げんしけん: 二代目 Chapter 83

Ohno and Sue apply for permission to have a cosplay photo shoot, which they receive though Ohno is cautioned to not let this interfere with her graduation thesis.

Back at the club room with Sue, Kenji, Rika, and Yajima, Ohno is depressed about her negative job prospects. Kenji remarks that Kuchiki had told him that she was planning to marry Tanaka. Ohno says that this is what she wants (and to be a housewife), but she and Tanaka haven’t discussed it since he’s still a student at trade school. Ohno still wants to be able to earn enough to support herself no matter what, so Rika sees an opportunity and suggests Ohno put together a COSROM (cosplay CD) and sell it, thus making a fortune. However, Ohno isn’t thrilled with this kind of option, tough Rika keeps fueling the fires for Ohno to think about.

At home with Tanaka, they discuss the idea while he measures her for a new costume. Tanaka isn’t thrilled by the ideal of Ohno doing a COSROM, not only as her boyfriend, but because of what it could negatively cause her in her job searches. He wants her to be able to get a job since he doesn’t know what the future holds.

Ohno is depressed by his words, so the next time she’s in the club room, she asks if they really think a COSROM of her would sell. Rika causes Ohno to cave, so on the day of the cosplay shoot, Ohno is acting fairly seductive. This troubles Tanaka, who’d thought Ohno wanted to be demure as possible.  However, she becomes even bolder, emphasizing her chest. Yajima tells Tanaka that Ohno downing a giant bottle of saki is the reason she’s acting the way she is and Rika confesses that she gave Ohno the bottle to help her loosen up.

Ohno speaks up, saying it is impossible for her to get a job before graduation and since Tanaka had said he didn’t know what the future held, she’s worried about being thrown out and forced to work as a cosplay prostitute or porn actress. Tanaka clarifies this for Ohno, saying that he was referring to his own job hunting prospects once his trade education is over. When Yajima tells him how anxious Ohno has been lately, Tanaka understands, thus reassures Ohno by telling her his plans, which include making cosplay outfits for her for the rest of his life. This, he wants her to wait for him. This cheers her, so she says she’ll repeat a year while she waits, then passes out.

The photo shoot over, Kenji, Yajima, and rika return to the club room with the cosplay stuff, where they discover Madarame sitting there. They are surprised to see him in casual clothes, but he announces that he quit his job.

Wow, a good chapter concerning Ohno’s and Tanaka’s relationship.

One of the minor problems with the original Genshiken is that Kio-sensei was rather attached to the notion of having chapters in the manga occur in the same month that the manga chapter was published. Thus, the manga rapidly progresses through four years of college, only slowing down a bit toward the end of Genshiken‘s initial run.  As such, the original series really didn’t have time for the romance between Tanaka and Ohno. We saw their obvious attraction, then out of the blue, they were dating. During all that time, the only moment I recall the their relationship being explored is when Ohno found out Tanaka had made cosplay outfits for Ogiue without letting Ohno know.

So, it was really nice seeing Tanaka’s and Ohno’s relationship as it stands now. With graduation approaching, it is easy to understand why Ohno would be worried, both about job prospects and her life with Tanaka. Her fear of abandonment and a life of cosplay porn or prostitution aren’t appealing and I understand her fear. That made what Tanaka said to her even more special, in my opinion.  I’d love to see this couple get married before the current series ends.

While this was a chapter about Ohno’s and Tanaka’s relationship, it was also the visual tale of Ohno’s giant breasts. After his “opai” orgy in Spotted Flower chapter 07, where an Ohno-like character had her breasts in our eyes for most of the chapter, I suppose it isn’t surprising that Kio-sensei continued on that line. And, with Ohno mentioning cosplay porn and prostitution, I can now see Japanese hentai artists scrambling to do stories of Ohno as a cosplay prostitute. ^_^;;;;

As to Ohno’s remarks about hanging back a year, I bet that happens.

The surprising bit was Madarame coming to the club room and stating that he’d quit his job. His conversation with Saki must have done a lot more that I realized, especially since she didn’t want him to quit the job. By quitting, he’s breaking the last major element that held him in the vicinity of the college.  We’ll see where this goes.

Finally, it was amusing to watch Sue as the chapter progressed.  She really didn’t say much, but even still, she comes darn close to stealing all the scenes she’s in.

So, a good chapter story-wise.