Boys Over Flowers [Anime Series]  (1996)

Theatrical Release Information:
Boys Over Flowers [Anime Series]

Makino Tsukushi may be from a poor family, but she has the smarts to get into the prestigious Eitoku High School and the grades to prove it. The four rich boys who socially control Eitoku High, also known as the Flower Four, don't offer new students as easy an acceptance, however, especially ones from less flashy backgrounds like Makino. She stands up to the harsh hazing she receives upon her arrival, but when Tsukasa Domyoji, an F4 boy from the richest and most powerful family in town takes an interest in Makino, the fumbling story of their high-school romance forms the basis for this romantic comedy. Boys Over Flowers is considered by many to be deliberately referential to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the John Hughes' film Pretty in Pink. It is also frequently referred to as a "reverse harem anime," one that uses the popular anime paradigm of a one hapless male surrounded by lovely girls and turns it on its head. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide