Japanese Drama Review 8 - Hanayori Dango Episode 1 - Makino's Choices

A Red Notice alarm is shouted in the hallways of the school. The students call an end to ‘home-room’ and rush to participate in the bullying and scorning of the flagged student. Makino remains at her desk. She does not join in with the frenzied attack on the F4’s choice of a disgraced student.

Makino is distracted from her solitude by a new transferred student. She asks, ‘I don’t get it but is it okay not to go?’ Makino does not voice her response, her thoughts express a compassion for the new student – if she knew the reality of Eitoku she would regret entering the school. The Red Notice is the F4’s declaration of war on a fellow student. The student body joins in on the attack, and bullying of the student.

As we are concerned for Makino’s spiritual development and we want to affirm her, correct her, and ensure her growth we can commend her for remaining in her chair, for not joining in on the feverish attack of another person. To remain in her chair when the school body participates in a combined assault of another student is commendable.

With Makino’s comment on the reality of Eitoku and that if the truth were known about the school, students would not apply, nor enroll, we get a glimpse of her opinion of the school. Makino causes me to wonder if she has ever revealed the reality of school life to her parents. Has she told them of the bullying, of F4’s control of the school, of the weak adult leadership who do not maintain order, principles nor ethics at the school? I don’t think so.

Where Makino’s strength to not be involved is wonderful, we still need to address her lack of communication with her parents on what is occurring. Makino is accountable for not having discussed the problems at Eitoku with her parents. As a teenager it is not Makino’s responsibility to address the problem with school administrators. It is her responsibility to discuss it with her parents. It is her parents’ responsibility to pray and seek wisdom on the best way to address the problem.

Should Makino stay at Eitoku?

What are the options for schooling for Makino?

Should they inform the school of the problem?

How would they do this, and whom should they involve in discussing this with the school?

If your child told you this was their reality, what would you do?

If your child was the one being attacked, what would you do?

How would you respond if your child was the bully, the one harsh and judgmental of others?

Again, we can look to Psalm 1 for comfort and wisdom in the discipling strategy for not only Makino, but for wisdom for her parents. Psalm 1 is must in applying to their lives, and in the decisions they make for Makino’s schooling.

What about you, do you make your decisions with the Word of God as your guide, and in obedience to Him?

• Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish (Psalm 1:1-6).

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