2025.12.28
Context: Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku
("The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity")
Two episodes in and I thought I was seeing why westerners like this show, but now, after finishing this show, the more I think about it the more unsure I've become about this. This is very clearly Japanese-style classical Shoujo romance (which I pretty much would enjoy), but not everyone is going to be able to appreciate the subtle dynamics and the manners (its execution may be modern, but at its core it's a very 「王道」 show). Is it good romance? Yes. Is it worth 8.6/10? Seems unlikely; I personally would give it 7.5+. But how are the westerners ever be able to appreciate subtle gestures and heavy reverences without themselves at least being in this culture for a long time, especially at this era we're currently living in where all of that stuff has long but discarded among the general public? That seems to make the hype a bit more understandable: being compensatory, perhaps?