#oto toda

[snalsupremacy]

12 MANGA BY LGBT+ CREATORS

Happy pride month!! My time has come. Years of seeking lgbt manga lead me some great finds, and here's all the ones written by openly LGBT mangaka!

1- Our Dreams At Dusk by Yuhki Kamitani, an asexual x-gender creator!

A classic in the lgbt manga niche. Literally google "lgbt manga" and you'll find this one in the top results. It's popular for a reason! Starting Tasuku, a gay teen, the manga deals with members of the queer community from all walks of life living in a small town, and how being queer impact their lives. Yuhki Kamitani's poetic and abstract story telling abilities enhances a simple story line into one of the best emotional roller-coasters you'll ever ride on. TW: Attempt suicide, mentions of said attempt, groping of a minor, lots of homophobia

2- I Think Our Son is Gay by Okura, a gay creator!

An ADORABLE story about a progressive mom trying to learn more about how to support her closeted gay son without making it obvious that she knows. Super sweet and adorable, and the author's notes were so touching! queer joy all around

TW: Discussions and verbal displays of homophobia

3- Boys Run The Riot by Keito Gaku, a transmasc creator!

Another classic in this niche. The story follows a trans boy named Ryo who bonds with the trouble student Jin over men's fashion, and together they decide to start a fashion brand. It's refreshing to see the struggles of a trans boy portrayed so genuine and authentically.

TW: Gender dysphoria, outing

4- My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Kabi Nagata, a lesbian creator!

Kabi Nagata is an biographical essayist that publishes all her work in manga form. In one of her most popular works, My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness, Kabi tells the series of the events that led her to sleeping with a lesbian sex worker. Bold and authentic, Kabi has no fear to portray the ugly and fucked up parts of mental illness, in turn crafting an intimate and touching story.

TW: Self-harm, eating disorder, lots of discussions of mental illness, sexuality, and gender.

5- The Bride was a Boy by Chii, a transfem creator!

The biographical tale of the author, Chii, from realizing she's trans to meeting her husband, all told through 4-koma stories! The adorable chibi art-style and light-heartedness of this manga is sure to warm anyone's hearts! It's great to see the story of a trans woman told in such an optimistic and happy way. Details like the pop-ups of information about LGBT and Trans issues to the game-board illustrating her transition journey really show how proud Chii is of her identity, as she should!

TW: None that I remember

6- My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame, a gay creator!

The #1 non-sexual Bara, made by the #1 bara author. Tagame may be more known for his NSFW works, but his first SFW serialization shows the experience he's gained through the decades working on manga, even winning multiple awards (-) . After single father Yaichi's estranged brother passed away, Yaichi gets visited by his Canadian husband, Mike. A beautiful and sweet story of dealing with loss and overcoming homophobia, ft the cutest little child character and a very healthy divorced couple!

TW: Nudity (Technically non-sexual, but Tagame is a bear and it shows), Grief and loss of a loved one

7- To Strip The Flesh by Oto Toda, a transmasc creator!

An anthology book of various stories by Toda. The first of which, To Strip the Flesh (Where the manga gets its namesake) is inspired by the author's experience with dysphoria and coming out as a trans men. Toda was the assistant of Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Men) during the serialization of Fire Punch.

TWs: Gender Dysphoria, gore, mutilation (no blood shown), house invasion, nudity, hunting and skinning of animals, gunshot wound, mysoginy

8-Gay Fuuzoku no Mochigi-san - Sexuality Is Life - by Mochigi, a gay creator!

Originally published on Twitter, Mochigi tells of his experience running away from home and coming to work in the bustling Shinjuku Ni-Chome, Tokyo's gay neighborhood. Through his sex work and work in gay bars, Mochigi tells an authentic story of the ups and downs of the gay culture in Tokyo.

TWs: Though not visually graphic, it goes into a lot of details about gay sex work

9- Vassalord by Nanae Chrono, a transmasc creator!

Y'all aren't ready for the synopsis... ok so this cyborg vampire who works for the Vatican is frenemies with this fuckboy vampire. They fight then make up then kiss and break-up (YOU!). Together they go on missions set by the church. Extremely emo and edgy vampires, actually really great action, and all the charm of early 2000's BL, now with extra blood! Nanae Chromo came out on twitter as trans only recently, and many news sources including Anime List still lists him as Female unfortunately.

TW: Bloody fights, enough homoeroticism to make your teeth rot

10- X-Gender by Asuka Miyazaki, a X-gender creator!

Miyazaki (AFAB) realizes at age 33 that they not only are X-gender, but like woman as well! The relatable and awkward biographical story of the author's experiences and new discoveries about their identity and the community. The manga also takes the time to explain all the terms used in the LGBT community, making it very accessible to those out of the loop! Also, the art-style is very cute.

TW: Lots of talks about sex and gender, possibly other things as I have not read it yet

11- Why I Adopted my Husband by Yuta Yagi, a gay creator!

The cute auto biography of Yuta and Kyota, a gay couple who have been dating for almost 20 years. The manga talks about not only their relationship, but also what it's like to live as a gay couple in Japan, and the draws and benefits of adoption as a way to seek the same legal rights of straight couples.

