The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity explained

Ja Kanji:薫る花は凛と咲く
Ja Romaji:Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku
Genre:Romantic comedy[1]
Type:manga
Author:Saka Mikami
Publisher:Kodansha
Imprint:Shōnen Magazine Comics
Magazine:Magazine Pocket
First:October 20, 2021
Volumes:14
Type:tv series
Studio:CloverWorks
First:2025
Last:scheduled
Portal:yes

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Saka Mikami. It began serialization on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket manga website and app in October 2021, with its chapters collected in 14 volumes as of October 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by CloverWorks is set to premiere in 2025.

Plot

Chidori Public High School and Kikyo Private Academy Girls' High School are two schools situated next to each other boasting contrasting reputations, with Chidori Public High gaining infamy for enrolling delinquent boys from the lower class and Kikyo Private Academy being known as a prestigious academy enrolling honorable and noble girls. Both schools have a long-standing rivalry, with Kikyo Private Academy viewing Chidori Public High lowly and with scorn; this leads students from Chidori Public High to avoid getting involved with matters concerning Kikyo Private Academy.

One day, Rintarō Tsumugi, a Chidori Public High student, attends to a customer named Kaoruko Waguri at his family's bakery and becomes surprised at Kaoruko viewing him for his kindness as he later saves her from being harassed by delinquents. Kaoruko thanks him and Rintarō wonders when he will meet her again until he discovers to his shock Kaoruko attends Kikyo Private Academy. Following this, Rintarō and Kaoruko aspire to learn more about the other as their friendship grows.

Characters

Main characters

A well-meaning, tall and towering student from Chidori Public High who is perceived by others as intimidating. Due to this, he has a low self-esteem of himself, often assuming he would only be seen as a delinquent. He also works at his family’s bakery, where he meets Kaoruko for the first time and becomes surprised of Kaoruko seeing him for his kindness rather than his intimidating appearance and school affiliation; her continuous kind and caring behavior makes him develop a crush on her.
  • A kind and caring student from Kikyo Private Academy who comes from a humble family and enrolled at the academy under a scholarship; she is also shown to excel in her grades, leading her to be regarded highly by her peers. She meets Rintarō at the bakery due to being a regular customer and sees his kindhearted nature rather than his intimidating looks, resulting in her falling in love with him. She is also a glutton and eats much of the pastries at the bakery.

    • Chidori Public High School

    A friend and classmate of Rintarō's who is outgoing and energetic. Despite being ditzy at times, he is very considerate and fosters a positive atmosphere among his friends. He also does not harbor any grudge towards students attending Kikyo Private Academy.
  • Another friend and classmate of Rintarō's who is shown to be intelligent which leads him to tutor Rintarō and Shōhei with their exams to avoid them failing. Shy and introverted, he is however cynical and makes sardonic remarks towards people who mock his friends, though he has good intentions and has difficulty in expressing his thoughts.
  • Another friend and classmate of Rintarō's who is shown to be good-natured, friendly and insightful, though he sometimes pokes fun at others. However, when his friends get ridiculed and hurt, he does not hold back in taking action towards those who hurt his friends, showing a proficiency in self-defense; despite this skill, he makes an effort to avoid resorting to violence.

    • Kikyo Private Academy Girls' High School

    Kaoruko's childhood friend and classmate who is timid around boys due to being bullied by a group of boys in her past. She looks up to Kaoruko with respect after she stood up to her and aims to do anything to protect her. She was initially hostile to Rintarō and his friends but warms up to them after learning of their kindness.
  • Another friend and classmate of Kaoruko's who does not harbor ill sentiments towards the students of Chidori Public High unlike her fellow schoolmates, being indifferent with the rivalry between each school.
  • Another friend and classmate of Kaoruko's.
  • Another friend and classmate of Kaoruko's.
  • Another friend and classmate of Kaoruko's.

    • Supporting characters

    Tsumugi family

    Rintarō's mother who manages the bakery with her husband and deeply cares for Rintarō.
  • Rintarō's father who is the humble head baker. Although usually lethargic from dedicating himself to his work, he also cares for Rintarō.
  • Rintarō's older brother who works as a beautician.

