High school student Ryuu is trans but he's not out to anyone. Each day is a struggle, trying to find a balance between being himself and not standing out too much at school. When Jin, a tough-looking guy, transfers into his class, Ryuu immediately assumes they have nothing in common. But a chance meeting while out shopping for clothes proves that they do have one thing in common: similar taste in fashion. Jin asks Ryuu to help him start a clothing brand, and it's the start of not only a business partnership, but a true friendship.

I absolutely love this manga! As someone who is nonbinary, I'm always on the lookout for manga and graphic novels with trans characters, especially if they're created by someone who is trans, and Boys Run the Riot is everything I've been searching for. From page one, the manga is very clear that Ryuu is trans, and his struggles and victories are wonderfully portrayed. Ryuu tries to not draw attention to himself but once he and Jin become friends, he gains confidence and starts pursuing what he wants in life. One of my favorite parts of the manga is when he comes out to Jin and the two of them talk. Jin's a great ally and friend, supporting Ryuu and backing him up. Besides Jin, there are other supporting characters who, while they don't know everything about Ryuu, are there to help him and offer friendship. I also enjoyed the process that Jin and Ryuu go through as they start their brand: research, designing, photography, setting up an online shop, making their shirt design, etc. I'm excited to see what happens next as Jin and Ryuu build their brand and start their business!

The art style is really nice, sharp and realistic. I love the character designs! Some other features of the manga include an interview with the creator, Keito Gaku, as well as translation notes at the end. Highly recommend to fans of realistic manga and manga focusing on LGBTQ+ characters and stories!

It's unusual to see a transgender main character in manga, so this was great representation. Ryo is easy to identify with and I liked seeing how much clothes mean to him in showing how he really is when he feels so trapped in his own body. The story was different and a great way to explore being yourself when surrounded by people, and a society, that wants you to fit in. I look forward to reading more.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Manga isn’t something I’ve read much of but the premise of this one intrigued me; a transgender boy makes friends with the new kid in class and they decide to start a fashion brand to express themselves. There were funny bits and heartbreaking ones, with both of the protagonists being really well-developed throughout despite very few words on a page.

I can’t speak to how good the transgender representation is in this book but as the author himself is a transgender man, I would assume that it is well done. The protagonist, Ryuu, isn’t open about his gender identity in school and you see the reactions of the other people in class. There is a lot of context added with the other students holding more traditional Japanese beliefs but Ryuu and Jin’s friendship blossomed despite the rumours spread by others.

Overall I think that this manga did a really good job of showing what it must be like to grow up transgender in Japan. It also focuses on the expression of self, creativity and themes of shame. I loved reading this book and am looking forward to further volumes being published in English. I would highly recommend.

5 out of 5 stars!

Before even starting the story, I thought to myself about how much more difficult it could be for the transgender community in Japan. I recently read a blog post that talked about how homosexuality in Japan is often conflated with being transgender, and how homosexual males are often referred to as “okama”/“crossdressers”? It said that the Japanese tend to assign more feminine traits to homosexual men. I am not entirely familiar with the Japanese LGBTQIA+ community, but I would assume that the transgender community often faces similar issues in terms of generalizations and stereotyping.

We start off the story from the perspective of Ryo, a closeted transgender male high school student. He experiences dysphoria, binding his chest and wearing more “masculine” clothing - he refuses to wear the clothing his mother purchases for him. As he has not come out as transgender, his mother does not understand that he hates clothes that are deemed more feminine in society (ie skirts and dresses).

Ryo gets along better with other male students. They don’t know he identifies as male. Unsurprisingly, other students start making a big deal out of a student that they perceive as female associating with a lot of boys. He receives nasty notes in his locker that disparage his character.

One day, a student named Jin transfers into Ryo’s class. At first, Ryo is slightly intimidated by Jin and his appearance. But then they run into each other at a pop-up shop for a clothing brand they both like. Reaching for the same shirt as Jin, Ryo panics, as he is out in his more “masculine” clothing as perceived by society.

