The Wallflower (manga): Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Manga series and its adaptations}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}

{{More citations needed|date=February 2008}}

{{Infobox animanga/Header

| name = The Wallflower

| title_name = The Wallflower (My Fair Lady)

| image = WallflowerV1.jpg

| sizecaption = Cover of volume =1, featuring 200pxKyohei

| ja_kanji = ヤマトナデシコ七変化

| caption = Kyohei!

| ja_romaji = Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

| ja_name = ヤマトナデシコ七変化

| genre = [[Comedy]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Santos|first=Carlo|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/the-wallflower-gn-1-3|title=The Wallflower GN 1-3|work=Anime News Network|date=March 22, 2006|access-date=August 4, 2016}}</ref><!-- Note: Use and cite reliable sources to identify genre/s, not personal interpretation. Please don't include more than three genres (per [[MOS:A&M]]). -->

| ja_name_trans = Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

| genre = comedy, shoujo

}}

{{Infobox animanga/MangaPrint

| titletype = manga

| author = [[{{ill|Tomoko Hayakawa]]|ja|はやかわともこ}}

| publisher = [[Kodansha]]

| publisher = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Kodansha]]<br> {{flagicon|Canada}} {{flagicon|United States}} [[Del Rey]]<br>{{flagicon|Singapore}} [[Chuang Yi]] (English)<br> {{flagicon|Germany}}[[Tokyopop]]<br>{{flagicon|Philippines}} <br>

| publisher_en = {{English manga publisher|NA=[[Kodansha Comics]]|SG=[[Chuang Yi]]}}

| serialized = [[Bessatsu Friend]]

| demographic = ''[[Shōjo manga|Shōjo]]''

| first_run = 2000

| last_runmagazine = [[Bessatsu Friend]]

| first = March 13, 2000

| num_volumes = 17 (ongoing)<ref>{{Ann manga|id=4120|title=The Wallflower}}. Accessed [[2006-12-14]].</ref>

| last = January 13, 2015

| volumes = 36

| volume_list = List of The Wallflower chapters

}}

{{Infobox animanga/AnimeVideo

| titletype = TV series

| director = [[Shinichi Watanabe]]<ref name="Newtype USA 5 11" >{{Cite magazine|title=Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge|magazine=Newtype USA|volume=5|issue=11|page=19|date=November 2006|issn=1541-4817}}</ref>

| director = [[Shinichi Watanabe]]

| studio producer = [[Nippon Animation]]

| writer = Haruka

| network = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[TV Tokyo]], [[TV Aichi]]

| music = {{ill|Hiromi Mizutani|ja|水谷広実}}<br>[[Yasuharu Takanashi]]

| first_aired = [[October 3]], [[2006]]

| studio = [[Nippon Animation]]<ref name="Newtype USA 5 11"/>

| last_aired = [[Present (time)|Current]]

| licensee = {{English anime licensee|NA=[[Funimation Entertainment]]|AUS=[[Madman Entertainment]]}}

| num_episodes = 14(as of [[January 9]], [[2007]])<ref>{{Ann anime|id=6818|title=Yamato Nadesico Shichihenge}}. Accessed [[2006-11-30]].</ref>

| network = [[TV Tokyo]]

| first = October 3, 2006

| last = March 27, 2007

| episodes = 25

| episode_list = List of The Wallflower episodes

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Video

| type = drama

| title =

| director =

| producer = {{ubl|{{ill|Yasuharu Ishii|ja|石井康晴}}|Shinichi Sanju}}

| writer = {{ill|Eriko Shinozaki|ja|篠﨑絵里子}}

| music = [[Kosuke Yamashita]]

| studio = [[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]]

| licensee =

| network = [[Japan News Network|JNN]] (TBS)

| network_en =

| first = January 15, 2010

| last = March 19, 2010

| episodes = 10

| episode_list =

}}

{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}

{{nihongo|'''''The Wallflower'''''|ヤマトナデシコ七変化|[[Yamato nadeshiko]] Shichi Henge| "The Seven Metamorphoses of Yamato Nadeshiko"|lead=yes}} is a [[manga]] series written and illustrated by {{ill|Tomoko Hayakawa|ja|はやかわともこ}}. The individual chapters have been serialized in [[Bessatsu Friend]] since 2000, and in 36 [[tankōbon]] volumes in Japan by [[Kodansha]]. The series was licensed for an English language release in North America by [[Del Rey Manga]] and in Singapore by [[Chuang Yi]], under the name ''My Fair Lady''. The series ended in January 2015 after 36 volumes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-10-08/the-wallflower-yamato-nadeshiko-shichihenge-manga-to-end-in-3-more-chapters/.79676|title=The Wallflower/Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge Manga to End in 3 More Chapters|work=Anime News Network|date=October 8, 2014}}</ref>

