Yuri Manga: Green

February 1st, 2012

In my review of Otomo Megane’s Himitsu, I commented that the artist has about three characters types. In Otomo Megane’s Green, the three character types are solidified into three characters, who sort of retell a lot of the Himitsu vignettes, only they are all connected in a more intrinsic way.

Tsugumi is a rather serious young lady, who falls in love with straightfoward Megumi. Megumi falls in love back back but, at first only because Tsugumi looks like her older sister, Megu’s teacher from Middle school. The story here is a love triangle, because Tsumugi’s sister did indeed have an affair with Megumi, and Megu’s not really over it, yet.

There’s a bit where Megu and Tsugumi are having some communications issues, but they work it out. The epilogue shows the two of them older, more comfortable with themselves, living together in Tokyo as a couple.

Nothing here is new or unique. The vignettes from Green feel very much like corresponding vignettes from Himitsu, which gave me a weird feeling of deja vu, until I managed to make myself understand that this was a stand-alone story.

The one notable thing about this book is the rather comfortable way we are led to understand that Megu and Tsugumi have slept together. It’s merely a panel or two the next morning, no service and no pandering, but we can tell. Their relationship shifts notes at this point, as it would, which provides the impetus for what passes for crisis here, but everything is handled with a laid-back, low-key, lack of drama that felt refreshing.

Green is a sweet coming of age story rather than a powerful one. There is no coming out, or confession, the relationship develops kind of naturally. Likewise, there is very little conflict, with the exception of Megu’s unresolved feelings for Tsugumi’s sister.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 7
Service – 1

Overall – 7

I can’t say I’d recommend Green as standing out in the category, but for fans of the “school girls in love” trope, it’s a pleasant way to pass the time.

16 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

    “Megumi falls in love back back but, at first only because Tsugumi looks like her older sister, Megu’s teacher from Middle school. The story here is a love triangle, because Tsumugi’s sister did indeed have an affair with Megumi”

    “Loser FanBoy – 1”

    Only 1?

    http://jezebel.com/5863188/how-a-teachers-alleged-student-affair-became-his-acclaimed-novel

    “…While most of the details of the romance were allegedly based on or inspired by real-life events, the ending, perhaps conveniently, is not. In the book “Marie” scoffs at the guidance counselor who tells her, after news of the affair gets out, that she was used and that she should be angry. Her last line in the book is: “I still dream about him.” Real-life “Marie,” however, felt taken advantage of and violated [by the teacher who had sex with her while she was 17 years old and he was her teacher from high school]…”

    http://jezebel.com/5863188/how-a-teachers-alleged-student-affair-became-his-acclaimed-novel?comment=44895374#comments

    “I was molested by a teacher when I was 14 going on 15…

    “…I have never ONCE in my life heard of a story where a teacher and a high school student hooked up and it didn’t end up being something perverted and harmful. Every time I hear people try to excuse or romanticize this shit, it completely guts me…”

  2. @Anonymous – The LFB score rates salaciousness – the quality of leering at the female body in the art, most specifically.

    Obviously, this plot is not appropriate in real life, but it is rather typical as a fantasy in manga, just as incest is.

  3. Anonymous says:

    “Obviously, this plot is not appropriate in real life, but it is rather typical as a fantasy in manga, just as incest is.”

    Really? Any idea why fantasies excusing or romanticizing abuse are so typical in manga?

  4. @Anonymous – You might want to read up on fantasies, in general. The “forbidden” is a very popular subject of fantasy for both men and women.

    A great place to start is one of the most famous exploration of women’s fantasies is Nancy Friday’s work, My Secret Garden: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Secret_Garden

    You’ll see a lot of “forbidden” topics on the list.

    I’ve written about this before, that manga is a way to act out fantasies of many kinds: http://okazu.blogspot.com/2005/03/anime-and-manga-cultural-acting-out.html

    What you find appalling and/or unacceptable, someone else might find titillating in a non-real situation, such as role-playing, or in a story.

    For instance, incest bores me. I’m not offended by it, just kind of think it’s dull. This places me in a small minority in manga, as incest is one of the most common fantasy themes in both anime and manga.

    Teacher/student fantasies are a pretty common sexual role-play between adults, so it’s not entirely surprising to see it as a fantasy in manga.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Thanks for the links! I read that one and browser around some more on the topic and found http://hoodedutilitarian.com/2011/06/just-a-comic/ so thanks for that one too.

