Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.37 AVERAGE
4.37 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
thought this was a very sweet story about family and loss. I’ll continue reading the series.
I added this book/series to my TBR quite a while ago, when I was living in France, and had since completely forgotten what its blurb said when I recently picked it up from my local library on a whim to read. I knew it was about being gay in Japan, and realistic, and that’s about it. From the cover image, I thought the title referred to the little girl’s pictured big brother being married to the foreigner – so imagine my surprise when I started reading it, to realize that in fact, the Japanese man (Yaichi) on the cover is the father of the little girl (Kana), and it was his twin brother (Ryoji) who was married to the foreigner (Mike from Canada). This changed my whole perspective on what I thought it was going to be about.
Naturally with that realization, I read the inside jacket about the author and the story itself, and got myself into the right headspace for the story before quickly diving right back into it. Admittedly over several reading sessions, but I can say that but for the short manga chapters, it would have been easy to devour this in one fell swoop. That, even considering the simply rendered complex nature of the story – making it truly, as the jacket says, a story accessible for “all ages.” Yaichi’s first hesitations at how Mike presents himself and how well he and Kana get along, all her questions included, yet holds back sharing his concerns to listen to what Mike and Kana are saying and meaning. Yaichi realizing how not reacting to news might be seen as acceptance, but it also may be seen as rejection (the drifting apart of him and Ryoji after Ryoji came out to him). Kana being so excited to get to know her uncle, and wanting to “show” him off to her friends, and her friends’ eagerness to meet him too, until their parents have a word with them. Kana loving unconditionally, and accepting Mike exactly as he is, her worldview easily reshaped with the new information his presence and answers provide her. Mike eagerly learning all he can about Ryoji’s youth, and fully embracing as much as he can even as it hurts because Ryoji isn’t there to share it with him. Mike helping both foreigners and Japanese learn about how something in one culture is accepted, but in the other is not, and showing the needed acceptance one is seeking as well as knowledge to help them understand.
That’s just a small, vague sample of some of the elements touched upon in this first volume. Pretty much every chapter offers some new angle or question to explore, maybe somewhat briefly, but sometimes what goes left unsaid is just as important as what is said. It allows the reader to be guided to their own conclusions, without forcing a black and white model upon them (despite the median being in black and white!), while also providing a guiding hand and push in a good direction. Much, in fact, as Yaichi finds himself gently pushed and pulled to a good, positive, gay-accepting position by the most important person in his life (Kana) and someone who was likely the most important person in his twin brother’s life (Mike).
While there are so many good lines and images/scenes as Yaichi digests how his brother’s sexuality does (not) fit into traditional Japanese culture and how to not only accept passively, but actively accept it and Mike and what that all means for him, his daughter, and anyone else who might be touched by the “situation”/homosexuality, the section on pages 270-271 especially stood out for me. It reflects what Yaichi is learning from Mike, and from his own daughter in all her innocence/naivety, the way she asks questions free of bias or social expectations, in such a matter-of-fact way (for example, “Which one of you was the husband and which was the wife?” page 85)
I would definitely recommend this book for people who are not sure what to make of homosexuality and its acceptance in Western and Japanese cultures, and it might even be acceptable to those who have a less-solid yet still negative view of homosexuality. Having Kana’s childish innocence present to frame these questions of cultural acceptance and bias is a truly effective method – after all, there is a reason we use the saying “from the mouths of babes” when something seems like it should be so obvious yet adults seem to have such a hard time seeing or understanding it.
