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ひとりじめマイヒーロー [Hitorijime My Hero] #2
ひとりじめマイヒーロー 2
Einige Monate sind vergangen, seit Masahiro seinem Lehrer Kousuke seine Gefühle gestanden hat und sie ein Paar wurden. Doch der Frieden währt nicht lange. Denn Kousuke ist der Bärenkiller, ein berüchtigter Randalierer, der den Straßenpunks das Leben schwer macht. Und nun möchte er plötzlich die Trennung! Masahiros Welt steht Kopf …!
216 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2013
49 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Memeco Arii
36 books91 followersMemeco Arii (Arii Memeko ありいめめこ) is a Japanese manga artist.
Other associated names:
有井メメコ
ARII Memeko
Other associated names:
有井メメコ
ARII Memeko
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 84 reviews
January 17, 2021
Easier to follow this volume but speech bubble arrangement is still a bit all over the place.
Really starting to enjoy the storyline of these two though, I just wish it was easier to follow sometimes. But definitely enjoyed this volume more and can't wait to see what's next for these two.
Really starting to enjoy the storyline of these two though, I just wish it was easier to follow sometimes. But definitely enjoyed this volume more and can't wait to see what's next for these two.
June 25, 2022
I found Masahiro and Ken's friendship really charming, with a looming Asaya in the background that made it so funny lol. Also, Shige and Yamabe are growing on me, they're so hilarious. But the sorta break-up made me panic x100, I thought, so this is where we're heading because the previous volume was too fast-paced? Srsly. But no—they took the other path with engagement and everything. What the hell? But I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm truly hooked now.
November 5, 2021
This volume made me kind of uncomfortable because it brought up a lot of the issues I have with a relationship with a 12 year age gap where the younger person is still a teenager. There are a lot of ethical quandaries that squick me out. I really like the chemistry between Masahiro and Kousuke I just wish Masahiro wasn't so young. The art is amazing and I did like that Masahiro is getting more confidence and speaking up for what he wants. I guess I'll have to see how the next volume feels and decide whether or not to continue.
July 18, 2021
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I am so glad that volume 2 was much better than volume 1. There are still a lot of things that need work; however, it was a lot less confusing than the first volume.
This volume definitely touches on quite a few themes and obviously the biggest is age gap between partners. Although Kousuke wants to be selfish and keep Masahiro to himself, he understands that he is potentially putting a damper on Masahiro's ability to grow as a young adult and make friends. A lot would find Kousuke "evil" or a "pedophile" but he understands his actions as an adult in love with a teenager. We also have to understand that Masahiro was forced to grow up fast and does not act like a regular teenager.
The issue I had with the first volume was that it was VERY confusing to follow along with. The speech bubbles were confusing, the panels were packed, the beginning made no sense what so ever, and there are too many POV's. While, we still have some of those issues some were fixed. My biggest issue that I still am struggling with are the speech bubbles. While we now know who is actually talking now, there are still many random speech bubbles.
Another issue I still have is that Asaya and Masahiro look like they could be twins if one didn't wear "rich boy" clothes and the other punky clothes. I think there is not much difference between the two and because of that I struggle sometimes with who is who. Also there are just way too many characters. An author or mangaka shouldn't have to put a page that lists all the characters and their faces. I understand a side character or two...this one has 11 side characters.
What I did love was the development of Masahiro's personality. He is becoming more independent and starting to actually make friends and do things. He still is very unsure of himself and his relationship with Kousuke but I can see that becoming less of an issue in future volumes.
This was definitely a better start than the first volume and I can't wait to continue on.
I am so glad that volume 2 was much better than volume 1. There are still a lot of things that need work; however, it was a lot less confusing than the first volume.
This volume definitely touches on quite a few themes and obviously the biggest is age gap between partners. Although Kousuke wants to be selfish and keep Masahiro to himself, he understands that he is potentially putting a damper on Masahiro's ability to grow as a young adult and make friends. A lot would find Kousuke "evil" or a "pedophile" but he understands his actions as an adult in love with a teenager. We also have to understand that Masahiro was forced to grow up fast and does not act like a regular teenager.
The issue I had with the first volume was that it was VERY confusing to follow along with. The speech bubbles were confusing, the panels were packed, the beginning made no sense what so ever, and there are too many POV's. While, we still have some of those issues some were fixed. My biggest issue that I still am struggling with are the speech bubbles. While we now know who is actually talking now, there are still many random speech bubbles.
Another issue I still have is that Asaya and Masahiro look like they could be twins if one didn't wear "rich boy" clothes and the other punky clothes. I think there is not much difference between the two and because of that I struggle sometimes with who is who. Also there are just way too many characters. An author or mangaka shouldn't have to put a page that lists all the characters and their faces. I understand a side character or two...this one has 11 side characters.
What I did love was the development of Masahiro's personality. He is becoming more independent and starting to actually make friends and do things. He still is very unsure of himself and his relationship with Kousuke but I can see that becoming less of an issue in future volumes.
This was definitely a better start than the first volume and I can't wait to continue on.
March 29, 2019
So I mentioned in my volume 1 review that, while I enjoyed the anime, I also felt like there wasn't much in the way of character development. Now I know why. Basically, this volume is where the anime ends. And the anime actually cuts quite a bit out of it in favor of an extended breakup due to a misunderstanding and both characters maddeningly refuse to communicate with each other.
