Summary
Green Green Greens takes a character-based approach instead of relying heavily on action and sports scenes. The first chapter focuses more on the friendship between the two main characters rather than having the sport of golf as the main focus. The success of the character-based approach shows that manga creators can prioritize character development over action to create a compelling series.
New sports manga Blue green is trying a different path to success – with potentially revolutionary implications for how Jump Shonen New series coming soon. In the extremely competitive manga industry, the key to new series survival lies in Shōnen Jump‘S’s weekly publishing rotation is to become popular as quickly as possible. Usually, this requires lots of action and enthralling storytelling. Shōnen Jump’s target market is action-oriented manga that appeals to boys and teenagers.
On the surface, Kento Terasaka’s new series Green Green Greens is a sports story about golf. The film is about high school student Haku Yaesaki, who while his friends are busy pursuing their dreams, is trying to become a world-class NEET. That was until he ran into classmate Nadeshiko Oga at the school’s Office of College & Career Planning. Oga is Yaesaki’s opposite: intelligent, disciplined, and organized.
Yaesaki was surprised to learn that, like him, the guidance counselors were also worried about Oga’s lack of plans for the future. Yaesaki was even more surprised when later that evening, he ran into Oga and learned that after graduating from high school, she was planning to test her talent in a professional golf tournament. Interested in her unusual idea, Yaesaki began to think that golf was also the path for him.
NEET or Not in Education, Employment or Training refers to the modern phenomenon of young people who are not working, attending classes or receiving any form of professional training. It is a popular character type in manga and anime.
Green Green Greens relies on character-driven storytelling
Blue green created by Kento Terasaka
A focus on character development so early in Shōnen Jump manga is rare. It’s even rarer for a sports manga to take this approach. For reference, the first issue of the popular sports manga Shōnen Jump Kuroko’s Basketball and Haikyuu!! filled with intense in-game action or mesmerizing training scenes. While the premiere of Green Green Greens opens up some interesting ways the story could develop, what’s most interesting about this chapter is that it focuses less on sports in general and golf in particular.
The last time Shōnen Jump published a sports manga in which sports were similarly toned down to aid character development was Blue Box. However, even the first chapter of Blue Box has more sports action than Green Green Greens. While there is some discussion of golf and more than a few pages of Oga and Yaesaki sparring at the driving range – golf and sports are an afterthought for a much more interesting and engaging focus on friendship developing between the two main characters. What’s surprising is that no action is necessary to make the reader care about the Green Green Greens, the characters do it on their own.
Green Green Greens brings relevance in the story with its action sequences
The fact that the character-driven first chapter works so well means there’s an alternative path for manga creators, as they don’t always need to hit the home run on their first outing. Instead of trying to impress with action and gimmicks, they could instead focus on the characters that bring life to the story. Like Terasaka of Green Green Greens, most creators have the artistic talent to create great artistic action. It’s difficult to develop a deep and interesting character – someone who can carry an entire series – through action alone. The focus of the character Blue green clearly presents this concept and for that reason, Jump Shonen may have just found another winning streak.
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