There is a (verbal) confrontation of sorts, where Ryo blurts out the truth about his gender. Jin accepts Ryo, acknowledging that “[he doesn’t] know anything about [Ryo’s] pain and sufferin’...even if [he] spent [his] whole life tryin’, [he] wouldn’t fully get it.”

Jin doesn’t have a problem with Ryo’s gender identity and expression. He appreciates Ryo’s tastes in art and fashion. He asks Ryo to be his partner in starting their own fashion brand.

There is some hesitation on Ryo’s part, and the two get into some minor and brief arguments. Eventually, they start to get to work on their brand.

Meanwhile, some of the teachers are concerned about a supposed “female” presenting student associating with someone like Jin, who was held back a grade. Hinata-sensei defends Ryo and is supportive of him.

A character named Itsuka, who is the only member of the photography club, enters the story when Ryo and Jin need to figure out how to photograph their brand. Much like Ryo, Itsuka is initially hesitant about joining them. But despite some social conflict, they come together to start their brand. As Jin tells Itsuka, they’re “just doin’ it to bite back at the world, society, convention, and [their] own lives.” This group of social misfits will try their best to make this brand a success!

I really enjoyed the art for this manga. I also definitely appreciated what I see as a unique concept. I feel like the transgender community is often fetishized in fiction, and it was nice to see a story written by a transgender man. I also found the art and fashion aspect cool.

If I had to come up with a negative, for me, some of the pacing was a little fast. The timeline was unclear, so it seemed like Ryo confesses his gender identity to Jin, a relative stranger, fairly quickly. How would Ryo know that Jin wouldn’t out him to everyone? Ryo already faces some harassment at school, so disclosing his gender identity that quickly seemed odd. Perhaps he felt safe doing so because Jin, although he is presented as a cisgender character (so far?), seems to be more on the edge of society with the way he dresses and his lesser priority on school. They do share common interests.

I also felt that it was a bit strange how issues like Ryo not wanting to admit they were starting a fashion brand together to other students kept popping up consecutively. The two would have a minor spat, and then the argument was over and done with. Ryo seems to change his tune too quickly.

Ryo talks a lot about how “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down” in the beginning. Standing out isn’t necessarily a good thing in Japanese society. Ryo, Jin, and Itsuka have to gather their courage to even consider starting this fashion brand and stand out from others in such a stark way. As a cisgender woman, I felt that many themes still resonate with me as far as individuality in society. At the beginning Ryo says that “when [he wears his] favorite clothes, [he feels] at ease...it’s the only time [he doesn’t] see a version of [himself] that [he hates].” It’s all about the way people view each other based on appearances, on false veneers where you don’t see beneath the surface. I think the messaging and representation is excellent, and look forward to hopefully reading more!

Oh wow I LOVED this.

I love all the characters, especially Ryo and Jin. Ryo's loneliness because of being transgender just had me aching for him to find someone who understood him and I just fell in love with the story. Not at all what you're gonna expect of this one. Just a really fun, well written first volume that has me excited for more!

I haven't read a slice of life manga that grabbed me like this one did in a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an anticipated 2021 read for me, so I was super excited to get the chance to read it a bit early. The one word I can use to describe it is: wow. Wow, wow, wow! The art, characters, plot, practically everything in this volume was fantastic for me. I feel like the determination and passion of the characters really shone through. I absolutely loved the ending Q&A with the author, which was so genuine and real. it was a great insight into the story and ideas behind this series. Overall, I cannot wait to read volume 2!

The title, and the art caught my attention, and the premise absolutely delighted me!!

I love that the main character is a trans boy, and while his identity as a trans person is an important part of the story, it's also just one facet. The story of Ryo's life as a trans person alone would definitely be interesting, and worth telling, but I appreciate so much that for this manga it's not all that Ryo is about. He has interests, he is more than just a trans boy, and while that obviously takes up space in his life, he's also just a guy who has a love of fashion! In so many stories about people in the LGBTQ+ community, their one and only trait is that they're part of that community. Seeing those characters being allowed to have interests, hobbies, and just generally having a life is so awesome to see!!