TWs: None

• Final Word •

I made this list to celebrate all the brave people who are open about their identities, but I also wanna point out that there are incredible LGBT manga out there written by anonymous or even straight creators!

Happy pride month to everyone but specially all the people living in places where it's not safe to be openly LGBT, everyday that you breathe is an act of rebellion, and we should be proud of that!

Here's a quickie of some other LGBT manga that didn't make the list for some reason or another- hmu if u want more details on them or just wanna talk about lgbt manga in general!

[queer-literature-polls]

Have you read this queer manga?

Reason: Trans man protagonist Genre: Drama Average rating: 7.5 (MAL)

Mod review: Great portrayal of a trans man and the dysphoria and dilemmas that being trans can cause. He considers whether to transition for his own happiness, or live as a woman until his father passes in order to please him. He also has a big chest, which isn't that common in transmasc characters. I learnt afterwards that the writer/artist is a trans man, which explains it.

[solreads]

To Strip the Flesh - Review

Title: To Strip the Flesh

Author: Oto Toda

Translator: Emily Balistrieri

Genre: Contemporary

Audience: Adult

Format: Graphic Novel; Short Stories

Representation: Trans man POV character

Summary: To Strip the Flesh is a collection of short stories, the first half of the book consists of ‘To Strip the Flesh’ which follows Chiaki Ogawa, a trans man and YouTuber who livestreams himself butchering the animals his father hunts. Online, Chiaki faces the objectification of his body for the features he most wants to change. In real life, he bears the weight of his father's expectations for a daughter and his late mother’s last wish for him to marry and be a ‘beautiful bride’. Though he secretly starts HRT, he resolves not to seek surgery or transition socially while his father is alive. When his father announces he has cancer and is refusing chemotherapy, Chiaki’s attempts to reason with him begin to open cracks in his resolve. 

Reflections: ‘To Strip the Flesh’ captured the understated, tired sort of discontent that comes from telling yourself, ‘I just have to hold out until…’ ‘I just have to keep living like this until…’ waiting for that distant future to come to you. When Chiaki talked about holding off on further transitioning until his father has passed and when he was going through the motions of his job, I felt that resignation and disconnect, and it rang very true to me. It made it that much more satisfying when Chiaki broke out of that holding pattern and bloomed into someone vibrant and alive. I also loved the visuals of Chiaki holding his knife to his chest and the dream he has of his father laying him out on the butcher’s table and removing his breasts and reproductive organs. They conveyed his repressed feelings clearly and poignantly. 

The other short stories were more hit or miss and not really why I picked up the book. ‘I Just Love My Fave’, which shows the ghost of a famous idol’s grandmother supporting her grandson even after death, was sweet. ‘David in Love,’ which follows a doll replica of Michaelangelo’s David who falls in love with a little girl and tries to win her over, was… strange. It was kind of funny, but also what are we doing with this? ‘Hot Watermelon,’ in which a mother performs a ritual to allow her cruel son to feel her emotions, had some great body horror elements and a nice message. Of the Two-Page Mangas, there were one or two hits, but mostly they didn’t make much impression.

Warnings: Depictions of transphobia, misgendering, dysphoria.

Notes on Rep: MC is described as having ‘Gender Identity Disorder’.

[penebui]

[dropintomanga]

To Strip the Flesh - A Powerful Story About Identity

"I don't want to die having given up. I don't want to drown in a puddle. I don't want to die looking like this. I want to die as a man."

I got a chance to finally read Oto Toda's acclaimed short story "To Strip the Flesh" on Transgender Visibility Day and it's a wonderful story not about gender identity, but trying to find your path with the help of compassionate understanding.

The story is about Chiaki Ogawa, an transgender individual born female who identifies themselves as male. Chiaki is currently a Youtuber whose main focus is butchering wild animals that his father hunts and does livestreams of the butchering for a living. Chiaki lives with their father and is happy with his job. However, his dad has colon cancer and wants Chiaki to get married as a normal female would as Chiaki's dead mother wanted it to be their final wish. Chiaki has always felt conflicted about his gender identity after learning about GID (gender identity disorder) during 6th grade. This tension becomes even heavier when a young Chiaki, trying to prove themselves in the wild, almost gets killed by his father in a forest when he was hunting a wild boar. The incident causes Chiaki to stop wanting to be a boy for the sake of his father as the latter blamed himself for his actions.

While I do think family is important and society has ruined the family dynamic, parents are often insecure and sometimes project their insecurities onto their children. We see Chiaki's father stick to gender norms about what a man does and a woman does. When Chiaki wanted to learn how to hunt, his father was adamant that only men hunt and never saw his child as what he wants to be. A parent, especially a single parent, wants to protect their child and not allow them to partake in activities that can cause them harm.

It also does not help that almost all parents do not understand anything to LGBTQ+ issues. And at the same time, a LGBTQ+ child has to be mindful that they may need the support/love of parents despite any discerning attitudes. Chiaki knew too well after his ordeal, but still walked away from his dad to find happiness once he had heard enough about marriage as a bride. And even if the parents do support them, the outside world isn't always kind.

