Senpai is an Otokonoko

[JaneDoe24]

Spoiler

just to punch you in the gut later on. 😭

For me, the real gut punch(all of the other stuff is also a powerful gut punch, but this is the most real of all of them to me) is that it's not being translated anymore

😭

 

[RorqMayajo]

Serious ramble incoming, apologies, just very emotional after finishing this this morning.

I picked up this series after browsing the "Josei" tag (I was curious what was in it). At first I got into it as a joke, I was wondering how a seemingly silly manga about crossdressing could have such a high rating, an anime adaptation, and 100+ chapters, but as soon as I got past the first few chapters I was absolutely hooked. Pretty much every chapter kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen to the main characters, hoping they could work out their issues and be happy with each other and themselves for once. I blew through the entire thing in three days while vacationing in Sydney, and reading it was somehow more enjoyable than any of the other fun touristy stuff I had scheduled. Now, I'm not too experienced in the area of romance manga, nor romance literature in general, but as of yet this is far and away the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful story of love, acceptance, and (in)tolerance I have ever read/watched in any media form ever.

Now, as for the ending:

Spoiler: ENDING SPOILERS (why are you reading the comments if you don't want to be spoiled though?)

I was a little disappointed that we didn't get any stuff (even doodles or bonus chapters) on what happens to our characters later on in their life, just a fairly open ending that forces us to imagine how things could go from here. However, at the same time, I do love it in some ways. I really like how not all of the characters were completely fine with Makoto and his crossdressing and liking girly things. I like that some of the characters were just bigoted, because that is how some people in real life just are (the guy who originally outed Makoto victim-blaming is a really good example, it was so realistic to things I've seen happen to my queer friends in real life). I like that Makoto's mother didn't just immediately accept him after seeing the video of him with his friends at the festival, but rather began the process of acceptance, as Makoto's crossdressing was something she was fighting against for so long due to her own childhood trauma to just accept outright.

Anyways, that's a bit of a long one, probably not setting a good precedent considering this is the first comment on Mangadex I've ever made. Oh well. I just want to say a huge thank you to the author for giving us this incredible story. I'm not sure if they're still making the prequel or if that's finished but not just fully translated yet, but in any case I really do hope they come back at some point to give us some ideas on what happens to Makoto and the rest of the characters in the future. Even if it's just some drawings.

 

[prussianbluehedgehog]

I'm not sure if they're still making the prequel or if that's finished but not just fully translated yet

Afaik the prequel ends at chapter 150, so 42 more to go \

in any case I really do hope they come back at some point to give us some ideas on what happens to Makoto and the rest of the characters in the future. Even if it's just some drawings.

Agree 100%. Screw world peace, I want some 4-komas or shorts of them afterwards...

Spoiler: ENDING SPOILERS (why are you reading the comments if you don't want to be spoiled though?)

Imo this isn't actually a romance manga. The love triangle is just the premise/setting, but much more than romance, the main theme is friendship (well, also self-discovery/self-acceptance and all that). Almost all the interactions between the MCs are as friends, not for any romantic/flirtatious purpose. I think that's what really makes the ending work, even though Ryuji "loses", and the future for all of them is uncertain, and it's also what makes this such a masterpiece.

I recommend FukaBoku, similar themes, also very well written, though there are some very silly parts.

 

[RorqMayajo]

Afaik the prequel ends at chapter 150, so 42 more to go \

Ah okay good to know. Thanks for picking up the series by the way, would be an enormous shame for it to stay untranslated!

Agree 100%. Screw world peace, I want some 4-komas or shorts of them afterwards...

God that would be so nice. The artwork the author posts of the characters on their twitter account from time to time is keeping me sated for now but man what I wouldn't give for even a one-page comic of them post-ending.

I recommend FukaBoku, similar themes, also very well written, though there are some very silly parts.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll totally give it a read.