. The English release of volume 6 was ranked 9th in the Bookscan chart while six months after, volume 9 came in 5th as one of the top-selling graphic novels in North America.
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