While I'm totally into this series for its problematic premise (age-gap, student/teacher romance is extremely my fictional shit) I still shrieked at the idea that the MC is 12 years(!) younger than his love interest(!!) But fortunately, so did pretty much every (adult) side character in this. So that made this volume super interesting to me-- Kousuke is confronted by his friends (who are problematic in their own ways) for dating his student. This scene did kind of happen in the anime, but in the manga they're far less gentle with him, and point out that he's taking so much from his (12 years younger!) new boyfriend by isolating him from his peers.
Now, does this really fundamentally change anything? No. This is still a student/teacher romance and I'm fine with that because that's what I signed up for. But it did make for an interesting obstacle, which forced Kousuke to step back a bit and Setagawa to step up and have more agency in their relationship. This is what I wanted from the show! Some bit of self awareness! Some sort of character development! I'm really looking forward to the next volume.
While I'm totally into this series for its problematic premise (age-gap, student/teacher romance is extremely my fictional shit) I still shrieked at the idea that the MC is 12 years(!) younger than his love interest(!!) But fortunately, so did pretty much every (adult) side character in this. So that made this volume super interesting to me-- Kousuke is confronted by his friends (who are problematic in their own ways) for dating his student. This scene did kind of happen in the anime, but in the manga they're far less gentle with him, and point out that he's taking so much from his (12 years younger!) new boyfriend by isolating him from his peers.
Now, does this really fundamentally change anything? No. This is still a student/teacher romance and I'm fine with that because that's what I signed up for. But it did make for an interesting obstacle, which forced Kousuke to step back a bit and Setagawa to step up and have more agency in their relationship. This is what I wanted from the show! Some bit of self awareness! Some sort of character development! I'm really looking forward to the next volume.
November 21, 2021
Another great read, get to see more in depth development in the characters and some interesting twists, still a light happy read and enjoyable, finished in one sitting as I didn't want to put it down.
June 3, 2022
Something about the way this series flows just really confuses me. One more volume to read before I decide to continue or drop the series.
July 11, 2025
Yup he says more than 12 years part and acknowledged that he could get in trouble for this relationship. I like the KID he is sweet. But this adult, I was gonna let go like 5 or 6 years honestly but more than a decade??!?? With a 15 year old? But what this acknowledges since it came out in 2012, even Japan knows it’s not right.
February 26, 2023
3.5⭐
Probably brought down because of how long it took me and because my understanding wasn't all the way there. Oh well. Still fun.
Probably brought down because of how long it took me and because my understanding wasn't all the way there. Oh well. Still fun.
December 22, 2021
I love Setagawa so freaking much!He's so adorable, funny and relatable damn!
February 24, 2022
I'd give this manga a solid 3.5
This installment was actually at a slower pace then the first book was which I was fine with. In the first book it felt like things were happening back, to back, to back to push Masahiro and Kosuke forward, but here we got to settle into our how our leading males were developing and see their characters progress a little slower. I think this approach was a good match for what volume 2 was trying to cover since it wasn't trying to bring our leading characters together, but rather show us how they compliment and contrast against each other for better and for worse.
While i adimitedly was confused in the first half about what the main story and conflict of this volume was, I did appreciate it once I realized what it was during Kouske's high school reunion. Masahiro has made his entire personality and world revolve around Kouske and is neglecting the world outside of their relationship, and I like that this book is making the attempt to challenge this mindset. At the same time of this Kouske has to come to terms with the power dynamics of their relationship, and how he is enabling Masahiro to do this to himself.
I also really liked the more subtly relationship development between Masahiro and Asaya, from not liking eachother to going to a frenemies relationship where Asaya did start to genuinely care for Masahiro in his own standoffish way. Unexpected, but welcomed development.
Overall I still enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading volume 3.
This installment was actually at a slower pace then the first book was which I was fine with. In the first book it felt like things were happening back, to back, to back to push Masahiro and Kosuke forward, but here we got to settle into our how our leading males were developing and see their characters progress a little slower. I think this approach was a good match for what volume 2 was trying to cover since it wasn't trying to bring our leading characters together, but rather show us how they compliment and contrast against each other for better and for worse.
While i adimitedly was confused in the first half about what the main story and conflict of this volume was, I did appreciate it once I realized what it was during Kouske's high school reunion. Masahiro has made his entire personality and world revolve around Kouske and is neglecting the world outside of their relationship, and I like that this book is making the attempt to challenge this mindset. At the same time of this Kouske has to come to terms with the power dynamics of their relationship, and how he is enabling Masahiro to do this to himself.
I also really liked the more subtly relationship development between Masahiro and Asaya, from not liking eachother to going to a frenemies relationship where Asaya did start to genuinely care for Masahiro in his own standoffish way. Unexpected, but welcomed development.
Overall I still enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading volume 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2024
It's strange to me how much the anime changed absolutely pivotal moments. Or, well, I say that, but it's confusing because I mean the opposite - the anime had huge, emotionally devastating scenes that were either different in the manga or simply didn't appear.
Again, I don't know if there will be some variation of them later on, but at this point, we're concluding the anime storyline, with the exchange of rings and the promise of a future together. In the anime, this came after some pretty big stuff, with both Setagawa and Kousuke going through big agony over their relationship and having serious talks with both friends and each other about what they wanted out of their future together.
Things that are missing:
- The subplot/miscommunication about Kousuke getting fired because their relationship had been discovered.
- Setagawa kissing Kousuke at school and his friends all finding out.
- Fighting with Shige, and the conversation about his discomfort with Setagawa's sexuality - and Ken sticking up for him.
- The date on the hill, with Setagawa panicking about people seeing them together in public, and Kousuke feeling awful about how much turmoil he's putting him through.
- Kousuke's conversation at the bar and fight with his friend over what his true feelings for Setagawa are.
