Hana Kimi to be shown on ABS-CBN and GMA-7

THE NETWORK war is on getting fiercer again. Proof? They are showing the same (same title, at least) TV series on March 24--the Taiwanese adaptation on ABS-CBN and the Japanese on GMA-7.

I did a little research and found out that the story of these TV dramas are based on the manga series, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e or For You in Full Blossom. The plot is about a girl who enrolls in a school for boys just to get near her idol. A twist of events eventually revealed her identity to the school doctor.

Many could associate this to the Koreanovela Coffee Prince on GMA-7. In fact, some ABS-CBN fanatics think that it is the network's answer to Coffee Prince, which had just ended.

The million-dollar question is, which version is better, the Taiwanese of the Japanese version?

A scene from the Taiwanese version (Wikipedia.com)

Mukamo.com says that the Japanese version could be better because it's funny, but it also says that the Taiwanese version could also be attractive to fans because the male lead actor is better looking than his Jap counterpart. Another thing pointed out in the said post is that ABS-CBN can dub it better.

There would be more room for comparison because they will not be shown on the same time slot. ABS-CBN puts Hana Kimi in its strengthened HaponTastic, while GMA-7 puts it on the timeslot before the evening news, 24 Oras, and against the game show Wheel of Fortune.

Contrary to Mukamo.com's claim, it is not the first time on Philippine TV. Few years ago, both ABS-CBN and GMA-7 showed Betty La Fea. When Betty La Fea on GMA-7 was about to conclude, ABS-CBN started airing the second season of the same series spoiling the much awaited ending of the first season.

This is the Philippines!