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Love Me for Who I Am #1
Love Me for Who I Am, Vol. 1
Non-Binary Maid Reporting for Duty!
Mogumo is a cute but lonely non-binary high school student who just wants a few loving friends. As someone who doesn’t identify as a boy or a girl, however, finding people who really understand can be a big challenge. When fellow student Iwaoka Tetsu invites Mogumo to work at an untraditional maid café, Mogumo is hopeful that things are looking up. Will they finally find friends to call their own―or just more misunderstanding?
Mogumo is a cute but lonely non-binary high school student who just wants a few loving friends. As someone who doesn’t identify as a boy or a girl, however, finding people who really understand can be a big challenge. When fellow student Iwaoka Tetsu invites Mogumo to work at an untraditional maid café, Mogumo is hopeful that things are looking up. Will they finally find friends to call their own―or just more misunderstanding?
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2019
39 people are currently reading
1460 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
April 3, 2023
Honestly, this is a manga that everyone should pick up at least once. Not only is it extremely cute, but it addresses so many things that I think people can learn from. I can only speak for myself but I know that I grew up in a very gendered household because that’s how my parents grew up. Understanding the societal constraints of imposed genders and a very binary system took a while for me to grasp. This manga breaks every expectation. It is the perfect example of the fact that you shouldn’t impose your gender assumptions and/or expectations on anyone. The characters are all amazing and perfectly imperfect. They’re learning about each other and compromising on what it means to work together without anyone having to pretend to be something they’re not. The ending was a shock. I did not see that coming. It actually made me upset at a character that I thought was supportive but really isn’t. I can’t wait to dive into the next volume which I already put on hold at the library.
July 23, 2020
So many queer, nonbinary and trans feels! Made my heart so happy, will have a hard time waiting for volume 2!!
All the stars. All of them!
All the stars. All of them!
September 26, 2023
Did I find a manga with a nonbinary character? Yes, yes I did. Time to make my collection more inclusive!
Quick notes:
main character is nonbinary
side characters: trans, homosexual, & a boy who just likes dressing as a girl some times who may be bi?? or at least open to dating more than girls, also potentially a lesbian/bi character.
A bit more detail..
Super cute and I love how it is explaining identity and how we come to understand ourselves and others. While I think it is mostly great, I do think there are problematic elements though as the main guy still misgenders his sibling. It is aggravating considering how everyone else is working out their pronouns and who they are.
Quick notes:
main character is nonbinary
side characters: trans, homosexual, & a boy who just likes dressing as a girl some times who may be bi?? or at least open to dating more than girls, also potentially a lesbian/bi character.
A bit more detail..
Super cute and I love how it is explaining identity and how we come to understand ourselves and others. While I think it is mostly great, I do think there are problematic elements though as the main guy still misgenders his sibling. It is aggravating considering how everyone else is working out their pronouns and who they are.
Read
February 20, 2023Impulse borrow from the library new teen comics shelf. This is a manga about a maid café where the servers are supposed to be crossdressing boys / otokonoko (somewhat like femboys in the West). The protagonist Mogumo gets recruited to the café, but Mogumo doesn't consider themself either a boy or a girl, so it's really an uncomfortable situation for them to say things like 'I'm a boy dressed as a girl' to the guests.
I thought this would be really bad and cis-gaze-y, and it is kind of cis-gaze-y, but surprisingly subtle, and interesting to read. E.g., there is a discussion where one of the other maids comes out as a trans girl; transness is not conflated with crossdressing, but the narrative discusses that crossdressing spaces might feel safer in some ways; there is a separate discussion of how cosplay relates to all this; and so on. I also liked how the book had room for both gender and sexuality questioning, in particular - and how people try to push you to present one way or the other.
It's not perfect - it reads somewhat like the author was also figuring things out (which is acknowledged in the afterword). There is also so much misgendering that at points I was genuinely confused who was which gender; this is generally discussed in the story, but I think not always - if I managed to keep track of everything -, more might be coming though.
I'd read the next volume, if my library is going to stock it; I'm curious where the story will go.
____
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library
I thought this would be really bad and cis-gaze-y, and it is kind of cis-gaze-y, but surprisingly subtle, and interesting to read. E.g., there is a discussion where one of the other maids comes out as a trans girl; transness is not conflated with crossdressing, but the narrative discusses that crossdressing spaces might feel safer in some ways; there is a separate discussion of how cosplay relates to all this; and so on. I also liked how the book had room for both gender and sexuality questioning, in particular - and how people try to push you to present one way or the other.
It's not perfect - it reads somewhat like the author was also figuring things out (which is acknowledged in the afterword). There is also so much misgendering that at points I was genuinely confused who was which gender; this is generally discussed in the story, but I think not always - if I managed to keep track of everything -, more might be coming though.
I'd read the next volume, if my library is going to stock it; I'm curious where the story will go.
