Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku

The all-girls Kikyo Private Academy and Chidori Public High School are polar opposites. With its prestigious history, Kikyo is attended by noble young ladies from distinguished families, while Chidori is infamously full of simple-minded delinquents. It is no surprise that their students clash with their differences.

Having a tall stature and fierce appearance, Chidori student Rintarou Tsumugi is often avoided by others despite his gentle heart. One day, while helping out at his family's patisserie, he meets a customer who, after a brief moment, runs away from him. The next day, the customer returns to apologize to Rintarou, introducing herself as the cheerful Kaoruko Waguri.

After spending time with Kaoruko, Rintarou appreciates that she does not judge him based on his appearance and looks forward to when they will meet again. However, when Rintarou discovers Kaoruko attends Kikyo, their relationship will challenge the social expectations and dynamics around them.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Waguri, Kaoruko Main

Inoue, Honoka Japanese

Tsumugi, Rintarou Main

Nakayama, Yoshinori Japanese

Hoshina, Subaru Supporting

Yamane, Aya Japanese

Natsusawa, Saku Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Tsumugi, Kyouko Supporting

Hikasa, Youko Japanese

Yuzuhara, Madoka Supporting

Tsuchiya, Rio Japanese

Usami, Shouhei Supporting

Toya, Kikunosuke Japanese

Yorita, Ayato Supporting

Ishibashi, Hiiro Japanese

Tsumugi, Keiichirou Supporting

Okiayu, Ryoutarou Japanese

Sawatari, Ayumi Supporting

Mizuno, Saku Japanese

Oowada, Tomoyuki Producer

Nagamine, Rieko Producer

Tsuji, Toshikazu Producer

Yamato, Masae Producer

Reviews

Feb 4, 2026

President_Megumi

Recommended

Much like the cakes featured throughout, this show is just endlessly sweet (with interesting moments of dramatic tension—much like how you feel when you find out how many calories are in said cakes).

I knew I was going to love this going in; romance anime often get the shaft when it comes to animation, so knowing that this was a beautifully animated romance with a quiet and sensitive lead, I was hype, and I am happy to report back that it impressed me and more!

Of course, all of the things mentioned above were present (stunning animation and a wonderful lead couple), but there are ... two additional things that I found myself really loving about this. First, the ensemble is fantastic. Rintarou’s parents and friend group are just so enjoyable; I loved every moment they were on screen. Second, the OST was also really infectious. There were a couple of tracks that were played with really heavy frequency that I loved every time.

As of the time I am writing this, there are 122 “Recommended” reviews. That number speaks for itself; if you love a romance, watch it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Feb 2, 2026

Maki1234

Mixed Feelings

Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity is an interesting anime with very strong production values. The animation is stellar, with consistent quality in every episode and attention to detail that makes it feel like a high-budget project. The character designs are visually appealing, and the cast looks distinct and well-presented.

My main issue with the series is the shallowness of its story. Character development often feels strange, and the pacing is extremely slow. At times, the show creates unnecessary confusion without offering meaningful payoff. After finishing the first season, the emotional or narrative reward simply wasn’t there for me.

The main characters have moments that feel dumb or ... unrealistic, which makes it harder to fully connect with them. The ending of the season was especially confusing and, in some ways, even a bit uncomfortable or stalker-like, without going into spoilers. The final episode stumbles and lands in an awkward space where the payoff just doesn’t work.

This is a very slow-burn romance, very slow. You’ll need a lot of patience to get through it. If you enjoy high school romance and are willing to take your time, you might still enjoy the journey. However, if you’re looking for something more mature or emotionally complex, this probably isn’t the right anime for you.

There’s also little to no humor here, at least for me. The show is pure romance slice-of-life. One highlight, though, is the bromance between the male characters, which feels genuine and well done, and may even be the second most important element of the story.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jan 3, 2026

kyv3rx

Not Recommended

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

This anime has been everywhere. Pictures, clips, high rating numbers... everything was telling you: “This anime is a masterpiece.” It's very natural to get excited. The problem? When you actually watch it, you discover that the excitement was greater than the content.
Story and romance
The romance in this anime is very cheap. Most of the conversation revolves around: “I'm sorry” - “No, I'm sorry” - “Thank you” - “No, I thank you.”
This thing is repeated to the point that you feel like you are watching a courtesan match, not a romantic anime. No tension, no intense moments, and no real emotions. ... Everything is too soft.

Tsumugi Rintarou:
This is the most illogical character in anime. The man is tall, handsome, respectable, and a complete gentleman. The girls are supposed to chase him in every episode. Instead of this? He is being bullied.
Honestly, this is the first time I've seen a character get bullied because he's too pretty. The bullying him is completely unconvincing, as if it only exists because the story needs it.

Rintarou's Friends:
Rintarou's relationship with his friends is very superficial and strange. They feel more like a stage show full of exaggeration than real friends. The dialogue between them is unnatural, and the relationship does not resemble real boys friendships.

Waguri Kaoruko:
The girl is too perfect. Extra good, extra nice, without any faults. Not a human being, but an angel coming down from heaven.
Personally, this type of personality is annoying. You cannot sympathize with her because she is unrealistic. She feels that she is a character designed only to be “liked by everyone,” and the result is completely the opposite.

The conflict between the two schools:
The conflict between the boys' school and the girls' school is not clear at all.
Is it because one is poor and the other is rich?
Or is it because one is for the lazy and the other is for the superior?
The anime does not explain convincingly, it just tells you: “They hate each other,” and that’s it.

Drawing:
Here we come to the one undeniable point:
Fantastic drawing.
The colors, the lighting, the faces, the details... everything is perfect. Honestly, the drawing alone deserves a 10/10. It's the only thing that made me finish some episodes.

Final evaluation:
Story without drawing: 3/10
Drawing: 10/10

Overall rating: Disappointing
Beautiful anime on the outside, but empty on the inside. If you are looking for a strong romantic story and realistic characters, this work will not give you that. But it's only great if you want to enjoy drawing and ignore everything else.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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