Smells Like Green Spirit

Gay people in the Japanese countryside

This is a coming-of-age story set in the 1990s in a countryside town in Japan. It follows an outcast with long hair, Mishima, a pretty boy called Kirino, and a rough, foul-mouthed boy named Yumeno. I'll skip further details of the story as quite a lot happens. Keep in mind that this is not a BL drama but rather a story about gay people in high school.

The acting is comical and feels intentionally exaggerated, resulting in a drama that feels more fictional than realistic. I have seen other similar Japanese dramas about gay people in high school that felt a lot more realistic because of the themes, acting, and expressions. I'm kind of comparing it to "Fujoshi, ukkari gei ni kokuru/what she likes" which was released in 2019 with barely any love focus but a realistic yet interesting gay focus. Back to Smells Like Green Spirit, the way they handle the setting is just a bit off for me. Like, I don't know if I should laugh or feel sentimental.

Either way, this is still an interesting watch. The teacher surprised me, and so did Kirino and Yumeno. I think that's the biggest charm about the drama. Like life in a small town, you think you know how everything goes, yet it catches you by surprise.

I believe that this drama is ultimately intended for Japanese viewers who share similar experiences of being gay in a small town. The lighthearted yet realistic approach of the drama could ease their minds and make them feel seen and not alone.

The ending is interesting, it shows how people can make different decisions in their lives. Kirino's decision to have a family with a child (meaning married to a woman in Japan's context) is a bit unsatisfying in my opinion. I can understand some want to fit in to society and be seen as normal, but the marriage is a sham in my eyes. When I lived in Japan, I was surprised to find out that a majority of gay people think this is a perfectly understandable decision, so this is mostly a matter of cultural acceptance. Kirino's decision may not be as sad to Japanese viewers for this reason.

Yumeno and Mishima end up together without much romantic buildup. Yumeno likes Mishima, so he goes for it. The scene between Yumeno and his mother, and Yumeno and Mishima on the bridge, is the romance you get. Later, the two are in Tokyo, Omotesando or Shibuya to be exact, and they are living together. Just a kiss on the street and an explanation of their life is what we see. This is not a bad thing; it just further emphasises how this is not a romance drama or a BL, but a coming-of-age story about decisions in life while being gay.

To conclude my personal thoughts, the pacing was alright, the acting was passable, the characters were interesting, and the setting was charming. I do recommend it a view if you are interested, as it is quite different than other Japanese gay dramas. After watching the drama until the end, I was left feeling unsatisfied with the drama in many ways.

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Interesting story, great cast

I think the first point I need to highlight is how great the cast is! Young actors that are actually close to the age of the characters and delivering fantastic performances.

I wouldn’t say this is a BL or a series about exploring sexuality, this is a story about gender. Mishima started the series knowing he is gay and knowing that, although he likes to play with his hair and makeup, he doesn’t wanna be a girl. We also know he’s attracted to the coach and starts his relationship with Yumeno.

While with Kirino, we don’t really see him liking anyone or wanting anything with other boys. Kirino wants to live as a girl. I fully believe when he says that he thought he liked the coach because he actually wanted the coach to be his dad.

With all that, the story, in my opinion, is the journey of Mishima helping Kirino to live his dream, even if just for a semester.

I understand the ending is not necessarily happy, but it’s just one minute of Kirino’s adult life. I understand why he needed to be distant from Mishima. He can be both happy with his family and still wanting to explore the Pandora’s Box inside.

PS: Happy that we see Mishima and Yumeno still together in the end.

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Only one drawback

I'm sad that the trans/gender queer kid, Kirino. didn't get a happy ending. I was hoping they would be the Drag queen. It made me die a little inside to see it end that way for them. I know we could talk about the artistry of it all. The realism, but IDK, if our gay character (and pan character) get a happy ending, I think the trans/gender queer character didn't. You could say I'm selfish, you could say that the world has already given trans characters enough sad endings as it is. This was a safe place to give them a happy or partially happy one. IKids are great an all, but you could see it when they zoomed into Kirino's face at the end and zoomed in on their eye that they were dead inside.

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Lots of Potential, but Fell Flat because of it's Too Gloomy

•❅✧❅✦ Story ✦❅✧❅•

Smells Like Green Spirit had the potential to be a really thought-provoking drama with all of the themes it decided to tackle, but it really fell flat with its gloomy atmosphere and rushed ending.

The drama tackles the theme of sexuality in the 90s. They also sprinkled in some of the usual troupes of bullying, societal pressure through neighborhood gossip, and coming out. There was also a little bit of sexual assault thrown in the mix as well. Just by reading all of the themes, you can tell they are not happy themes at all. It’s all doom and gloom, and with only 8 episodes it’s hard to insert many happy moments. It seems like Mishima is constantly facing some sort of gloomy trouble that he can never catch a break to be happy. And this is what is missing from the drama.

