One of the main ways we learn about the world is by being told. Told by those which we accept as our elders, an authority on the subject perhaps. They tell us how we should act, how we should be. They tell us what normal is, what's acceptable, and what is not. Roses are red, and violets are blue, boys are supposed to be one way and girls another. Anything that strays from those guidelines and doesn't fit into the mould are regarded as deviants. They are treated with disgust, or perhaps pitied as though they were ill. All the while you wonder that if you don't fit that mould, does that make you something else. This flower is clearly a rose, but it isn't red.
Hourou Musuko deals with a group of middle school students, two of whom are just now wondering why things aren't the way they were supposed to be and how they are isolated and shunned because of it. They search for ways to cope, while wondering whats in store for them in the future.
I definitely recommend this to anyone who has the chance to watch it. The subject matter may be beyond the comfort zone for some, but really settles in with you once you give it a chance. While it focuses on a very specific manifestation of the problem, it highlights a fundamental flaw in our social systems which encompasses many different subjects. If you're looking for something which will tug on your heart strings and wonder about the world, this is it.