____
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library
July 17, 2022
Rep : pp non binaire
aaah ça avait l'air super! je ne connais pas de manga avec une rep non-binaire c'était une premiere, c'était cool. cela dit, quelques discussions m'ont pas mal trigger mais la conclusion était plaisante (?)
on y discute les raisons pour lequelles les personnages travaillent dans ce café d'otokonoko (gay, transgenre, s'évader... etc) et le principe de nonbinarité était étranger c certain.es .
dans la vf il y a un après-propos sur le sujet que j'ai bien apprécié
aaah ça avait l'air super! je ne connais pas de manga avec une rep non-binaire c'était une premiere, c'était cool. cela dit, quelques discussions m'ont pas mal trigger mais la conclusion était plaisante (?)
on y discute les raisons pour lequelles les personnages travaillent dans ce café d'otokonoko (gay, transgenre, s'évader... etc) et le principe de nonbinarité était étranger c certain.es .
dans la vf il y a un après-propos sur le sujet que j'ai bien apprécié
December 7, 2020
The artwork and cover are gorgeous, but the story felt overwhelming and a little too quick? We go from point A to point F so quickly. And I understand the importance of the topics explored (one of the main reasons why I picked this up) but I felt so uncomfortable with some parts where the characters were just...not receptive or actively tried to convince the MC to change who they are? They just came off selfish and I wanted to understand where they were coming from, but it left a weird taste in my proverbial mouth.
Anyway, I’m happy for those who enjoyed it! It’s a beautifully drawn manga!
Happy reading!
Anyway, I’m happy for those who enjoyed it! It’s a beautifully drawn manga!
Happy reading!
June 5, 2021
I love the diversity of queer characters in the story with their different genders, gender expressions, and sexualities and thoughts on labels. Mogumo asserting their nonbinary identity was such a powerful moment that has stuck with me since I first saw this book in a store and skimmed the first chapter in early 2020 (I didn't buy it until very recently though). Tetsu makes a great ally in admitting his own knowledge gaps as a cis dude and working to find ways that everyone at the cafe can feel comfortable expressing and being their truest selves. I almost wish there were a butler version of this cafe for me to work at. 😆
March 27, 2022
PSA/ BEWARE:
The mangaka has a history of drawing trans-fetishistic and pedophilic porn.
That's why I rate this manga with the lowest possible score and recommend everyone to avoid supporting this manga or the mangaka in any form.
The mangaka has a history of drawing trans-fetishistic and pedophilic porn.
That's why I rate this manga with the lowest possible score and recommend everyone to avoid supporting this manga or the mangaka in any form.
March 3, 2022
CW: Misgendering, Transphobia, Homophobia
This was a fantastic first volume! I love learning more about these characters! It's very diverse, featuring nonbinary, trans, and other non-gender confirming identities. I'm excited to see where the series goes from here!
This was a fantastic first volume! I love learning more about these characters! It's very diverse, featuring nonbinary, trans, and other non-gender confirming identities. I'm excited to see where the series goes from here!
June 10, 2020
FukaBoku (Love Me For Who I Am) debuted today and is sitting at #1 in Amazon sales of LGBT Manga. Since I'm genderqueer and have been a manga fan for decades, I thought I should probably write something about it. To be blunt, it's impossibly cute. Like a saccharine strawberry rhubarb shortcake with adzuki ice cream. It's just cloying levels of adorable. All the characters are interesting (I've given some nicknames) and compelling in that they're all flawed and struggle with communication. It's billed as a seinen comedy/drama/romance/gender bender. I think that's accurate. Equal parts fun adventure and depressing reality check, FukaBoku tries a little too hard? It's respectful of the seriousness of its content... but it may not take itself seriously? The protagonist (if there is one) Mogumo is non-binary and honestly they're story is relatable... but the trouble is the author, Konoyama, isn't. It's clear from the afterword he simply researched them online and doesn't have personal experience with this identity. None of the other characters are ENBY and although their love interest is supportive and understanding, Mogumo is still compelled to conform. Most of the characters are Otokonoko (a Japanese cross dressing subculture), and are very serious and proud of it. At least two characters identify as Transgender At least one of the Otokonoko is gay while another is Trans and hetero. Everyone has their own complex story and struggles to relate to their peers'. All that feels realistic and necessary to describe in detail, for which I'm grateful. On the other hand, it almost fetishizes LGBT identities. Every other panel seems to want to go down a nose-pinching semiotics rabbit hole. Konoyama tries to balance it with cute boys and cuter clothes (which is bizarre and unsound). I wasn't really left feeling I liked the direction the story was headed... but it could definitely be 100% worse? I recommend Love Me For Who I Am for anyone who already has a firm grasp on LGBT identities and the pervasiveness of homophobia and transphobia in Japanese culture.
August 16, 2020
Love Me For Who I Am is a beautiful coming of age story about a nonbinary character named Mogumo going on a journey with their friends, centered around acceptance. There's a diverse cast of characters, from crossdressers to trans women, and they all play an important role in Mogumo's journey. There are some anime/manga tropes I'm not a fan of, like the loving bully, but I know it's to ramp up conflict. I can't say much without spoiling, but I don't know if the loving bully was even necessary. The last third of the manga seems like a really triggering situation for trans women, gay men, and nonbinary people considering everything Mogumo is already going through. I hope that it will pay off, but I also can't speak on the actual representation because I'm not trans, nonbinary, or a gay man but this manga is a great entry into the seinen genre. I'm glad that Seven Seas Entertainment is bringing more LGBT+ stories into the forefront—it's what I love them for. 5 stars is because this is the first time I'm seeing an explicitly human nonbinary and trans characters (not a robot or an animal) who aren't ridiculous anime tropes. It's important to normalize these kind of characters, especially in this genre. Trigger warnings: homophobia, internalized transphobia, discrimination against nonbinary people, and transmisogyny.
