Actual story: Young kids being confused about gender identity because they don't fit their own gender's norms and attribuating it to not being their sex. Also, transgender girls being taken more seriously kinda, even though the kiddo isn't a trans girl but a crossdresssing boy.
It seems really liked and hyped, especially by the lgbt community, probably cuz there isn't anything else that is so openly ''trans'' with its story setting.
It's not a trans story though, so I don't get the praise for that specific aspect. It's a story about kids being confused and not conforming to what people expect of them in term of gender roles rather. Which is good for japan since they are kinda uptight about it I've heard, but it's not a trans story in any way AT ALL.
Alternative translated mangas:
Hommonculus did the trans aspect way better, in less time, and it's not at all a ''trans story''. There also is I.S, an intersex manga which def isn't good, did a similar thing but way better. Even tasagore (or somthing) does a better job, with the trans guy (the trans girl is kinda meh) and that manga is WAY overhyped and really boring and archetypal (the boring part is my opinion, but it's def not 10/10 good at all objectively either). Only good trans story would be Kanojo ni Naritai Kimi to Boku. (so far, might suck with later chapters)
Ah and the zombieland one is supposed to have a transgirl in... I dunno, dropped the thing.
Pros:
-The art could be enjoyable for someone that likes cutesy/ more innoncent looking art. It's really simple but mostly well done.
-The concept that it aimed to achieve isn't common, even if the attempt is quite frankly really, really misinformed and not the reality of real transgender guys and girls. Kinda is what someone that doesn't know anything about it transgenderism would think trans is rather that a realistic story about the subject.
-The slice of life parts are fine if you remove the ''transgender'' component. It's about young kids being confused and lost with themselves.
Cons:
-Dreadful piss-poor trans representation (but it's a good crossdresser/gender noncomformity story I guess.)
-Characters are quite forgetable and could have been explored in better ways, and not with a trans angle, since it failed miserably in the aspect. The feel bland and charicatural, rather than complex and realistic.
So if you came hoping for a trans slice of life, honestly, don't bother at all. Unless you want to read what not to do about this topic.
If you came to see a crossdresssing and kids being vonfused about gender (more of a girly guy/ tomboy chick story dynamic), please go ahead and enjoy your reading time.
p.s.: sorry for any typos xd
