Smells Like Green Spirit (2024)

coming of age story set in the 90s

Overall: though parts of this were difficult to watch, it did hit on some realistic aspects of growing up in the 90s (and still today). 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. No official international platform. See my spoiler comment for the ending.

Content Warnings: past death, bullying, held against will, homophobia, sexual harassment, manhandling/non-con touching, vomiting, peeping, grooming, child abuse/violence, sexual assault, kidnapping/held against will, punch

What I Liked
- the two supportive moms
- characters weren't what they first seemed
- one of the few redemption arcs that worked for me
- non cliched female classmate (wish they had a bit more closure for her though)
- I couldn't tell how the story would end which is different from most of what I watch
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the comedy didn't mesh well at times with the realism
- was not needed to have a second scene with a group peeping for a 2nd time on the couple in the truck, could have spent that time elsewhere
- the awful scene with the teacher in the car was too cartoony villain

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Not a BL (again), coming of age and discovering yourself

While many of us not understanding japanese have gripes with some of the subtitles, the second negative was the wig. It was a distraction in the whole series. It's not such projects are done overnight, so after casting they could have told him to grow his hair and use extensions.

The third negative is the ending for one of the characters, keeping in the closet, being at least gay and denying himself to be truly happy but getting married for the "family".

The ending for Mishima could be closer to the manga where you see him living with Fujimoto together as a happy couple.

Other than that, the team removed some of the harshest scenes from the manga and tuned it down for normal viewers in contrast to "Happy of the End" which was raw. Other than that, the story was very close to the manga, the acting and cinematography was really good.

Mishima grows after enduring mental and sexual abuse, also with help of his understanding mother. The change of Fujimoto from bully to lover was also nicely done.

Overall a depcition of the harsh reality in a rural area in the 1990ties which is still common nowadways where especially boys who do not conform to expectations of society are still bullied without reason and due to bad parenting. There should be licence to be a parent imho, because it's a lot harder than driving a car.

When you find a service which offers good subtitles, you should watch it, but don't expect a BL, because it's a gay series which is a trend I wholeheartedly approve of.

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Unrealistic reality

Mishima is in his last 2 years of highschool. Bullied by those who perceive him to be gay due to his long hair and soft appreance, he endures the scrutiny of all and sexual abuse at the hands of a closeted teacher. He internalizes everything and barely responds to his external environment. At night, he sneaks out his mother's lipstick and on occassion dresses as feminine as he can, while living in a small country village. In one scene he is mistaken for a girl as he's dressed in shorts, tshirt and walks a liitle gently. He doesn't pretend to be what he's not but he doesn't admit it as well.

Awakening to himself, he befriends two previous bullies, Kirino and Yumeno. Kirino, an ally, also aware of his own nature, bonds with him. Together, they navigate the complexities of desires, dreams, the need to feel included and protected. Yumeno, crushing secretly on Mishima, has a fierce sense of wrong and right, and struggles to come to terms with his feelings for him. Mishima welcomes the attention from Yumeno.

Mishima was seen hugging both at different times for completely different reasons. After the physical attack, Yumeno comforts him publicly. Unashamed. Kirino, in turn, understanding his pain, comforts him after being rejected. This is how the rumors start and story veers to similar coming of age trope. Who will they become? This where my disappointment begins.

The subtitles are a little shaky from different sources, so I'll take it with a grain of salt but it has the same outcome no matter the true meaning - Kirino, conflicted on the getaway trip to Tokyo, says to Mishima, "I chose this." Previously, he expresses his desire for men, make up and being gay. He acknowledges the path ahead is difficult but assimilates into being straight for the love of his family. My disappointment stems from the path he chose - to be not himself but the path someone else sees for him. His parents will eventually die and he as it's shown, he will be in a marriage with a child but will he be happy. Even he had concerns of this. He avoids Mishima and their bond is broken. His loss. Yumeno, who sees all, follows Mishima, apologizes for past hurts and asks to keep thinking of Mishima.

The series ends with Mishima asserting himself. He is no longer shy and detached. He is a gay man, in men's clothing and still maintaining a strong relationship with Yumeno. Though the implication is more, as Yumeno kisses his cheek before leaving. As a makeup artist, Mishima's world has grown and he is proud of who he is on his terms.

Araki Towa, who played the role of Mishima, did a wonderful job. There is a vast difference between the teen and the adult. Which I applaud. Sakai Wakana, Mishima's mother, was also wonderful. Her unwavering support ensured that Mishima would succeed and Sakai did this beautifully. I am not a fan of easy choices or choosing to be what you are not. Yumeno's character makes it appear to be a choice. Even in the1990 setting, being gay or not being gay, shouldn't be a choice. I'm reminded of the series More Than Words here. The only choice that should matter is loving yourself, finding your happiness and pride in the human you are. Thank you, Mishima.