July 29, 2020
2020 Read #499
3.5 stars
I admire what this manga is trying to do, but the characters aren’t quite making me feel as receptive as I would like. It’s especially hard to root for Mogumo when they seem like such an emotionless character for the most part. But I do love the premise and look forward to reading more!
3.5 stars
I admire what this manga is trying to do, but the characters aren’t quite making me feel as receptive as I would like. It’s especially hard to root for Mogumo when they seem like such an emotionless character for the most part. But I do love the premise and look forward to reading more!
August 12, 2021
This review will be for the whole series. Read at your own risk!
Read 3 volumes
This is a really cute and interesting story about gender and sexuality. The first volume feels somewhat more formal and informative of other gender identities and sexualities but volume two was really good. I know in Japan there is a lot of homophobia and prejudice about this topic so it was interesting to see how these teens navigated that space. I’m looking forward to reading and learning more!
Read 3 volumes
This is a really cute and interesting story about gender and sexuality. The first volume feels somewhat more formal and informative of other gender identities and sexualities but volume two was really good. I know in Japan there is a lot of homophobia and prejudice about this topic so it was interesting to see how these teens navigated that space. I’m looking forward to reading and learning more!
February 3, 2021
Rating (overall series) ✨🌟 9.25 out of 10 🌟✨
Wow, that was unexpected. It's really on par with Shimanami Tasogare in how it explored LGBT themes.
Keywords: manga, contemporary, gender and sexualities, LGBT, maid cafe, crossdress, gender dysphoria
Representations: nonbinary main lead, trans woman, pansexual, lesbian, gay side characters
Trigger warning: homophobia, internalized homophobia, transphobia, misgendering (?)
REVIEW
Love Me for Who I Am tells about a nonbinary high school kid who want to find a place where they belong. Their friend told them to work at a maid cafe where they can be who they really want.
I was doubtful to start this manga because from the story blurb it was just like your usual gender bender or cross-dress manga with no sensibilities to real LGBT issues. Turned out I was wrong.
The manga explored topics about gender and sexualities. It handled the topics beautifully in such a way that it respectful but the tone of the story is still very light. It's also very rare to find a manga with nonbinary main lead, not to mention feminine presenting one. The story also emphasized that gender presentation and gender identity are a very different thing. It also portrayed how painful it is to deal with homophobia and transphobia, especially if you live in a very conservative and non-accepting environment.
There are misgendering on pages but it slowly resolved as the characters tried to be more accepting and tried to understand each other better.
Apparently it is still on-going. But so far I really like it. I'll be waiting on how the story will unfold.
Wow, that was unexpected. It's really on par with Shimanami Tasogare in how it explored LGBT themes.
Keywords: manga, contemporary, gender and sexualities, LGBT, maid cafe, crossdress, gender dysphoria
Representations: nonbinary main lead, trans woman, pansexual, lesbian, gay side characters
Trigger warning: homophobia, internalized homophobia, transphobia, misgendering (?)
REVIEW
Love Me for Who I Am tells about a nonbinary high school kid who want to find a place where they belong. Their friend told them to work at a maid cafe where they can be who they really want.
I was doubtful to start this manga because from the story blurb it was just like your usual gender bender or cross-dress manga with no sensibilities to real LGBT issues. Turned out I was wrong.
The manga explored topics about gender and sexualities. It handled the topics beautifully in such a way that it respectful but the tone of the story is still very light. It's also very rare to find a manga with nonbinary main lead, not to mention feminine presenting one. The story also emphasized that gender presentation and gender identity are a very different thing. It also portrayed how painful it is to deal with homophobia and transphobia, especially if you live in a very conservative and non-accepting environment.
There are misgendering on pages but it slowly resolved as the characters tried to be more accepting and tried to understand each other better.
Apparently it is still on-going. But so far I really like it. I'll be waiting on how the story will unfold.
July 10, 2023
This book is actually really cute and love that it represents the nonbinary community. Mogumo feels so lonely because no one understands them and only wants to have friends that except them for who they are. Enter Tetsu who's family runs a café that the employees are boys who dress like girls, offers Mogumo a job working for his family. Mogumo doesn't feel comfortable at first because they are neither boy nor girl but their coworkers are slowly becoming excepting and understanding.
Add in the fact that Mogumo and Tetsu may have a little crush on each other but we don't fully see this yet. Can't wait for Vol. 2.
Add in the fact that Mogumo and Tetsu may have a little crush on each other but we don't fully see this yet. Can't wait for Vol. 2.
August 23, 2020
Non-binary maid!? I'm in!
I saw this rightstuf, needed it in my life, and was not disappointed. I do wish the story centered Mogumo more, but they do get a few chapters as the POV character so I'm not too upset. I do like that Testu's motivation is to be the best ally he can be.
There is a little bit of misgendering going on, but most of it is done as an extension of the characters not understanding Mogumo's gender identity rather than malice.
I saw this rightstuf, needed it in my life, and was not disappointed. I do wish the story centered Mogumo more, but they do get a few chapters as the POV character so I'm not too upset. I do like that Testu's motivation is to be the best ally he can be.
There is a little bit of misgendering going on, but most of it is done as an extension of the characters not understanding Mogumo's gender identity rather than malice.
April 28, 2021
This is adorable and so emotional! I love how Mogumo knows who they are and trying to find friends and language that fits them. I love all the other characters as well and the support they give one another.