Chiaki thankfully has one friend in the outside world, Takato. Takato helps film Chiaki's livestreams and tries to offer any kind of emotional support to Chiaki. He even takes the time to research GID when Chiaki decides to go to Thailand for gender surgery. Takato is worried about post-surgery side effects like despair and suicidal ideation. After Chiaki comes back from Thailand to begin his full transition to being a man, he recalls an experience back in middle school where Takato was there to help him. Chiaki was distraught over having a period and Takato gave him his pants to wear to avoid embarrassment in public.

The final part of the story is when Chiaki comes back to face his father, post-surgery. Chiaki was worried about see him cry again, but his father said he's not crying because Chiaki got what he wanted - surgery to become the man he always wanted to be. Chiaki's father wondered why he was obsessed with Chiaki being married as the path to happiness. He even goes on to say that children shouldn't focus on satisfying their parents. Chiaki is then granted a hunting rifle by his dad and the story ends with a confident Chiaki, who's become a full-time hunter like his father, in the wild and streamed on YouTube saying that he's in the market for a girlfriend before embarking on his next hunt.

When asked about the theme of To Strip the Flesh, Toda said in their own words "Don't succumb to your parents!" Try to find your own path. While your parents have good intentions at times, their words can often be a curse in disguise. I think about the role of family in the grand scheme of things. Often, family is about being there for your own family members and relatives. However, I sometimes wonder if we're forgetting that while direct family is important, it's also important to have a "family" of friends of sorts. That's what leads to stronger communities.

I feel that parents forget this because they are forced to make "schedules" and do "life hacks" that don't involve making time in getting to know their children. Active listening isn't on the agenda since it's not what modern life demands. It's also very difficult to do.

I also think a lot of mental health problems do come from parents who want their children to be outlets for their problems and/or be totally like them to prevent uncertainty. Adverse childhood experiences can involve family a great deal.

I'm glad that Chiaki has some great support in his father and Takato. Those two made a good amount of effort to try and understand where Chiaki was coming from. You don't have to be perfect, but at least try to be there for someone if they're a priority in your life.

It's okay to strip the flesh of our minds because addressing our own insecurities allows us to come to terms with who we are and what we want to be. I had to do this many times over the years. The flesh figuratively and literally does protect, but sometimes we need to rip it open to see what our hearts are desperately telling us. Deep down, we're all unique human beings that might be considered weird at times and that's okay. We're all trying our best to live our lives and we should be accepted for that. And as Toda's story highlights, I hope that we can realize this together.

[johnny--hoestar]

Went to window shop at Barnes & Noble today but ended up buying 2 manga: 1 called To Strip the Flesh by Oto Toda that is 6 short stories, with the longest one being about a trans man struggling with being himself or making his father proud (but it has a happy ending!) And another called X Gender, which is the autobiographical story of the nonbinary author, Asuka Miyazaki, who realizes at 33 that they are into women, and it chronicles their journey to find love with a woman and I'm just. Really glad that I can go to a book store and find manga that I can relate to, and that is tells trans stories. The fact that I can go into a book store as a nonbinary person and buy manga about a nonbinary person, written by a nonbinary person.... it's an incredible feeling, honestly.

[justfinishedreading]

To Strip the Flesh by Oto Toda

What attracted me to this manga was that it’s about a trans man, Chiaki, before and after his transition, it’s about his difficulty connecting with his father after the death of his mother, about trying to connect through a shared interest in hunting but being excluded because of gender. While there is tension between Chiaki and his father it is clear that there is also love and I appreciate that this story shows that even when there is love, understanding each other can be difficult and relationships are complex. Other themes are explored such as health and the importance of friendship.

I would have happily read a full volume of Chiaki’s story, or other stories about transitioning but unfortunately this volume is a collection of unrelated tales, some are a little bizarre or random, it feels like after To Strip the Flesh got attention the publisher tried to find whatever else Oto Toda had drawn to fill up the volume. Of these stories two make some sense to be included in this volume: one about a very strange thing that happens to a boy, which helps him understand the physical pain and overflowing emotion experienced by his mother when she gave birth to him… it involves a watermelon. The second story has something related to how we perceive body image and… I suppose the nature of love and devotion, I guess. A few of the stories are just one or two page comics, they’re fine but after the strength of the main story, To Strip the Flesh, most of everything else feels random. 

Review by Book Hamster

[bookdepositori]

Finally finished To Strip the Flesh, a short-story collection by Oto Toda. This collection is named after the one-shot that made a name for Toda internationally. I had initially read that story months ago and decided to pick up this collection based on how much I appreciated that story.

To Strip the Flesh itself is a story I got a lot out of back when it was a hot topic. In the back of this book, there’s an interview where Toda talks about writing that story and finding it difficult to write something that accurately depicted the wide range of experiences queer people go through, so they opted to instead write with specificity as their main focus. I absolutely think this choice was for the best because my favorite part of the story is how thoroughly fleshed-out (pun unintended) its central character is. The experiences of trans men go unexplored in most media, especially in an industry like the manga industry, so the verisimilitude of this story is a testament to how diligent Toda’s research was.