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this drama is realistic, unhinged, and.. did i mention realistic?

it's not your typical BL and it mainly focuses on how characters discover themselves, friendships, and love. Some scenes are like a warm hug and some scenes are like a slap on the face. it's cruel, but realistic. and i like how in some serious or dramatic scenes, they do not put a background sound which makes it even more realistic as if im actually there, invisible, watching the characters suffer and can do nothing about it. i especially like the friendship between kirino and mishima.

pros:
the plot is amazing
the acting is GIVING
the characters are well-written and have some flaws (which is realistic)
makes you experience different feelings in just one episode

cons:
being aired once a week
cant wait for new ep
so short, wdym 9 eps?? i need 900. RIGHT NOW. ALL AIRED!!

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Review is W.I.P~

Foremost, I think the runtime should have been around 45 minutes to properly impact the viewers. 23-24 minutes episodes aren't ideal when you're dealing with such delicate societal topics. Makers should have given viewers the time to settle in and connect themselves. I would recommend waiting for 3-4 episodes and then start watching.
Now, let's come to the societal issue this drama will be dealing with, this is not a BL, it's an LGBTQ drama, so please keep that in mind when jumping in. You gotta bring your compassion along with your passion while watching.
In the first episode, there's a disclaimer in the beginning which viewers should read carefully. Though the drama is set up of 1990s, the society is still very much prejudiced and harsh against a 'girly' boy than it is against a 'boyish' girl. If I am to give an example from my own experiences, we had a boy in our school, who liked 'girly' stuffs were harassed/made fun of by other boys and even some girls. But a tomboy was quite famous among boys and even girls. She played volleyball in district level for our school.
Nevertheless, I am through and through impressed by Araki Towa, he's going to win awards for his protreyal of Mishima for sure

