Japanese: 放浪息子
English: Wandering Son
Synonyms: The Transient Son
Type: Manga
Volumes: 15
Chapters: 123
Status: Completed
Published: Dec 12, 2002 to Jul 12, 2013
Genres: Drama, Romance, School, Slice of Life, Gender Bender, Seinen
Mangaka: Shimura Takako (Story & Art)
Serialization: Comic Beam
Synopsis: Shuuichi Nitori is a 5th grade student who likes to bake and has always been something of a feminine boy. When he transfers to a new school, Shuuichi is mistaken for his 6th grade sister on his first day. Then he ends up sitting next to Yoshino Takatsuki, a tall, boyish girl who everyone calls "Takatsuki-kun." They both have secrets they can't let anyone know...
The series deals with issues such as being transgender, gender identity, and the beginning of puberty.
Background
Hourou Musuko was selected as a recommended work in the manga division by the awards jury in the 10th and 17th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2006 and 2013 respectively. It was also nominated for the 2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list by the Young Adult Library Services Association.
The series has been published in English as Wandering Son by Fantagraphic Books in hardcover format since July 5, 2011, in Korean by Haksan Culture Company since January 15, 2007, and in Chinese by Ever Glory Publishing but was discontinued on volume 4.
Hourou Musuko received an 11-episode anime adaptation which aired from January 14, 2011 to April 1, 2011.
Related series
Adaptation:
- Hourou Musuko Specials
- Hourou Musuko
Anime Start/End Chapter
Starts at Volume 5, Chapter 34
Ends at Volume 10, Chapter 82
Groups Scanlating
Broken Time Scanlations
Hourou Musume
Kotonoha
Licensed in English
Fantagraphics (8 Volumes - Ongoing)
Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates, Bato.to
Main characters
Shuuichi Nitori (二鳥 修一)
Shuuichi, otherwise known by her nicknames Shuu and Nitorin, one of the two protagonists, is a young trans girl, who at the beginning of the series, is in the fifth grade of elementary school. Shuuichi is described as cute by many of the other characters, and is able to pass as a girl due to her feminine-looking face and physical build. Shuuichi enjoys wearing clothes which make her look cute, her friends, Yoshino Takatsuki and Saori Chiba, encourage her to dress and act femininely. As Shuuichi grows up, she becomes increasingly concerned about the changes her body is undergoing due to puberty such as the growing of body hair, her voice becoming deeper, and the onset of pimples.
Shuuichi does not show any outward interest in other activities akin to a child her age, such as playing any sports, and is usually seen doing indoor activities. Shuuichi enjoys and is skillful in baking sweet foods, though she is never shown cooking other more conventional foods. After starting an exchange diary with Takatsuki, Shuuichi becomes interested in writing stories, and even joins the drama club as a writer with Saori in junior high school after they co-write a rendition of Romeo and Juliet performed by members of their class.
Shuuichi has a very honest personality, which generally makes it easy for her to get along well with others. She tends to have an obedient, dutiful attitude, though as she grows up and enters puberty, she sometimes experiences outbursts of emotion which contrast her usual quiet nature. Shuuichi can be overly sensitive at times, and is often shown crying in front of others. Due to her personality, it is easier for her to associate with girls her age, and as such she has very few male friends.
Yoshino Takatsuki (高槻 よしの)
Yoshino, the other protagonist, is tall and masculine, and at the beginning of Hourou Musuko is a fifth grader in Shuuichi's class. Otherwise known as Takatsuki-kun by her classmates, she expresses a desire to be male and usually refrains from dressing in traditionally feminine clothes such as skirts or dresses, in spite of her mother's insistence on buying them for her. Shortly after meeting and becoming friends with Shuuichi, Yoshino cuts her hair to a very short, boyish style, giving her the appearance of a boy her age, especially when she dresses in a male school uniform. Like Shuuichi, Yoshino becomes increasingly concerned and resentful about her changing body due to puberty. She even goes so far as to buy a garment to flatten her chest so that she does not have to wear a bra.
While Yoshino would like to dress and act like a boy all the time, she usually abstains from doing anything overt which would draw attention to herself such as going to school in a male uniform once she begins junior high. However, she does on occasion dress in a male school uniform and goes to neighboring cities presenting as male, and during one such time enjoys the fact that she is hit on by an older woman. Yoshino wants to look "cool" if she can, wearing clothes which make her look less like a girl. When teased by others, Yoshino is prone to getting emotional, and is also known to get violent on occasion. Yoshino takes up an interest in basketball after entering junior high school, and joins the girls' basketball club with Chizuru Sarashina. In junior high, Yoshino grows her hair out after a comment by Saori, but later cuts it back again to a short, boyish style. Her family consists of her father, mother, older brother, and older sister.
Saori Chiba (千葉 さおり)
Saori, nicknamed Saorin, is a girl who is a fifth grader in Shuuichi's class at the beginning of the series. From early on, she takes an interest in encouraging Shuuichi to cross-dress, even going so far as to buy her an expensive dress for her birthday which she later returns, much to her displeasure. Saori finds it difficult to associate well with most others, and as such has very few friends, though she becomes close friends with Shuuichi. She tends to tell others what is on her mind, disregarding how others may take what she says. As Saori grows up, she gradually becomes more standoffish and stoic; she even has bad relations with her teachers. Despite her self-centered attitude, she remains popular among the boys in her classes because of her physical attractiveness. She is a sensitive girl whose temper sometimes gets the better of her when reprimanding bullies that tease Shuuichi because of her femininity and cross-dressing. As she has feelings for her, Saori is often emotionally affected by circumstances involving Shuuichi. Due in part to this influence, Saori converts to Christianity to seek forgiveness for her previous actions, though she only attends mass when feeling guilty of her behavior.
Makoto Ariga (有賀 誠)
Makoto is a trans girl who makes her first appearance when she and Shuuichi are in sixth grade, though they are in different classes. Known as Mako-chan, though mostly only to Shuuichi, she too wishes to be accepted as a girl and shares Shuuichi's interest in cute outfits; it is this that spurs Makoto to become Shuuichi's close friend. Makoto realizes that due to her facial freckles and round glasses, she is not able to appear as cute as Shuuichi when assuming the appearance of her gender. Makoto wonders if her primary reason for wanting to be accepted as a girl is due to an attraction to men, something Shuuichi cannot relate to.
Makoto comes off as being mature for her age, and is able to think calmly and objectively while providing advice for her friends. She is a good listener, allowing her to get along well with both boys and girls her age, which often leads to her being an onlooker to what is going on in other characters' lives. She is an only child and her parents run a bakery.
Supporting
Anna Suehiro (末広安那)
Anna is a teen model who is a good friend and classmate of Maiko; she is similarly well-known and experienced in modeling. From early on, Anna makes it clear that she disapproves of Shūichi dressing as a girl, and even calls him a freak. Anna initially tells Maho she has no interest in her "weak" brother because of his femininity, though later dates Shūichi for a time after he asks her out. Furthermore, Anna's opinion of Shūichi's cross-dressing also changes, she saying that it actually suits him, and the two even go out together on a date with Shūichi dressed as a girl. She feels Shūichi is an interesting person, and once says he is like a cute little sister. Anna spends a lot of money on clothes, and enjoys modifying them.
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