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During the anime and the manga, the author refers to Midori as green-skinned,
in fact, even her name means green. But she doesn't look obviously green:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/L4fpVm.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/L4fpVm.jpg)

I would expect a name like Aoi instead if there was some leeway -
<http://www.omniglot.com/language/colours/japanese.htm>

In the manga there is a panel with RGB codes, I thought I'd color her in just
to make sure it wasn't an anime adaption problem & I removed the shading:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kbzYrm.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kbzYrm.png)
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/VAKiZ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/VAKiZ.png)

Midori's skin is hex value #85D8D0 or RGB (133,216,208). The green component
of her skin is only 8 units larger than the blue component. Thus, even without
my subjectiveness, she can't be considered green-skinned. Several color-
focused websites classify the color as Cyan, not a shade of green.

Is there some reason for this - [maybe based in
language](http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=17970)? Why didn't they just
say she was cyan / aqua / turqoise? or even, blue?


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space-patrol-luluco
Why is Midori referred to as green-skinned, when she's not that green?


Japanese has multiple words for the color _turquoise_ :

  * ターコイズブルー (turquoise blue) this is used for dominating blue or neutral
  * ターコイズグリーン (turquoise green) this is used for dominating green.

The green part in ターコイズグリーン isn't 緑 (midori), but Midori is a common girl's
name.

And she is probably called green-skinned, because turquoise-green-skinned is
way too long. So they only use the last part.

Source for Japanese words:
[Wikipedia](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B3%E3%82%A4%E3%82%BA%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC)


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Think of it this way, Midori is what the Japanese would refer to as a
"[Gyaru](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru)."

One of the more popular styles of gyaru is
"[Ganguro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganguro)", characterized by their
deeply artificial tan and dyed/bleached hair.

[![so
gyaru](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SVuDgm.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SVuDg.jpg)

Green skin might refer to her natural skin color. It's likely that she chose
another hue as the bronze shade of typical ganguro gyaru is too similar to her
original color. After all, ganguro gyarus are not only into radical fashions
radical fashions, but also radical makeup. So some order more radically
different shade makes sense in this context.

You make the mistake in thinking "midori" can only refer to the kanji
[緑]{midori}. If your are unaware the kanji [青]{ao} refers to both the color
blue and green (more commonly the former nowadays). Another way to write this
kanji is 碧. While typically pronounced "ao,"
[many](http://midorinohappa.wix.com/midori)
[people](http://www.midorikomachi.com/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E/)
[take](https://www.lessismore.co.jp/staff/MidoriNishimura)
[it](http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/%E7%B5%A1%E7%B9%B0%E5%B8%AB%E3%81%A8%E7%A2%A7_\(Karakurishi_to_Midori\))
as a given name and pronounce it as "Midori." The name here might be use in an
ironic sense (character design wise), like calling a black cat "White."

Cyan is a greenish-blue or a light blue color. This fits her character and
name in two ways:

  * When tanning your skin color you have to take into account your natural tone, unless you are painting over it completely

  * Her name is a bit of a pun on her complexion, she's both green (underneath) and blue (outside)


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