personal notables

the OG story about how the usa is an evil place and gay love will help you tear down the secret government. akimi yoshida ate up all those shounen writers with this one.

johan deserved that extended crash out idc. i'm half joking.

simply a masterpiece, it has everything: gorgeous art (altho not for everyone), subtle story-telling, and poignant themes. the historical setting is not simply a set dressing but directly shapes the way characters and relationships form, ie throughout the story, the author deconstructs what it means to be a man/woman in the edo period, etc.

unique and touching story that examines trauma and gender identity. RIP peyo i wish i could have read more stories from them considering this was their debut. ik some people find the MC unrealistic but i think his cartoonish nature (which is revealed as a self defense mechanism) is a unique character trait. it prompts reflection on how media is not only used to shape our identity and self-expression but also as a tool for escaping the traumatic aspects of life.

simply a raw, unfiltered expression of gender dysphoria that doesn't try to sand off its rough edges. i think the characters in the manga should be interpreted as facets of the author's self - pay attention to the way they interact with each other, it feels like an internal conflict played out via human avatars. the desire to escape the confines of gender while living in a society that is structured upon it is also relatable - someone get this author to read judith butler or smth

i read this at a time when i was asking myself the same questions that the MC asked himself and seeing him mature as a person and artist is really inspiring.

the realest, most gut-wrenching depiction of what it is like being a mentally ill queer person. i love the author's vulnerability in depicting her lowest moments within this comic.

this was an important manga to me when i was in high school and it'll always hold a place in my heart bc of that. this is an authentic queer story that covers the importance of community - and that understanding is not always a prerequisite for solidarity (indeed the diversity of the lgbtq+ community means that clashes are inevitable, but hopefully not insurmountable) - that i'd no-joke sacrifice the entire BL genre for. not to mention, it is so beautifully drawn, so many mesmerizing s

THE OG. if you like "Kyuuso Ha Cheese no Yume Omiru" then this is even more bonkers. altho don't read this if you want dark topics (such as SA) handled sensitively.

sometimes you just want a messy soap opera and this scratches that itch. this story hinges on the relationship between a repressed bisexual with SEVERE commitment issues and a histrionic blackmailer that should seriously raise his standards. but then again where would this story be, if everyone was well-adjusted?