Description
In 1996, a late-night Japanese television drama brought the manga of Hiroya Oku, the creator later known for Gantz, to life with a two-part series exploring unexpected same-sex attraction among high school students. The live-action Hen aired on TV Asahi in the Weekend Drama slot, presenting two distinct but tonally similar stories over the course of twelve episodes. The first half, broadcast from April 6 to May 18, follows the macho and straightforward Suzuki, played by Shinsuke Akagi, who becomes inexplicably besotted with his classmate Yuki Sato. Convinced that the beautiful and effeminate Yuki is a girl trapped in a boy's body, Suzuki pursues him with comedic determination. Adding to the unconventional setup, the role of the male student Yuki is portrayed by the female idol Aiko Sato, and the narrative plays the situation for laughs rather than dramatic tension. This arc also features the manga author Hiroya Oku himself as a character, depicted as Sato's best friend.
The second half of the series, titled Hen: Chizuru-chan to Azumi-chan, aired from May 25 to June 29 and focuses on a different couple. This more popular arc centers on Chizuru Yoshida, a brash, athletic, and sexually confident high school girl played by former adult video star Asami Jo. Chizuru is accustomed to using men for her amusement and keeping them at a distance, but her world is turned upside down when the innocent and sweet-natured Azumi Yamada, portrayed by idol Miho Kiuchi, transfers to her school from Kyushu. To her own horror and confusion, Chizuru finds herself falling genuinely in love for the first time, and with another girl. She struggles to understand her feelings, doubting her own identity as a lesbian while becoming increasingly obsessed with winning Azumi's affection. This storyline also includes Chizuru's wounded boyfriend, played by Shinsuke Akagi, who reprises his role from the first arc in a new part, adding to the comedic complications. While the television broadcast censored certain content with mosaics, the subsequent VHS release was notable for being more explicit, featuring fewer cuts of the nudity performed by the lead actresses. The series was directed by Mitsunori Morita and Miki Nemoto, with music by Hiroya Watanabe, and featured theme songs by the bands Dear and Favorite Blue.
The second half of the series, titled Hen: Chizuru-chan to Azumi-chan, aired from May 25 to June 29 and focuses on a different couple. This more popular arc centers on Chizuru Yoshida, a brash, athletic, and sexually confident high school girl played by former adult video star Asami Jo. Chizuru is accustomed to using men for her amusement and keeping them at a distance, but her world is turned upside down when the innocent and sweet-natured Azumi Yamada, portrayed by idol Miho Kiuchi, transfers to her school from Kyushu. To her own horror and confusion, Chizuru finds herself falling genuinely in love for the first time, and with another girl. She struggles to understand her feelings, doubting her own identity as a lesbian while becoming increasingly obsessed with winning Azumi's affection. This storyline also includes Chizuru's wounded boyfriend, played by Shinsuke Akagi, who reprises his role from the first arc in a new part, adding to the comedic complications. While the television broadcast censored certain content with mosaics, the subsequent VHS release was notable for being more explicit, featuring fewer cuts of the nudity performed by the lead actresses. The series was directed by Mitsunori Morita and Miki Nemoto, with music by Hiroya Watanabe, and featured theme songs by the bands Dear and Favorite Blue.
Cast
- Yūki SatōAiko Satō
- Miho Kiuchi
- Hiromi SaijōAsami Jō
- Kiriko YamadaHitomi Hara
- Hiroya OkuKazuma Shigaya
- Izumi SugitaMaki Hamada
- Shizuka YamakawaMiho Kiuchi
- Tomoko NakayamaMoe Ishikawa
- Masahiko TsujiShingo Yanagisawa
- Sushiaki KarasawaTaiju Okayasu
- Ryūichi Kobayashi
- Homeroom TeacherYōko Hoshi
- Asami Jō
- Ichirō SuzukiShinsuke Aoki
- Takashi SaekiHideki Okada
- Saena SuzukiJuri Miyazawa
- Etsuko SatōKimie Matsui
- Hiroko OkusonoMayuko Aihara
- Yuriko TakahashiMimi Mizuhara
- Hideto HaradaRyōtarō Muramatsu
- HiroyukiShinsuke Aoki
- Miho Takikawa
- Ms. ShimadaReiko Nomori
Comment(s)
Staff
- DirectorHiroshi IkezoeKatsunori TomitaMiki NemotoMitsunori Morita
- MusicHiroya Watanabe
- Theme Song PerformanceDearFavorite Blue
- ScriptKenichi IwasaYumiko Aoyagi
- Original MangaHiroya Oku
Production
- StudioSPO
Relations
Recommendations based on shared tags.
Music
Opening
“Melody”
“Ai yori Hageshiku, Dare yori mo Itoshiku" (愛よりも激しく、誰よりも愛しく)”
Ending
“Ai yori Hageshiku, Dare yori mo Itoshiku" (愛よりも激しく、誰よりも愛しく)”
“Melody”