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Many of us have been amazed by the latest project by the Japanese director, screenwriter, actress and casting director Sawada Ikuko for her point of view, for several of the ideas that are dropped, for the aesthetics that accompanies the story, for the strength of the performance of a luxury cast, for the splendid soundtrack that accompanies us.
We are in the 90s of the last century. We are in a quiet rural town during the Heisei era. We are facing a story of acceptance and self-discovery during adolescence, but far from the romanticism of most of the series based on manga that I usually review here, telling us a hard, stark and bittersweet story. This is a coming-of-age drama that explores the pressures to conform and the power of friendship.
The beginning of 'Smells Like Green Spirit', the LGBT+ themed drama series, is engaging. We are introduced to a high school student being chased by several of his schoolmates.
Mishima, an androgynous teenager who defies social norms of sexuality, with his very long hair, delicate beauty and marked feminine features, lives in two different worlds: while the Sun shines in the sky, his classmates give free rein to their homophobia and is systematically tortured for "appearing to be gay." At night, in the silence of his house, once his mother goes to bed, we can distinguish a boy who is clear that he likes boys, something he hides and, faced with the economic impossibility of buying other cosmetic products, he only applies lipstick taken from his mother's bag, while he enjoys dressing the clothes of the woman who sleeps a few meters away from him.
His colleagues harass and physically and psychologically attack him because of his femininity, calling him in the most derogatory ways alluding to his sexuality. But he doesn't care, he's happy being the way he is.
All this reveals two of the pillars of the work. But be careful, this is not a more or less classic story that revolves around transsexuality.
But that bittersweet existence takes a radical turn when he discovers by accident that the hatred that Makoto Kirino, one of his staunchest harassers, professes towards him, is not only the result of the education received by a heteronormative family or from living in a society that does not accept diversity and that makes someone who is different hate themselves for not fitting into a supposed canon of "normality", but that they have much more in common than what appears at first glance and that this hatred is actually a desire to have the freedom to be like him.
In this way, the fatherless young boy will discover that, like him, Kirino is gay and likes to cross-dress, but he has hidden this side of him due to his conservative mother, who cannot accept he son's true nature. In this sense, since his childhood, in his environment, Kirino has been raised listening to prejudices and stereotypes of rejection or hatred towards LGTB+ people. Having integrated these values into your system, the construction of your identity has been marked by those beliefs. For this reason, he considers that a part of him is not worthy of acceptance and recognition, so he must hide, compensate, repair... his sexuality.
This is how the series borders on that controversial stereotype that behind every homophobe there is someone repressing their authentic sexuality. However, Kirino's story is so well done that it is difficult not to empathize and feel sorry for him, and even understand the pain that not accepting oneself can lead to something terrible. Kirino is ultimately, unlike Mishima, a poor confused teenager with his head in a mess.
Although it is true that this stereotype also comes into play with another character with whom one does enter into more delicate terrain that is much more controversial, and I will not go into detail about it so as not to give away spoilers.
Once the moment of initial terror of being discovered has passed, Kirino experiences the relief of being able to show himself as he is to another person who does not judge him and understands him. Being able to talk and share their problems without having to hide will be the first step for the two to begin to weave a beautiful friendship based on the secrets they hide from the world. And in this way we discover the other pillar on which the series is based.
These two teenagers must face a hostile social environment, allies who are wolves in sheep's clothing, and, what's worse, the possibility of frustrating their families' expectations. They must not only hide from others, but also hide from themselves.
All this, while we are presented with a Japan far from the typical view and the images of cities of futuristic technology mixed with ancient traditions. A much "dirtier and darker" Japan, for a story that usually appears darker than what we get from there, where the main character suffers daily harassment by teenagers like him, while others are forced to hide who they are out of fear to receive the same bullying that Mishima suffers.
While Mishima benefits from having a loving and understanding mother, Kirino struggles to reconcile her sexuality with her oppressive and patriarchal upbringing.
Kirino quickly opens up to Mishima, when they both meet during free hours on the school roof and outside the educational grounds, and can be who he really is without having to hide, although in front of his classmates he has to continue pretending contrary. However, he slowly begins to change the way he treats Mishima in front of others as he begins to accept himself.
It is surprising that Mishima does not feel or express any type of resentment towards his harassers and that he quickly finds in Kirino a being similar to the one who forgives all the bad times he put him through.
Thanks to the friendship with Mishima, Kirino's character transforms into a totally different person. If it is true that his attitude at the beginning is inexcusable and unjustifiable, as you begin to interact more with Mishima you discover his past and who he really is, making it easier to connect with him.
Through Mishima we observe the story and see how Tarō Yumeno, another of his bullies, a classmate and one of the main players in the school basketball club, is actually a boy who hides behind the façade of the bully, and who always makes fun of Mishima, to hide his true feelings.
Falling in love with Mishima is easy; He is so tender, so close, that you can't help but love him, sympathize with his character, let yourself be carried away by his antics, identify with a being that is certain of knowing who he is, even if he has to hide it.
And as these three young people begin to discover who they are, struggling to define themselves, they will make difficult decisions that will shape the rest of their lives.
'Smells Like Green Spirit' presents a heartbreaking character study anchored by a confident and convincing performance by Araki Towa, Sono Shunta and Fujimoto Kodai, actors who play Mishima Futoshi, Kirino Makoto and Yumeno Taro, respectively.
Araki Towa shines in her role, which she plays with delicacy and melancholy.
It is interesting how the story mixes comic situations that will brighten your day with other moments of extreme drama that will break your heart, while telling a story whose characters explore different ways of living sexuality and gender identity. Without a doubt, they are characters that anyone can empathize with.
Screenwriter Arai Yuuka takes the cake by adapting the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Saburō Nagai, serialized in Fusion Product's Comic Be between 2011 and 2013, collected in two tankōbon volumes, which allows the viewer to take a look at how complicated it is. a time that is complex in itself like adolescence, when one also does not fit into what is considered normal. As in the original work, the narrative text not only allows a very honest story to be translated into moving images, but also skips many stereotypes associated with BL manga.
The series addresses topics such as transvestism, while emphasizing that being a transvestite does not mean being transsexual, and that, in turn, this is not linked to sexual orientation.
Linking family history makes it feel even more intimate and personal, especially when one of them's mother is a widow and the other is single, and they have raised their children with so much love that their descendants want to care for them in the same way.
Sawada Ikuko addresses all these complex issues with commendable delicacy and lucidity. He raises the questions but does not decide, does not judge, does not take sides.
It is also true that with a cast like this it makes it very easy for the viewer. In addition to the aforementioned actors, Abe Aran joins as Professor Yanagida, Sakai Miyuki as Futoshi's mother, Kanai Miki as Sawada Ayako, Kaji Masaki as Edokawa Toshihiko, Katada Hiyori as Fujii Rinka, among others. That is to say, the stellar performances of the entire cast, especially the young people who turn from rivals to friends, anchor the story.
With an outstanding soundtrack, whose musical themes are inserted in such a way that they become the perfect complement to the story, the Japanese director succeeds in maintaining her closeness with his main character at all times, especially in that climactic moment when Mishima and Kirino They look into each other's eyes for the first time and scrutinize their souls.
There are some clichés often found in LGBT+ stories, but for the most part, Sawada Ikuko creates a totally original drama that is worth watching. Bearing the weight of emotional trauma and gay shame, the three boys need more than a hug to get them through. But there is a hopeful message, tinged with painful sadness. 'Smells Like Green Spirit' teaches an important lesson that will reach many young people who struggle with their sexual preferences, especially those who live among family members who are intolerant towards LGBT+ people.
As a result, the series doesn't flinch from contemplating the unfortunate reality of hate and intolerance, but also reflects and celebrates the other side of humanity.
This is a bittersweet series that reinforces the idea that there are good people who will love and accept you no matter who you are. The audiovisual demonstrates great empathy for those who have to hide who they are throughout their lives, or part of it, even if that eventually turns them into melancholic beings.
It is a deeply personal story, which speaks of young queer people who have the luxury of searching for their identity and discovering who they are from an early age, and those who must keep part of their identity hidden for fear of losing their family or receiving hate from the community.
There are moments in this queer story that are truly terrifying and other moments are tender and pure.
For all that has been said, the series stays with the viewer after the final credits of the first three episodes of the 9 that the MBS and TVK audiovisual have.
A splendid and bittersweet story as well as a tough love story. Yes, of love, because self-acceptance can only be fulfilled with a lot of love.

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