At the time of this review I am 6 episodes into the Japanese version, but I will try to refrain from comparing the two at all. This was the first version I watched and I am basing my rating on this fact. Overall, this drama was a joy to watch. The "girl-disguises-as-boy-and-joins-all-boys-school" trope has been done many times before, and yet the story still managed to keep me interested and engaged. I felt like it could be a bit overly dramatic at parts--I mean, dramas tend to do that a lot, but I've noticed it in Taiwanese dramas more often, especially this one. I do admit that, although I was engaged for most of my viewing experience, there were times when it felt like a chore to watch the show. It may have been because I started it right as the school year began and thus was a bit overwhelmed and it took me a long time to get through. I feel like it some parts the story could have been tighter, but overall it was very good. As for the casting... well, I wasn't expecting much to begin with. Ella really did overact a lot. The moments when she cried were especially overdone. However, it did add charm to her character. Wu Chun wasn't a bad actor, but he wasn't exactly great, either. His acting was very simple, nothing about it stuck out to me at all. Jiro, on the other hand, was absolutely hilarious. He fit his character so perfectly. He was ridiculous, but that was completely acceptable due to the nature of his character. I loved it. The chemistry between Ella and Wu Chun was also excellent. Not much to comment on music-wise. I love S.H.E. and I love the opening theme. I think it reflects the mood of the drama quite well. The insert music was also good and reflected the mood of every scene well. All in all, Hana Kimi is a captivating and charming drama that will have you smiling throughout the entire show. Cheesy? Yes. Definitely. But it works in its favor, even if it has its flaws.