Naturally with that realization, I read the inside jacket about the author and the story itself, and got myself into the right headspace for the story before quickly diving right back into it. Admittedly over several reading sessions, but I can say that but for the short manga chapters, it would have been easy to devour this in one fell swoop. That, even considering the simply rendered complex nature of the story – making it truly, as the jacket says, a story accessible for “all ages.” Yaichi’s first hesitations at how Mike presents himself and how well he and Kana get along, all her questions included, yet holds back sharing his concerns to listen to what Mike and Kana are saying and meaning. Yaichi realizing how not reacting to news might be seen as acceptance, but it also may be seen as rejection (the drifting apart of him and Ryoji after Ryoji came out to him). Kana being so excited to get to know her uncle, and wanting to “show” him off to her friends, and her friends’ eagerness to meet him too, until their parents have a word with them. Kana loving unconditionally, and accepting Mike exactly as he is, her worldview easily reshaped with the new information his presence and answers provide her. Mike eagerly learning all he can about Ryoji’s youth, and fully embracing as much as he can even as it hurts because Ryoji isn’t there to share it with him. Mike helping both foreigners and Japanese learn about how something in one culture is accepted, but in the other is not, and showing the needed acceptance one is seeking as well as knowledge to help them understand.
That’s just a small, vague sample of some of the elements touched upon in this first volume. Pretty much every chapter offers some new angle or question to explore, maybe somewhat briefly, but sometimes what goes left unsaid is just as important as what is said. It allows the reader to be guided to their own conclusions, without forcing a black and white model upon them (despite the median being in black and white!), while also providing a guiding hand and push in a good direction. Much, in fact, as Yaichi finds himself gently pushed and pulled to a good, positive, gay-accepting position by the most important person in his life (Kana) and someone who was likely the most important person in his twin brother’s life (Mike).
While there are so many good lines and images/scenes as Yaichi digests how his brother’s sexuality does (not) fit into traditional Japanese culture and how to not only accept passively, but actively accept it and Mike and what that all means for him, his daughter, and anyone else who might be touched by the “situation”/homosexuality, the section on pages 270-271 especially stood out for me. It reflects what Yaichi is learning from Mike, and from his own daughter in all her innocence/naivety, the way she asks questions free of bias or social expectations, in such a matter-of-fact way (for example, “Which one of you was the husband and which was the wife?” page 85)
This isn’t rocket science. For reasons that Kana can’t parse yet, she loves Mike. Rather than tell her that people think he’s sinful, I’ll protect her from harmful thoughts, and raise her to not cause harm. That’s my duty as her father. For Kana. And for Mike. (270-271)
I would definitely recommend this book for people who are not sure what to make of homosexuality and its acceptance in Western and Japanese cultures, and it might even be acceptable to those who have a less-solid yet still negative view of homosexuality. Having Kana’s childish innocence present to frame these questions of cultural acceptance and bias is a truly effective method – after all, there is a reason we use the saying “from the mouths of babes” when something seems like it should be so obvious yet adults seem to have such a hard time seeing or understanding it.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was so freaking cute! I love it so much!
The artstyle was beautiful. The story was beautiful. Everything about this manga was just so freaking beautiful!
The artstyle was beautiful. The story was beautiful. Everything about this manga was just so freaking beautiful!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tagame is great at drawing people, and I love the different art styles used for the chapter title pages. The art style is more realistic than a normal manga style, and that works very well for this story.
I appreciate the different perspectives of Kana and Yaichi. Kana has no reason not to accept her gay Canadian uncle, while Yaichi has hesitations that he wants to overcome. I also appreciate the perspectives of the other gay characters included in the story and getting to know Ryoji through Mike and Yaichi's memories.
I loved the relationship between Yaichi and his ex-wife. They are friends, Yaichi is the primary parent in their child's life, and that works for their family. I'm interested to see if the next volume reveals more of Kana's feelings about their situation or if she communicates with her mom outside of visits.
I enjoyed watching a Canadian experience Japanese food and customs, and compare them with the versions of those things he could get in Canada.
I appreciate the different perspectives of Kana and Yaichi. Kana has no reason not to accept her gay Canadian uncle, while Yaichi has hesitations that he wants to overcome. I also appreciate the perspectives of the other gay characters included in the story and getting to know Ryoji through Mike and Yaichi's memories.
I loved the relationship between Yaichi and his ex-wife. They are friends, Yaichi is the primary parent in their child's life, and that works for their family. I'm interested to see if the next volume reveals more of Kana's feelings about their situation or if she communicates with her mom outside of visits.
I enjoyed watching a Canadian experience Japanese food and customs, and compare them with the versions of those things he could get in Canada.