I was very excited to read more of Toda’s work because To Strip the Flesh left me with so much good will, though unfortunately I didn’t get much out of this collection. The other stories in here ranged from thematically uninspired to weird and kind of hard to make sense of. Most of the characters in these stories felt defined by cliche, so even with some of the more creative imagery in these stories, it was hard for me to become engaged with them. There were a couple stories with odd visual storytelling too that made them a bit confusing.

Overall, my biggest issue with most of these stories is that they lack specificity, something with To Strip the Flesh has in spades. It appears most of the stories were ordered reverse-chronologically, so I’m left with the impression that Toda has grown a lot as a storyteller since creating most of these short stories. Because of that, I’m still excited to see what Toda makes in the future, but as for this book, I was left a little disappointed.

[celepom]

For Transgender Day of Visibility, here’s several books about Gender that I haven’t recommended before (I Think)!

Fine: A Comic About Gender

By Rhea Ewing

As graphic artist Rhea Ewing neared college graduation in 2012, they became consumed by the question: What is gender? This obsession sparked a quest in which they eagerly approached both friends and strangers in their quiet Midwest town for interviews to turn into comics. A decade later, this project exploded into a sweeping portrait of the intricacies of gender expression with interviewees from all over the country. Questions such as “How do you Identify” produced fiercely honest stories of dealing with adolescence, taking hormones, changing pronouns—and how these experiences can differ, often drastically, depending on culture, race, and religion. Amidst beautifully rendered scenes emerges Ewing’s own story of growing up in rural Kentucky, grappling with their identity as a teenager, and ultimately finding themself through art—and by creating something this very fine. Tender and wise, inclusive and inviting, Fine is an indispensable account for anyone eager to define gender in their own terms. 

Galaxy: The Prettiest Star 

By Jadzia Axelrod & Jess Taylor (Illustrator)

It takes strength to live as your true self, and one alien princess disguised as a human boy is about to test her power. A vibrant story about gender identity, romance, and shining as bright as the stars. Taylor Barzelay has the perfect life. Good looks, good grades, a starting position on the basketball team, a loving family, even an adorable corgi. Every day in Taylor’s life is perfect. And every day is torture. Taylor is actually the Galaxy Crowned, an alien princess from the planet Cyandii, and one of the few survivors of an intergalactic war. For six long, painful years, Taylor has accepted her duty to remain in hiding as a boy on Earth. That all changes when Taylor meets Metropolis girl Katherine “call me Kat” Silverberg, whose confidence is electrifying. Suddenly, Taylor no longer wants to hide, even if exposing her true identity could attract her greatest enemies. From the charming and brilliant mind behind the popular podcast The Voice of Free Planet X, Jadzia Axelrod, and with stunningly colorful artwork by Jess Taylor comes the story of a girl in hiding who must face her fears to see herself as others see her: the prettiest star.

To Strip the Flesh

By Oto Toda

A moving collection of six short stories that explores what must be stripped away to find the truth and celebrates the beauty of embracing who you are. Chiaki Ogawa has never doubted that he is a boy, although the rest of the world has not been as kind. Bound by his mother’s dying wish, Chiaki tries to be a good daughter to his ailing father. When the burden becomes too great, Chiaki sets out to remake himself in his own image and discovers more than just personal freedom with his transition—he finds understanding from the people who matter most.

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston 

By Esme Symes-Smith

In a magical medieval world filled with dragons, shape-shifters, and witches, a twelve-year-old hero will search for their place as an impending war threatens. A thrilling middle-grade series opener that stars a nonbinary tween and explores identity and gender amid sword fights. My name is Callie, and I'm not a girl. I am here as Papa's squire, and I want to train as a knight. In a world where girls learn magic and boys train as knights, twelve-year-old nonbinary Callie doesn't fit in anywhere. And you know what? That's just fine. Callie has always known exactly what they want to be, and they're not about to let a silly thing like gender rules stand in their way. When their ex-hero dad is summoned back to the royal capital of Helston to train a hopeless crown prince as war looms, Callie lunges at the opportunity to finally prove themself worthy to Helston's great and powerful. Except the intolerant great and powerful look at Callie and only see girl. Trapped in Helston's rigid hierarchy, Callie discovers they aren't alone--there's Elowen, the chancellor's brilliant daughter, whose unparalleled power is being stifled; Edwyn, Elowen's twin brother, locked in a desperate fight to win his father's approval; and Willow, the crown prince who was never meant to be king. In this start to an epic series packed with action, humor, and heart, Callie and their new friends quickly find themselves embedded in an ancient war--the only hope to defeat the dragons and witches outside the kingdom lies in first defeating the bigotry within.

I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl 

By Azusa Banjo

It's a familiar story: a popular high school student gives their plain friend a makeover and transforms their life. But this time, the path to a new life isn't quite so straight and narrow. Kenshirou Midou has loved cosmetics all his life, keeping his obsession secret from almost everyone except for his childhood friend Hiura Mihate. One day, Kenshirou gets permission to practice applying makeup on Hiura, and the results are earth-shattering: Hiura's appearance transforms from a plain, undersized boy to a pretty, petite girl, and Kenshirou discovers just how freeing it is to apply his passion! Yet he's not the only one who finds the process liberating. Hiura likes the makeup, and the subsequent dress-up in feminine clothes, and decides to start wearing the girls' uniform to school. Kenshirou doesn't understand if he's unlocked something in Hiura, or if he's simply seeing a new side to his childhood buddy that he never noticed before. What are these feelings bubbling between them now--is this attraction truly new?