Every episode seems to be gloomy with no happiness that we end up feeling bad for Mishima. Even the ending, which is supposed to show Mishima being happy, no longer struggling with his sexuality, is rushed and crammed into the last few minutes. Even his cross-dressing nature is lost that when Mishima is shown as a drag queen model, we don’t even know if it is actually him or not. It’s sad, since this could have been a good coming of age drama!

•❅✧❅✦ Themes ✦❅✧❅•

Smells Like Green Spirit tackles many themes including sexuality in the 90s, bullying, societal pressure, neighborhood gossip, coming out, and sexual assault. The most prevalent is the reality of sexuality in the 90s and societal pressure through neighborhood gossip.

The drama focuses on each theme they try to tackle though gossip from the neighborhood. We then learn about the truth of the situation through the characters they are gossiping about. It’s really sad because on more than one occasion, the characters change their course of action after hearing the neighborhood gossip. Kirino can’t even live his life freely because his mother bends to the pressure of society and he doesn’t want to disappoint her. He even went as far as trying to run away, only to be pulled back because the neighborhood gossip hit his mother and she collapsed.

I could go on and on about each theme, but the neighborhood gossip really pissed me off while watching because it was so accurate to how the Japanese bend to the pressure of their social image, even in this day and age!

•❅✧❅✦ Overall ✦❅✧❅•

Smells Like Green Spirit could have been a thought-provoking drama, but it kind of fell flat for me with it’s doom and gloom. Other people really seem to give it high regards, so I guess it’s good. Maybe I just have really high standards. Or I just found it too gloomy to see the positives of this drama.

Either way, I think the drama was nice, but it’s not something I would ever watch again. I honestly don’t even feel like reading the manga since it’s more gloomy than happy. Overall, it’s a decent coming of age story, but it’s really not for me.

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Surprising, unpredictable, excellent (worth watching over and over)

The visuals in Smells Like Green Spirit are absolutely beautiful! And the pacing? Perfect. The story development is somewhat unconventional (unpredictable) and doesn't follow the typical BL story arc.

The series begins with intense bullying. The perpetrators, who are homophobes, have latched onto the long-haired Mishima. The show takes a surprising but significant turn when he starts to befriend one of the bullies, who is gay as well.

This sparks a sweet and wholesome bond between the two as they secretly have lunch on the school roof every day. Over boxed bentos and makeup accessories stolen from their mothers, the boys find a safe zone in each other. 

But the sappy sweetness from this coming-of-age friendship is short-lived. Smells Like Green Spirit is fraught with the anxiety of not belonging.

Set in the 1990s, the show comes with a warning that some may find the language inappropriate for today’s context. There’s also a warning label for sexual assault and violence.

Expect some unsettling behaviour in the show, but only because it mirrors reality. There is a fine line between highlighting real-life issues and parading tragedy for the sake of drawing attention, but I think Smells Like Green Spirit casts a delicate balance without overdoing it.

While fraught with the troubling anxiety of youth, it also reminds us of the immeasurable potential of having one’s life stretched out in front of you.  Shangri-la is out there waiting for us.

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a bittersweet journey of queer identity

i dont usually write reviews but it’s 6am and i just binge watched the whole thing… i have too many feelings to keep to myself.

one scene that really stayed with me was when kirino and mishima were in their usual spot and kirino kept unconsciously using the feminine pronoun for herself, mishima gently picked up on it and reassured her, that when they’re together, it’s okay to be whoever she wants to be, even to use “she” if that felt right. that moment of freedom, of affirmation, of just being seen and accepted….it was so beautiful. watching kirino begin to use “she” and seeing the happiness on both their faces… it was like watching someone breathe for the first time.

mishima’s confrontation with his mom was another standout. her unwavering support, her love, her simple desire to see her son happy… it’s something every queer kid deserves. in contrast, kirino’s moment with her own mother was just heartbreaking. the weight she carried, the choice she made to abandon her truth for what she believed was the best for everyone… it was devastating.

kirino in the bath, scrubbing her body like she’s trying to erase something invisible, something that lives just under the skin like if she tries hard enough she can scrub away whatever part of herself she’s struggling to accept or reconcile.

this drama doesn’t offer easy answers. it gives us two queer characters, two very different outcomes. mishima got to live his truth. kirino didn’t. and yet, both stories reflect real lives. real people. it’s not fair but it’s real. that’s what makes it so bittersweet.

mishima and kirino’s story is not about falling in love, it’s about seeing and being seen. about offering someone a space where they don’t have to flinch, where they can exist in the fullness of their gender, their fear, their hope.

for those who have lived even a fraction of what these characters go through, smells like green spirit will feel like a mirror. and maybe, just maybe, a hand reaching out to hold yours through it.

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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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It comes in at the right time in my life (I was facing transphobia..). I watch it in one sitting

A real queer story about acceptance, coming out and friendship.
"The pandora's box we could only open on the rooftop" what if I CRY?!!

They did really a great job on portreying queer people who struggle with their identity - even though I'm not a big fan of "they are homophobic because they are queer too" and "they bully you because they love you".

It's very japanese in the way they act, it's not bad, just a observation. I loved it.

If one day I'm too happy, i'll re-watch it to remember how sad life is.

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