Here Is Greenwood

Here is Greenwood (ここはグリーン・ウッド, Koko wa Gurīn Uddo) is a 9-volume Japanese manga written and illustrated by Yukie Nasu, revolving around the activities of four boys in Greenwood Dormitory at a fictional prestigious Japanese all-boys private school named Ryokuto Academy. The manga was serialized in Hana to Yume from 1987 to 1991 and published in English by Viz Media. It has been adapted into a six-episode anime OVA and a live-action television series.

Unlike most anime, the episodes appear to be manga canon, as certain episodes refer directly (through narration giving the volume number) to events in the manga. The manga storyline is somewhat self-referential, as several asides show that the characters are fully aware that they exist in a manga. Yukie Nasu appears frequently as herself, usually with a capital "N" on her head, to explain away certain loose plot threads. For example, in a story featuring a baseball game taking place in late autumn, one of the characters asked why they weren't playing soccer; Nasu's character appeared and explained that she didn't know the rules for soccer.

Plot

After suffering from a series of mishaps, Kazuya Hasekawa has finally entered Ryokuto Academy. He is there to get away from his brother and his wife (whom Kazuya had a crush on). Unfortunately, he is assigned to live in the dorm known as Greenwood, a former insane asylum, where the weird students live. His roommate, Shun Kisaragi, looks just like a girl, and Kazuya initially thought he was until he saw Shun in the boy's bathroom. Also there are his next-door roommates, the dorm president Mitsuru Ikeda and his best friend, Shinobu Tezuka. The manga follows the everyday events and antics of Greenwood.

Characters

Main Characters

• Kazuya Hasukawa (蓮川 一也)

Voiced by: Nozomu Sasaki (Japanese), Ted Lewis (TAJ dub), Kevin Hatcher (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

Kazuya was raised by his older brother, Kazuhiro, after the death of their parents when they were younger. Kazuya had applied to enter to Ryokuto Academy so he could be just like Kazuhiro. Kazuya had fallen in love with Sumire, his tutor and was heartbroken when she fell in love with Kazuhiro and subsequently gotten married to him. Kazuya had lost respect for his brother since then and moved into the dorm to get away from them. Unfortunately, Kazuya suffered injuries due to a car accident, an ulcer and other mishaps that had delayed him from entering the academy. Much to his dismay, he has to deal with the craziness in the Greenwood dorm and the fact that Kazuhiro is the school nurse. Eventually, he gets used to living in the dorm and is voted president of the dorm by Mitsuru. He later falls in love with a delinquent girl, Miya Igrashi, and dates her in the end of the manga and anime.

Portrayed by Yuki Izawa in the Live action.

• Shun Kisaragi (如月 瞬)

Voiced by: Chika Sakamoto (Japanese), Heather Quick (TAJ dub), Julie Ann Taylor (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

Shun is Kazuya's easygoing roommate. Although Kisaragi resembles a cute, tomboyish girl, he's actually a guy. Shun is the oldest son of the Kisaragi family, who run a chain of traditional Japanese inns. The females in the Kisaragi family inherit the company, but it has no connection with Shun's girlish figure. Surprisingly, Shun is heterosexual and dated a girl in junior high. Shun is very self-confident and proud of his beautiful long hair, and he knows he is so cute. Because he thinks it is the best way to be cool, he does not hesitate to dress like a girl. He can makes sound decisions and is a man of action, and no character believes that Shun is actually feminine. Shun has a younger brother named Reina and an infant sister named Yui.

Portrayed by Hiroki Suzuki in the Live Action.

• Mitsuru Ikeda (池田 光流)

Voiced by: Mitsuo Iwata (Japanese), Dan Olk (TAJ dub), Jim Taggert (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

The President of Greenwood dormitory, and best friend of Shinobu Tezuka. The adopted son of the caretaker of the Ikeda temple in Tokyo, Mitsuru looks like Kazuya's brother in his younger days, and Mitsuru also seems to enjoy giving Kazuya a hard time. Mitsuru is roommates with Shinobu and lives next door to Kazuya and Shun, creating an interesting foursome. He also has an unusual ability. His face is able to heal any cut or bruise in under a minute. All that rough treatment on Kazuya, however, is merely his way of toughening up Kazuya so he can take Mitsuru's place as Residence Hall President. Also, he tries his best to stay away from his adopted family. Since he was a child, he knew he was adopted, and he knew he didn't really belong, so he tries to distance himself from his adopted family.

