Hourou Musuko

I don't follow any other gender-bender/cross-dressing/transgender type manga, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this manga, especially from this mangaka, has probably the most sensitive treatment of these kids going through their whole identity crises. It's pretty impressive in a realistic sense (no "omg yuk yuk hilarity ensues!" silliness). Permalink " "

Hourou Musuko (A transient Son) is the story of two kids who feel they were born in the wrong bodies. Shuiichi is a delicate boy who wishes he was a girl. Yoshino is a no-nonsense girl who wishes she was a boy.

Unlike most gender bender series which are played for laughs, Hourou Musuko takes a hard, unflinching look at just how hard these kids have it. The teasing, the uncertainty, the fear of being found out are all realistically dealt with. The author writes with real compassion about how these kids grow up despite feeling out of place, creating believable (and sometimes oddball) characters that you will root for.

The story moves at a leisurely pace, allowing you to get to know both Shuuichi and Yoshino, as well as the friends who stand by them, the bratty kids who are shitty to them, and the rare adults who really understand them. You get to see how both of them grow and change as they move from being elementary school kids to junior high students dealing with anxious feelings of love and crushing feelings of rejection.

Hourou Musuko is a rare manga that handles the subject matter with delicacy and humor without descending to cheap laughs or overwrought melodrama. In the end, no matter what quirks the characters may have, we see just how human they really are. Permalink " "

This is Truly a beautifully crafted master piece that is underrated and understated in it's execution. If You want a story that's light but not fluffy, morose but not weepy, painful, but playful- this is the perfect story for you. The characters are all so very engaging, the plot moves at a comfortable pace, and you learn and grow with these characters throughout the entire series in away no other drama has been able to do for me at least. Visually, the art matches the tone of the story beautifully; light but serious, with clean lines and light looking characters who look as adolescent as they are. I don't think I could praise this story enough. Before you watch the anime, which comes out in January, read the manga first. If you want something new and fresh and a change of pace from the loud teary eyed world of shojou, or the fast action paced world of shounen, than Wandering Son is the perfect manga for those who feel a little adventurous. Permalink " "