December 09, 2003
Green Green Episode 12
"Goodbye to Kanenone"
I forgot to mention in my review of the last episode that I was completely wrong about Reika's character. She's actually the Keeper of Destiny, some sort of omnipotent power that observes the flow of destiny (assigned especially to Midori and Yuusuke's relationship). I like Reika's role now a lot better, as Midori's friend and supporter. The Keeper of Destiny wanting to see destiny changed? Hm.
The last two episodes of Green Green, I've been thinking to myself, "You know, it's not really like Ah! My Goddess, but this show really reminds me of it." Then in this episode, when they're walking outside, where Yuusuke needs to help Midori, I was thinking to myself, "Please don't go find a tree, please don't go find a tree." And then, inexplicably, they go to a tree.
Now the real spoilers.
I have to give Green Green props for not going for an overly happy ending. In the end, Reika takes Midori away, as she cannot stay in the present (because she uses her life energy to save Yuusuke's life). But because she gave him her life, literally, she will live on forever inside Yuusuke (yeah, one of those things). It doesn't look like that makes things any better for my favorite couple, Yuusuke and Futaba, but it doesn't really seem like the creators of the show felt like that had to be, and I kind of agree with them.
Green Green 2! No, really, please don't do it.
It wasn't a terrible show in the end, but it really had some terrible moments. The last two episodes are definitely the best of the bunch, and I really wish they had explored that more, given Futaba more of a chance, and done more of the love story, than the crazy pervertedness.
In the end, Green Green was a show about whether or not you can overcome destiny, and its answer is a very waffling "maybe". After all, you might say that Midori overcomes their destiny by saving Yuusuke's life, and living forever in his memory, but I'd say that's a copout. Are they really trying to say that you can't beat destiny? Because that's a pretty sad ending to this show. It seems to me the creators couldn't decide, and didn't want to end strongly in either direction.
Rating: A-
Posted by Kei at December 9, 2003 12:25 AMThe fact that you watched through all of it is a might task in itself.
So it goes from high school romance to supernatural crap? Sure I didn't read any review up until the last, but it sure sounds contrived as a method to make an h-game less than just mindless clicking.
Sure its the anime we are talking about here, but I figure the game is just the same.
And for the record, I don't consider them games. So bleh!
Posted by: Chris at December 16, 2003 11:21 PMJust finished, and i have to say, we seem to have a very similar taste on this series. In the end, I was somewhat satisfied by the concept that Midori was forgotten by all but Yuusuke (and only he remembered her because of her life-infusing sacrifice). This leaves Futaba and the others less traumatized than they otherwise would have been.
However, I was largely disappointed by the bus scene, and the fact that Futaba didn't indicate an "I'll see you around!" to Yuusuke. Perhaps, due to Midori's departure, the memories of all but Yuusuke don't entail the same events which we saw that developed a Yuusuke-Futaba relationship. Whatever.
Green Green is one of those shows that you can say, "Hey, I've seen it." I wouldn't recommend spending any money on it, esp. given how disturbing some moments of it can be, but you're somewhat happier after having seen it than before, I'd claim. Great animation, cute girls, but a terrible plot and character development leave this series as something to be taken lightly. It was, after all, a softcore with a story wrapped around it, not a story with softcore put into it. Keeping that mind, I'm relatively happy with what we got.
Posted by: Ryan at January 8, 2004 04:23 AMWow, I am going to go out on a limb here because I have yet to see someone say it. I was cheering for Midori.
I don't really think that Futaba is that great a match for Yuusuke. When you consider that both Yuusuke and Futaba are quick to snap at people I see the relationship as one that would fail. Where as midori compliments Yuusuke's sweet/kind side. I personaly wanted to see this relationship stay. The ending was very cop-out with Midori getting pulled into the tree. So what, she would have died...again. whoopty-do. She would have been reborn and poped back in time again.
something that I had hoped would happen in the oav... aka ep13. However, this didn't instead we have Yuusuke lie to himself in a dream to rationalize sleeping with Futaba. Midori could have and should have come back. I personaly think they killed her off because everyone was cheering for Futaba.
Posted by: smoth at October 11, 2004 10:26 AMThere is a 13th Episode! Its called Ero-lutions. Its basicly an episode 6 months after the last episode.
Posted by: Kevin at March 30, 2005 01:04 AM