- Setagawa winding up at that same bar, with Kousuke's friend advising Setagawa to initiate the breakup.
- The conversation over the phone, with Setagawa ending things and throwing his phone into the ocean.
- The conversation between Kousuke and Setagawa the next day, revisiting the pet store and Kousuke realizing Setagawa is really serious about his decision, and Kousuke expressing that he'd never intended to try to break up with him.
- Setagawa's fight with his mother.
- The letter.
- Reuniting on the hill and watching the meteor shower together.
These are some of my absolute favorite scenes from the anime, and they're all gone? (I didn't even list all the differences. I'm assuming the dog, for example, shows up later on, and there will most likely be more interactions with Setagawa and Kousuke's friends.) Instead, Kousuke's just sick at home with gastritis, and while his mom and Ken are at the store, he actively tries to break up with Setagawa first - for similar reasons, mostly because he's afraid he's destroying Setagawa's youth by tying him down and limiting his options.
The parts leading up to this scene were good and made a decent amount of this volume 4+ stars for me. It's kind of a similar theme to Hitorijime Boyfriend, except Kousuke is a lot more mature than Hasekura and understands that as much as he emotionally wants to be Setagawa's one and only, the fact that he loves him that much means he wants Setagawa to be as free as possible, with a big social network, tons of friends, and a wide array of life experiences. If you love someone, let them go, etc.
I'm torn on how I feel about how this went down in the manga. I do like that Setagawa was a lot more proactive. My biggest fear was that Kousuke's age, "top" status, and big personality would kind of batter Setagawa down to weepy clingy boyfriend levels - something I've definitely seen in lots of initially promising BLs. So Setagawa giving that "I'm so grateful for the time we had together" breakup-acceptance speech and then concluding with: "NOT!" and shoving Kousuke down on the couch to kiss him was A+++.
Didn't love the threats about telling everyone about their relationship and getting Kousuke fired, though. I mean, not that I think Setagawa would ever actually do that. But using threats as leverage to keep someone from breaking up with you is never okay, and it's also jarring to me when it's such a massive change from Setagawa's point of view in the manga, where he was so incredibly concerned about Kousuke possibly losing the job he loved if people found out about them.
So that was my biggest complaint with this volume, along with the scene of Kousuke letting a bunch of the students hug him at the end of the year. Not dealbreakers by any means, and I am still enjoying the manga version quite a bit, but it's hard to reconcile what seem like two kind of divergent versions of a story I've loved so much for years.
I did forget to mention that a thing I liked in volume 1 was the reveal that Kousuke was never actually going out trying to fight anyone; he was attempting to "speak to the delinquents on their level" by going to talk to them at night, and they kept attacking him instead, so he'd defend himself and then turn them over to the hospital/police. It's a funny little tidbit that I think is important in understanding his character.
I also liked, in this volume, the little bits of backstory we get about Kousuke's student days, and how he was kind of a delinquent in his own way back then, always getting in fights and such. There's a chapter opener illustration of Setagawa and Kousuke together at the same age, and it makes it hit home how important the age gap actually is for the two of them. I don't think they would've worked at all if they were both in school at the same time. Oddly, Kousuke wouldn't have been mature enough, and certainly not ready for a serious relationship.
Curious to find out more about the Ohshiba dad; their mom is funny and seems, in some ways, to be as absent as Setagawa's mother is, but mostly because she can rely on Kousuke to take care of things. I liked her appearances in this volume - she did get that little bit of bonding with Setagawa over the photo albums, although it was shorter - and her mothering Kousuke and taking away his cigarettes when he got sick. And then laughing herself into tears because he was being so grumpy about it. He's so "grown up" but he's still just as much her son as Ken is.
Setagawa's friendship with Hasekura also seems a lot more solid and genuine to me than it did in the anime, where Hasekura was just annoyed with him the entire time. I like the dynamic here, and how much it feels like a whole big family meshing together and forming a new community.
Again, I don't know if there will be some variation of them later on, but at this point, we're concluding the anime storyline, with the exchange of rings and the promise of a future together. In the anime, this came after some pretty big stuff, with both Setagawa and Kousuke going through big agony over their relationship and having serious talks with both friends and each other about what they wanted out of their future together.
Things that are missing:
- The subplot/miscommunication about Kousuke getting fired because their relationship had been discovered.
- Setagawa kissing Kousuke at school and his friends all finding out.
- Fighting with Shige, and the conversation about his discomfort with Setagawa's sexuality - and Ken sticking up for him.
- The date on the hill, with Setagawa panicking about people seeing them together in public, and Kousuke feeling awful about how much turmoil he's putting him through.
- Kousuke's conversation at the bar and fight with his friend over what his true feelings for Setagawa are.
- Setagawa winding up at that same bar, with Kousuke's friend advising Setagawa to initiate the breakup.
- The conversation over the phone, with Setagawa ending things and throwing his phone into the ocean.
- The conversation between Kousuke and Setagawa the next day, revisiting the pet store and Kousuke realizing Setagawa is really serious about his decision, and Kousuke expressing that he'd never intended to try to break up with him.
- Setagawa's fight with his mother.
- The letter.
- Reuniting on the hill and watching the meteor shower together.
These are some of my absolute favorite scenes from the anime, and they're all gone? (I didn't even list all the differences. I'm assuming the dog, for example, shows up later on, and there will most likely be more interactions with Setagawa and Kousuke's friends.) Instead, Kousuke's just sick at home with gastritis, and while his mom and Ken are at the store, he actively tries to break up with Setagawa first - for similar reasons, mostly because he's afraid he's destroying Setagawa's youth by tying him down and limiting his options.