Portrayed by Riki Miura in the Live Action.

• Shinobu Tezuka (手塚 忍)

Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (Japanese), Charles Roth (TAJ dub), Dave Leyland (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

The smartest student living in Greenwood dormitory, and best friend of Mitsuru Ikeda. Unlike Mitsuru, Shinobu is calm and quiet and is unaffected by anything. His near perfect attitude and talent is what drives his cousin Nagisa full of jealousy.

Portrayed by Yuuichi Sato in the Live Action.

Supporting Characters

• Kazuhiro Hasukawa (蓮川 一弘)

Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue (Japanese), Billy Regan (TAJ dub), Ron Allen (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

Kazuya's older brother and the school nurse at Ryokuto Academy. He likes to tease Kazuya, but lovingly cares for him. He is married to Sumire.

Portrayed by: Kengo Ohkuchi

• Sumire Hasukawa (蓮川 すみれ)

Voiced by: Sumi Shimamoto (Japanese), P.R. Wellington (TAJ dub), Caren Love (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

Kazuhiro's wife and Kazuya's former crush, now sister-in-law. She cares for both brothers, and affectionately calls Kazuya "Ya-kun".

Portrayed by: Yukari Fukui

• Miya Igarashi (五十嵐巳夜)

Voiced by: Chieko Honda (Japanese), Melanie Smith (TAJ dub), Kate Higgins (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

A delinquent high school girl, she is the object of affection for Kazuya. She defies her mother's wishes to be with her childhood friend Tenma Koizumi in order to be with Kazuya. She is also friends with Mitsuru.

Portrayed by: Aoi Yoshikura

• Tenma Koizumi (小泉典馬)

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese), Jim Malone (TAJ dub), Sam Riegel (Bang Zoom! dub (English)

Miya's childhood friend, who is Kazuya's rival for Miya's affection.

• Nagisa Tezuka (手塚 渚)

Voiced by: Hiromi Tsuru (Japanese), P.R. Wellington (TAJ dub), Wendee Lee (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

Shinobu's older cousin, she is insanely jealous of Shinobu since childhood and wants to ruin his life. She once kidnapped Mitsuru and stripped him of his clothes in a attempt to get Shinobu to submit to her, but he managed to foil her plans and rescue him. She tries again, but accidentally abducts Shun's younger brother, Reina. She has a group of henchman to help her with her plans.

• Reina Kisaragi (如月 麗名)

Voiced by: Taeko Kawata (Japanese), Kayzie Rogers (TAJ dub), Faye Lansing (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

Shun's younger brother, who is cute and also looks like a girl. He is accidentally kidnapped by Nagisa's men, while on his way to visit SHun in the dorm.

• Shinchiro Furusawa (古沢 進一郎)

Voiced by: Kenyū Horiuchi (Japanese), Eric Stuart (TAJ dub), Lex Lang (Bang Zoom! dub) (English)

A senior student at the dorm. He lives with his motorcycle and carries it around with him. He has a girlfriend named Yuko.

Portrayed by: Hiroshi Nagao

Media

Manga

The manga had ran in Hakuensha's Hana to Yume shōjo magazine from 1987 to 1991. The manga was collected in eleven volumes. In North American, the manga was released in English by Viz Media in nine volumes.^[1]

Anime

A six-episode OVA series, produced by Pierrot and Ajia-do Animation Works, was released between 1991 to 1993. The OVAs were initially licensed by Software Sculptors, who released the series on VHS and Laserdisc in 1996, with an English dub produced by TAJ Productions. The anime was then licensed to Media Blasters in 2004, who released the series on DVD featuring a new English dub by Bang Zoom! Entertainment.

Live action/drama

A thirteen episode live-action television drama was broadcast by Tokyo MX, between July 2, 2008 and September 24, 2008.^[2]

References

External links

• Here Is Greenwood (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Here Is Greenwood (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Official website of the live-action series (Japanese)