Bokura no Hentai

I agree with many of the recent comments regarding this series, about how many of the portrayals of certain groups have not aged particularly well, and issues arising from the fact that the author is not a part of any of the groups portrayed. I must add, though, that this manga was incredibly influential in my personal development and realizing that I was trans. Especially how the story starts with the trans character being in the closet and her emotions around that, and the development of how she eventually comes out and into her own. That made it particularly relatable to me reading it at an age similar to that of the main characters. That being said, would I recommend this to other trans people (especially women) nowadays? Not most. How about cis people? Probably not, in favor of more recent manga whose portrayal are more accurate and well done. But to people I suspect are trans women that are either in the closet or haven't realized it yet? Maybe. I might, again, prefer some newer manga that handled the subject matter better, but would perhaps recommend this as well, with some heavy caveats regarding some of the issues with it. With these two sides being considered, for me, the personal influence angle wins out, thus my rating of 10. Despite everything else, it just feels right to me.

This manga was interesting and sympathetic. I feel like it was a part of a new crop of manga that focuses on social issues, similar to the wave of manga in the 90s to early 00s that tried to sympathetically tell the story of social "misfits" and people who didn't conform to social norms. However, similar to those manga, the authors are rarely apart of the group who's stories they're trying to convey so it can feel a little sloppy & this one does. There is a lot of drama and twists in this that make you wish that they'd gone with the slice of life pace.

It's better to view the manga through the lens of what it's attempting and seeing the characters as more than just their identities -- they're people with circumstances, all tied together through a common thread. If you're looking for perfect representation or a critical & sensitive analysis of gender from an adult perspective, a manga that has the primary function to entertain and a lot of editors poking and prodding the author, who may or may not be a part of the group being represented to begin with, isn't it. The main cast are also young so keep in mind that they're filtering the world through their trauma and the lens of a young person without much guidance outside each other.

What this manga does well and make you feel very sympathetic & want to protect them. It makes you wish someone had protected them and cared about them and that society brought them in rather than cast them out. You understand why they think the way they do, feel the way they do, and do what they do (to an extent, again - some things felt like it was for the plot). They're not treated as jokes and that's really the charm of this manga (especially if you compare it to others with the same category tags).

I don’t revisit many manga after finishing them, but Bokura no Hentai is one that I’ve revisited every year or so ever since. I absolutely cannot deny that it has had a profound impact on me, helping me figure out aspects of my own identity. However, with the increasing awareness of social issues like gender and sexuality in today’s climate, some of the things in this manga have not aged amazingly well.

Chapter 40, in particular, is very ehh in a series with otherwise amazing trans rep for 2012. I understand the authorial intent is to mirror the way the three leads first met through a crossdressing site, but Marika has been living life as a girl for a while, shedding the guise of crossdressing to lead life as her authentic self; a central part of the metamorphosis/transformation as stated in the series’ title. It just seems counterintuitive to then cast her back into this role, make her call herself a boy and saying that she’s ‘dressing up as a girl’ in a crossdressing competition when... you know, she is a girl, she is not crossdressing, and the main cast should be well aware of that fact by this point.

Additionally, as I get older, the displays of adolescent sexuality (particularly through Osamu’s character, who leans a little too close to the All Gays Are Promiscuous trope for me not to mention) get more and more unnerving. Like, I just feel gross while reading it? Of course, I’m not saying that CSA is supposed to lift your spirits because that’d be even worse, but the displays of adolescent sexuality with this kind of art style are... questionable, to say the least. I can see how that can deter readers, especially since it’s mainly used as a plot device or as backstory in Osamu’s case. In saying that, none of these encounters (including the sole consensual and somewhat healthy one) are sexualised or portrayed as titillating, which is a pitfall a lot of manga of this type tend to fall into. I mean, you shouldn’t need to congratulation authors for not sexualising their underage characters, particularly those that fall in the 12-14 age range, but you’d be surprised.Generally speaking, I agree with 20YLFSG below in that CSA is not treated with the gravity and delicacy it needs to be in this manga. It is used to somewhat artificially make the story darker and ‘more adult’, and while it definitely fulfills its purpose in that respect, it’s a definite problem that’s prevalent throughout Fumi Fumiko’s works
Spoilers for other works she has contributed to:! like qtμt/Cutie Mutie and Sakura no Sono, the former being exceptionally bad about it. Bokura no Hentai is like a sweet summer’s day in comparison.

In spite my criticisms, I think Bokura no Hentai does an exceptional job in rationalising and deconstructing the otokonoko genre as well as providing a transgender perspective within a work of this kind, seeing as the two are often equated at the best of times. You can tell Fumi Fumiko did her homework, which is always good to see when you're trying to represent a minority group you do not belong to. It’s worth a read if you can stomach 12–14-year-olds being put/putting themselves (thanks Parou) into sexual situations and questionable decisions made regarding LGBTQ+ characters. However, while reading, just keep in mind that this work is a product of its time, and while it isn’t all that progressive or radical nowadays, something like this was previously unheard of in this genre.

(I don’t count Wandering Son as something in the otokonoko genre for obvious reasons)

I recommend, however, skipping Chapter 40 if possible as that chapter is not thematically consistent with the rest of the series, and steering clear of this manga all together if sexual depictions of minors is something you absolutely cannot stomach.

I've reread this manga about 4 times over the last few years and my opinion of it has been really conflicted, especially my latest read which I didn't finish.