[[Nippon Animation]] adapted part of the manga series into a twenty-five episode [[anime series]] which aired on [[TV Tokyo]] and other channels from October 3, 2006 through March 27, 2007.<ref name="Newtype USA 5 11"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/yamanade/|title=テレビ東京·あにてれ ヤマトナデシコ七変化|trans-title=Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge|publisher=TV Tokyo|access-date=2008-03-09}}</ref> The anime adaptation has been licensed for [[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 1]] release by [[A.D. Vision]],<ref name="ADVAnnounce">{{Cite web|url=//www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-05-15/adv-acquires-the-wallflower|title=ADV Acquires The Wallflower|work=Anime News Network|date=May 15, 2007|access-date=2007-07-14}}</ref> who paid $500,000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-01-30/adv-court-documents-reveal-amounts-paid-for-29-anime-titles|title=ADV Court Documents Reveal Amounts Paid for 29 Anime Titles|work=Anime News Network|date=January 30, 2012}}</ref> In 2008, ''The WallFlower'' became one of over 30 ADV titles whose North American rights were transferred to [[Funimation Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=//www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-04/funimation-picks-up-over-30-former-ad-vision-titles|title=Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles|work=Anime News Network|date=July 4, 2008}}</ref>

'''''The Wallflower''''' is a [[manga]] and [[anime]] series<ref>[http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/yamanade/ Official anime site]</ref> by [[Tomoko Hayakawa]]. Alternative titles include '''''Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge''''' (translated as ''Perfect Girl Evolution''), and '''''Sunako of Many Forms'''''. The series was serialized in ''[[Bessatsu Friend]]'' in Japan, and released in [[North America]] by [[Del Rey Manga]], with English translation by [[David Ury]]. The series is published in [[Singapore]] in English by [[Chuang Yi]] as '''''My Fair Lady'''''.

A television drama adaptation aired on [[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]] and its affiliates from January to March 2010.

==Plot==

==Characters and plot==

{{See also|List of The Wallflower characters}}

''The Wallflower'' is about a girl named Sunako who was called ugly by the first and only person to whom she confessed her love. This incident sparks a life change, and as a result Sunako shuns all forms of beauty, both in herself as well as in life. Concerned by her change for the worse, Sunako's aunt, the owner of a huge mansion where four very handsome high school students live (for free), demands the boys to transform her niece into the "perfect lady", and in return they will be able to continue living there for free. They are given a deadline and if they are unable to uphold their deal then they would have to either pay a lump sum of cash or vacate the premises.

While the four of them manage to make Sunako physically beautiful enough to become a lady, the problem lies with her attitude and interests (which Sunako has no intention of changing). Up until the most recent release in the story, they manage to convince Sunako's aunt that her niece is indeed a lady befitting the mansion in which they live (and prevent the rent from skyrocketing to triple the required amount). However, in reality Sunako has not changed at all. Sunako has the tendency to spurt out in a nose bleed when seen by bright creatures, especially around Kyohei.

[[Characters of The Wallflower]]

It is a humorous tale following Sunako and the four boys through unusual and ridiculous situations where Sunako is confronted with many unwanted experiences of being a lady, while also channeling the idea of self and beauty.

{{spoiler}}

==Media==

''The Wallflower'' is about Sunako Nakahara, a girl who is called "ugly" by her first love. This incident sparks a life change, and as a result Sunako shuns all forms of beauty, both in herself as well as in life. Her aunt, owner of a beautiful mansion where four very handsome students live, desperately wants to make her into a lady, and offers the guys free rent in her mansion if they can turn the beast into a beauty.

===Manga===

While the four of them manage to make Sunako physically beautiful enough to become a lady, the problem lies with her attitude and interests (which Sunako has no intention of changing). Up until the most recent release in the story, they've managed to convince Sunako's aunt that her niece is indeed a lady befitting the mansion in which they live in (and prevent the rent from skyrocketing at most triple the required amount). However, in reality, Sunako has not changed considerably.

