How I Became a Pokémon Card - Vol. 6 Ch. 38 - Akari & Pikachu’s Birthday

[MangaDex]

 

[maltytorch]

And they were great friends

 

[Donyatsuu]

Awww. so nice

Can't wait for other chapters

 

[tsunderey]

I've been waiting for this to be translated! Still can't believe there was an actual trans kid in a 2001 Pokémon manga.

Thanks for releasing this.

 

[Koremitsu_Arita]

Now he just needs to get a light ball to give Pikachu the semblance of being viable

 

[Tlos]

@Koremitsu_Arita there are 3 easy steps to become viable.

1) Take out Pikachu
2) Put in CTC heat if you're real/ ABR stall if you have no skill
3) Win

 

[sedition]

@tsunderey nothing like that, it was the tomboy trope where the girl only plays with guys her whole childhood and dresses like one, then when she got old enough to attend secondary school she was required to wear a uniform which in japan is a skirt for the girls.

 

[dunsparce]

starting with the last chapter.... how random

 

[Hdittus13]

trans rights

 

[Kauanvinu]

I heard about this Because one site that said theres a trans boy here, and i Said this Cant be real, trans People dont have that attention in 2003, and a has right Just a bunch of bullshit even the gays ARE hard too see in this time

 

[Gotham2298]

I don't get the sense Akari was ever an actual boy in the first place, since she talks about it like its the reality she's been hiding for so long, and no explanation or recollection is given to when or why she changed genders.

She was just a tomboy who loved a hobby commonly seen as a male activity. But she lives in what's meant to be an in-universe equivalent of Japan where expectations of what boys and girls must be like are more strict, as she was force to wear a skirt when starting middle school and her mother insisted she now act and talk like a Yamato Nadeshiko. The story is about her realising that being a great Pokemon Trainer doesn't mean you have to look cool, or tie that to masculinity, and you also need a kind heart, which isn't a bad trait or be tied to femininity.

Long story short: Pikachu is a cute, strong, amazing and loyal Pokemon that you are lucky to have!