On one hand, it has a really stunning and simple art style, a trans character, really interesting characters with narrative follow-through, and I have a place for it in my heart. On the other, I feel like I pick up transphobic ideas about gender and sex, I feel like the at least 2x sexual assault of a minor was glossed over, and I feel like you get this whole feel that just seems relatively ignorant about these issues.

Among manga readers, you get this vibe that since a manga is shounen-ai or w/e, it has no obligation to handle real-life social issues well but, I feel like it's appropriate to talk about these topics when one of the characters is transgender and another is gay. These characters feel very grounded in reality, which I think i why I feel so attached to this manga, it FEELS realistic despite some wild situations. But so early on, we get these young teens interacting with each other and the amount of sexual stuff just feels, mishandled? Like, obviously one of the characters is in an emotionally abusive relationship, but as far as all of the characters, it just doesn't sit well with me about how I feel like things are being framed.

But I really do love and respect how we have a story with younger characters considering their gender and sexuality. I think that the blond girl & black-haired guy (yeah, ik, not their names) are important characters, as their situations totally happen at their age, and while the ginger dude's situation is somewhat outlandish, I think it resonates because it's grounded in feelings that are very appropriate for age and life. I think the fact that we get so much manga is nice too, you get to see these characters really develop over time.

But every re-read, I seem to lose the thread and my engagement wanes as I feel the lack of direction. What pushes me onward is the need to see these characters grow, as they actually do mature a lot in the big picture.

This is a nicely-done series. Unfortunately though, I feel like its target audience is quite restricted. So let me start by saying who will enjoy this manga: if you like LGBT+ themes and/or (light) BL, then this is for you. If you don't... it's not like you can't enjoy this, but you will probably find it less engaging than the targeted readers.

Something Bokura no Hentai is very good at is treating serious themes in a serious way. Illness, gender dysphoria and sexual hassault are only some of its themes, and they are handled quite well. The manga is not exactly realistic- at all. But it is belieavable, which I think is good, given how much melodrama and excessive angst are common today. This said, I still would have liked some more realism here and there.The story starts really down to earth, with the protagonists talking about what they will do when they get "unwanted hairs". However later on it loses some of this straightforwardness and gets more vague. For example, talking about Marika,

we are lead to believe that after going to the doctor she started transitioning. However we can never be sure, since everything is left to imagination. Hormones are never nominated, nor is surgery.

I wish Fumi-sensei was a little more explicit on the main themes of the manga. However the series is still enjoyable as is.

A cast of well-characterized and original protagonists is probably one of the strongest points. I liked some characters more than others, but their personality was always realistic and their actions/goals/thoughts convincing. I never once thought "what the heck is he/she doing?!". Everyone acted rationally and as a real human being. The character development was also surprisingly good! Adolescence is an age of change, and Fumi-sensei definitely showed it in this work.

As for the art, I think some might find it off-putting. Everyone looks extremely cute and young, even males and adults. Characters resemble chibis, in a way. Pages are often kind of empty, although sometimes Fumi-sensei makes it clear she can draw beautiful backgrounds. This makes the manga very easy and quick to read. The pace is so fast - I would probably be able to read the whole series in 3-4 hours.

My last point would be about the romance. This manga's ending was very cared-for. After reading the last page, I was satisfied with it. The manga ended, and it was clear from the last chapter. I liked it, I needed no more. Despite one big thing. Romance.

Sooo many UST! Unresolved sexual tension everywhere. There were so many possible couples, and I wasn't expecting to have clear endings for each one of them. But they should have at least made some people get into a relationship. I mean wasn't most of the chapters about people flirting anyway? What's the point of showing that if you won't make things progress? I find it a cheap way to keep the reader interested and it misleads them into thinking something will come out of it.

In the end, though, Bokura no Hentai was a fun read. It definitely kept me good company and, despite its flaws, I would suggest it.

This is nearly as good as Wandering Son in terms of its treatment of transgender issues, and better than it in terms of the way it delves into the darker side of human nature and issues like depression. I have trouble telling if it is too sweetness and light in spots, especially after certain events in the 6th and 7th volumes. But it usually brings you back to earth pretty quick.

When I clicked something with 'hentai' in the title, I certainly didn't expect this.

One of the big charms with this series is it's fresh perspective on the crossdressing genre. Instead of being filled with fan-service, awkward portrayals and the general disapproval, Bokura no Hentai takes a serious look into the genre. Each of the three protagonists have their own reason for crossdressing, and as the series progresses they have to deal with their own identities, sexuality and love interests.

Is it a perfect representation? No, but it's a damn good one, and considering how "well" manga tends to portray crossdressers and transsexual people, it's a relief just to read something that separates the two terms to begin with. Similarly, it's also relaxing to read something that doesn't glorify the characters just because of their sexuality. They can be kind, they can be jerks, they can be outright mean - but this just adds to the characters and makes them seem more real.

The art is simple and charming, the cast interesting, and several characters beside the main trio also get a few moments in the spotlight. The story is a bit slow in the beginning, but it's a worthwhile read, and the characters will develop.

I know that manga's sole purpose is for entertainment, but Boku no Hentai provides so much gender theory analysis that I have never seen in any other manga. It starts off with an exploration of gender identity between the three male protagonists, as they seek support for their gender-bending activities and seek comfort in performing "abnormal" gender behaviors. Additionally, the BEAUTIFUL Art wonderfully illustrates their inner turmoil and supplements the psychological understanding of their journeys. I cannot recommend this manga enough -- it's a captivating story and really enlightens you on their story of exploration and acceptance.