The parts leading up to this scene were good and made a decent amount of this volume 4+ stars for me. It's kind of a similar theme to Hitorijime Boyfriend, except Kousuke is a lot more mature than Hasekura and understands that as much as he emotionally wants to be Setagawa's one and only, the fact that he loves him that much means he wants Setagawa to be as free as possible, with a big social network, tons of friends, and a wide array of life experiences. If you love someone, let them go, etc.
I'm torn on how I feel about how this went down in the manga. I do like that Setagawa was a lot more proactive. My biggest fear was that Kousuke's age, "top" status, and big personality would kind of batter Setagawa down to weepy clingy boyfriend levels - something I've definitely seen in lots of initially promising BLs. So Setagawa giving that "I'm so grateful for the time we had together" breakup-acceptance speech and then concluding with: "NOT!" and shoving Kousuke down on the couch to kiss him was A+++.
Didn't love the threats about telling everyone about their relationship and getting Kousuke fired, though. I mean, not that I think Setagawa would ever actually do that. But using threats as leverage to keep someone from breaking up with you is never okay, and it's also jarring to me when it's such a massive change from Setagawa's point of view in the manga, where he was so incredibly concerned about Kousuke possibly losing the job he loved if people found out about them.
So that was my biggest complaint with this volume, along with the scene of Kousuke letting a bunch of the students hug him at the end of the year. Not dealbreakers by any means, and I am still enjoying the manga version quite a bit, but it's hard to reconcile what seem like two kind of divergent versions of a story I've loved so much for years.
I did forget to mention that a thing I liked in volume 1 was the reveal that Kousuke was never actually going out trying to fight anyone; he was attempting to "speak to the delinquents on their level" by going to talk to them at night, and they kept attacking him instead, so he'd defend himself and then turn them over to the hospital/police. It's a funny little tidbit that I think is important in understanding his character.
I also liked, in this volume, the little bits of backstory we get about Kousuke's student days, and how he was kind of a delinquent in his own way back then, always getting in fights and such. There's a chapter opener illustration of Setagawa and Kousuke together at the same age, and it makes it hit home how important the age gap actually is for the two of them. I don't think they would've worked at all if they were both in school at the same time. Oddly, Kousuke wouldn't have been mature enough, and certainly not ready for a serious relationship.
Curious to find out more about the Ohshiba dad; their mom is funny and seems, in some ways, to be as absent as Setagawa's mother is, but mostly because she can rely on Kousuke to take care of things. I liked her appearances in this volume - she did get that little bit of bonding with Setagawa over the photo albums, although it was shorter - and her mothering Kousuke and taking away his cigarettes when he got sick. And then laughing herself into tears because he was being so grumpy about it. He's so "grown up" but he's still just as much her son as Ken is.
Setagawa's friendship with Hasekura also seems a lot more solid and genuine to me than it did in the anime, where Hasekura was just annoyed with him the entire time. I like the dynamic here, and how much it feels like a whole big family meshing together and forming a new community.
December 5, 2020
I am still enjoying this series a lot, but I think I'm going to have to add it to my list of series where I like the anime better. The layout and formatting is extremely confusing. You can't always tell who is speaking, especially when someone is off panel. Also realizing just how vast the age gap is really makes any scene where they're at the school hard to reconcile with the rest of the manga. That said it is still an adorable series and I will definitely keep reading.
September 7, 2025
Still cute. Still an age gap. Still doesn't bother me
September 7, 2025
I am rereading the manga currently. I am reviewing the story from book 1-3 which was also where the anime ended back in 2017.
"Hitorijime My Hero" is a BL manga created by Memeco Arii. The first English paperback was licensed from Kodansha Comics on January 22, 2019. It started serialization back in February 2012 and is still ongoing. Right now, there are 16 volumes in total, and 15 of them are available in English.
I discovered this story on HiDive in November 2018 when the anime first debuted. After watching all 12 episodes, I hoped for another season, but it wasn't possible since the manga was still in the early stages of production. I still hold out hope that the anime will be remastered and completed once the manga concludes.
Over the past decade, I've delved into countless anime and manga featuring boylove stories. Among them, Kou and Masa's deep bond captivates me, while the chemistry between Kenny and Asaya is stinking adorable to me. Their tales of passion and connection resonate with me.
Did you know that Kenny and Asaya were the ones who kickstarted this whole project? The original manga is titled "Hitorijime My Boyfriend," which follows the characters Ken and Asa. When the anime for "HMH" was in production, they didn't have enough story material yet, so they integrated elements from this manga into the storyline. Although the manga was originally published in 2010, it wasn't released in English until 2021, eleven long years later.
My Summary so far:
Masahiro "Masa" or "Settie" Setagawa has lost faith in heroes, believing they don't genuinely exist. His skepticism stems from the trouble he has faced, particularly due to his difficult home life. Coerced into joining a gang, he often experiences bullying and is used as a gopher.
Not long after becoming the gang's errand boy a notorious vigilante named Kousuke "Kou" Ooshiba, or the "Bear Killer" inadvertently saves him. Kou happens to be the older brother of his best friend Kenny. When Kenny and Masa first met Kou takes Masahiro under his wing as his "underling or sidekick" and promises to protect him which in turn leads Masa to believe in heroes once again.
Kousuke has always been the kind of guy who can solve any problem, but Masa was different. After leaving town for a bit to go to uni and kickstart his career, Kou comes back as a well-respected math teacher. Now, he's Masa and Kenny's homeroom and math teacher. Being around each other again makes Kou and Masa realize there's something more between them, turning their usual teacher-student vibe into a deeper, forbidden romance. This gets complicated with their 12-year age gap and the power dynamics at play. The story dives into their struggles with identity, tough family situations, and the messy realities of their changing relationship.
