HELL YES!
^_^;;; Hehehe...
Mitsuru: *pokes his head in the doorway* Hello, what's this about?
Shinobu: *pokes his head over Mitsuru's head* He's typing something about us possibly being a couple.
Mitsuru: *blink blink* *looks up at Shinobu* Sou ka.
Shinobu: It's a good webpage idea, don't you think?
Mitsuru: Whose side are you on?
^.^;;;
Uhm, so anyway, the point of this page is to present a humorous yet kinda serious analysis of the nature of Mitsuru and Shinobu's relationship. As everyone knows, they are the best of friends, and it has been wishfully speculated by many Greenwood fans (myself included ^.~) that they are more than that. ;)~ They are the ultimate ambiguously yaoi (gay :P) duo.
Mitsuru: o_o *sputters*
Shinobu: Oh calm down, like this wasn't bound to happen.
Ganymede: ^.^ Yeah, Mitsuru, besides, I'm going to present both sides of the issue here anyway.
Mitsuru: -_-;;; I'm leaving. *stomps off*
-.-;;; Let's start the analysis with:
THE EROS ARGUMENT
At this section we give an argument for why Mitsuru and Shinobu might be a couple. To begin with, we list a bunch of ambiguous moments from the OAV, manga, and CDs which suggest that Our Pair might be more than friends. Please take the list below with a grain of salt, as much of it is merely wishful thinking. :P
Mitsuru: *pops his head back into the doorway above Shinobu's head* Hah! See? Wishful thinking!
Ganymede: But you two would make such a cute couple. *raspberries Mitsuru*
Mitsuru: o.o;;; Shut up.
^.^ So yeah, here's the list of ambiguous moments from the OAV, manga, and CDs...
1. In the manga, after Kazuya punches Mitsuru and runs out, Mitsuru says, "Good punch. I like him." Shinobu's reply is: "I never knew you were a masochist." ^^
2. Episode 1 - When Kazuya asks Mitsuru and Shinobu why they stayed the in dorm over summer break, Shinobu says that they have their reasons. Mitsuru then says, "It isn't too bad for us, is it, Shinobu?" and he moves in close to Shinobu and stares into his eyes, saying, "I was hoping we could finally have some time alone together." Shinobu pauses and says, "You'd better stop. Hasukawa's eyes are about to pop right out." Mitsuru's reply: "The guy has no sense of humor."
3. In a related scene in "Greenwood Carnival 2 - The Room Number Song" (a song on the Greenwood Vocal Best Collection), Shinobu says in this suggestive voice, "Yatto futari kiri ni nare ta na, Mitsuru." ("At last we're alone, Mitsuru.") Mitsuru, taken off-guard, replies: "Ba... bakkyarou!" ("I... Idiot!" ^^)
4. Episode 1 - Mitsuru and Shinobu bathe together in the same tub. :)~ Of course, this is a normal thing in Japan for people of the same sex to do, so this isn't really evidence that Shinobu and Mitsuru are lovers, but that's why it's a list of AMBIGUOUS moments. :P Remember that as you read on. :P
5. Episode 1 - When Mitsuru visits the infirmary doctor (Hasukawa Kazuhiro, who is rumored to be gay), he is lying in the infirmary bed with his school uniform inexplicably undone, his tie loose and his shirt unbuttoned at the top. The doctor greets him at the bed by saying, "Ikeda-kun, how is your supposed sickness today?" Maybe Mitsuru wanted to test the theory that the doctor is gay by undoing his uniform and baring some chest. :P
Mitsuru: Anou... what does that have to do with me being in love with Shinobu?
Ganymede: So you admit it!
Mitsuru: I never said that! -_-
Shinobu: Mitsuru, open your mouth and remove your foot.
Mitsuru: ... -_-;;;
Shinobu: I must admit though that I don't see how Mitsuru flirting with Hasukawa-sensei is evidence that Mitsuru and I are in love.
Mitsuru: I WASN'T FLIRTING AND WE ARE NOT IN LOVE!
Ganymede: Well, I put that down on this page because if Mitsuru was flirting with Kazuhiro, then the chances that he'd fall for a guy are a bit more likely. But whatever, these are ambiguous moments, remember that!
6. Episode 1 - Shinobu asks Mitsuru, "How long is this gonna last?" and Mitsuru, assuming he was talking about Kazuya, says, "He should be fine soon." Shinobu's response is, "No, I was talking about you," to which Mitsuru expresses surprise. To someone just watching in passing, it sounds like Shinobu is asking Mitsuru just how long he's gonna be abusing Kazuya or something, ^^;;; but to an obsessed yaoi fanboy like myself it sounds like Shinobu's asking Mitsuru how long his fixation on Kazuya's future is gonna last or how long his inner denial of their own relationship is gonna last. To me my interpretations make more sense from the way Mitsuru goes "Eh?" in surprise... and then two scenes later Shinobu tells Mitsuru that he likes/loves him, so what else is a good all-American yaoi fanboy like me supposed to think? :P *g*
7. Episode 1 - In one of the cutest anime scenes ever, Shinobu says: "Mitsuru, suki da ze." The great part about this line is that the sentence can translate to either "Mitsuru, I like you," or "Mitsuru, I love you." Talk about ambiguous. ^.~
8. Episode 2 - Well, there's not much stuff in this episode that I can call ambiguously yaoi, but Shinobu was pretty darn pissed when his sister captured and stripped Mitsuru. ^^ He probably wanted to do it himself. :P Plus, when Mitsuru says that Shinobu owes him and Shinobu replies by saying that he owes Mitsuru for now, all us hentai folk must wonder exactly how they repay each other. ;P
9. Episode 3 - The look on Shinobu's face when he's playing the role of Cool Mint and telling Mitsuru/Lemon Herb that he's missed him and has been waiting for him looked like more than just plain acting to me. :P
Mitsuru: Heh! Seems more like a list of Shinobu's ambiguous moments to me!