{{main|List of The Wallflower chapters}}

''The Wallflower'' manga series is written by [[Tomoko Hayakawa]]. The individual chapters have been serialized in ''[[Bessatsu Friend]]'' since its premiere in 2000, and in 36 ''tankōbon'' volumes in Japan by [[Kodansha]]. The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by [[Del Rey Manga]] and in Singapore by [[Chuang Yi]] – under the name ''My Fair Lady'' and in [[Indonesia]] by [[Level Comics]] under the name ''Perfect Girl Evolution''.

===Anime===

{{main|List of The Wallflower episodes}}

Because the manga's creator, Tomoko Hayakawa, is an avid admirer of the rock singer, [[Kiyoharu]], it was decided that Kiyoharu would perform the theme music for ''The Wallflower'' anime. His songs, "Slow" and "Carnation" play over the opening and ending themes, respectively. The songs were a collaboration between Kiyoharu and Takeshi Miyo. The background orchestral music was written by two respectable Japanese composers, Hiromi Mizutani and [[Yasuharu Takanashi]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}

== '''Main Characters:''' ==

The opening theme "Slow" plays over recycled footage from the first episode, and is more of a love ballad. Episode 14 onwards shows the second version of the opening sequence which portrays more original footages. Whether this change was made due to growing popularity or the initial reception is unknown.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}

The first closing theme, "Carnation", the more upbeat of the two, is set to a small computer animation of Hiroshi dancing in the corner as the credits scroll up the page. {{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}

SUNAKO NAKAHARA: is obsessed with dark, evil and gory things, often hiding in her unlit room with her three most prized possessions: two anatomical models named Hiroshi and John and a skeleton named Josephine. Her fascination with these things are usually what drive people away from her. Strangely, she is talented at many ordinary things like cooking, building (kotatsu for the crew), and on top of that, is also considered a brilliant student (except for math, which she just doesn't like). An otherwise stunning character, Sunako is known throughout her town as "that scary onee-chan".

'''∞'''Changing'''∞''', the second ending theme by [[Bon-Bon Blanco]], presents the viewers with an even faster rhythm while preserving the use of computer animation (Hiroshi, Josephine and Akira dancing to the song) in the sequence.

KYOUHEI TAKANO: one of the four others that live with Sunako. The hot one. He is considered the most beautiful and oftentimes, is followed around by a horde of girls. However, with his beauty, comes a curse; he endures sexual abuse from his employers, or manages to get fired for attracting many crazed and destructive customers (his fans). Though plagued with a dark past, Kyouhei manages to be cheery most of the time. Sometimes though, when he gets serious, he gets blunt. Kyouhei is usually the one that makes Sunako own up to her faults. As the story progresses, one sees the developing romantic relationship between Kyouhei and Sunako ;).

The series has [[List of The Wallflower episodes|25 episodes.]]

TAKENAGA ODA: The intellectual one. Not much is known about his past, except that he comes from a long and impressive line of rich flower arrangers. Love interest: Noi Kasanara

====Reception====

YUKINOJO TOYAMA: The girly man. He is oftentimes referred to as "Yuki" and is famous for his feminine looks. He dresses up in dresses sometimes(Sunako's horror house and at a photo shoot),

Concerns of racism have been raised concerning the two characters who ring the gong. They are darker-skinned than the rest of the characters and dressed only in loincloths. [[Racism in Japan|Japan's issues with racism]] are well-documented.

but usually not without a fight. He is kind and compassionate and has a genuine interest in others' well-being.

===Live action drama===

RANMARU MORII: The playboy. Also the most popular because he flirts back with the girls that admire him (unlike the other three). The playboy side of him is the only one that is really played up on in the storyline.