Kensuke "Kenny" Ohshiba is just a fun-loving, upbeat high school guy. He’s super adorable and always looking out for his family, whether they’re related by blood or not. He’s been buddies with Asaya Hasekura since childhood, but he has no clue that Asaya has a crush on him. Asaya, on the other hand, is a laid-back and good-looking teen who’s been into Kenny for ages. After moving away for a while, he comes back and starts trying to win Kenny’s heart. Plus, Asaya’s sister Ayaka and her husband Tsunehito are close friends with his brother Kou from way back in high school. Their story gets real when it deals with a childhood promise they couldn’t keep and the jealousy that comes up, but eventually, they both spill their feelings and start dating.
Still, to this day, it’s tied with Super Lovers as my top favorite in boylove. I get the criticism about the age gap and the whole teacher-student thing, but I can’t help but love it. A lot of the people who complain, in my opinion, are mainly anime watchers. They really need to realize that the anime only covers the first three volumes of the manga. There’s way more to dive into!
For me, what really pushed it to the top of my faves was the anime—mainly because I love the English dub cast. After that, when I went back and read the manga, I could totally hear their voices in my head, which made everything so much better for me.
In my view, it’s a hidden treasure among manga and anime, a captivating gem that often goes unnoticed. The storytelling intricacies and vibrant artwork weave together an unforgettable experience, making it a true delight for those who take the time to explore its depths.
"Hitorijime My Hero" is a BL manga created by Memeco Arii. The first English paperback was licensed from Kodansha Comics on January 22, 2019. It started serialization back in February 2012 and is still ongoing. Right now, there are 16 volumes in total, and 15 of them are available in English.
I discovered this story on HiDive in November 2018 when the anime first debuted. After watching all 12 episodes, I hoped for another season, but it wasn't possible since the manga was still in the early stages of production. I still hold out hope that the anime will be remastered and completed once the manga concludes.
Over the past decade, I've delved into countless anime and manga featuring boylove stories. Among them, Kou and Masa's deep bond captivates me, while the chemistry between Kenny and Asaya is stinking adorable to me. Their tales of passion and connection resonate with me.
Did you know that Kenny and Asaya were the ones who kickstarted this whole project? The original manga is titled "Hitorijime My Boyfriend," which follows the characters Ken and Asa. When the anime for "HMH" was in production, they didn't have enough story material yet, so they integrated elements from this manga into the storyline. Although the manga was originally published in 2010, it wasn't released in English until 2021, eleven long years later.
My Summary so far:
Masahiro "Masa" or "Settie" Setagawa has lost faith in heroes, believing they don't genuinely exist. His skepticism stems from the trouble he has faced, particularly due to his difficult home life. Coerced into joining a gang, he often experiences bullying and is used as a gopher.
Not long after becoming the gang's errand boy a notorious vigilante named Kousuke "Kou" Ooshiba, or the "Bear Killer" inadvertently saves him. Kou happens to be the older brother of his best friend Kenny. When Kenny and Masa first met Kou takes Masahiro under his wing as his "underling or sidekick" and promises to protect him which in turn leads Masa to believe in heroes once again.
Kousuke has always been the kind of guy who can solve any problem, but Masa was different. After leaving town for a bit to go to uni and kickstart his career, Kou comes back as a well-respected math teacher. Now, he's Masa and Kenny's homeroom and math teacher. Being around each other again makes Kou and Masa realize there's something more between them, turning their usual teacher-student vibe into a deeper, forbidden romance. This gets complicated with their 12-year age gap and the power dynamics at play. The story dives into their struggles with identity, tough family situations, and the messy realities of their changing relationship.
Kensuke "Kenny" Ohshiba is just a fun-loving, upbeat high school guy. He’s super adorable and always looking out for his family, whether they’re related by blood or not. He’s been buddies with Asaya Hasekura since childhood, but he has no clue that Asaya has a crush on him. Asaya, on the other hand, is a laid-back and good-looking teen who’s been into Kenny for ages. After moving away for a while, he comes back and starts trying to win Kenny’s heart. Plus, Asaya’s sister Ayaka and her husband Tsunehito are close friends with his brother Kou from way back in high school. Their story gets real when it deals with a childhood promise they couldn’t keep and the jealousy that comes up, but eventually, they both spill their feelings and start dating.
Still, to this day, it’s tied with Super Lovers as my top favorite in boylove. I get the criticism about the age gap and the whole teacher-student thing, but I can’t help but love it. A lot of the people who complain, in my opinion, are mainly anime watchers. They really need to realize that the anime only covers the first three volumes of the manga. There’s way more to dive into!
For me, what really pushed it to the top of my faves was the anime—mainly because I love the English dub cast. After that, when I went back and read the manga, I could totally hear their voices in my head, which made everything so much better for me.
In my view, it’s a hidden treasure among manga and anime, a captivating gem that often goes unnoticed. The storytelling intricacies and vibrant artwork weave together an unforgettable experience, making it a true delight for those who take the time to explore its depths.
August 16, 2020
As I stated in my previous review of volume 1 of Hitorijime My Hero, the anime DEFINITELY changed a lot of things coming from the manga and adapting into the anime. Like. A LOT. And that only continues with volume 2. As far as pacing and events go, I feel that the anime did it better with what they had to work with out of volume 2. We had more substance and things were handled better, doesn’t matter too much that certain things got censored. There wasn’t a whole lot to censor anyway...
I found myself laughing for a minimum of six minutes straight when Kousuke’s mother walked in.
