げんしけん: 二代目Chapter 124 Manga Review
Genshiken Nidaime chapter 124 Manga Review
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Risa comes with Rika to the Genshiken club room, now an official student at the Shiou University. When Hato shows up, Risa hits on him, giving him a pair of short shorts to wear.
After Risa departs, Rika suggests that she, Hato, and Yajima celebrate at Yajima’s house. In addition to Risa being in college now, it is also a year since the trio had their initial party at Yajima’s house. Yajima agrees to this, so Rika puts her plan into motion to get Hato and Yajima together as a couple.
With food and drink flowing, Rika opens up the discussion with underage drinking. Once Rika sees Hato and Yajima getting tipsy, she starts talking about their initial party from a year ago. Rika confesses to lifting up Hato’s skirt, but Yajima punched her. She rats out Yajima as having seen under Hato’s skirt upon punching Rika. To Rika’s surprise, Yajima confesses that before that incident, she’d tried to look under Hato’s skirt.
Upon hearing this, Hato expresses happiness that Yajima took an interest in him. He asks if Yajima saw him. After a lengthy silence, Rika goes off on Yajima, having suspected Yajima looked all along. Hato confesses it is more embarrassing to have been seen in panties than having his manhood exposed.
Yajima apologizes, so Rika pounces. She proclaims that this is when Yajima saw Hato as a man. Since the distance between Yajima and Hato has shrunk, she states that it is time for a new beginning. Yajima stops Rika before she can recommend Yajima date Hato. Yajima confesses to having feelings for Hato, but knows Hato doesn’t feel the same. Yajima feels there are things she needs to do to make Hato fall for her. Yajima won’t say what this thing is, only that it will take time.
Yajima is thinking of her manga drawing, which is inferior to Hato. Rika asks if Yajima’s going on a diet, which she denies. She does concede that losing weight would be nice.
Yajima rejects Rika’s idea of spending the night again as a dangerous thing. Rika presses the point, stating Hato could wear a pair of Yajima’s sweat pants or bloomers. This causes Hato to pull out the short shorts Risa had given him. Rika and Yajima tell Hato he doesn’t have to go that far.
Thoughts/Review:
And so we get a chapter dealing with the three new characters of Genshiken Nidaime, celebrating a year of college under their belts.
While I’ve never really related to Rika, Yajima, or Hato, I did like this chapter. For starters, it is a nice look back to Genshiken Nidaime‘s start. It is also a nice look at how far things have come.
It also reminds me of how Kio-sensei has improved in writing. A large part of this is due to Kio-sensei changing his approach to the Genshiken chapters. For most of the original Genshiken manga run, each chapter took place in the month the chapter was published. That limits the kind of storytelling one can do if you cover a year’s time in twelve chapters.
With Genshiken Nidaime, it has been well over five years (close to six) and sixty-eight chapters to cover a year’s time in the story. Granted, the harem arc seemed to drag a bit (it reads better in book form), but on the whole, Kio-sensei can properly write what he wants.
As to the specifics of Genshiken Nidaime chapter 124, it does appear that the Hato x Yajima ship has set sail. I’m still in the camp that says Spotted Flower will be canon. (I looked at chapter 125 and know the developments there, which I’m EAGER to write about, once we see an unofficial release). As such, I’m eager to see Yajima and Hato get together.
Risa didn’t get much time in this chapter, other than to set up the final joke. However, I’m hoping we see more of her in the future. I don’t want her to become a one trick wonder horse though. I hope Kio-sensei gives her character some work. In addition, she can be an amusing element of a Risa-Hato-Yajima love triangle.
In the end, Genshiken Nidaime chapter 124 is an enjoyable chapter. I think this may be the best chapter to feature Yajima, Hato, and Rika.
Yeah. This was a good one.
Now that the MadaHarem arc is finally over I’m curious to see what future arcs gonna be about.
I can’t wait for 125 to come out in English. I looked at the raw for it and have a general sense of what happened, but it looks like it will be a great chapter.
Yeah. I can’t help but spoil myself everytime, reading Ogiuemaniax’ review of RAW chapters.
Normally I don’t spoil myself. However, because of the slow English releases, I was curious just to see what 124 was about and was surprised to see 125 out on the raws as well. I too popped over to Ogiuemaniax after that one.
Hello! I did finally read this chapter (and the spotted flower mini chapter). And I’m really liking this. It’s like the author used the Madareme’s harem arc to gain time to figure out what to do next or how do that. Like an anime filler, but made by the original author, while he plans ahead.
If this turns out like if there were two mangas in one, alternating between them, it can be awesome. Let’s see… One month we have nidaime, and other month we have the focus on the original genshiken. Can be good, but slow too.
On other reviews I commented on how this author amazes me in the telling of his stories, and considering how I’m absolutely on board with the Spotted Flower canon possibility and how the author can make the sequel and prequel join together at some point being serialized quasi simultaneously (On contrast to practically anything else, specially if you consider that there is no a very large gap in time), the changes on this manga could mean a third story at the same time: Nidaime turning into a continuation with the original Genshiken cast, Nidaime turning into a spinoff of sorts, and Spotted flower into a proper sequel of both. Amazing. And all of this being a very good manga multiwork series.
I’m still expecting the follow up to be hell for Rika, by the way (imagine an evil grin on my face right now).
One thing to note: The alcohol and age restriction talk seems like a nod to the readers, almost breaking the fourth wall, and perhaps a nod to the anime (I don’t remember well that part on the anime version, and didn’t see if there are staff commentaries for them).
As always, nice review Astro!
I’m going now to read your thoughts on Spotted flower and some other entries.
In Genshiken?
Yeah, it is some forth wall breaking. Manga titles can get away with a lot more than their anime counterparts.
Thanks!
I look forward to any comments you might have.