My Androgynous Boyfriend 

By Tamekou Wako and her androgynous boyfriend don't exactly have the most traditional of relationships. She spends her days working hard in the world of publishing, while he spends his time obsessing over fashion and makeup--all with the goal of making himself beautiful just for her. This romantic slice-of-life story is about love, relationships, and breaking with tradition!

[duckprintspress]

My June Reads

Storygraph introduced auto-generated graphics for sharing our reads by the month, which makes it much easier to do a review, and here I am! Sorry it's kinda pixelly, the settings on Storygraph aren't perfect yet but they're planning to add functionality.

I've been posting on the Duck Prints Press Book Lover's Server for a while, so everyone knows there that the answer to "how do you read so much?" is the library, but just to be clear, if it's a graphic novel, I got it from one of three libraries - either my local system, @queerliblib, or the Japan Foundation Library. The last two are both free-throughout-the-US Libby libraries and they've both been awesome.

Prose books, I usually own.

Anyway. Onward! My June reads:

How to Love: A Guide to Feelings and Relationships for Everyone by Alex Norris (graphic novel, short self-help stories about how to be in relationships, how to be alone, etc., all very inclusive.

Blue Flag Vol. 1 - 2 by Kaito (manga series about modern high school and a young man and his best friend - who has a crush on him - and a young woman and her best friend - who has a crush on her. poly vibes.)

The Tea Dragon Festival and The Tea Dragon Tapestry by K. O'Neill (graphic novels, very fluffy fantasy slice-of-life with various queer rep)

Squad by Maggie Toluda-Hall and Lisa Sterle (graphic novel, modern with magic, wlw high school student discovers that fitting in with the cool kids means becoming a murderous werewolf)

Clementine vol. 1 and 2 by Tille Walden (graphic novel, post-apocalyptic set in the same 'verse as The Walking Dead about a wlw amputee surviving against the zombies.

A Thousand Hopes, A Thousand Risks by Kelas Lloyd (short story, fantasy, pre-mlm between a young merchant and a god)

Ride On, Shooting Star by J. D. Harlock (short story, science fiction, a space courier wants to retire)

Deadendia vol. 1 by Hamish Steele (graphic novel, modern with magic/horror elements, about a trans male teenager who runs away from home and moves into a haunted house at an amusement park)

Giant Days vol. 2 by John Allison and Whitney Cogar (graphic novel, modern college setting, about the somewhat silly lives of the main characters)

Yona of the Dawn vol. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi (manga, fantasy, about a young princess whose kingdom gets taken over by someone she thought a friend)

In the Dark vol. 3 by Jin Shisi Chai (danmei novel, mlm, last of three volumes - I read the other two in May - about an undercover drug cop who returns home after six years undercover)

The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation manhua vol. 6 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (manhua version of the MDZS novel, mlm, historical cultivation about a fraught political situation)

The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha (graphic novel playing on story of the fox maiden Gumiho in Korean mythology, with a side of wlw)

My Hero Academia vol. 9 - 12 by Kohei Horikoshi (manga series about teenagers at a high school for superheroes)

Frontera by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo (graphic novel about a young man crossing the border between the US and Mexico illegally, and about the mlm ghost who helps him)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi (autobiographical manga about a young lesbian in Japan trying to figure out her identity and find companionship)

Solo Leveling vol. 1 - 2 by Chugong (a manwha series set in modern fantasy Korea, about a young man is terrible at "hunting"...until he isn't)

Haikyu!! vol. 5 - 6 by Haruichi Furudate (manga series about young men who play high school volleyball)

Little Birds by Anaïs Nin (a collection of short erotic stories with lots of trigger warnings applicable and a few dashes of wlw, originally written in the 1930s and 1940s)

To Strip the Flesh by Oto Toda (manga collection of short stories, with the longest/most involved being about a young man's journey coming out as a trans man)

Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed (graphic novel exploring three stories of Egyptians getting first-grade wishes in a modern-with-magic world, includes NB rep)

Limerence by Jiang Zi Bei (danmei novel, mlm, about a young college student who breaks up with his boyfriend and ends up falling for his ex's roommate.)

Our Colors by Gengoroh Tagame (manga about a young Japanese gay man coming our of the closet and making friends/finding a mentor in an older gay man)

Silent Hearts vol. 1 by Jing Shui Bian (danmei novel, mlm, modern high school setting, lots of disability rep though not for either member of the main couple)

Rainbow! vol. 1 by Sunny (modern, maybe with magic, about a young woman with a tough life and the people around her; wlw implied in the future?)

Out of Left Field by Jonah Newman (real-life-inspired graphic novel about a young gay man navigating high school)

Escape From St. Hell: My Trans Life Levels Up by Lewis Hancox (autobiographical graphic novel about a young trans man with severe anxiety)

This was the most pages I've read in a month all year, and the second most individual books. There's actually one more book not pictured, as it wasn't on Storygraph and I opted not to add it.

