Chii

This manga memoir focuses on transgender author Chii's experiences with dating, transitioning, legally changing her gender, and getting married. Not everyone in her life knew she was transgender, but her family did and were very supportive, and Husband-kun (the way she refers to her husband throughout) just wanted to be with her however he could.

This was very low drama - like I said, both Chii's family and Husband-kun were very supportive every step of the way. This was the lightest and show more fluffiest of memoirs, although it didn't ignore some of the difficult issues. Chii devotes a good amount of detail to explaining that not every transgender person's experience is like hers and notes the ways that laws in Japan surrounding marriage and gender make things unfairly difficult for LGBT people.

This probably could've used a translator's note with additional details. There were a few footnotes here and there to clarify some things (like the fact that LGBT+ is used more in the West when Chii explains that LGBTs is used in Japan), but there were still some gaps.

Overall, this was a light and informative read with ridiculously cute artwork.

Extras:

Several full-color pages, afterwords written by both Chii and Husband-kun, a "works cited" page, and a bonus four-panel comic about Chii and Husband-kun's first anniversary. The author also has pages throughout in which she addresses misconceptions about sexuality, gender, and transitioning.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less

Chii gives a shojo manga gloss to her real-life gender transition with chibi-esque art and a fairytale wedding. She touches on some of the more complex issues, especially in a series of educational sidebars, but mostly maintains a lighthearted tone, keeping her love story front and center.

Retelling the story of her transition from a young man to a young woman, Chii relates her journey to marriage in an easy-to-understand, sensitive, and informative way that remains true to her culture and to the differing experiences of individuals who experience similar events in life. She also incorporates several sections full of information on terminology about the LGBTQ+ community pertinent to her story along the way. It's a fun read--full of joy!

5 out of 5 stars

The Bride Was a Boy is a diary styled manga by Chii. This manga tells the story of Chii’s transition from male to female, falling in love, and getting married. It is a beautiful, heartwarming tale that everyone should read.


This is a really wonderful manga, one that I absolutely loved. Chii outlines her life, focusing on her transition, meeting her future husband, and ensuing marriage. The early life of Chii is explored, yet it isn’t quite the focus. At least, not all of show more the time. What we see much more of is Chii falling in love, telling her family about her decision to transition, her surgery, and getting married. It is a love story as much as it is a story about being a trans woman in Japan.

The romance in this book is very realistic. This is not a story of love at first sight, but one where a relationship grew naturally. Husband-kun is as supportive a person as one could find. I also liked the dynamic between Chii and her mother. It was wonderful to see a loving, accepting surrounding her.

Between each chapter is a one or two page spread focusing on terminology or laws related to the LGBT issues in Japan. Some common misconceptions are talked about here, as well as how Chii feels about these issues. This is her story, after all, and she doesn’t hesitate to state her opinion while reminding the reader that not everyone has had the same experiences or the same views. In a similar vein, these sections talk about terminology and laws in regards to Japan, but sometimes include a small section on how those same things are treated in other parts of the world as well.

The art is utterly adorable. The front cover is bright and happy and oh so cute. This was a wonderful adaption of material originally found on the author’s blog as well.

I really enjoyed reading The Bride Was a Boy by Chii. This is a great manga that fans of manga, autobiographies, and memoirs would all love. I highly suggest picking up a copy.

I received a copy of this manga from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review originally found on Looking Glass Reads. show less