The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (Kaoru hana wa rin to saku) is a manga by Saka Mikami that started to be serialized back in 2021. Given that recently it received an anime adaptation, it just so happen to pass under my radar and I’m here to talk about it.
It is, once again, a slice of life anime (on the romantic side); I know that I tend to talk quite a bit about this specific genre, but I find that these are the ones who also mostly have something interesting to say. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity does not necessarily add something new to the formula, but it does use it pretty well: it is a wholesome, heartwarming series and – as a friend of mine said – you can’t do anything but love the characters. To give you an idea of what it’s about, it’s the love story between two high-schoolers (who are physically reminiscent of the protagonists of Toradora). Add to the mix the fact that they go to two different schools (which hate each other like the Montagues and the Capulets) and you have pretty much all the ingredients you need.
Normally, a solid point of discussion for this series would be the deceptive nature of appearances; it reminds us how easy it is to judge others and how flawed that judgment can be. This correlates perfectly to the futility of the hatred between the two high-schools. It never forces its moralistic views, but their echo and importance is still unquestionable.
What I want stress however is the relationship between the main character and his family. In just thirteen episodes, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity delivers a touching portrayal of what it means for a mother and a father to care for their son. It’s not about the sacrifices that parents make (because sacrifice is an erroneous term); it is a question of wanting to do anything in one’s power to bring genuine happiness to the other. The series doesn’t insist on this, but that is what makes it feel even more authentic.
So yeah, with all that said and done, apparently there is a new manga series that I will have to read when it’s finished. Definitely worth keeping an eye on.