*hears loud clattering,
shoves child aside and bursts into room,
Your older son and his friend are obviously just plain crazy* “IS THIS NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL”
And instead of giving him back his cigarettes, she proceeds to just scold him about his bad smoking habits.
It’s the only thing that makes the dumbest chapter in the entire series worth reading. The rest of it is garbage. Just gotta read it for the mom. I strive to be her.
Aforementioned chapter summary: *several past chapters building up that they’re going to break up because underlying things bothering both of them that neither are talking about*
“Let’s break up”
“No, I won’t let you”
“Oh, okay. Sorry. It was the gastritis talking. *next chapter* by the way, here’s matching promise rings.”
It took me a hot minute to reel from the sheer stupidity in this volume. But all in all it was enjoyable and it birthed some great things for the anime (which, again, the anime did better).
I also love how the friendship between Hasekura and Masahiro is forcefully budding. They make really cute friends. God, I laughed so much at so many things in this volume though. But that’s typical of this series as a whole. It’s a BL comedy, before anything else. I’m a little sad I didn’t get more Hasekura X Kensuke this time around, perhaps next time.
But yeah, wow. I hope the manga improves. The pacing needs some work and the author needs to figure out what character development and climax is, not just... prolonging the problem and giving fake climaxes. Obviously mangaka is a woman (LOL ooohh bad joke, I won’t do it again).
Also, Houjou... was also better in the anime. He hella reminds me of Edogawa Ranpo from BSD. I wonder why. Maybe it’s the Hiroshi Kamiya vibes + thotty detective.
I found myself laughing for a minimum of six minutes straight when Kousuke’s mother walked in.
*hears loud clattering,
shoves child aside and bursts into room,
Your older son and his friend are obviously just plain crazy* “IS THIS NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL”
And instead of giving him back his cigarettes, she proceeds to just scold him about his bad smoking habits.
It’s the only thing that makes the dumbest chapter in the entire series worth reading. The rest of it is garbage. Just gotta read it for the mom. I strive to be her.
Aforementioned chapter summary: *several past chapters building up that they’re going to break up because underlying things bothering both of them that neither are talking about*
“Let’s break up”
“No, I won’t let you”
“Oh, okay. Sorry. It was the gastritis talking. *next chapter* by the way, here’s matching promise rings.”
It took me a hot minute to reel from the sheer stupidity in this volume. But all in all it was enjoyable and it birthed some great things for the anime (which, again, the anime did better).
I also love how the friendship between Hasekura and Masahiro is forcefully budding. They make really cute friends. God, I laughed so much at so many things in this volume though. But that’s typical of this series as a whole. It’s a BL comedy, before anything else. I’m a little sad I didn’t get more Hasekura X Kensuke this time around, perhaps next time.
But yeah, wow. I hope the manga improves. The pacing needs some work and the author needs to figure out what character development and climax is, not just... prolonging the problem and giving fake climaxes. Obviously mangaka is a woman (LOL ooohh bad joke, I won’t do it again).
Also, Houjou... was also better in the anime. He hella reminds me of Edogawa Ranpo from BSD. I wonder why. Maybe it’s the Hiroshi Kamiya vibes + thotty detective.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2021
Apparently a hit BL anime, Hitorijime My Hero is one of those manga that manages to be entertaining and intriguing even while it deals with a taboo - not same sex love, which is almost mainstream at this point, but rather romance between a teen and adult. Maybe one reason it works is that it seems pretty implausible from the start. In volume 1, we learn that substitute teacher Kousuke Ohshiba, who has a remarkably unremarkable physique, is the notorious “Bear Killer” that takes out local toughs and gang members. It's this reputation, and some impressive fighting skills, that Kousuke uses to protect Masahiro Setagawa, who finally confesses his love for Kousuke. Meanwhile, a whole gaggle of kids seem to roost at Kousuke’s house - which is itself an improbable and fraught situation for a teacher - and it's the frequent intrusions of these kids into the main narrative that dilutes my reaction to the main adult-teen relationship in the book.
In volume 2, Kousuke and Masahiro seem to be in a fairly happy relationship, though is clear there is a huge power imbalance between the two and that Masahiro has yet to find his voice as an adult. In this volume, despite the couple going to a love hotel for some privacy, we find out that the physical relationship between them has not progressed very far. More importantly, Kousuke’s best friend has become clued in and gives him the “Have you list your mind, dating a teenager??!!” speech.
All of which is helpful as far as enjoying the manga itself goes. But there's still a 12 year gap between Kousuke and Masahiro, and Masahiro has a lot of growing up to do. So, in the end I'm still conflicted on this title. It is a fun read because of the all the characters’ interactions and the situations the author invents.
In volume 2, Kousuke and Masahiro seem to be in a fairly happy relationship, though is clear there is a huge power imbalance between the two and that Masahiro has yet to find his voice as an adult. In this volume, despite the couple going to a love hotel for some privacy, we find out that the physical relationship between them has not progressed very far. More importantly, Kousuke’s best friend has become clued in and gives him the “Have you list your mind, dating a teenager??!!” speech.
All of which is helpful as far as enjoying the manga itself goes. But there's still a 12 year gap between Kousuke and Masahiro, and Masahiro has a lot of growing up to do. So, in the end I'm still conflicted on this title. It is a fun read because of the all the characters’ interactions and the situations the author invents.
May 4, 2019
Volume 2 is a much better storytelling experience with a more focused story on growing Setagawa and Kousuke’s relationship. Here the drama of them staying together as seen through Kousuke’s eyes is interesting and I love how here we develop the relationship on Setagawa’s front to make him more assertive for what he wants.