Happy reading, y'all.

[translatingtradutor]

[Recursos] Alguns livros ilustrados sobre a experiência trans

As vezes é difícil achar representação na mídia conforme você gostaria. Essa é uma lista de livros ilustrados que inclue quadrinhos, webcomics e mangás e possuem protagonismo ou temas transgênero.

Texto vermelho - conteúdo bastante adulto ☆ - favoritos e melhores representações *** - representação questionável

Mangás

☆ Hanayome wa Motodanshi (A Noiva foi um Menino) - transfeminino

Uma autobiografia de Chii, autora MtF, sobre sua vida como mulher trans no Japão até se casar.

☆ Our Dreams at Dusk (Nossos Sonhos ao Anoitecer) - LGBT em geral

Karamani Yuuki, autore agênero, explora a vivencia LGBT de várias partes da comunidade através da visão de um adolescente gay que encontra um grupo de apoio ficticio. Três partes focam em três personagens, um agênero, um transmasculino e uma transfeminina/questionando.

☆ To Strip the Flesh (Para Arrancar a Carne) - transmasculino

Do autor trans Oto Toda, que é assistente em Chainsaw Man. O oneshot explora a jornada de transição de um homem trans que trabalha como streamer "garota sensual" antes da transição, os efeitos na sua saúde mental, e seu pai que está morrendo de câncer.

Zenbu Kimi no Sei (Tudo por Sua Causa) - Generofluido e tematicas intersexo

Uma condição médica atinge os personagens em que começam a trocar entre sexos biológicos. O romance principal tem um personagem generofluido e fala sobre a aceitação de si mesmo e condições médicas de gênero.

Love Me for Who I Am (Me Ame por Quem Eu Sou) - transfeminino e não binárie

Uma pessoa não binárie transfeminina começa a trabalhar em um café temático, enfrentando transfobias e desafiando os paradigmas de gênero dos outros trabalhadores de lá.

*** Seibetsu no Monalisa (O Gênero de Monalisa) - Não binárie e intersexo

Uma exploração de um mundo em que as pessoas decidem seu gênero na adolescência. Nesse contexto, Hinase não quer escolher um gênero nem consegue forçar suas mudanças corporais. Forma-se um triangulo amoroso entre Hinase e seu melhor amigo e amiga, questionando se deveria se tornar qual gênero para estar entre os dois - apesar delu não ter um gênero em seu coração. Como um personagem intersexo no mundo da narrativa, acontecem diversas decisões questionaveis de como retratar sua condição. Além disso, Hinase é quase sempre forçade a ir para um dos lados sem justificativa.

Boys Run the Riot (Garotos Fazem a Insurreição) - Trasmasculino

Do autor transgênero Keito Gaku, essa serialização fala de um estudante transmasculino que cansa da vida como seu gênero de nascença e entra no mundo de criar roupas de moda de rua (street fashion). Uma exploração de objetivos de vida e a importancia de amigos nessa jornada.

*** The Requiem of the Rose King (O Réquiem do Rei das Rosas) - Transmasculino e intersexo

Com a única condição intersexo realista dessa listagem, o protagonista é um principe nascido com uma mistura de genitais feminina e masculina, além de condições hormonais femininas. Ele se identifica como homem e esconde suas caracteristicas femininas o maximo que pode, por ser chamado de demônio pelas poucas pessoas que sabem. Um conto sobre realeza e guerra, apesar de ter termos e descriminações questionaveis e romances de grande diferença de idade.

*** Yuureitou (A Torre Fantasma) - Transmasculino e Gênero Não Conformante (AMAB)

Um mistério de assassinato e tesouro do Japão de 1950. Entre os dois protagonistas, um é um homem transgênero cuja transição vira parte do mistério em si, e o outro começa como homem e se descobre não-conformante a normas de gênero atraves do Crossdress durante a obra. Extremamente adulto, lidando com temas de mutilação, nudez, incesto, entre outras das piores faces da humanidade como parte do mistério. Além disso não é tão bem pesquisado quanto a temas trans, médicos e hormonais, sendo estranho em geral.

*** Wandering Son (Filho Errante) - Transfeminino e transmasculino - não é bom para representação transmasculina

Dois jovens transgênero, um homem trans e uma mulher trans, passam juntos pelos problemas de puberdade, crescimento e identidade. Infelizmente é conhecido por não ter uma boa representação transmasculina, visto que o protagonista transmasculino é retratado como voltando a ser uma mulher cis, entre outros fatores da cultura japonesa que, por exemplo, desfazem de homens trans como mulheres confusas.

Umareru Seibetsu wo Machigaeta! (Eu Nasci do Gênero Errado!) - Transfeminino

Autobiografia de Konishi Mafuyu, autora trans, que conta como foi todo o processo de ir para Tailandia ter todas suas cirurgias de transição.