April 30, 2023
2.5 seemed a bit clunky but I hope the author finds their footing talking about this issues
June 23, 2023
I'm kinda shocked at how quickly this author made me fall in love with these characters and their negotiations with gender expression and sexuality. It's a very wholesome and cute comic that also deals with some deeply relatable and harrowingly real stuff, and it handles all of it with a tact I also did not entirely expect.
June 6, 2020
Rep: non-binary protagonist; two trans girl side characters; gay side character
Warnings: unintentional and intentional misgendering; transmisia; fear of homophobia
A manga with a non-binary protagonist is so rare in the mainstream industry but also like, it is about time we have more diverse main characters! The story is about Mogumo, and it is partly from their perspective, and also from their classmate Tetsu's perspective, whose family member owns a maid cafe that specifically employs 'otokonoko', as in, cross-dressing boys. Tetsu, like Mogumo's other classmates, mistakenly assumes that Mogumo just prefers to cross-dress (they are assigned male, and they wear the skirt version of the uniform) and so invites them to the cafe for a job.
Initially, Mogumo is happy because Tetsu puts it as 'you will find people like you to make friends' but upon realizing they all thought them to be male, Mogumo is dismayed and also doesn't want to use their standard welcome lines where the staff inform the customers they are cross-dressers. Also, another of the staff, Mei, feels that removing the 'we are otokonoko' line conflicts with how she (I'm using she/her because the character has professed desire to be seen as female not male) wants to be in the cafe. They both have an argument, but come to an understanding about how they all will present themselves to customers.
Mogumo's challenges are not done, though, when they realize they like Tetsu, but since they are considered male by their peers, their relationship with Tetsu will be considered a gay (as in boy-boy, not boy-nb) relationship, which is another set of complications. Tetsu's seen his older sister (he calls him brother, but she is a woman by her own declaration, so I will say sister) face people's ridicule as a kid for being trans, so he himself is wondering about a relationship with Mogumo. Meanwhile a new rival appears in front of him for Mogumo's affections, and I was like oh no yandere. Mogumo, meanwhile, probably is feeling presenting as female would eliminate some of the problems they would have in a relationship with Tetsu, and I am wondering what direction that story arc would go.
One thing to understand here, primarily, is that by the author's note, it is evident that the author is not non-binary, so while the discussion about trans identities can also be ridden with some incorrect terms (from a queer discourse standpoint) and is also prone to misgendering. Like I mentioned above, Tetsu's older sister is referred to as his older brother by him, despite said sister saying she is female. Mei's conflict is understandable, at least, because she is still sorting out her identity, but she is also stuck between being female and being considered male by everyone else, and so has internalized it as 'but I am still a boy'. There's Suzu, who loves to dress in cute clothes and has a boyfriend, but from context, it might be that he is truly just a cross-dressing boy and not trans; or they are genderqueer, who knows? Being cis, I cannot entirely be sure about whether the rep is correct, but I am going by what I know.
The main theme of the book, anyway, is mainly like the title says - 'love me for who I am' - and is more about being accepted for how they are. The artwork tends more towards moe, and honestly the characters look younger than they are (I thought they were in middle school, not high school). The tone is more light-hearted and cute, but also with a lot of validation and discussion about the different gender identities of the staff of the cafe.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Seven Seas, via Edelweiss.
Warnings: unintentional and intentional misgendering; transmisia; fear of homophobia
A manga with a non-binary protagonist is so rare in the mainstream industry but also like, it is about time we have more diverse main characters! The story is about Mogumo, and it is partly from their perspective, and also from their classmate Tetsu's perspective, whose family member owns a maid cafe that specifically employs 'otokonoko', as in, cross-dressing boys. Tetsu, like Mogumo's other classmates, mistakenly assumes that Mogumo just prefers to cross-dress (they are assigned male, and they wear the skirt version of the uniform) and so invites them to the cafe for a job.
Initially, Mogumo is happy because Tetsu puts it as 'you will find people like you to make friends' but upon realizing they all thought them to be male, Mogumo is dismayed and also doesn't want to use their standard welcome lines where the staff inform the customers they are cross-dressers. Also, another of the staff, Mei, feels that removing the 'we are otokonoko' line conflicts with how she (I'm using she/her because the character has professed desire to be seen as female not male) wants to be in the cafe. They both have an argument, but come to an understanding about how they all will present themselves to customers.
Mogumo's challenges are not done, though, when they realize they like Tetsu, but since they are considered male by their peers, their relationship with Tetsu will be considered a gay (as in boy-boy, not boy-nb) relationship, which is another set of complications. Tetsu's seen his older sister (he calls him brother, but she is a woman by her own declaration, so I will say sister) face people's ridicule as a kid for being trans, so he himself is wondering about a relationship with Mogumo. Meanwhile a new rival appears in front of him for Mogumo's affections, and I was like oh no yandere. Mogumo, meanwhile, probably is feeling presenting as female would eliminate some of the problems they would have in a relationship with Tetsu, and I am wondering what direction that story arc would go.
