ghada_mo 's review for:

Boys Run the Riot, Volume 1 by Keito Gaku

5.0

challenging emotional funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

---

 Boys Run the Riot is a story about living true to oneself and following one's passions. It starts with an unlikely partnership between two high school students who, upon realising that they share an interest in fashion, decide to launch a clothing brand to help other people express themselves.

I loved how clothes were portrayed as a means for Ryo, a transgender boy who is struggling with finding acceptance, to fight back and live true to himself. I also loved Keito Gaku's depiction of young people in this story: the qualities of being cynical, listless, helpless, frivolous, scared, and so full of hope—sometimes, all at the same time in the same person. There is always something to admire in an author who not only remembers being that young, but makes the reader remember that too.

I highly recommend this manga to anyone looking for a story with a fresh concept, an engaging plotline, and heartwarming character dynamics.