*** Stop! Hibari kun! (Pare, Sr. Hibari!) - Transfeminino

Mangá de comédia sobre um protagonista que começa a gostar de uma personagem transfeminina filha de um chefe de máfia, chamada Hibari. Ela é tratada no masculino e nada bem durante o mangá inteiro, além do tema justamente ser o humor de "uma mulher que na verdade é um homem".

At 30, I Discovered I Had no Gender (Aos 30, Eu Descobri Que Não Tinha Gênero) - Agênero

Uma autobiografia de Shou Arai, autor agênero, falando sobre o envelhecimento sendo LGBT e trans, o impacto da cultura japonesa na vida trans e obstaculos de vida. Mais uma coleção de mini histórias. Como pessoa que realizou a transição tardia para os termos da comunidade (maior que 30) e escreveu a história com 50 anos, Shou Arai acaba tendo uma perspectiva única no assunto.

☆ Last Gender: When We are Nameless (Último Gênero: Quando Nós Somos Sem Nome) - LGBT em geral

Uma exploração adulta do que é identidade, romance, gênero, e a comunidade LGBT em si. Seguimos um personagem diferente por capitulo, todos os quais frequentam o mesmo bar LGBT local. Alguns capitulos focam em pessoas não bináries, transfemininas e bigênero.

Extremamente adulto com diversas cenas sexuais explicitas, focadas em encontros de uma noite entre personagens.

Quadrinhos

The Prince and The Dressmaker (O Príncipe e a Costureira) - Transfeminino e gênerofluído

Um conto curto sobre um príncipe gênerofluído entre homem e mulher, e a vida diaria com sua costureira. Há dificuldades entre manter sua vida como principe e modelo de vestidos famosa, e mostra mais sobre a experiência de ser generofluido.

Broccoli Soup (Sopa de Broccoli) - Não binárie

Uma webcomic surrealista, fantastica e de comédia sobre ume protagoniste não binárie criade por uma deusa muito educada que só queria amigos.

☆ Kill Six Billion Demons (Mate Seis Bilhões de Demônios) - temas transfemininos

Um épico extremamente detalhado, no estilo de graphic novel, sobre uma guerra entre diferentes universos fantasticos. Uma das três protagonistas é efetivamente uma mulher trans de uma raça de anjos que são apenas homens, e transiciona através da história.

Não tem em português. E agora?

Alguns desses títulos foram traduzidos para português, enquanto outros não. Todos eles estão disponiveis pelo menos em inglês, mas é uma barreira dificil para algumas pessoas.

É possivel, embora de forma precária, ler eles atraves de tradução de imagem automática.

[yaoimanpussy]

Once I have money I’m planing on buying To Strip the Flesh by Oto Toda, I’m excited to read it.

[chuuyastinysock]

To Strip The Flesh is such a visceral, impactful short story collection that makes me eager to watch this mangaka & what new stories they produce. The first story about a trans guy and his ailing father is a particular favourite of mine as it doesn't shy away from showing the realities of Japanese trans person trying to be accepted by their family and within themselves but is also tinged with the sort of hopeful message I know will be meaningful to many going through similar struggles.

The author's words in the interview with Motigi, a gay writer, at the end of the book made me think deeply about childhood trauma, particularly for queer people, and how good intentions can cause the most pain.

Oto Toda' art is raw and mesmerizing, and there's a particular scene in the first story that really hit me with "this person gets it" and while I won't spoil it any more than that I will say it was inspired by the author's own experiences (as mentioned in the interview at the end but posting that would spoil it!).

Please, if you can, go pick up To Strip The Flesh by Oto Toda-you won't regret it!

[fujoreads]

To Strip the Flesh // Review

To Strip the Flesh is a short tales collection in manga format, containing 5 stories in total—the main one going by the book’s title.

I remember someone mentioning this in a book-related podcast I listen to, but I don’t remember which one. I found it at a bookshop when I went on a little date last year, and I just had to buy it! It took me a while to finally read it, but I’m glad I did.

CW: Gender Dysphoria, Explicit Nudity; Organs; Hunting; Animal death; Sexism; Transphobia; Body Horror

This manga was something else. I may not have the exact same experience as our protagonist Chiaki, but I related so hard I cried—thrice, in fact. I got such a headache from crying I had to end the day that evening. Powerful stuff.

I knew I would probably enjoy it because of the art and the topic of trans issues. I myself am a transmasc bastard, so it’s always nice to see manga talking about these things.

When I finally finished it, I had to pause for a minute or two. For the first half, I read many scenes where I felt dysphoric together with Chiaki, but the way the story ended made me actually try to be stronger and fight for my right to happiness, even if I have to face transphobic doctors on the way.

Chiaki Ogawa has never doubted that he is a boy, although the rest of the world has not been as kind. Bound by his mother’s dying wish, Chiaki tries to be a good daughter to his ailing father. When the burden becomes too great, Chiaki sets out to remake himself in his own image and discovers more than just personal freedom with his transition—he finds understanding from the people who matter most. (The StoryGraph)

Although the main story is this one about Chiaki, there are many others who are also just as enjoyable, albeit shorter.

This tale is condensed in about 100 pages, but packs an emotional punch enough to leave you in tears. It made me realize that I have my own found family and I don’t need to keep living a lie.

