Forum - View topicWandering Son
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P€|\||§_|\/|ast@
 Posts: 3498 Location: IN your nightmares |
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Just got done reading Wandering Son Volume 1. I think this is a must read for any manga reader who wants a non-exploitative, slice-of-life look at GLBT topics. For anyone not familiar with the title or the author, this is the introductory volume of the work by Takako Shimura about a boy who wants to be a girl and his new friend who wants to be a boy. Through mutual experiences in dealing with this they discover each other's secret of being transgendered and not being satisfied with the roles decided for them at birth because of their genitals. This is an important work for me because I like to see positive and down-to-earth portrayals of those destined to experiene a life that does not conform to traditional gender expectations. I've lived such a life, but I was unfortunate in not acknowledging or accepting my differences early on and just trying to fit in as much as possible. I think this book will help people like me as well as help those who would like to gain the compassion and perspectives necessary to properly interact with friends or loved ones who are transgendered.
In addition I think this title is essential for anyone who has watched the anime TV series Hourou Musuko, which is an adaptation of the manga, but the anime story begins several chapters into the manga. The flashbacks and references to earlier chapters are not adequately explained and requires a detailed familiarity with the manga from Volume 1. Having seen the anime myself before reading Vol. 1, there are a lot of little details that now make sense to me. So with that, I welcome any general comments and opinions about the topic material presented in this book. Please limit it to Chapter 1 until the later volumes become available in the translated, U.S. published format. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 2656 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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My review of this goes up tomorrow (8/4), so hopefully that will generate more discussion of this excellent book. It is one of the best that I have read recently, manga or otherwise. I was greatly impressed with the kindness and sensitivity with which it is written - I'd love to use it in my classes, or at least to recommend it to other professors.
I'm not a member of the LBGTQ community, though I have friends who are. Recently one of my youngest sister's friends has come out as transgender. Watching the older people around us struggle to understand this decision has been both sad and interesting, and I hope that books like this one can serve the dual purpose of helping people know that they are not alone and informing others that being sexually "different" is normal. Like Past said, it is wonderful to read a book that doesn't exploit, but presents a down-to-earth picture. Anyone who has had trouble fitting in because of any difference in lifestyle should read this book. It is very affirming, at least from the point of view of someone once bullied for her own inability to "fit in." |
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