Summary

In an interview with Collider’s Laura Adams, producer Shoko Hori reveals how the anime challenges Japan’s quiet social codes.

Hori says the series, The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity, defies romance tropes by confronting conformity, guilt, and emotional honesty head-on.

What looks like a gentle love story is actually a rebellion against silence, judgment, and expectation.

Every season, new anime series flood streaming platforms, offering a wide array of genres. From popular adventure and action manga adaptations to romantic and slice-of-life tales, each series must compete in a crowded market to stand out. And that’s exactly what The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity manages to do. While this adaptation of the manga written and illustrated by Saka Mikami may seem like a typical high school romance at first, once you get to know its characters, it’s hard not to root for them, their friendships, their struggles, and how they handle discrimination and social expectations as they seek to create true connections. We had the chance to speak with producer Shoko Hori about what this adaptation aims to convey, which scenes were changed from the source material, and what fans can look forward to this season.
Shoko Hori on What Makes ‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity’ Special

“The ‘kind and gentle world’ of this series is created by its characters.”

‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity’ anime image.Image via CloverWorks Studio

COLLIDER: When adapting The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity into an anime, which aspects of the original manga did you most want to emphasize to viewers? SHOKO HORI: The original manga is not only a love story—it’s also a delicate and thoughtful depiction of how people build relationships. What drew us to the work was its soft, warm atmosphere and the gentle world it portrays. By adapting it into an anime, we wanted to introduce this wonderful story to as many people as possible—transcending age, gender, and nationality. The “kind and gentle world” of this series is created by its characters. That doesn’t mean they are simply kind by nature, but rather that they possess the ability to empathize and express their feelings honestly through sincere communication. It’s this willingness to face others earnestly that shapes the warmth of the story’s world. Through the characters’ interactions and personal growth, I believe the anime will warm viewers’ hearts and inspire gentle feelings within them. Just as it did for me, I hope that after watching, viewers will feel encouraged to think, “I’ll try a little bit harder.” Did the original author, Saka Mikami-sensei, share any opinions or feedback during the production process? If so, how were they reflected in the work? HORI: Actually, we didn’t receive that many direct requests or opinions from Mikami-sensei. It was more often the case that the anime team reached out to her with detailed questions or sought her input on various aspects. Of course, we asked about the characters themselves, but also about things like the layout of their rooms, the design of the cakes, and other setting details. During the storyboard stage, we consulted her about the characters’ emotions and expressions in certain scenes, and during voice recording, we discussed nuances in the dialogue — really down to the smallest details. Director Kuroki and the rest of the anime production team approached the project with such care and dedication, thoroughly analyzing the story and characters to express them authentically in animation. Mikami-sensei kindly and thoughtfully responded to all of our questions as well. Since manga and anime are different media, it’s common for some creative misalignment to occur between the two, but in this case, there was none of that. The creators on both sides respected and valued each other deeply, making the production process as sincere and harmonious as the world of the story itself.
Some Subtle Changes Were Introduced In ‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity’

“It’s a type of direction that only animation can achieve.”

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity characters Kaoruko Waguri and Rintaro Tsumugi.Image via Netflix.

When adapting a work into an anime, adjustments are often necessary. Were there any scenes in the original that you felt needed to be “reconstructed” for animation? Also, were there any major changes you’d like to share with fans? HORI: There weren’t any major changes significant enough to call a “reconstruction.” From the very beginning, we discussed and decided together which part of the story we would adapt into the anime, and since the original work was already structured with a clear timeline, there was a solid foundation to follow. That said, because the original story depicts the passage of time in a detailed way, we inevitably had to omit certain scenes in order to fit everything within the limited runtime of an anime episode. Whenever that happened, we paid close attention during the script meetings to ensure there were no inconsistencies between surrounding scenes — making sure the meaning of the dialogue, the emotional distance between characters, and their growth all felt natural and coherent. While there were minor adjustments, I believe the composition allows fans of the original work to enjoy the anime without feeling any discomfort or sense of inconsistency. Please tell us your favorite episode and scene, along with the reason. HORI: It’s very difficult to choose because every single episode is essential — the story wouldn’t work if any of them were missing. Rather than a favorite, I’d say the one that left the strongest impression on me was episode 6. The first half mainly features Subaru’s monologue, which is something not found in the original work. It’s a type of direction that only animation can achieve. The execution itself is wonderful, but I think what made it particularly special was how the previous episodes had been so faithful to the original tone, making this divergence all the more impactful. In terms of portraying Subaru’s emotions, the episode beautifully expresses her delicate heart and the guilt she can’t fully put into words through the visuals, making it a powerful piece of filmmaking. Subaru’s voice actress, Ms. Yamane, delivers such a powerful performance that it’s almost painful to watch, and in that exchange, we also hear Kaoruko express her feelings for Rintaro aloud for the first time — that moment was especially memorable. Additionally, the conversation between Rintaro and Subaru at the end of the episode really shows what kind of person Rintaro is. It’s an episode where you can clearly see his sincerity and integrity in how he interacts with others.
‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity’ Is Not Just About Rintaro and Kaoruko

“I’d also love for everyone to enjoy the lively, fun atmosphere that’s so typical of high school boys spending time together.”

Rintaro and his friends after winning the baseball match at the sports festival Image via Netflix

The friends of Rintaro and Kaoruko are also very charming in this series. As the story progresses, will we get to know more about the inner feelings of Rintaro, Kaoruko, and their friends? Please tell us what we should look forward to. HORI: That’s right. You’ll gradually come to understand how each of the Chidori students — Shōhei, Saku, and Ayato — thinks about and interacts with Rintaro and the others. I hope viewers will pick up on their personalities through their lines and little moments in their behavior. I’d also love for everyone to enjoy the lively, fun atmosphere that’s so typical of high school boys spending time together. As for Subaru, there’s an episode where viewers can truly get to know her past and her feelings toward her best friend, Kaoruko. It’s a story that depicts her struggles and growth in a way that makes you feel her pain as if it were your own. You’ll see how her awkward, yet sincere nature slowly begins to soften — I hope viewers will watch over her as she opens up little by little. Rintaro, meanwhile, grows steadily throughout the series, even if only in small steps at first. I’d love for viewers to pay attention to how his words, actions, and expressions gradually change from episode to episode. His development really makes you reflect on how much people can change — through the presence of others and through their own efforts to grow. In the latter half, you’ll also see him experience his first real feelings of love, a bittersweet part of being young. Lastly, Kaoruko — though she is the heroine, she’s portrayed almost like a hero. Her words and way of thinking are inspiring and often deeply comforting. She may appear to be a perfect girl, but in the final episode, we’ll get to see a slightly different side of her. I hope everyone will enjoy following her story all the way to the end. The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Release Date

July 6, 2025

Network

Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV

Directors

Jiro Arimoto

Writers

Honoka Katou

Yoshinori Nakayama

Rintaro Tsumugi (voice)

Honoka Inoue

Kaoruko Waguri (voice)

Kikunosuke Toya

Shohei Usami (voice)

Koki Uchiyama

Saku Natsusawa (voice)