The cast of the main characters for the TV anime " Hana-Kimi e", based on the popular girls' manga by the Hisaya Nakajo , which was also made into a live-action drama, has been announced, with Yamane Ayaka playing the role of Mizuki Ashiya , Yashiro Taku playing the role of Izumi Sano, and Kikunosuke Toya playing the role of Nakatsu Shuichi. A teaser PV featuring the main characters has also been released on YouTube.
Yamane commented, "When I saw the audition materials for this production, I was reminded of my youth when I watched the original drama that was broadcast in 2007. To think that one day I'd get to play Mizuki as an adult...it really feels like a dream. When I heard I'd passed, I was floating around, thinking 'Is this a dream?', but I'm going to keep my feet on the ground and run hard!"
"Mizuki is a bright girl who is honest, tomboyish, and a bit of an innocent side. I am really looking forward to playing her! I will do my best to live up to the expectations of all those who love the original work, those who spent their youth watching the drama, and all the Hanazakari fans! I will do my best to bring you the excitement of those days, so please look forward to the broadcast!"
Yashiro said, "I think that ' For Hana-Kimi' is a work that continues to represent youth for many people. From the time of the audition, I was excited at the fact that this great title was being made into an animation, so when it was actually decided, I was overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. Now I am filled with the desire to convey that same feeling of youth to as many people as possible." He is enthusiastic, saying, "I would like to play the role while cherishing each and every feeling that the character Izumi Sano has, and the feelings that are directed towards him. I would also like to do my best together with the staff and my co-stars to express the colorful charm of this work to the fullest."
Toya said, "I was a member of my generation and enjoyed this series in real time, so I'm very happy to be involved in its anime adaptation! I'm really excited to see how I'll play the role and how it will work with my co-stars!" She added, "Nakatsu is particularly adolescent out of all the characters, and I think what makes him so appealing is that he shows us a wide range of emotions. Now that I'm an adult, I want to play the role while remembering each and every one of the feelings I had at the time that I have forgotten. I'll do my best to liven up the series together with the mood-maker Nakatsu!!!"
The series is a school comedy that was serialized in the manga magazine Hana to Yume to Yume (Hakusensha) from 1996 to 2004. The story follows Mizuki Ashiya , a young girl who disguises herself as a boy and transfers to a boys' boarding school in order to meet her crush, Izumi Sano . She lives her life at the school without anyone realizing her true identity, but one day, she discovers that she is a girl. It was made into a TV series in 2007 and 2011, which also became a hot topic. The comics have sold over 17 million copies in total.
