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.
More reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/
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.
More reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/
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