The way this story is unfolding is so promising. It's at the intersection of so many wonderful ideas, and concepts, it's so refreshing. From the plot to the characters, "Boys run the riot" has me eagerly awaiting the next volume, and the next!

This was an enjoyable read with a main trans character who together with two of his classmates decides to take control of his life. A lot of this manga is based on the author’s personal experiences of growing up trans in Japan. The art was beautiful too. I’d love to pick up next volume when it comes out in English!

Aw. .. Well, well! What a pleasant surprise it was! I never thought of end up loving it so Much. It's about a highschool trio who bond over very peculiar circUmstances and all of them are totally different, struggling with their own problems got closer by a new brand they opened, Boys Run The Riot, It's. It's rebellious, It's heartwarming and gut wrenching at a SOME time. It perfectly shows the problems deeply rooted in our educational system, biasness of teachers privileged cool students bullying other. It unMasked a toxic nature of our society. All in a form of comic. How cool is that?

Meet our odd trio. First Ryo chan, a trans boy (and yes respecting that I'll use He/Him as pronouns) who is fed up hiding his true identify and being misjudged by the society. Wearing cool dress is the only way for him to find solace. Our second mc is Jin (he's my fav of all three btw 😅) who is our typical backbencher whom we very often refer as the TROUBLED KID. And he is very aware of his lacking of academic skills, so he's trying to do something on his own. And our last mber of this trio is Itsuka, normal cool kid, golden boy , well behaved child. But too much normalcy is suffocating him. Inheriting a passion for photography from his dad he's fond of capturing emotions through camera lense. Now how all three bonded and got closer, well that's a pleasant read I'll leave upto you to find yourself.

I really liked the way concept of entrepreneurship and start up and the hassles comes with it was submerged into the story along with many small big social issues. It's unique and thought provoking in It's own way. There are so many layer to the story and cool art style and dialogue designing supported It's flow brilliantly. It's age appropriate and cool. It's been a while, I reduced reading ya books drastically, this COMIC is kinda taunting me now.

Gosh! I badly need volume 2 asap!

This was amazing! I actually have a student who reminds me so much of Ryo. I liked the characters, the art, and the story. We need more books like this.

I got an ARC of this book.

I sadly don’t really have any strong opinions on this manga. I normally have very strong opinions on trans content. So this might be better as a pro and cons list.

Pro:

-written by a trans person

-when the MC comes out to someone, he is respected.

-There are hints of more queerness to come with the last few panels.

Cons:

-relies on transphobia for a major plot

-not all the engaging

-the MC cries a LOT, like a lot a lot. I don’t think I have ever seen a character cry this much before. It felt like it was too one dimensional.

-There is just a lot of bullying in general and it did nothing for me.

So overall the book is eh. I am really glad to see trans writers writing trans stories, even when that story is not for me. This story clearly was not for me. It didn’t have anything that made me want to keep reading. I don’t see the appeal or the excitement outside of an ownvoices manga. I just wish I liked the story. It seems like manga that deals with fashion is not the manga for me.

I heard about this manga a few days ago and I was so excited for it. So when I saw it was available for request on NetGalley I had to get it!

Boys Run The Riot follows Ryo, a closeted trans guy in high school who decides to start a clothing brand with the new transfer guy, Jin. At first wary of this new guy who looks just like any other bully, he slowly discovers a friend he can be completely open and honest with. Together they decide to create a clothing brand to express themselves and show who they really are.

I loved the friendship between Ryo and Jin, how they can be honest with each other and don't have to hide who they are and can really be themselves when they're together.
I'm also excited to see their little band grow as new people join in on their adventure.

It was a great first volume and I'm excited for the next ones!

•A R C•B O O K•R E V I E W•
2021 Book #45 out of 80
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BOYS RUN THE RIOT #1 by KEITO GAKU
Publication date May 25, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
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TW: Homophobia, bullying
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QUICK SYNOPSIS: Ryo and Jin are high schoolers who break from the status quo of their school and peers. They bond together to build their own fashion brand. As they begin their brand, they learn about their self-identity, the hardship that comes with starting a brand, and the creating of beautiful artwork!