Shinobu: *looks up at Mitsuru* If you really want, I can tell the webmaster here a few things that'll make this list more balanced.
Mitsuru: *glares* Omai...
-_-;;;
10. Episode 4 - Mitsuru complains about his shoulder, and Shinobu tells him to stop sounding like an old man. Aww... they sound just like a married couple! ^.^
11. Episode 4 - After Misako arrives to pester Mitsuru, Shinobu says that he's going to bed, and Mitsuru says, "Hold it! You're just abandoning me?" Shinobu replies, "Hardly. This is for the two of you to work out. Three's a crowd, in this case." Now, what could Shinobu have REALLY meant by that? ^_~
12. Episode 4 - When Misako disturbs Shinobu and Mitsuru in their beds, Shinobu warns Misako that Mitsuru snores very loudly.
13. Episode 4 - When Misako suggests that she possess Shinobu's body in order to kiss Mitsuru, one should note that it takes quite a while for Shinobu and Mitsuru to finally decide on a "no" answer. ^^
14. Episode 5 - I think the look on Shinobu's face when he tells Shun about Mitsuru's childhood says it all. :P
15. In the manga, Mitsuru and Shinobu plan to live together after they graduate. Again, keep in mind this is a list of AMBIGUOUS things. :P The fact that they want to live together may mean that they're more than friends, or it may not.
Ganymede: Okay, I realize this isn't a very convincing list...
Mitsuru: Damn straight. ^.^
Ganymede: -_- ...so here are some links you should visit before continuing to read on:
Mitsuru and Shinobu's Manga Kiss!
(*with pictures!*)
Kael and Ganymede Chat :P
read the lyrics for "Kimi to Itsu Made"
(a romantic duet between Mitsuru and Shinobu)
Ganymede: Now, if you've visited those links and you still think Mitsuru and Shinobu have a completely platonic relationship, then fine, be that way! :P Just kidding. ^_^
Mitsuru: Chotto matte!
Ganymede: *stops typing* Hah?
Mitsuru: You gotta present both sides of the issue like you said!
Ganymede: *looks over at Shinobu*
Shinobu: *raises eyebrow* Hm. Mitsuru has a point.
Ganymede: *sour look* Oh, very well, Mitsuru-SAMA. *types*
Mitsuru: ^.^; That's better.
-.-;;; So, at Mitsuru's request, here is...
THE PHILIA ARGUMENT
Here we have the devil's advocate side of the coin... a short argument as to why Mitsuru and Shinobu might NOT be a couple:
1. Maybe they're just good friends.
Ganymede: HAHAHAHA! That's funny...
Mitsuru: -.-;;;
2. Shinobu and Mitsuru both comment on Sumire's beauty - and for those of you non-Greenwood people, Sumire is female, indicating that Mitsuru and Shinobu might like females. :P
Ganymede: Well, just cause they're lovers doesn't mean they can't recognize and comment on female beauty, or maybe they're trying to be in the closet about their relationship by talking about women. Or perhaps they're just bi! That way everyone has a chance with them. :P
Mitsuru: O.o;;; Just shut up and type what we tell you to type.
3. The list of ambiguous moments are merely that and nothing more. Just because Shinobu says he loves Mitsuru and they bathe and eat and live together and flirt with each other to scare people and kiss each other when they're not supposed to and sing about their love for each other on a CD doesn't mean that they're more than just friends. :P
Shinobu: You know, you're not very good at this devil's advocate thing.
Ganymede: Well, frankly, I'm not that motivated. :P
And now we have...
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART
A final note...
The "point" to this page is that if you think that Mitsuru and Shinobu are a couple, there is ample evidence to support you. If you don't think they're a couple, there is ample evidence to support you as well, and both opinions are legitimate. There are so many moments in the OAV, manga, and CDs that can be taken in different ways - to some these moments just mean that Mitsuru and Shinobu are just very close friends while to others it means that they are lovers as well. The perfect example is when Shinobu tells Mitsuru that he loves/likes Mitsuru - a very ambiguous statement, which we as the viewers can interpret either way. That is the beauty of Mitsuru and Shinobu's relationship - the evidence we have shows that the possibility of eros is just as likely as the possibility of philia (or the possibility of both eros AND philia :P), so in that effect their relationship satisfies both factions and is therefore universally appealing due to their wonderfully ambiguous nature... and frankly, it's more fun that way than if we knew for sure whether or not they are gay, bi, or straight; whether or not they have a relationship beyond being just close friends. And that's all I have to say and that's all for this page... for now. ^.^;;;
Mitsuru: Finally! I'm glad that's over.
Shinobu: Yes, let's go back to our room so I can try out those new handcuffs on you.
Mitsuru: Ba... BAKA! Not so loud!
Ganymede: O.o I'm leaving before my ears get sullied.
Urm... THE END -_-
M . I . S . T
Ganymede's Palace