In the 18th issue of Bessatsu Friend, it was announced that a live action drama adaption of the manga has been green-lit for airing in January 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|url=//www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-11-12/the-wallflower-manga-gets-january-tv-drama-green-lit|title=The Wallflower Manga Gets January Tv Drama Green-Lit|work=Anime News Network|date=November 12, 2009|access-date=2009-12-19}}</ref> On November 30, the cast was announced for the live action drama.<ref>{{Cite news|url=//www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-12-02/cast-for-the-wallflower-tv-drama-announced|title=Cast for the Wallflower Tv Drama Announced|work=Anime News Network|date=December 2, 2009|access-date=2009-12-19}}</ref> Actor and member of the [[J-pop]] group [[KAT-TUN]], [[Kazuya Kamenashi]] stars as Kyohei, while actress [[Aya Ōmasa]] plays the lead role as Sunako. This is broadcast on [[Tokyo Broadcasting System|TBS]] with the opening theme, KAT-TUN's "[[Love Yourself (Kimi ga Kirai na Kimi ga Suki)]]". They added one more main character, Nakahara Takeru, the landlady's son.

==Influence==

NOI KASAHARA: Takenaga's love interest. Also considered the most beautiful girl at their school. She is cheery, but whiny when she doesn't get her way.

''The Wallflower'' has inspired a fashion line by [[Julie Haus]] that appeared in the 2008 [[New York Fashion Week]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Huguenin|first=Patrick|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/young-designer-works-haute-pace-fashion-week-article-1.319662|title=Young designer works a haute pace before Fashion Week|work=New York Daily News|date=September 3, 2008}}</ref>

==References==

== '''Secondary Characters:''' ==

{{reflist}}

==Further reading==

* {{Cite web|last=Cooper|first=Liann|url=//www.animenewsnetwork.com/right-turn-only/2004-11-20|title=Sugar Rush – RTO|work=Anime News Network|date=November 20, 2004}}

LOLI-GOTH GIRLS: Four (ugly) girls that harbor a crazed obsession with Kyouhei.

* {{Cite web|last=Ellingwood|first=Holly|url=http://activeanime.com/html/2009/12/20/the-wallflower-complete-series/|title=The Wallflower Complete Series|work=ActiveAnime.com|date=December 19, 2009}}

* {{Cite web|last=Gaffney|first=Sean|author2=Beasi, Melinda|author3=Dacey, Katherine|author4=Smith, Michelle|url=http://mangabookshelf.com/28551/pick-of-the-week-genshiken-wallflower-more/|title=Pick of the Week: Genshiken, Wallflower, & more|work=Manga Bookshelf|date=May 29, 2013}}

THE BOSS: Forget which episode. A gangster dude who falls in love with Sunoka.

* {{Cite web|last=Beveridge|first=Chris|url=http://www.mania.com/wallflower-vol-1_article_79882.html|title=Wallflower Vol. #1|work=Mania|date=December 11, 2007|publisher=[[Demand Media]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324095949/http://www.mania.com/wallflower-vol-1_article_79882.html|archive-date=March 24, 2014|url-status=dead}}

==Manga==

[[Image:YNDeutche.jpg|thumb|250px|left|[[TokyoPop]] Germany's release of Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge.]]

The manga is currently underway in Japan, and so far has accumulated 17 volumes. The storyline of the anime has so far followed the manga plotline closely, with only minor changes (most notably the sequence).

===Themes===

:Underneath the comedic demeanor The Wallflower has many reoccuring themes that appear throughout the series.

:;Self-Acceptance

:One such theme is that of self-acceptance, and can be witnessed often through the main character, Sunako. She often portrays both sides of the spectrum, with one side being her refusing to compromise her character (giving up her morbid lifestyle). On her flip side of self-acceptance, it is often shown that she doubts herself almost constantly, and usually refuses to see herself as a suitable companion for "those creatures of the light". As the series progresses you can see her confidence build up as she discovers that she can bridge both worlds.

:;Beauty

:Another theme that seems to dominate the manga is beauty, or the pursuit of it. The boys are offered free rent if they can change Sunako into society's (as well as the landlady's) concept of a beautiful lady. However, Sunako often rebuffs the boys' attempts at changing her, since she had long since abandoned her feminity, as well as that becoming a lady would mean that she would have to give up her (hello) morbid hobbies. One of the facets of this theme is the cast's realization that being beautiful doesn't mean following society's standards. Another facet would be the "ugly" side of beauty, in that many of the boys are often stalked by both men and women alike because of their good looks. While many of his roommates will like, or be tolerant of this attention, Kyohei often complains of this treatment (he complains in one episode of the anime that he can't even hold a job because of this). One other point to this theme is the idea of natural and artificial beauty. Sunako often complains that she wasn't born as a "creature of the light", while the boys were born beautiful.

