In the streaming era, it would be logical for everything to premiere simultaneously everywhere, but that is not the case. Especially not when we talk about Asian productions. Japanese, Korean, and Chinese productions tend to premiere locally first and then release them to the rest of the world, which leads to certain problems when it comes to adjusting the conversation. In particular, because it is easy for part of the audience to have already seen these movies and series by the time they reach outside their countries.
That is the case of The Nobility of Flowers. An anime that premiered on July 9 in Japan and, although its first season has not yet finished, is taking Japan by storm.
But not only in Japan. The series is causing a sensation on social media from everyone who can watch it, in one way or another. Now it arrives on Netflix, almost two months after its initial release, so that we can all catch up with one of the big sensations of anime this year. But what does The Nobility of Flowers have to sweep like it is doing? It is a believable, sweet romantic comedy that is easy to empathize with its characters at all times.
An anime with a big heart
The plot follows two boys, Rintaro Tsumugi and Kaoruko Waguri. Rintaro attends the public Chidori High School and Kaoruko goes to the private all-girls Kikyo Academy. There is a clear rivalry between the two institutions, as Chidori is considered to only have troubled boys from lower-class backgrounds, while Kikyo has honorable girls from affluent families.
Both fulfill that stereotype, but they also challenge it, and that is the premise of the series. Rintaro is tall and has an intimidating appearance, but as Kikyo will discover right at the beginning of the series, he is a shy and insecure boy with a big heart. However, attending two rival schools, even though they want to get to know each other better and deepen their friendship, it won’t be easy at all. Much less when their feelings for each other start to grow over time.
With remarkable direction and commendable pacing, the series excels at conveying the emotions of both boys, perfectly balancing comedy, romance, and touches of drama. Something that has earned it great popularity among fans not only of romance but of anime in general.
Manga is already tremendously popular in itself
But this shouldn’t catch anyone by surprise. It is an adaptation of the manga by Saka Mikami that has 18 volumes published and is still ongoing, which is one of the most popular series in the Magazine Pocket magazine. And it is because of the tremendous personality of its character design, the sweetness and rawness of its narrative, and its ability to convey those complex emotions and situations without belittling them, but without making them excessively dramatic, to the point of making them exaggerated or too intense.
In addition, given the pace of adaptation, it is to be expected that there will be a second season of the series. At the very least. Especially considering the success it is harvesting on social media.
That’s why, taking advantage of its premiere on Netflix, you should watch The Nobility of Flowers if you are interested in romantic comedies, romances, or stories about teenagers trying to overcome their situation despite everything. Because few series have as much heart and sensitivity as this one. And even if it were just for that, it would be worth watching.