Uwasa no Midori-kun!!

Uwasa no Midori-kun!! (うわさの翠くん!!) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gō Ikeyamada. It premiered in Shōjo Comic in December 2006 where it ran until its conclusion in October 2008. The individual chapters were collected and published in ten tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. Two of its chapters are used in Gō Ikeyamada's Shōnen x Cinderella. The manga is licensed in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing and in Indonesia by Tiga Lancar Semesta.

The manga was adapted into a Nintendo DS game called Uwasa no Midori-kun!! Natsu Iro Striker (うわさの翠くん!! 夏色ストライカー), which was released by Idea Factory on September 20, 2007. On August 21, 2008, Idea Factory released another Nintendo DS game for the series called Uwasa no Midori-kun!! Futari no Midori!? (うわさの翠くん!!2 ふたりの翠!?).

Synopsis
Yamate Midori is a 15 year-old girl and is a tomboy. One day, Midori meets a boy called Hino Tsukasa, who came to the island she lives on for a holiday. He teaches her to play soccer and she falls in love with the sport. Inspired by Tsukasa, Midori continues to play soccer in hopes that they would meet again someday. When they do meet again, Tsukasa loses her trust by doing something unforgivable. Determined to defeat Tsukasa on the soccer field, Midori enrolls in an all-boys high school.

Main Characters

 * Midori Yamate (山手 翠) is 15 years old. She is a 1st year, a girl disguised as a boy, at Aoba 3rd High School. She lives in Aoba 3rd dormitory. She has part time job as a waitress (she uses a black long hair wig). At the beginning of the series, she loves Tsukasa. As the result of his irresponsible behavior, she detests him, but actually she still loves him. During the series, she begins to develop feelings towards Kazuma, though she doesn't seem to realize her love for him. In the end of the manga, she calls out Kazuma's name while she's asleep, as an evidence showing he's her true love. She decides to let go of her first love, Tsukasa Hino, in order to come to Kazuma. Also has a part time job as a waiter to earn more money.
 * Kazuma Shinbashi (新橋 カズマ) is 15 years old. He is a 1st year at Aoba 3rd High School. He lives in Aoba 3rd dormitory. He knows Midori is a girl because of unexpected incident between them at the begin of series. He loves Midori very much and is willing to do every thing for her to keep her smile. He also has part time job as a waiter. He chose that part time job to protect and help Midori. Much as he wants Midori to be his girl, he is usually seen helping her get closer to Tsukasa because he thinks that will make her smile.
 * Tsukasa Hino (氷野 司) is 17 years old. He is a 2nd year at Josei High School. He is the Josei soccer club ace. He is actually in love with Midori, but because of his dark past, he cannot show his feelings directly. In order to protect Midori, and also to bring her happiness. He constantly sexually harasses her when they are alone. Tsukasa also gets very jealous whenever Midori is with Kazuma smiling brightly.

Aoba 3rd High School

 * Kouki Sagara (相楽 光輝) is a 2nd year at Aoba 3rd High School. He is Aoba 3rd soccer club striker. He is Sagara Yuki-Miki's son and he is Kaji Mamori's boyfriend.
 * Kei Hodaka (穂高 慧) is a 2nd year at Aoba 3rd High School. He is Aoba 3rd soccer club striker. He is Hodaka Ryu's son. He is Sagara Kouki's best friend and is Sagara Maki's boyfriend.
 * Jin Ebisu (恵比寿) is a 1st year at Aoba 3rd High School. He lives at Aoba 3rd dormitory in room 204. He is Motoyama Miyu's boyfriend.
 * Tetsu Yoyogi (代々木) is a 1st year at Aoba 3rd High School. He lives at Aoba 3rd dormitory in room 203.
 * Kaoru Sugamo (巣鴨 薫) is a 1st year at Aoba 3rd High School. He lives at Aoba 3rd dormitory in room 205.
 * Toru Shinagawa (品川 トオル) is a 2nd year at Aoba 3rd High School. He is Aoba 3rd soccer club striker. He knows Midori is a girl at first sight. He often skips soccer practice and is a playboy.
 * Masato Gotanda (五反田 正人) is a 3rd year at Aoba 3rd High School. He is Aoba 3rd soccer club goal keeper and captain.
 * Tatsuya Ikebukuro (池袋 龍也) is a 3rd year at Aoba 3rd High School. He is Aoba 3rd soccer club defender. He is a troublemaker.

Josei High School

 * Akira Kawasaki (川崎 明) is Hino Tsukasa's friend in Josei soccer club. He knows all of Tsukasa's dark past and problem. He knows Midori is a girl.
 * Jun Kurihama (恵比寿 仁) is Hino Tsukasa's junior in Josei soccer club.
 * Tōgo Misaki (三崎 冬吾)

Other Characters
Sara is Tsukasa's wife.
 * Wakaba Yamate (山手 若葉) is Yamate Midori's mother. She is a single parent.
 * Mamori Kaji (加持 守里) is Kaji Tamotsu's daughter. She is Sagara Kouki's girlfriend.
 * Miyu Motoyama (本山 みゆ) is Ebisu Jin's girlfriend. She is Midori's friend at the cafe where Midori has part time job as a maid.
 * Yūki (ユウキ) loves Gotanda Masato. She is Midori's friend at the cafe where Midori has part time job as a maid.
 * Maki Sagara (相楽 真樹) is Sagara Yuki-Miki's daughter and Hodaka Kei's girlfriend.
 * Akane Shinbashi (新橋 茜) is Shinbashi Kazuma and Shinbashi(née Yamate)Midori's daughter. She looks like young Midori.
 * Kakeru Hino (氷野 翔) is Hino Tsukasa's son. He looks like young Tsukasa.

Also in the future Hino Kakeru and Shinabashi Akane soon get married to each other, not knowing their parents past.

Manga
Uwasa no Midori-kun!! was written and illustrated by Gō Ikeyamada. It was serialised in Shogakukan's Shōjo Comic in December 2006 where it ran until its conclusion in October 2008. The individual chapters were collected and published in ten tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. Two of its chapters are used in Gō Ikeyamada's Shōnen x Cinderella.

Games
The manga was adapted into a Nintendo DS game called Uwasa no Midori-kun!! Natsu Iro Striker (うわさの翠くん!! 夏色ストライカー), which was released by Idea Factory on September 20, 2007. On August 21, 2008, Idea Factory released another Nintendo DS game for the series called Uwasa no Midori-kun!! Futari no Midori!? (うわさの翠くん!!2 ふたりの翠!?).

Drama CD
Based on the manga, a Drama CD, called ''Uwasa no Midori-kun!! Futari no Oji to Hadaka Hime no Fukushu'', was released on March 5, 2008 by Sony Music Entertainment. The songs are sung by Hikaru Midorikawa, Akira Ishida, Romi Park and Kazuya Nakai.

Reception
The fifth volume of Uwasa no Midori-kun!! was ranked 10th on the Tohan charts between October 30 and November 5, 2007. The ninth volume of Uwasa no Midori-kun!! was ranked 8th on the Tohan charts between August 26 and September 1, 2008. The tenth volume of Uwasa no Midori-kun!! was ranked 22nd on the Tohan charts between October 21 to 27, 2008 and 13th on the Tohan charts between October 28 and November 3, 2008.