Japanese Drama Review 25 (Last of This Series) - Hanayori Dango Episode 1 - A New Day

The long and difficult night is over – a new day has started, and Makino is seated in the dining hall at Eitoku. She opens the beautiful lunch box filled with delicacies and begins to savor the food given her. Tsukasa steps up to the table, he is cruel in his mocking and taunting of Makino. He takes her lunch box, calls her mother a ‘hag’ and throws it to the ground. Then he stomps on the lovingly packed prawn. Tsukasa walks away, and Makino falls to her knees to clean up the mess. The watching students snicker at her dilemma. Makino looks up slowly. ‘Wait right there,’ she says. Tsukasa responds, ‘Huh? Did you say something?’

Makino gets up and slowly walks towards him. She says, ‘I don’t know if you are a rich boy or what. You’re a loser who has never earned money on your own!’ ‘Don’t be so full of it,’ she shouts as she punches him. Tsukasa falls to the floor. Makino adds, ‘I will never run away. I declare war! Come on! Any time, any where,’

Makino’s words echo in Tsukasa’s memory – we see the memory of them triggered in his thoughts. They are the same words his mother used when hitting and abusing him. We learn something new about him! Those who are bullied and abused, often do the same to others.

As Makino walks away from the table she looks up and notices Rui’s gentle smile. She walks passed Tsukasa and exits the dining hall. She says to herself, ‘I did something great. Honestly, from this point on I’m afraid of their payback. But I will never lose to them even if they step on me or kick me. Because I’m Tsukushi, a strong weed!’

Another new day begins, and Makino steps out of her home. She basks in the beauty of the morning and turns to walk to school. A car stops, men emerge, they cover her mouth – she is kidnapped. We see Tsukasa watching from another car as Makino is dragged away by her kidnappers.

My goodness, what an episode. It invites us to watch episode two to see what happens to Makino. What will Tsukasa do to her? From what we have learned we can fear the worst, but should we? And Rui? What about him? Will his affinity for Makino grow? We don’t know.

From this episode we have learned much about human nature, greed, envy, bullying, jealousy, perceived wrongs, and revenge, the need for discipleship, and how to think analytically and critically about what we observe about others. We have been encouraged to consider ways we can stimulate discussions amongst our youth and in our family discussions too. From our observations we learned to apply Biblical principles to many situations. I trust you will continue to evaluate and exercise Biblical discernment as you minister to those around you.

Consider Tsukasa, why does he behave as he does? What is the best way to minister to him? How would you lead your youth group to reach out to him, and how would you counsel your family to minister to him? I would suggest prayer? What would you do? And then Makino? From our previous discussions, how would you continue to disciple her? Now, she’s been kidnapped? How would you come alongside her family in the time to come? And when released, what comfort and counsel would you give her? Previous counsel on possible rape would apply here too. Do you agree? What alternate counsel should be given?

• 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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