Kanojo ni Naritai Kimi to Boku
I Wanna Be Your Girl

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

Finally, a manga that is upfront to address and question binary constructions. It doesn’t only break gender roles switching them like a typical gender bender, it goes beyond. It opens the possibility to identify with some things that society expects you to be/like, but at the same time not accept what is imposed and not fitting. Kanojo ni Naritai Kimi to Boku (Kanoboku) turns the classic question “Who I am?” to “Who I want to be?” and the message that stayed with me the most was: when the boxes available for you are too constricted, it’s ok to create new ones or even question the ... existence of boxes!

I personally got attached with each one of the characters and their struggles. The ones who were presented got a decent spotlight and construction, although from my perspective some things got solved too quicky. Well, it could be seen as one of the strongest points of this manga: it doesn’t rely heavily on drama, although it touches on topics that could give enough material for that. It has a lighter approach, making it a supportive and most of the time a safe environment for the characters to experience their struggles. This isn’t a complain, I believe we need more works portraying social minorities that are hopeful without disregarding their suffering or challenges they might face.

The number of chapters seems a lot, but it was a very fast reading for me. The characters’ design have unique points and we have interesting frame angles here and there. It was very minimalistic and nothing averts your attention from one of the main points: characters interactions with one another. Talking about interactions, the author gave a thoughtful approach to that, but sometimes it sounded very “theoretical” to me. I could see that Takase Umi had some prior knowledge/contact with expansive genders and sexualities discussions/experiences/theories before publishing Kanoboku, some references could be seen here and there, however, when a character was having a difficult time, it’s almost shocking how there was always someone to say and do just the “right” thing. Almost as if some texts and books I read were personified.

Saying all that, I really enjoyed reading it. I empathized with each journey portrayed and it became a good source to see a queerer coming-of-age story (ies) and reflect about myself, be it related to gender, sexuality, friendship, love, identity, relationships, values… I believe it’s worth the reading, offering some food for thought!

There's so much to love about this manga. Unfortunately, it fumbles on the one yard line.

The representation is great, the characters develop beautifully, and the plot of self love and discovering different facets of identity is really heartwarming. However, when 90% of a story revolves around a romance, giving it little to no closure does the whole manga a massive disservice, especially when followed up by a 'romance' that feels shoehorned in by comparison. There is incredible depth to Akira and Hime's relationship. Wrapping it up with 'not friends and not romance' then jumping directly to the ending is a massive letdown.

One of these days, I’ll write a review that isn’t just me warning someone of something ahead of time. But now is not one of those times. I had the expectation of giving this manga a higher rating when it ended, but you can see that didnt pan out. Spoiler warning ahead.

The reason and my warning: If you are expecting a romance with a trans character, a WLW (women loving women) relationship on top of that, I am saving you the trouble of reading through this by saying Do Not Read This.

To say the least, I’m let down.

Which isn’t to say that there aren’t good ... things. This is one of the best interpretations - and treatment - of a transgender character in anime or manga. Akira is explicitly transgender and outwardly transitions in high school. It is clear as day, and is for the most part respected by her peers - she runs into trouble, but the narrative is not super heavy handed against her and it’s certainly not played for laughs like it is in other series.

The characters are interesting and fun, the main character goes through a lot of growth and discovers who she is in the process. There’s a lot of “don’t be so hard on yourself” moments that are very applicable to our own lives even if we don’t relate exactly to what someone is going through. The artwork is wonderful and expressive.

So here’s the thing. The synopsis of the story itself tells you how Hime has been in love with Akira for a long time. The way this shojo is set up, the main relationship will be between these two characters. A shojo ai with a transgender character - one that has been treated so well, which I WISH so badly wasn’t such a rarity - is what we have been set up with. And without going into it... the last two chapters swipe the rug from under your feet. The initial couple may not always be the one that lasts in a shojo, and I know this as someone whose followed the genre for a while. Pardon my French, but there is just something fucking insidious about having to scrounge for scraps for representation of trans characters, let alone ones who get to have a romance of their own in anime or manga, and at the last minute going “nevermind!” after you’ve created this expectation. It’s at best inconsiderate and at worst just plain awful.

There are so many good things about this manga, but as someone who was recommended this as one with a budding WLW relationship featuring a transgender main character, I was let down and felt compelled to write my second review on this website. If that relationship is what you came here for, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. If this isn’t your primary concern, then by all means check out this manga - it’s still got a lot of good qualities. But I can’t, in good conscience, give this a better rating when something like this happens.