July 31st, 2016 
AstroNerdBoy げんしけん: 二代目Chapter 125 Manga Review
Genshiken Nidaime chapter 125 Manga Review
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Madarame joins Tanaka and Kugayama at a small restaurant. He reveals he’ll be moving nearby soon. Tanaka and Kugayama tease Madarame about finally graduating and not picking a girl. This leads to Kugayama revealing that he’s been returning to the cabaret club to see Rino-san, the cute otaku girl. When Kugayama gets Tanaka to work on a cosplay outfit for Rino-san, Madarame gets irritated.
Sasahara arrives, leading Madarame to take out some frustration on him. After Madarame apologizes for having Sasahara’s doujinshi, the others tell Sasahara about the situation. Sasahara informs Madarame of Ogiue’s displeasure in the matter. Further, she believes that Madarame should have slept with Sue. Madarame is unhappy when the others agree with this statement. Sasahara presses further, stating that because Sue is always at Ogiue’s place, he can’t sleep with his girlfriend.
Madarame demands to know when Genshiken became about discussing girls. He wants to discuss anime, gaming, and the like. As such, Madarame vows to return to his old ways. As such, Madarame produces some hentai doujinshi manga he’s just purchased. 
Even though this is illegal, he gains the interest of the others.
Kousaka arrives, identifying the doujinshi immediately. To the other’s surprise, Saki is with him. Madarame decides to go for broke and reveals his doujinshi purchases to Saki. She disappoints him by not having much of a reaction to his actions. Kousaka reveals Saki is pregnant, shocking everyone. Madarame freaks out, regretting not having made a decision in the harem.
Kousaka’s confirms his theory that Madarame isn’t over Saki. Saki reveals she’s not pregnant. She’d already heard about what happened from Ogiue and Ohno. Since Kousaka said news of her pregnancy would shake up Madarame, she agreed. With that, Saki tells Madarame he should date Sue. Saki rejects Madarame’s reasons for rejecting Sue. With that, Saki tells Sasahara to call Ogiue so they can talk to Sue.
Thoughts/Review:
I heard about this chapter a while back and took a look at the raws then. Since then, I’ve been waiting for this in English. I’m glad to finally be able to read this in English.
Initially, I presumed this chapter just set up the next phase of Madarame’s life. Unfortunately, the news of Genshiken Nidaime ending has changed my mind. Now I see this as a replay of the final, omake chapter from Genshiken‘s final volume. The only people missing from this gathering are Kuchiki, Ogiue, and Ohno.
The thing about this chapter is that it is pure, classic Genshiken. That is why it is so good. I love seeing how the guys are now, even though we are learning nothing new.
It is hilarious, in a non-laughing way, to see how Madarame is still jealous of Sasahara and Tanaka. Tanaka only gets to see Ohno on weekends. Sasahara may get to see Ogiue more often, but only gets quality time with her once a month. He brands them all as normal people, but in reality, none of the guys have abandoned being an otaku. Madarame proved that by producing his hentai doujinshi. However, Sasahara has a girlfriend and Tanaka has a girlfriend. Kugayama has a fake girlfriend. Madarame has nothing.
Still, I got a chuckle out of seeing Madarame go through his old tricks. Not only is he pulling out hentai doujinshi in public, which is apparently illegal, but he’s showing them to Saki as well. While Madarame is desperately attempting to cling to the past, even Saki has moved beyond Madarame’s actions negatively affecting her.
Speaking of Saki, the trick she and Kousaka pulled is ingenious. Kousaka shows his normal insightfulness in knowing the true reason Madarame rejected the harem members. Saki shows how much she cares about Madarame’s welfare by taking charge of the situation and telling Madarame to date Sue.
It is moments like this that make me see why Saki would be good for Madarame. I’m not sure what Madarame offers Saki. If Genshiken Nidaime weren’t ending, I’d say that things were being set up to get Madarame to a point to where he could be good for Saki. Unfortunately, the manga is ending, so unless Kio-sensei plans a Sandaime manga, we’ll never know if that was his plan.
I’ve long been a Sue shipper, so I’m cool with this push for Sue. I can’t wait to blog on the next chapter.
I know Sue ends up with Madarame, so I’m really cool with things.
Another reason I’m disappointed that Genshiken Nidaime is ending is that we never really got to follow Ogiue’s relationship with Sasahara, nor Ohno’s relationship with Tanaka. Kio-sensei got so wrapped up in Hato’s foolishness that he neglected the other members of Genshiken outside Hato, Rika, and Yajima. Yet the best chapters of Genshiken Nidaime incorporated the other members. I’ll write more on this in my manga wrap up review.