One thing to understand here, primarily, is that by the author's note, it is evident that the author is not non-binary, so while the discussion about trans identities can also be ridden with some incorrect terms (from a queer discourse standpoint) and is also prone to misgendering. Like I mentioned above, Tetsu's older sister is referred to as his older brother by him, despite said sister saying she is female. Mei's conflict is understandable, at least, because she is still sorting out her identity, but she is also stuck between being female and being considered male by everyone else, and so has internalized it as 'but I am still a boy'. There's Suzu, who loves to dress in cute clothes and has a boyfriend, but from context, it might be that he is truly just a cross-dressing boy and not trans; or they are genderqueer, who knows? Being cis, I cannot entirely be sure about whether the rep is correct, but I am going by what I know.
The main theme of the book, anyway, is mainly like the title says - 'love me for who I am' - and is more about being accepted for how they are. The artwork tends more towards moe, and honestly the characters look younger than they are (I thought they were in middle school, not high school). The tone is more light-hearted and cute, but also with a lot of validation and discussion about the different gender identities of the staff of the cafe.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Seven Seas, via Edelweiss.
August 21, 2020
Overall this manga was very meh. I am nonbinary and was attracted to this manga because the main character is nonbinary, but...that was kind of the whole manga. Like there wasn't any real plot up until the dead end, when a random love triangle emerges. My least favorite manga trope is the third wheel: we have two main characters who are clearly interested in each other, and a third character who randomly tries to break them up, even though the main character is not romantically interested in her whatsoever. Next!
I was also turned off by the characters themselves. They all look like they should be in elementary or early middle school and their behavior is juvenile. They literally pout and cry. I'm not into it.
The main character in particular is childish and childlike in a manner I found off-putting. The entirety of the book is taken up by them trying to explain what nonbinary is to their new friends, but instead of giving them a chance to understand and accept their situation, they remain offended throughout the book even though everyone is totally cool with their identity, and then in the end they decide to just be a girl so it won't confuse anyone. Come again???
There's also a character who comes out as trans and is excited everyone will use feminine pronouns for her, but at the same time she is very upset and angry when her friends suggest maybe she doesn't want to say to every customer, I'm actually a guy, is that okay with you? I don't know anything about this author, or the manga's translator for that matter, but if I had to guess, I would say they are not LGBT+. Although there's no right or wrong way to express one's gender or orientation, the explanations in this book just felt very off and quite odd to me.
I was excited for my first chance to read a nonbinary-centric manga, but I'm disappointed it was this one. I may read one more volume to see if an actual story comes of it, but if these characters don't start acting like teenagers instead of babies, I might be finished with this series.
My recommendations for possibly better LGBT+ comics that deal with gender identity are Maia Kobabe's Genderqueer and The Bride Was a Boy by Chii.
I was also turned off by the characters themselves. They all look like they should be in elementary or early middle school and their behavior is juvenile. They literally pout and cry. I'm not into it.
The main character in particular is childish and childlike in a manner I found off-putting. The entirety of the book is taken up by them trying to explain what nonbinary is to their new friends, but instead of giving them a chance to understand and accept their situation, they remain offended throughout the book even though everyone is totally cool with their identity, and then in the end they decide to just be a girl so it won't confuse anyone. Come again???
There's also a character who comes out as trans and is excited everyone will use feminine pronouns for her, but at the same time she is very upset and angry when her friends suggest maybe she doesn't want to say to every customer, I'm actually a guy, is that okay with you? I don't know anything about this author, or the manga's translator for that matter, but if I had to guess, I would say they are not LGBT+. Although there's no right or wrong way to express one's gender or orientation, the explanations in this book just felt very off and quite odd to me.
I was excited for my first chance to read a nonbinary-centric manga, but I'm disappointed it was this one. I may read one more volume to see if an actual story comes of it, but if these characters don't start acting like teenagers instead of babies, I might be finished with this series.
My recommendations for possibly better LGBT+ comics that deal with gender identity are Maia Kobabe's Genderqueer and The Bride Was a Boy by Chii.
May 7, 2022
Tetsu invites his non-binary classmate to come work in his family's maid cafe, which bills itself as a cross-dressing experience with wait staff who are gay, trans, and straight wearing maid costumes. What seems like a perfect fit quickly becomes an internecine battle about gender identity as the maids clash over the inclusivity of the language in the script they use to introduce themselves to customers.
The concept and cast are intriguing but I never quite synched up with presentation. First, the ages of all the characters are ambiguous, with some being obviously adult while others are drawn as if they were elementary school students and definitely still in some level of secondary education. That ambiguity becomes unsettling when realizing that the cafe where they work -- and really, the manga itself -- is obviously intended to serve as a venue for people who sexually objectify or fetishize what they perceive as guys dressed as girls. It's not a strip club or burlesque show, but it is basically an equivalent to Hooters.
There's a homophobic slur uttered by a main character and the pronouns are all over the board with misgendering that is hard to tell is coming from the characters or the writer. The original Japanese writer in an afterword states that they were unaware of the concept of non-binary people until partway through developing this series and plugged it in after some internet research to solve some plotting problems they were having with the original pitch. That feels like a math teacher working out how to do algebra the night before class. At least Seven Seas has hired a non-binary writer for the adaptation of the English version, but that leaves me wondering how much spackle had to be layered over the original work to fill holes and cover jagged ends.
I'm just going to set this series aside.
The concept and cast are intriguing but I never quite synched up with presentation. First, the ages of all the characters are ambiguous, with some being obviously adult while others are drawn as if they were elementary school students and definitely still in some level of secondary education. That ambiguity becomes unsettling when realizing that the cafe where they work -- and really, the manga itself -- is obviously intended to serve as a venue for people who sexually objectify or fetishize what they perceive as guys dressed as girls. It's not a strip club or burlesque show, but it is basically an equivalent to Hooters.
