Koko wa Green Wood

When I stumbled upon the Greenwood manga, memories of watching the OVA from my younger days came flooding back. Much like other series from that era, Greenwood's anime adaptation is limited to just 6 episodes and clearly doesn't cover the entire story. Therefore, delving into the manga version of Greenwood served as a proper introduction to this delightful relic from the late '80s and early '90s.

"Here is Greenwood" revolves around its characters. This ensemble comedy unfolds in a boys' dormitory at a private school. Initially, it took some effort to navigate through the dense characterizations and interactions at the beginning, especially while trying to connect all the characters with one another. However, this series rewards patience. By the end, I truly grew fond of the entire cast, including the always-fascinating side characters and recurring references.

I absolutely adore the main character in this series. He undergoes significant development throughout and has a satisfying overall arc. Generally speaking, it's an uplifting, inspiring, and down-to-earth series. The artwork, characteristic of the late '80s and early '90s, is beautiful, capturing the bubble-era Japan setting perfectly. It’s very fun and filled with tongue-in-cheek humor. Although the Viz translation omits the author-talk sections, their consistent presence throughout the manga built a strong connection with me. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this series and highly recommend it.

I began reading the manga because I really enjoyed the anime, and the manga turned out to be very enjoyable and fulfilling, adding more greatness to Here Is Greenwood. There are plenty of funny moments, but occasionally there are some that touch your heart a bit deeper. Sometimes characters reference the fact they're in a manga, or the mangaka appears to discuss the story. While I usually don't like such elements in manga or anime, it works well here.

The setting, primarily within the school dorm, and the interactions between all the characters are interesting. The residents of the dorm aren't your typical bunch, with main characters including Hasukawa, Mitsuru, Shinobu, Shun, and a guy who carries his motorcycle around. Okay, the last one isn't a main character except for a few chapters, but he's always fun to mention. Hasukawa can be weak and easily misled at times, but he's also kind, can be fast, and grows over time. His roommate, Shun, has an intriguing aspect and can be pretty amusing too. Mitsuru, the head resident, constantly torments Hasukawa and is the "pretty" one all the girls chase after, possessing miraculous facial healing abilities. Shinobu, the class president, shares a complex relationship with Mitsuru, being cold, calculating, and feared by all students.

The artwork is excellent—perhaps an understatement. There are engaging storylines involving Hasukawa's brother and first love, stories about the main characters revealing their backstories, and even sci-fi or fantasy side stories. Naturally, there are ghost stories since it's a school, often set during summer. The characters and their stories are captivating, making you wonder what happens next or what happened in their past. Sometimes an external force tries to cause trouble, which the main characters resolve skillfully (and sometimes not so much).

This series might be even better than I've described, so it's worth giving it a look if you get the chance. There are only two downsides I can think of. The major one is that occasionally text disappears off the edge of the page in the Viz American release version. The words affected aren't in speech bubbles and are usually easy enough to guess. The other downside is a personal wish: I'd have liked to see more development between some characters towards the end of the series. Nothing's left unresolved, but more would have been nice.