    “What you find appalling and/or unacceptable, someone else might find titillating in a non-real situation, such as role-playing, or in a story.”

    Oh, OK, like Judo Master (racism’s taboo too), got it.

  6. @Anonymous – You have just made my day, truly. I’m so glad you let me know that you read the links – and my Judo Master article, thus pointing out the deliciousness of me being human and saying things that are inconsistent and mutually exclusive. ^_^

    I don’t know whether I consider Judo Master to be racist, or Hoshikawa Ginza Yon-chome (to use an example of a popular teacher/student fantasy, in which the student is also way too young to have to right to make a legal decision) to be abusive, still. Complex issues are complex and my opinions on them – and everything else – change all the time.

    We do have to allow room for expression of fantasy in art, this is why I actively argue for freedom of expression. I also realize that what I find offensive, someone else will find merely an expressive fantasy. We’re not going to agree, perhaps, but we can both be right in a personal way.

  7. Anonymous says:

    “@Anonymous – You have just made my day, truly. I’m so glad you let me know that you read the links”

    Thanks! :)

    Yes, got it that it’s all fantasy art and free speech, cool.

    Also got it that art excusing or romanticizing abuse so doesn’t make people like abuse. It’s people who like abuse (even when they admit abuse is wrong IRL and don’t abuse IRL people) that make art excusing or romanticizing abuse. If they didn’t even like abuse, they wouldn’t even make their art excuse and romanticize it.

    Any idea why people who like abuse are so typical among people who make manga???

  8. Anonymous says:

    “A great place to start is one of the most famous exploration of women’s fantasies is Nancy Friday’s work, My Secret Garden: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Secret_Garden

    BTW, looked this up and found out she wrote an update. Looked the update up and read the reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Women-Top-Nancy-Friday/dp/0671648454

    Thanks!

  9. @Anonymous – Because *most* people on this planet can tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Thoughts are not crimes.

    You are equating an artistic expression of something that is a crime with the crime itself. They are not the same thing, in any free society.

  10. Anonymous says:

    “You are equating an artistic expression of something that is a crime with the crime itself. They are not the same thing, in any free society.”

    If you think I did *that* when I said “art excusing or romanticizing abuse so doesn’t make people like abuse. It’s people who like abuse (even when they admit abuse is wrong IRL and don’t abuse IRL people) that make art excusing or romanticizing abuse. If they didn’t even like abuse, they wouldn’t even make their art excuse and romanticize it.”…

    …then you are equating liking something that is a crime with committing the crime itself. They, too, are not the same thing in any free society.

  11. @Anonymous – I am not the one asking for any answers. Debate is not, in fact, the act of arguing with someone trying to answer your question.

  12. Anonymous says:

    What debate?

    I just asked a question about manga and people who *like* abuse, you made it sound like I was asking about manga and people who *do* abuse, and that’s not fair. :(

    – wait, forget about the question if it makes you scared.

    Just realized that maybe you felt cornered, sorry! :(

    Would your other custiomers boycott you if you talk about people who make manga liking what they make look good in their manga? If they would then no wonder you can’t talk about that. :(

  13. @Anonymous – You asked a question, and I gave an answer to the best of my ability.

    Now I don’t even know what you’re saying. If you have another question, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer.

  14. @Anonymous – Sorry, had to run before and didn’t have time to finish my thoughts.

    As for “boycotting,” with sincere respect, there’s nothing here to “boycott.” The blog is free to read, or not. I don’t force anyone to, or keep them from doing so if they wish to.

    If you’re referring to ALC manga, there still isn’t boycotting. Anyone who wants to buy a copy of a book is welcome to or not, as they see fit. ^_^ It’s not up to me to make decisions for anyone except myself.

  15. Brian Youmans says:

    First, a correction: that isn’t Tsugumi’s sister, Ryouko is her brother’s fiance. I’m also not sure about Megu falling for Tsugumi because she looks like Ryouko, I don’t see that suggested in the text. They do look alike, but, as you say, the author only has three types.
    That said, I really like this piece – all the characters are flawed and real. And I like the subplot of Megu’s ex and Tsugumi’s best friend ending up settling for each other.

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