There's a homophobic slur uttered by a main character and the pronouns are all over the board with misgendering that is hard to tell is coming from the characters or the writer. The original Japanese writer in an afterword states that they were unaware of the concept of non-binary people until partway through developing this series and plugged it in after some internet research to solve some plotting problems they were having with the original pitch. That feels like a math teacher working out how to do algebra the night before class. At least Seven Seas has hired a non-binary writer for the adaptation of the English version, but that leaves me wondering how much spackle had to be layered over the original work to fill holes and cover jagged ends.
I'm just going to set this series aside.
March 25, 2023
3.5🌟
Without the context of vol 2, I think this volume is more irritating. I definitely still see its redeeming qualities, but it was frustrating to read.
The main thing that made this harder for me to be absolutely 🤩 about is that we’re mainly seeing things through Tetsu’s lens. He’s a cis boy surrounded by trans and genderqueer people, so he’s not exactly the most nuanced in his perspective on gender and sexuality.
I appreciate what this volume was going for, but I think vol 2 made it all SO much better and made it all make more sense. This is specifically around the issue of the characters’ queer identities. Everything felt very nebulous in vol 1. There’s definitely benefits to that! Don’t get me wrong! But it left me feeling like everyone was being misgendered all the time.
Without the context of vol 2, I think this volume is more irritating. I definitely still see its redeeming qualities, but it was frustrating to read.
The main thing that made this harder for me to be absolutely 🤩 about is that we’re mainly seeing things through Tetsu’s lens. He’s a cis boy surrounded by trans and genderqueer people, so he’s not exactly the most nuanced in his perspective on gender and sexuality.
I appreciate what this volume was going for, but I think vol 2 made it all SO much better and made it all make more sense. This is specifically around the issue of the characters’ queer identities. Everything felt very nebulous in vol 1. There’s definitely benefits to that! Don’t get me wrong! But it left me feeling like everyone was being misgendered all the time.
August 14, 2020
Its great to see a manga that features a non-binary character among a cast of trans, cross-dressing, and cis individuals and tackles some of the questions and challenges that arise both within and outside the LGBTQ community.
August 11, 2020
This was great and heartwarming! Which I want to clarify a bit: the characters definitely have troubled moments and thoughts and there's some drama but in its core it's really sweet and championing for diversity.
And thus I find it quite frustrating the biggest animanga news site ANN had so damning review of this. It's okay not to like something, reviews are opinions after all, but ripping the manga apart just because the experience of the character didn't match their experience felt a bit harsh on a manga that's generally so positive and aspires to be inclusive and understanding. And this is just the first volume, if everything was already solved out, there wouldn't be much discussions to be had between characters, nor showing you can learn.
Anyway! Mogumo's classmate Tetsu asks recruits them to work in otokonoko café because he thinks Mogumo will find people who understand them there. And it turns out Tetsu is mistaken, Mogumo doesn't identify as a boy who dresses up like a girl but instead Mogumo is non-binary. This causes some commotion in the café but they are determined to talk things through. Tetsu feels he screwed up but wants to understand and has faith the others in the café will too.
And the cast is delightful! Besides Mogumo who is sweet but a bit unsure and insecure because they don't fit into molds offered, there are three maids in the café. Mei, for whom the term otokonoko is important; Suzu who's gay but feels he can't properly show his love for his boyfriend as a guy and hilarious Ten-chan who loves to cosplay. There's also Tetsu's sibling, the café owner, who is trans. I guess here's a part that might alarm people: Tetsu keeps calling Sacchan brother but Sacchan says "I am a girl"... But it's not like Tetsu does this behind Sacchan's back, he says it in front of her too. So what's the deal with that? I guess that will be explained later or there might be a lesson for Tetsu in there... But otherwise Tetsu is really eager to understand and learn.
Even during the this first volume the cast has some wonderful conversations about who they are and what they want to be. But it's not all unicorns and rainbows, some of the characters can't quite get their heads around Mogumo's situation and Mogumo has doubts and questions too. Only following the story through we'll know how these will be handled but I'm pretty confident it'll be fine. It's great there are so many different kind of characters of queer identities and how they emphasize everybody is welcomed as they are.
There's also a yikes drama in form of Mogumo's friend who acts awfully but I'm predicting she has some problems to solve about her own identity or sexuality or just attitude and it will be explored later too.
The art is super cute and lovely!
Can't wait for the volume two!
And thus I find it quite frustrating the biggest animanga news site ANN had so damning review of this. It's okay not to like something, reviews are opinions after all, but ripping the manga apart just because the experience of the character didn't match their experience felt a bit harsh on a manga that's generally so positive and aspires to be inclusive and understanding. And this is just the first volume, if everything was already solved out, there wouldn't be much discussions to be had between characters, nor showing you can learn.
Anyway! Mogumo's classmate Tetsu asks recruits them to work in otokonoko café because he thinks Mogumo will find people who understand them there. And it turns out Tetsu is mistaken, Mogumo doesn't identify as a boy who dresses up like a girl but instead Mogumo is non-binary. This causes some commotion in the café but they are determined to talk things through. Tetsu feels he screwed up but wants to understand and has faith the others in the café will too.