Finally, there’s Kugayama and his fake girlfriend Rino-san. This too would be a very interesting thing for Kio-sensei to explore. As an obese otaku, Kugayama isn’t going to get the interest of a babe. Clearly, he’s interested in babes, otherwise why go to a cabaret/hostess club? Then he meets a girl who knows about anime and manga, and “WHAM!” — he’s hooked.
It made me feel badly for Kugayama. He’s bought into the fantasy provided by Rino-san. In reality, were she not being paid to be with him, she wouldn’t be with him. While it is true that on occasion, hot babes hook up with ugly or fat guys, it is the very rare exception. I’d love for Kio-sensei to make this happen, but with Genshiken Nidaime ending, I guess we’ll never know. If Kio-sensei keeps Spotted Flower going, maybe we’ll get a hint there.
In the end, Genshiken Nidaime chapter 125 is a good chapter, bringing the focus back to the original Genshiken crew.
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I find your remarks apropos!
I have read lots of nearly last chapters that were not so satisfying.
bliss
Funny how the original Genshiken cast works so well.
I guess it’s official then that Spotted Flower is an alternate future with this crossroads, unless SF implies that Madarame broke up with Sue.
Heh! I just hope Spotted Flower continues at this point. Sue was introduced over there, so it would be neat seeing her show up again there.
Nice review…. I’m dying thinking about what is written on the spoiler!!!! But I will not read it until the next chapter.
When Kousaka said that Saki shouldn’t drink alcohol it shocked me… the spotted flower was no more. Madarame x Saki future was going down the slope, rolling like a rock… just like the title of the chapter suggest… A high slope flower, almost unattainable if you are falling down fast.
But then it stopped rolling. Well played, Kio Shimoku.
While everybody saw that Sue was the perfect girl (aside of Saki, of course) for Madarame, every reader knew that Saki was still in the centre of all the Genshiken important moments, even in Nidaime. Like always. So in this chapter we see just that. The Harem arc was nothing, until Saki shows up, putting the truth on the table and getting the gears in motion… a last time? (For ol’ times sake…)
With this I think the author will escape the true ending route. I don’t know what will happen next but I’m guessing that we will have a date of Madarame with Sue and then nothing at all. Open ending. Leaving all the possibilities there (sandaime or spotted flower). Or it will be the Sue ending, which I like, but not like this, I wanted it more elaborated (And Saki setting it up feels strange: like giving permission to the relationship or being not honest of Madarame with Sue or something like that).
But the thing that troubles me the most is that it really is ending. Just when the we were reaching the best part.
This manga seems shorter than the original series, but strangely it is way longer on volumes. Well… I hope it ends well…
😆 I admire you. I couldn’t resist. 😛
Well, yeah. Saki is the one who really got the ball rolling for sure. I’ll refrain from commenting more. 😉
Yeah, for real. Plus, I had been looking forward to Risa joining Genshiken. 🙁
I’m putting my money on a “Sandaime” manga, maybe starting next year or so. Let’s see what the final chapter will tell us about future possibilities.
Yeah, I can see a Sandaime manga being created after Kio-sensei takes a break. I hope he’ll still do some Spotted Flower chapters, even if he does plan a return to Genshiken.
Thank you for a well-written review, which nails pretty much everything there is to say about this chapter. Speculation might be fun, but all my speculative energy these days is being poured down the drain of US politics. (^_~)
I don’t know if it’s timely, but I thought this was interesting when I bumped into it by chance over at Nico: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm29357916.
Har!
As to Nico, I don’t have an account there, so I can’t see it. 🙁
Shame this is ending, it was alright, but nowhere near as strong as its “first season”, also still amazed that there have been no break ups in the main relationships. Then again, it’s only been a year of story time. Still, now that its ending, I do feel that the series had a bit too much of a hyper focus. The whole harem arc really did become the entire focus of this series didn’t it?
[spoiler] So, Sue ending eh? I guess I’m in the minority, but Sue was never that much of a character to me, she always felt more like a comic relief plot device, but I guess I’m in the minority. Or in other terms, all the other girls felt like actual people to me, Sue never really did. [/spoiler]
Assuming we get nothing else after the series finishes, it is kinda weird that Kio goes so far to make sure that it lines up with Spotted Flower, with one main exception.
I was reading on Bato that Kio-sensei apparently decided to end Genshiken Nidaime because it was no longer relevant to modern otaku, unlike how the original Genshiken was. Apparently, they couldn’t keep it relevant with how modern otaku do things and the things they are into other than current manga/anime. 🙁
When it came to the characters of Sue and Angela, both of them are cliched Americans. Sue is the “weeaboo” type character and Angela is the big breasted, ultra sexy type who just happens to like Japanese stuff.
Yeah, I agree.