The flow of the story may have been somewhat rushed due to its overall length, but it still felt neatly presented. I do wish I could have seen more of Chiaki and the rest of the cast, especially his late mother.

This manga’s artstyle is interesting. It feels very anime, but it does feel different in some aspects, like how soft the eyes are. I really enjoyed it.

As someone with a big chest, I personally related to Chiaki’s struggles and the way it was visually presented was just wonderful.

Chiaki is the son of a hunter (who also butches his own kills). He lives as a closeted trans man and desires not to betray his parents’ wishes for him—to be a bride—hurt as it may. He struggles with trying to impose his masculinity to his father, who refuses to see him as anything else but his daughter, saying how “women don’t hunt”, and never letting him get hurt, seeing him as a frail girl. However, we also see his weaknesses: how he never lets his father know his true feelings, even when his father clearly shows he cares for what he thinks is best to Chiaki. It’s understandable, but also what strains their relationship at some point, even if from Chiaki’s perspective.

It’s so sweet to see Chiaki’s growth after a big moment where he has to make an important decision, both for him and his father, and how that improved their overall relationship.

His father was an interesting character to follow as well, even if we see less of him, and usually accompanied by Chiaki. I wish we could have had more moments with him.

I enjoyed Takato as a friend of Chiaki’s, but while he is sweet and supportive, he’s also a bit annoying. Maybe having him grow more throughout the story instead of a last-minute development would have made him more justice.

This was a lovely read, and not just for the main story. Personally, the Hot Watermelon short story was my second favorite, followed by David in Love.

I got even more excited seeing how Oto Toda, the author, worked as an assistant for Tatsuki Fujimoto on Fire Punch—one of my favorite works ever, as despair-inducing as it was.

If you care about stories centered around trans issues, you’ll certainly like it. It’s also a tale of father-son love, and how old wounds can be treated, even if it seems all too late.

This is a very short story, followed by other even shorter stories, so if you desire a more detailed and lengthy tale, you might not enjoy this. It’s a powerful narrative, but it’s rushed at times and unless you personally relate to Chiaki’s struggles, you might feel less emotionally affected.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Thank you for reading it all to the end! Hey, kind stranger! Would you be so kind and consider giving me a little tip? It can be as low as 3 bucks and it’d make a huuuuuge difference!! If you tip 10€ (or higher), you can dictate my next read and be credited (if you’d like) on that review! Have a nice day!!

[penebui]

[jariten]

2022 YEAR ROUNDUP: FAVORITE RELEASES OF THE YEAR

Another year has passed, so here’s the much overdue yearly roundup! First is titles that were released in 2022:

Talk To My Back by Yamada Murasaki [Drawn & Quarterly, trans. Ryan Holmberg]

To Strip The Flesh by Oto Toda [Viz Media, trans. Emily Balistrieri]

Came The Mirror & Other Tales by Rumiko Takahashi [Viz Media, trans. Junko Goda]

Witches by Daisuke Igarashi [Seven Seas, trans. Kathryn Henzler]

Box of Light by Seiko Erisawa [Seven Seas, trans. Daniel Komen]

童夢 (Domu: a Child’s Dream, Otomo The Complete Works edition) by Katsuhiro Otomo [Kodansha]

Daily Report About My Witch Senpai by Maka Mochida [Seven Seas, trans. Liya Sultanova]

Orochi by Kazuo Umezz [Viz Media, trans. Jocelyne Allen]

My Brain Is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders by Monzusu [Seven Seas, trans. Ben Trethewey]

I cherish every anthology manga that makes it to english and when we got “To Strip the Flesh”, “Came the Mirror”, “Box of Light” “Witches”, and “Orochi” we truly struck gold. I’ve been waiting for Igarashi to get another shot at the english language market, and then Orochi and the announcement of the new Cat-eyed Boy editions confirmed that Umezz’s is back to stay, crossing my fingers for a major title like My Name Is Shingo or Fourteen next.  I will count Box of Light among the anthologies as the stories presented in each chapter stand so well on their own. I will never say no to a fun take on the liminal space between life and death. 

Essay manga I can now say has become a regular part of the licenses American publishers hand us, and I will gladly read every single one of them. This year my favorite was by far “My Brain Is Different”. A painful but much needed collection of personal accounts from adults and their life long struggles living with autism and ADHD.  D&Q has barely missed with their alternative manga picks as well as their korean manhwa licenses. Now it appears they’re ready to showcase more women from this scene and Talk to My Back was an amazing way to follow up The Sky is Blue With a Single Cloud by Kuniko Tsurita. This simple chronicle of a housewife and her family accompanied with an impressive and detailed write-up of Murasaki’s career was a great read that I will absolutely come back to again and again. 

The return of Domu was a grand and long awaited one as this series has been out of print in its native country for quite some time. This XL sized edition contained not just color pages and previously uncompiled chapter covers plus  a look back on the making of the manga, including photos of the real life housing complex the story takes place in. Hoping an english edition of the same caliber will follow suit in the near future! And Witch-Senpai is just a simple romance I found myself feeling very engaged in and was one of the first titles that came to mind when putting this list together.