And the cast is delightful! Besides Mogumo who is sweet but a bit unsure and insecure because they don't fit into molds offered, there are three maids in the café. Mei, for whom the term otokonoko is important; Suzu who's gay but feels he can't properly show his love for his boyfriend as a guy and hilarious Ten-chan who loves to cosplay. There's also Tetsu's sibling, the café owner, who is trans. I guess here's a part that might alarm people: Tetsu keeps calling Sacchan brother but Sacchan says "I am a girl"... But it's not like Tetsu does this behind Sacchan's back, he says it in front of her too. So what's the deal with that? I guess that will be explained later or there might be a lesson for Tetsu in there... But otherwise Tetsu is really eager to understand and learn.
Even during the this first volume the cast has some wonderful conversations about who they are and what they want to be. But it's not all unicorns and rainbows, some of the characters can't quite get their heads around Mogumo's situation and Mogumo has doubts and questions too. Only following the story through we'll know how these will be handled but I'm pretty confident it'll be fine. It's great there are so many different kind of characters of queer identities and how they emphasize everybody is welcomed as they are.
There's also a yikes drama in form of Mogumo's friend who acts awfully but I'm predicting she has some problems to solve about her own identity or sexuality or just attitude and it will be explored later too.
The art is super cute and lovely!
Can't wait for the volume two!
April 13, 2022
CW: misgendering
I came upon this manga after I've seen a lot of folks online talk about the good queer representation (trans and non-binary in particular) in it and therefore I was most curious.
However the representation, even if it's not actually too bad in itself, is built for a not-queer gaze and prospective (and it shows).
It's clear that the main goal of this first volume is to 'educate' the reader about the topic, but the way it was done didn't convince me at all(truthfully it made me cringe quite a bit).
The issue is the way the characters were misgendered along the story (to make it plain what genders the characters were assigned at birth) and only at the end of the volume they were referred to with the proper pronouns and gendered terms. And this wasn't a matter of the plot, rather in some points narrativly speaking it made no sense at all.
For more context, I'm referring specifically to the way Testu interacts with his sister, Satori, who is a trans woman. Even if Testu is very accepting and protective of Satori, he speaks about her using male pronouns and male gendered terms (he calls her 'my brother' for the majorety of the volume) and he abruptly changes his behavior only at the end as if he had been struck by a sudden revelation. And I say it makes no sense beacuse he always lived with his sister and he was pretty aware of her identity the whole time (and, as I said, he was never ashamed or unaccepting).
But the most nonsensical thing, might be just Satori's reactions. She never showed distress or discomfort to all this misgendering and never once tried to correct or to gave hints to her brother that she might prefer female pronouns or gendered terms. But as soon as Testu starts to call her 'my sister' she sounds moved and really happy about it.
So it appears undoubtedly clear to me that this situation it's just a way to make 'easier' for the reader(an uneducated cisgender reader) to understand it. In my opinion, though, this akward change was more confusing and kind of defeted the whole point of 'educate' the reader about the proper way to relate and respect trans people.
To top that, the plot wasn't much involving (although to be fair it's just the first volume), the story's rhythm was kind of rushed and the characters sounded a bit fake (as you may have noticed from the previous example), or at least flat.
Despite everything I still think the manga has some potential left to be explored in the next volumes (hopefully in a more thoughtful way), but I'm not really sure I want to read them.
I came upon this manga after I've seen a lot of folks online talk about the good queer representation (trans and non-binary in particular) in it and therefore I was most curious.
However the representation, even if it's not actually too bad in itself, is built for a not-queer gaze and prospective (and it shows).
It's clear that the main goal of this first volume is to 'educate' the reader about the topic, but the way it was done didn't convince me at all
The issue is the way the characters were misgendered along the story (to make it plain what genders the characters were assigned at birth) and only at the end of the volume they were referred to with the proper pronouns and gendered terms. And this wasn't a matter of the plot, rather in some points narrativly speaking it made no sense at all.
For more context, I'm referring specifically to the way Testu interacts with his sister, Satori, who is a trans woman. Even if Testu is very accepting and protective of Satori, he speaks about her using male pronouns and male gendered terms (he calls her 'my brother' for the majorety of the volume) and he abruptly changes his behavior only at the end as if he had been struck by a sudden revelation. And I say it makes no sense beacuse he always lived with his sister and he was pretty aware of her identity the whole time (and, as I said, he was never ashamed or unaccepting).
But the most nonsensical thing, might be just Satori's reactions. She never showed distress or discomfort to all this misgendering and never once tried to correct or to gave hints to her brother that she might prefer female pronouns or gendered terms. But as soon as Testu starts to call her 'my sister' she sounds moved and really happy about it.
So it appears undoubtedly clear to me that this situation it's just a way to make 'easier' for the reader
To top that, the plot wasn't much involving (although to be fair it's just the first volume), the story's rhythm was kind of rushed and the characters sounded a bit fake (as you may have noticed from the previous example), or at least flat.
Despite everything I still think the manga has some potential left to be explored in the next volumes (hopefully in a more thoughtful way), but I'm not really sure I want to read them.
September 7, 2021
2.5 stars
rep: non binary mc, bi/pan li, trans girl sc, lesbian sc, gnc gay sc
content warnings: homomisic slurs, transmisa, misgendering, internalized transphobia and lesbophobia(of side characters)
I am personally a very plot>> anything else person unless the characters are particularly compelling. I'm sad to say that this had neither of those things.