STORYLINE & THOUGHTS:
~ This manga breaks societal expectations and encourages people's freedom of expression.
~ This manga includes trans representation and the breaking of the societal status quo.
~ The artwork does well in capturing the challenges, emotion, and self-discovery that the characters encounter throughout the manga.
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Thank you to @netgalley and @KodanshaComics for this ARC Ebook. All reviews are fair and honest reviews. All opinions are my own.
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#ARC #AdvanceReaderCopy #Netgalley #Bookstagramfeature #Bookstagram #Goodreads #TBR #ToBeRead #InstaBook #readersofinstagram #readersofinsta #bookreview #bookishfeatures

This manga IS PERFECT. Thank you Netgalley for approving me. I get so ridiculously happy when I see LGBT representation in Japanese medias, especially something less represented like trans people. The artwork was great, the characters were great, and it seems like we will get even more representation in the next volume. The author of the series is also trans, so this book doesn't only normalize LGBT+ people, reading/buying/sharing it also supports an LGBT creator, and that always makes me happy too. Less stigmatization, more normalization and respect and love!!

This is a fairly sweet story about a group of young people who feel like outcasts coming together to work on a project they're passionate about. I liked how it focuses on the experiences and feelings of a trans male character who isn't out yet (and inspiration is drawn from the author's, who is also trans, experiences). However, there was something about the plot and the writing that didn't quite click with me. Perhaps I'd need to read future volumes to really get into the story. Overall, I'd recommend if you're looking for a graphic novel with trans representation but with the warning that there's a lot of misgendering and transphobia.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 I feel in love with this manga from the first chapter. Boys Run the Riot is written by and featuring a transgender main character. The story is so well done and all of the characters feel real and relatable. The struggle of each of our main characters to find their identity while being forced to conform rang true as they start to feel comfortable with themselves and build their brand. The interview with the mangaka was a great bonus and helped to shed additional insight on the story. I cannot wait for volume two. I am ready to continue to grow with Ryo and Jin.

Thank you to #NetGalley Kodansha for the gifted e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. #BoysRunTheRiot1

I really enjoyed this manga as a dressmaker (as a hobby) and as a reader who likes LGBT stories. Not only is the story about two young students taking control of their futures and becoming entrepreneurs, but also about a young girl who is coming to terms with the fact she is transgender and that is ok. It is a very heartwelming story about friendship, findings one self and believing in yourself. Unfortuantly it does also cover bullying and transphobia, however is necessary to the plot. I would love to follow the two main characters in their stories.

I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Boys Run the Riot was a delightful coming-of-age manga about a transgender boy named Ryo. He feels like he needs to conform at school, but cannot stand that he's expected to wear the girl's uniform, so he always wears gym clothes. Out of school hours he acts out by wearing whatever he likes, and spray painting art on random walls. When he meets a new student, Jin, who is into the same kind of clothes, the two boys bond over their shared love of fashion and decide to start their own brand. Jin is the complete opposite of Ryo in many ways. He seems like a thug, but he's comfortable in his own skin, and knows what he's passionate about.

I really loved the art style, and I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Ryo's graffiti art (some of which was drawn by another artist.) I loved the close and supportive friendship that developed between Ryo and Jin. It wasn't a super complicated storyline, but was more focused on the characters and had a slice-of-life kind of feel to it. I was also really excited to see a transgender MC in a manga!

At its core, it's a story about being true to yourself, and following your dreams.

I may be too early for this but “Boys Run the Riot” has the potential to be one of the best reads of 2021 for me. I relate to the Ryo character so much in terms of wearing a skirt in school because man, while being in a “all girls” school myself, I effin hated wearing it through primary to secondary omfg! I really liked how this isn’t your typical manga because it shows Ryo wanting to just be himself like any of us and create his own fashion business with the boys he hangs with! It’s so rare to find manga that is trans-based and I’m glad Gaku-san decided to do this because us manga readers desperately need more variety in the manga world!

Huge huge thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for giving me volume 1 of this brilliant manga!

Oh I loved this!! A heartwarming story focusing on a trans teen who finds an escape from their anxieties in street fashion. A joyous slice of life.