Overall, I love this story for how it has used the Oshiba’s to really get Setagawa to grow out of his shell and learn that its alright to express yourself instead of not. We get to see Setagawa geek out over dogs, and we get to see him really smile and laugh at things, and we also get to see hi cry something that he seemingly thought he was never able to do, and then we got to see him just really be assertive and give the best romance panel in the volume, when he’s clutching Kousuke’s shirt when he’s on him and saying no he won’t break up over the drama this volume.
Good art this time with some really memorable and amazing Setagawa panels, love when he’s all ultra-happy and such. Black haired Setagawa was good too.
Great volume. Plentiful extras again, and three or so bonus (.5) chapters.
Overall, I love this story for how it has used the Oshiba’s to really get Setagawa to grow out of his shell and learn that its alright to express yourself instead of not. We get to see Setagawa geek out over dogs, and we get to see him really smile and laugh at things, and we also get to see hi cry something that he seemingly thought he was never able to do, and then we got to see him just really be assertive and give the best romance panel in the volume, when he’s clutching Kousuke’s shirt when he’s on him and saying no he won’t break up over the drama this volume.
Good art this time with some really memorable and amazing Setagawa panels, love when he’s all ultra-happy and such. Black haired Setagawa was good too.
Great volume. Plentiful extras again, and three or so bonus (.5) chapters.
January 24, 2021
Il rapporto tra Masahiro e Kosuke ha fatto un passo avanti, ma il ragazzo non sa come comportarsi con l'uomo, non sa bene come interpretare i suoi umori e come renderlo più sereno. Allo stesso tempo Kosuke si chiede se la loro relazione può funzionare, se non sta rubando a Masahiro la possibilità di vivere la sua giovinezza e stare con i suoi compagni... Insomma i due anche se silenziosamente tengono l'uno all'altro ma hanno difficoltà ad usare le parole e ci vuole una situazione un po' a metà per costringere entrambi ad agire e parlarsi. Sono dei momenti molto emozionanti con Masahiro che non sente l'affetto che lo circonda, non solo quello di Kosuke, ma anche di Kensuke e Hasekura, confidente di Masahiro anche su aspetti più... personali...? Incredibile, ma vero... Un volume bello, la prima parte ha dei momenti piccanti anche se non particolarmente espliciti, mentre la seconda si lega ai sentimenti e dubbi dei due personaggi anche se non manca il divertimento e l'imbarazzo di alcune situazioni portando questa serie ad essere molto positiva e piacevole.
October 13, 2022
This is the volume where the older guy is torn about being the older guy in a relationship. There's a degree of manipulation, threats of outing - those kinds of tropes. If you enjoyed the first but that kind of back and forth puts you off, you might want to stop.
Personally, I still enjoy the dynamic. The two of them still aren't directly involved as a student and teacher (the teacher is a temp for older school years) and it's easier to look past it at the moment.
The main thing lowering my rating is just how chaotic the story is. Maybe I'm just really not used to manga anymore, but it jumps around a lot, the passage of time isn't obvious, and it's still not always obvious who is speaking with the placement of the speech bubbles. I don't know if it's expecting the reader to be able to place what's happening in the timeline of the first book (Hitorijime Boyfriend) or if this is just the style.
Personally, I still enjoy the dynamic. The two of them still aren't directly involved as a student and teacher (the teacher is a temp for older school years) and it's easier to look past it at the moment.
The main thing lowering my rating is just how chaotic the story is. Maybe I'm just really not used to manga anymore, but it jumps around a lot, the passage of time isn't obvious, and it's still not always obvious who is speaking with the placement of the speech bubbles. I don't know if it's expecting the reader to be able to place what's happening in the timeline of the first book (Hitorijime Boyfriend) or if this is just the style.
February 9, 2021
Hitorijime My Hero no.2
4/5 stars
I was pretty concerned when I read the first volume of this series recently because I wasn't super into it and I had already bought the first 5 volumes of this. But I am relieved to have enjoyed this one much more!
There was still some confusion at times in terms of relationships and the drawing style still being pretty similar between characters, but that did not bother me as much this time around because there was a lot more focus on the characterization and the development of the core relationship for our main couple and I was able to really care about them and whether or not they worked out.
I think we saw some tender moments, some steamy moments, and a precious ending that showed how serious both boys are about each other. Along with some really cute panels.
Excited to jump into volume 3.
4/5 stars
I was pretty concerned when I read the first volume of this series recently because I wasn't super into it and I had already bought the first 5 volumes of this. But I am relieved to have enjoyed this one much more!
There was still some confusion at times in terms of relationships and the drawing style still being pretty similar between characters, but that did not bother me as much this time around because there was a lot more focus on the characterization and the development of the core relationship for our main couple and I was able to really care about them and whether or not they worked out.
I think we saw some tender moments, some steamy moments, and a precious ending that showed how serious both boys are about each other. Along with some really cute panels.
Excited to jump into volume 3.
July 4, 2023
Encara paint les diferències abismals amb l'anime... No supero el comportament tan infantil del profe, la relació de poder ni que la diferència d'edat sigui de 12 anys!!! (en aquest volum s'especifica que tenen 15 i 27 anys). L'escena de la discussió i quasi ruptura és d'una absurditat majúscula, en l'anime encara tenia cert sentit perquè parlaven per telèfon, però al manga són cara a cara i el profe és incapaç de ser clar??? No entenc res... És que sembla que l'estigui posant contínuament a prova, que no vagi del tot de debò, però després li declara un amor incondicional i no li preocupa que els enxampin... Recordem que el Masahiro no té ni l'edat legal mínima de consentiment, és que no hi ha ningú al volant, cap adult fa un crit d'alerta, versemblança sota terra. Seguiré llegint, però no sé si podré acabar-me la sèrie sencera :(
May 8, 2019
4 out of 5 stars
The second volume of this manga was so much better then the first, mainly thanks to their being a plot and actual character development.