I love how transness is handled with nuance and the exploration of queerness of different kinds, the mc knows they are non binary from the start but their love interest has to come to terms with being bi/pan, there's exploration of comp het and trans girl realizing she can be trans and it's all very sweet. There's a lot of grappling with homomisia and transmisia (both internal and external) and dealing with the realities of being out as queer.
Except nothing other than that exploration seems to occur at all, the plot feels like it's about being queer which is not necessarily a bad thing but paired with a thin flimsy excuse of a romance and a love triangle out of nowhere I didn't enjoy it as much.
I still recommend this as a learning experience just go in knowing that not much happens?
rep: non binary mc, bi/pan li, trans girl sc, lesbian sc, gnc gay sc
content warnings: homomisic slurs, transmisa, misgendering, internalized transphobia and lesbophobia(of side characters)
I am personally a very plot>> anything else person unless the characters are particularly compelling. I'm sad to say that this had neither of those things.
I love how transness is handled with nuance and the exploration of queerness of different kinds, the mc knows they are non binary from the start but their love interest has to come to terms with being bi/pan, there's exploration of comp het and trans girl realizing she can be trans and it's all very sweet. There's a lot of grappling with homomisia and transmisia (both internal and external) and dealing with the realities of being out as queer.
Except nothing other than that exploration seems to occur at all, the plot feels like it's about being queer which is not necessarily a bad thing but paired with a thin flimsy excuse of a romance and a love triangle out of nowhere I didn't enjoy it as much.
I still recommend this as a learning experience just go in knowing that not much happens?
October 11, 2025
tempted to give it a 5 but i think i am also swayed easily so i’ll let it sit for a bit. but overall SOOOOO CUUUUUUUTE. i think parts of it did make me happy since there were quite a few parts i related to in terms of like… queerness and identity?
i will say i dont think it is a perfect depiction/representation by any means? and i’m not claiming it to be such. i think it does have things the author needs to work out. at the same time, i thought all the characters were super cute and sweet and the idea of a little queer community like they build was kinda wholesome to me.
also mogumo-chan is so cute and i love them but like the way they are drawn on the cover and at other points in the volume feel like… weird? to me? like why do they look so much like a baby on the front cover. they seem so much younger than the rest of the characters like physically?? it feels a bit off to me but i’m not sure if im nitpicking or it’s just art style or whatever
tl;dr pretty cute, just don’t expect it to be the epitome of queer representation
i will say i dont think it is a perfect depiction/representation by any means? and i’m not claiming it to be such. i think it does have things the author needs to work out. at the same time, i thought all the characters were super cute and sweet and the idea of a little queer community like they build was kinda wholesome to me.
also mogumo-chan is so cute and i love them but like the way they are drawn on the cover and at other points in the volume feel like… weird? to me? like why do they look so much like a baby on the front cover. they seem so much younger than the rest of the characters like physically?? it feels a bit off to me but i’m not sure if im nitpicking or it’s just art style or whatever
tl;dr pretty cute, just don’t expect it to be the epitome of queer representation
January 30, 2022
this is one of the very few comics (maybe just about the only one) with a nonbinary lead that isn't an autobio, but a fiction story. that being said, i really wish there were translation notes at the end, because gender is cultural and some of the discussions in this book are not going to make sense/come off as kind of offensive to some western readers who don't know about japanese concepts of gender.
also, at least so far, this isn't an entirely happy story. mogumo is figuring themself out still, and it's painful not just for them. but there's also a possessive friend angle that i really didn't love and is going nowhere good very fast. aside from that, the art is pretty good (the artist clearly loves drawing maid uniforms and fashion), though mogumo is such a moe squish that they look incredibly childish next to their peers.
also, at least so far, this isn't an entirely happy story. mogumo is figuring themself out still, and it's painful not just for them. but there's also a possessive friend angle that i really didn't love and is going nowhere good very fast. aside from that, the art is pretty good (the artist clearly loves drawing maid uniforms and fashion), though mogumo is such a moe squish that they look incredibly childish next to their peers.
August 22, 2022
Gender and sexuality is messy and fraught with pressures to conform to a binary “standard” - this idea is tackled with grace as characters who already deviate from the “standard” are confronted with identities that don’t fit their understanding.
At first, as the characters are introduced (as boys who cross-dress as girls) I was like “oh no” - but it also feels genuine because their identities don’t all align perfectly, and their goals for cross-dressing are different. Some want to feel closer to the girls they really are, some like playing a role (like cosplay), one wants to dress in a way where he can freely talk about his boyfriend without feeling pressured.
And then of course there’s Mogumo, who is neither boy nor girl. Though the term nonbinary hasn’t yet shown up in the story, Mogumo’s internal conflict is ramping up by the end…
At first, as the characters are introduced (as boys who cross-dress as girls) I was like “oh no” - but it also feels genuine because their identities don’t all align perfectly, and their goals for cross-dressing are different. Some want to feel closer to the girls they really are, some like playing a role (like cosplay), one wants to dress in a way where he can freely talk about his boyfriend without feeling pressured.
And then of course there’s Mogumo, who is neither boy nor girl. Though the term nonbinary hasn’t yet shown up in the story, Mogumo’s internal conflict is ramping up by the end…
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