The Wallflower is a little less of a mouthful. It’s also a more appropriate title then the literal translation – the Seven Metamorphoses of Yamoto Nadeshiko. For one, there are no metamorphoses. Don’t be fooled, the ugly duckling isn’t about to get transformed into a beautiful swan. Instead the show is primarily concerned with promoting the acceptation of its lead heroine for the twisted, horror-crazed loner that she is, rather than successfully changing her.
The initial premise might sound a tad dopey, four bishishounen boys, Takano Kyohei, Morii Ranmaru, Oda Takenaga and Toyama Yukinojo (Yuki), are set a challenge by their eccentric landlady, to transform her unpolished niece into a prim and proper lady and in return their rent will be free. Obviously they leap at the chance but let’s not forget that failure will result in triple rent. Under those terms it’s neither fair nor an ideal situation for either party. Of course the setup is complete silliness but still I have to question what kind of an aunt would leave her underage niece in the company of four underage boys and zero adult supervision? The fact that these kids never throw a raging party and trash the place is nothing short of a miracle! I also have to question the notion that young boys can teach a girl how to be a lady?
The four boys themselves are your standard archetypal characters. Headstrong Kyohei fits the main protagonist/potential love interest role well. Ranmaru is your typical womanizing playboy. Takenaga is the rational, smart one. And Yuki is so cute he can pass for a girl and often does. While seemingly passé, the characters are able to come into their own with little force. It’s nice to see stereotypes that actively contribute more to the plot rather then weighting it down.
Enter Sunako Nakahara, the reclusive, scruffy Goth with an unparallel thirst for all things dark and gory. Her back-story is pretty simple, after being called ugly by her first crush during middle school, Sunako locked herself away, shunning all things beautiful, including herself. It’s an excessive reaction but one that is relatable. However it is quickly established that Sunako’s lack of interest in her appearance is not the boy’s biggest obstacle. Sunako doesn’t want to change, she is genuinely happy with the life she leads, absolute solitude with anatomy dolls as her only friends. So as you’d expect she isn’t too thrilled about sharing a house with four beautiful boys or creatures of the light as she refers to them, thus frequently resorting to nosebleeds and fainting fits whilst in their unbearable shinning presence.
Of course, Sunako is neither “ugly” nor incapable of ladylike behaviour when the occasion calls for it, this is established fairly early on, specifically when Kyohei is in need of rescuing from a host bar. Just supporting the notion that Sunako’s lifestyle really is her choice and I kinda like this message. It’s a great reassurance that Sunako doesn’t change in the end. Perhaps interestingly as well, a romance never fully blossoms between Sunako and Kyohei despite sharing all the hallmarks of a true shojo couple including the notorious accidental first kiss. Cinderella doesn’t get her prince, and it doesn’t bother her one bit!
In all, The Wallflower makes no attempt to play it seriously. Its agenda is purely to poke fun at trademark shojo and bishonen themes, rose petals and all. One non-stop riot from start to finish, lucky for Kyohei, Ranmaru, Takenaga and Yuki, they made it out alive!
Rating: 7.5
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