    • Waguri family

    Kaoruko's mother.
  • Kaoruko's father.
  • Kaoruko's younger brother.

    • Other characters

    Saku's younger sister.
  • A high school girl who was a classmate of Kaoruko in middle school.

    • Media

    Manga

    Written and illustrated by Saka Mikami, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity began serialization on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket website and app on October 20, 2021. The series has been collected in fourteen volumes as of October 2024.

    Kodansha publishes the series in English on their K Manga service.[2] At Anime Expo 2023, Kodansha USA announced that the series would be published in print starting in Q2 2024.[3]

    Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

    These chapters have yet to be published in a volume.

    Anime

    An anime television series adaptation was announced during the Aniplex Online Fest event on September 16, 2024. It will be produced by CloverWorks and is set to premiere in 2025.[4]

    Reception

    The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity was nominated for the 2022 Next Manga Awards in the web category and was ranked sixth out of fifty nominees.[5] The series was also nominated for the Tsutaya Comic Awards and ranked second.[6] It ranked seventh in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2023.[7] The series was nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in the category in 2023;[8] it was also nominated in the same category for the 48th edition in 2024.[9]

    The series has over 3.3 million copies in circulation by September 2024.[10]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: ja:底辺男子校に通う強面男子とお嬢様校の少女を描く「薫る花は凛と咲く」1巻. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/468735. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc. March 9, 2022. March 5, 2023. ja. March 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230305160456/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/468735. live.
    2. Web site: Kodansha's K Manga app launches with 60 English simupubs among 400 titles. Sora News 24. May 10, 2023. May 10, 2023. May 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230510150058/https://soranews24.com/2023/05/11/kodanshas-k-manga-app-launches-with-60-english-simupubs-among-400-titles/. live.
    3. Web site: Hodgkins. Crystalyn. Kodansha USA Reveals 21 New Print Licenses, 3 Omnibus Releases, 2 Digital Licenses. Anime News Network. July 1, 2023. July 1, 2023. July 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230701220717/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-07-01/kodansha-usa-reveals-21-new-print-licenses-3-omnibus-releases-2-digital-licenses/.199832. live.
    4. Web site: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Manga Gets TV Anime at CloverWorks in 2025. Anime News Network. September 16, 2024. September 16, 2024. September 16, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240916065949/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-09-16/the-fragrant-flower-blooms-with-dignity-manga-gets-tv-anime-at-cloverworks-in-2025/.215591. live.
    5. Web site: Loveridge. Lynzee. Medalist, WITCH WATCH, Akane-banashi Win Next Manga Awards 2022 Results. Anime News Network. August 31, 2022. February 17, 2023. August 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220831130106/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2022-08-31/medalist-witch-watch-akane-banashi-win-next-manga-awards-2022-results/.188752. live.
    6. Web site: ja:「山田くんとLv999の恋をする」が「みんなが選ぶTSUTAYAコミック大賞」で大賞獲得. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/482488. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc. June 22, 2022. March 5, 2023. ja. June 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220627220958/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/482488. live.
    7. Web site: Harding. Daryl. RuriDragon is Japanese Bookstores No. 1 Manga Recommendation of 2023. Crunchyroll. February 2, 2023. March 5, 2023. February 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230202092434/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2023/02/01/ruridragon-is-japanese-bookstores-no-1-manga-recommendation-of-2023. live.
    8. Web site: Cayanan. Joanna. 47th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Nominees Announced. Anime News Network. April 10, 2023. April 10, 2023. April 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230410092014/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-04-10/47th-annual-kodansha-manga-awards-nominees-announced/.196953. live.
    9. Web site: Cayanan. Joanna. 48th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Nominees Announced. Anime News Network. April 8, 2024. April 8, 2024. April 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240408091203/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-04-08/48th-annual-kodansha-manga-awards-nominees-announced/.209646. live.
    10. Web site: ja:『薫る花は凛と咲く』2025年にテレビアニメ化 PV公開で制作はCloverWorks. https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2345041/full/. Oricon. September 16, 2024. September 16, 2024. ja. September 16, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240916081322/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2345041/full/. live.

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