:;Food

:Although this seems irrelevant, food has traditionally been a symbol of belonging and the household. For instance, in Hayao Miyazaki's film [[Spirited Away]], the protagonist begins to fade away until she eats a small piece of food from the spirit world, making her a part of it. As is found out fairly quickly, Sunako is a decent cook, symbolic of her position as keeper of the house. It also demonstrates the intent for this house to eventually become a home, when Sunako becomes a lady, and is married (presumably to Kyohei). In another instance, Kyohei's desire for hot pot becomes a metaphor for his desire to repair his broken childhood, in which he never got to spend such meals with his family.

==Anime Adaptation==

:As the anime has not yet been licensed in the US, the anime is released under it's Japanese title of '''Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge'''.

[[Image:YNSep1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Kyohei leads Sunako through a mocking crowd.]]

===Anime episodes===

[[List of Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge episodes]]

===Anime Cast===

* Sunako Nakahara - [[Sachiko Takaguchi]]

* Kyohei Takano - [[Shōtarō Morikubo]]

* Takenaga Oda - [[Tomokazu Sugita]]

* Yukinojo Tōyama - [[Yūya Yamauchi]]

* Ranmaru Morii - [[Hirofumi Nojima]]

* Noi Kasahara - [[Mai Nakahara]]

===Music===

:Due to the author's tastes in music, it was decided that the theme music for Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge would be done by [[Kiyoharu]], a popular and handsome [[J-pop]] singer in Japan. His songs, "slow" and "Carnation" play over the opening and ending themes, respectively. The songs were a collaboration between Kiyoharu and Takeshi Miyo. The background orchestral music was written by Hiromi Mizutani and Yasuharu Takanashi, two respected musicians.

:The opening theme "slow" plays over recycled footage from the first episode, and is more of a love ballad. The closing theme, "Carnation", the more upbeat of the two, is set to a small computer animation of Hiroshi dancing in the corner as the credits scroll up the page.

==Trivia==

*Tomoko Hayakawa, creator of The Wallflower (manga), is an avid admirer of Kiyoharu, so it is an appropriate choice that he is performing the opening and ending themes for an anime based on her work.

*In the "About the Author" pages, Hayakawa states that she is a big fan of [[The Nightmare Before Christmas]], and shows a picture of her mantleplace that is similar in appearance to Sunako's.

*In the manga Sunako is frequently portrayed in a [[super deformed]] aspect, but in the anime Sunako is life size, but retains many of the facial features of her super deformed manga counterpart.

==Reception==

:Reception of the series has been mixed, with many taking opposing viewpoints. Carlo Santos of [[Anime News Network]], while giving the manga a good review, states that "all the detail goes into specific elements like the bishounen characters, Sunako's horror props, and elaborate period dresses. However, she gets lazy everywhere else—backgrounds are sparse or nonexistent, crowds get rendered as simplified cartoon figures, and Sunako is regularly seen as a faceless mass of black hair." [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/reviews/display.php?id=964 (The article in question)] However, the manga and anime's wide appeal has drawn in many fans in several different countries.

:Reviews of the anime have also been mixed, with many fans of the series expressing dissapointment over lackluster animation, as well as with the studio's choice to recycle footage from the show for the opening animation instead of creating new animation to play over the opening theme. Many positive reviews have expressed their admiration that the anime has so far followed the manga's plotline closely.

==References==

<div class="references-small"><references/></div>

==External links==

* {{languageicon|ja|Japanese}} [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/yamanade/ YamatoOfficial NadeshikoTV ShichihengeTokyo Official''The AnimeWallflower'' Websiteanime website] {{in lang|ja}}

* [http://www.tbs.co.jp/yamanade2010/ Official TBS ''The Wallflower'' TV drama website] {{in lang|ja}}

* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4120 Anime News Network's Manga Entry on Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge]

* {{ann|manga|4120|The Wallflower}} <!-- manga page link to anime one so no need for more ext link here -->

* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6818 Anime News Network's Anime Entry on Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge]

* [http://www.geocities.com/perfectgirlev A Perfect Girl Evolution site and shrine to Sunako and Kyohei]

* [http://anidb.info/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4734 AniDB Anime Entry on Yamato Nadeshico Shichi Henge]

{{Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix Best Drama}}

[[Category:Shōjo]]

{{Nippon Animation}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallflower, The}}

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[[Category:The Wallflower (manga)| ]]

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