Kousuke and Masahiro’s relationship is tested by the fact that they are in a teacher/student relationship with a 12 year age gap between them. I like that Kousuke’s friends call him out on the fact that he may be ruining Masahiro’s youth, but this is BL, so Masahiro has no time for Kousuke trying to end things with him, showing some growth himself. Masahiro is finally able to tell the world what he wants without the fear of being abandoned, which is lovely.
So, 2 thumbs up to a better second volume then the first. Hopefully this keeps up in volume 3.
The second volume of this manga was so much better then the first, mainly thanks to their being a plot and actual character development.
Kousuke and Masahiro’s relationship is tested by the fact that they are in a teacher/student relationship with a 12 year age gap between them. I like that Kousuke’s friends call him out on the fact that he may be ruining Masahiro’s youth, but this is BL, so Masahiro has no time for Kousuke trying to end things with him, showing some growth himself. Masahiro is finally able to tell the world what he wants without the fear of being abandoned, which is lovely.
So, 2 thumbs up to a better second volume then the first. Hopefully this keeps up in volume 3.
August 1, 2024
Well, I feel this was better than the first volume. I feel that Japanese authors enjoy writing about the taboo. I mean I know everyone enjoys shock value in storytelling from time to time, but I see a lot of things dealt with in Manga.
A teacher 12 years his senior is dating a student. There really is a power dynamic going on as well. He's pushing the kid into sexual situations as well like going to a romance hotel etc. But, if you get past that ick, then the characters are pretty good and the story isn't half bad.
There is a lot of dramatic tension going on in this thing. There should be, it's high school. It's also different enough that it's interesting to read. There are a ton of stories set in high school, so any twist is good.
I will read on in this one.
A teacher 12 years his senior is dating a student. There really is a power dynamic going on as well. He's pushing the kid into sexual situations as well like going to a romance hotel etc. But, if you get past that ick, then the characters are pretty good and the story isn't half bad.
There is a lot of dramatic tension going on in this thing. There should be, it's high school. It's also different enough that it's interesting to read. There are a ton of stories set in high school, so any twist is good.
I will read on in this one.
September 4, 2023
I like this one more than the first but still not quite 4-stars more. The age difference still gives me the ick this time around, and I don’t like the fact that their relationship involves so much coercion and blackmail.
That being said, Asaya is such a fun character. I don’t remember if I appreciated him as much during my first read through, although I know I did like him. The way he just kind of… looms. And is vaguely protective while maintaining an overall aura of complete disinterest. He’s probably my favorite.
This volume also includes the “logically, I’d die first” scene, which is definitely my favorite scene from the earlier volumes.
That being said, Asaya is such a fun character. I don’t remember if I appreciated him as much during my first read through, although I know I did like him. The way he just kind of… looms. And is vaguely protective while maintaining an overall aura of complete disinterest. He’s probably my favorite.
This volume also includes the “logically, I’d die first” scene, which is definitely my favorite scene from the earlier volumes.
January 25, 2021
Es más un 3.6 estrellas.
Este volumen se me hizo un poco más entendible, aunque había partes donde me perdía pero bueno. A mí me pareció tierna la relación de Masahiro y Kouske a pesar de la diferencia de edad tan grande, porque nunca noté ningún tipo de manipulación por parte de Kouske hacia Masahiro, de hecho Masahiro pues sí quería a Kouske y se preocupa muchísimo por él, además, pues es ficción entonces claramente sé diferencia que ese tipo de relaciones en la vida real muchas veces tienen algún tipo de manipulación pero tampoco sucede siempre. Igual me gustó y lo disfruté.
Este volumen se me hizo un poco más entendible, aunque había partes donde me perdía pero bueno. A mí me pareció tierna la relación de Masahiro y Kouske a pesar de la diferencia de edad tan grande, porque nunca noté ningún tipo de manipulación por parte de Kouske hacia Masahiro, de hecho Masahiro pues sí quería a Kouske y se preocupa muchísimo por él, además, pues es ficción entonces claramente sé diferencia que ese tipo de relaciones en la vida real muchas veces tienen algún tipo de manipulación pero tampoco sucede siempre. Igual me gustó y lo disfruté.
February 15, 2021
A much stronger volume than it's predecessor with its focus on characterization and the elements I loved from the anime. There are few taboo aspects to the central romance but I believe the author addresses it well. This really feels like it could be a solid duology so the fact that there's so many more volumes worries me about the potential for contrived drama but I'll keep going for now. Also I adore Kensuke and he never fails to make me laugh.
December 15, 2022
Wow, the anime only goes this far?? Now everything from here on is new!!
I still love Masahiro and Kousuke’s relationship so much! Their personalities go well together, picking up where the other lacks, and it’s so damn cute! The comedy in this series is funny too!
I also like that we get a little of Hasekura and Kensuke’s relationship, as well as seeing the other members of their friend group interact. And of course the art style is so pleasing! One of my favorite BL manga series!
I still love Masahiro and Kousuke’s relationship so much! Their personalities go well together, picking up where the other lacks, and it’s so damn cute! The comedy in this series is funny too!
I also like that we get a little of Hasekura and Kensuke’s relationship, as well as seeing the other members of their friend group interact. And of course the art style is so pleasing! One of my favorite BL manga series!
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