Honestly, I think a cool idea that would work with Shimizu’s talents would be a look at real life while still being an Otaku, or in the industry. I did like some of the new characters, but in many ways the stories I wanted to see was what was happening to the rest of the gang living their lives. What’s life like for Kohsaka and Saki, what’s up with Ohno and Tanaka?
As for Sue and Angela, yeah, both of them were cliches, and that’s why they just aren’t as interesting to me as the more layered characters. It says something that Madarame and Saki are still the most interesting characters in the series, and neither were really intended to be the main characters.
Yep. This is me as well. This would have made for a more interesting continuation for Genshiken.
It is weird, but when Sue first showed up, I didn’t care much for her. Angela was just the big breasted American with a fetish for Japanese guys like Madarame. However, in Genshiken Nidaime, Sue grew on me somehow. I think it is partially because Kio-sensei drew her in a softer way when he tweaked her character design. There were hints at something deeper, but other than a couple of chapters, Kio-sensei never explored that with her. That was unfortunate.
The other thing is that Ohno was supposed to be really good friends with Sue and Angela. Yet Sue latched onto Ogiue and never seemed like much of a friend with Angela and even less of one with Ohno. I found that unfortunate as well.
Well, Saki was supposed to be the main character along with Sasahara in the original Genshiken. Sasahara was the otaku in denial who decided to embrace his otaku side. Saki was the “normal” chick who had disdain for otaku, yet in the end understood them better than even she ever thought.
Madarame was the ultimate otaku to guide Sasahara. I think he ended up being more popular than Kio-sensei expected.
Well fortunately I have given up speculation on politics this year, so have lots for manga.
Well in the original 9 volumes Oguie was barely introduced and Hato had not been introduced. We got much more of Oguie and Hato. We brought ‘rame-kun back into the mix and began to resolve his story. Curiously Madarame has been the hero of
the “Return of the Otaku” light novel. And he becomes the central male character of the Genshiken Nidaime story. While we know that Tanaka continues to costume Ohno but we really know nothing about the other characters who have graduated and how they are living their lives aside from Kugayama who pays for company. alt-Madarame is the central male character of the Spotted Flower and aside from alt-Hato-sensei, a heterosexual TG, none of the other males appear there so far.
Well of course the Otaku on the scene in Japan have moved beyond the sort of thing that agitates the Genshiken so far but maybe the new President will get some interesting members maybe even a fan-subbing circle who think that such a broad option as the Study of Modern Visual Media is right up their alleys.
I have read multiple depictions of mangaka, otaku, fujoshi and other interesting people in for a shortlist, Genshiken and in Fujoshi Rumi and I am willing to watch/read more about the creative side of fandom and the evolution of mangaka in Japan. Heck I have even devoted similar pointless energy to the creators of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, who were the heroes of my youth after I gave up on the D. Ducks, Oswald the Rabbit and Bug Bunny. Porky Pig and of course the Mouses, Mickey and Super.
bliss
Hehheh. Good call.
One analysis I read is that modern otaku don’t gather in person to discuss these things. Everything is done online. And Genshiken never really got into much of the technology stuff. They did talk a bit about PCs once and a bit about gaming consoles, but mostly, it was hentai doujinshi and figures. But, otaku do apparently do still go to doujinshi events even if they don’t go to Akihabara for them.
I think the reason the original Genshiken worked for me wasn’t just its look at Japanese otaku, but their fandom could translate to things like you’ve mentioned. For me, that would be Star Trek and Star Wars. 😀
Well I hate to mention your competitor or compeer but on that Web site given
below are very relevant information with a translation of Shimoku Kio’s most
revealing interview to date. Further on Spotted Flower SK states that the
characters and the story have nothing to do with the people in Genshiken
that they happen to resemble. Genshiken was inspired by a club with
the same name SK happened to belong to for 6 months, he was in a
Judo club (like Hato) and did other interesting things that helped him
with creating his works to date. On the same site in information about
his newer work “Hashikko Ensemble” as in the name of the School
and vocal ensemble. Very briefly quoting.
“Fujiyoshi Akira and Kimura Jin are new students at Hashimoto Technical High School. Akira sports an unusually deep voice that cracks when he tries to raise it, so he generally avoids speaking if he can help it. Jin is anything but quiet. Notorious throughout the school for his undaunting enthusiasm and his loud, boisterous tunes between classes, Jin wants to recruit fellow students to form a vocal ensemble.”
So take a look at to get your
updates on all of the above.
Bobbie Sellers aka bliss on Usenet rec.arts.manga.
You can link to source websites with no problem, providing they aren’t to illegal websites.
I’ll glance at Kio-sensei’s new work, but after what he did with Spotted Flower, I’m not that thrilled with him.