Loved reading a manga by and about a trans person. I find a lot of manga queer-baity so this was refreshing. Felt like all the traditional manga tropes and styles were clearly used (in a good way) I just found a lot of it fast paced and wish there had been more early development of character relationships, some things didn’t make a lot of sense so I wish it was just a bit clearer in places but I think it’s a good and different story, I love the idea of artistic clothing design as the overarching plot.

The manga community needed some transgender representation, especially FTM, and this definitely provided. I genuinely adored the main characters in this, and although the plot of fashion designing and indie businesses isn't exactly my go to, it was so unique and well done that I ended up loving it. This volume just felt so honest and homely. I'm really looking forward to reading future releases

Boys Run the Riot is a refreshing manga that looks into being transgender in Japan. The pacing felt a little wonky at times, but I generally enjoyed the conversations and insight on being a transgender youth in Japan. The relationships and friendships that blossom throughout this first volume were well constructed and heart warming. Exploring the idea of how much our clothes define us was a fun concept to chew upon.

If you like LGBT themes and social complexities in your manga, pick up this one!

I must admit that I don’t read a lot of manga and it took me a few pages to get settled into this, but once I started I couldn’t stop.

It follows Ryo and Jin as they start their own fashion brand. It explores identity and friendship and is wonderfully done. The artwork is also beautiful!

Ryo identifies as male and I’m sure that we will get more of their story in future volumes.

This book is a well thought-out own voices story about understanding your transness through the lens of a contemporary Japanese society. A young boy is finding himself through fashion and male friendships while juggling the decision to live authentically and stand-out or hide in the shadows and conform to the traditional femininity that the world is trying to impose on him. There is a lovely little dash of romance in this first volume but the vast majority of the book takes on these big ideas that are the concept of the story and running with that. This coming-of-age manga is sure to continue highlighting the complexities of teenage life and rebellion and showcasing beautiful artwork.

I did not know I needed this in my life until now. It's wonderful. The drawing style is absolutely beautiful and the story is gentle, touching and very respectful. I can't wait for the second one! Both main characters were wonderful and sweet and I enjoyed how well they portrayed queer character in the manga.

I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this! Whenever I see positive representation of LGBTQ+ characters that acknowledges their identity, its importance, and the struggles that come along with it without making it the sole focal point of the story, it makes me so happy. In this manga, it was great to see Ryo find a friend who was so accepting and supportive of his identity as a trans man, and I loved seeing how Ryo grew confident in himself, to the point that he became an inspiration to other students who also felt that they were struggling under the weight of societal expectations.

Boys Run the Riot is both fun and touching, a love letter to anyone who has felt like an outcast or a weirdo. I truly enjoyed Volume 1, and look forward to reading more!

This manga is EVERYTHING. I love it!!!

I saw Boys Run the Riot while scrolling NetGalley and hit the request button immediately after reading the description.

And let me tell you, it was the best decision in my life.

Boys Run the Riot was so relatable, I wanted to cry. Feeling like you don't belong in your own body is the worst thing you can experience (talking from experience) and the only thing that can make that even more painful is people not respecting your feelings and wishes.

I'm glad (even a little jealous) Ryuu found a friend like Jin. A friend who wants to know, understands, and respect you is something really rare in today's world, if you find one you are lucky. Jin is all of that, he helped Ryuu to be more secure in himself and his opinions, as he should be.

(That scene where Jin and his pals show up wearing those T-shirts is so epic by the way)

I also liked Itsuka very much, he realized who his true friends are and that they support his love for photography, I was so proud of him for standing for himself and I can't wait to read more about Tsubasa, seems like a great character!

Did I mention that the art style is stunning?
It's ✨stunning✨. There.

All in all, this is a great story, I can't wait to read the next volume and find out what happens with their brand!

* fingers crossed for Boys Run the Riot becoming an anime, I would watch it every day *

Such a good read with a good story behind it. Enjoyed reading it and read in one sitting! Shows that people are understanding and have an open mind. Really liked this and looking forward to the next one.

He doesn't fit in but he can't talk about it or explain how he feels to anyone. He is a trans teen and although he was born female he knows he is male. He has a lonely life at school because the other students don't understand him either.

He misses the company of the boys he grew up with but they just think he is a weird girl and the other girls in the school think he is a girl who just likes chasing after boys. Excluded and misunderstood by those around him, Ryuu exists on the margins, tries to stay unseen and finds self expression in his clothes which allow him to be male, except for once a month when the school demands students wear school uniform.

Everything changes when he bumps into Jin at a local clothing store. Jin is a rebel. He is not a good student, doesn't belong to any clubs, is repeating the school year and he is not at all bothered about what people think about him. The only thing he is bothered about is the desire he has to develop his own fashion label. When he bumps into Ryuu at the clothing store he convinces Ryuu to work with him to develop their own clothing brand.

Ryuu is wary about this but eventually confides in Jin and finds acceptance and a willingness to understand. To the amazement of other students and teachers, Jin and Ryuu form a team as they work to make their dream of a fashion brand a reality.

But the road ahead isn't easy and as they pursue their dream, they make both new friends and foes, and they both discover more about who they really are.

I really enjoyed this. The story will be told in four books which I am going to order because this first book was both gripping and engaging. I really loved the way the book explores what it is to be a trans teen, but not only that, the book explores family, friends, school life, hopes and fears and it does this in a realistic way. It explores the issues of gender and identity in a way that is honest and empowering, and it also explores life in general as well, and why we find it so easy to ignore, exclude and categorise people instead of allowing people to be who they truly are. At the end of the book there is a helpful discussion with the author.

I think this is a must for manga fans who enjoy books about schoolife and issues about self, identity, friendships and relationships. The artwork is excellent and the pace of the story is good. The characters are alive and engaging, and draw the reader into the story quite quickly. I was drawn into this story and revelled in it. I think this will be a great hit with manga fans of the Heartstopper series. This author definitely has the gift of storytelling.

This is definitely going on my 2021 list of exquisite reads and I am looking forward to getting a paperback copy when the book is finally published.

Many thanks to Kodansha Comics for giving me this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The plot was good, I liked it. The art style was average. I think this manga has potential. waiting for next volume.

I liked this! The pacing was a bit messy at times, and I think certain thing could've been re-ordered, such as the introduction of the friends in the beginning instead of the middle, that would improve the flow. But overall I liked it! Will definitely be recommending to my followers who like manga.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

Boys Run The Riot is about a transgender guy who meets a new friend at school who is a year older, in the same class and has a love for fashion. Throughout this volume, their friendship is explored just like how their brand and fashion is. There is some misgendering within this but it is because no one except Ryo and Jin knows that he is trans. I thought this was really well done and I can't wait to read more.
Rating: 3.5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes
Would I Recommend it? Yes

Wow, this was good.

I haven’t read many manga series with trans rep, and the nuance these characters have felt real and genuine. Focusing on a group of kids starting a fashion brand, we see their struggles with identity, self expression, and following your passion against societal pressure.

What’s great about this series is not only the rep, but the friendship that develops between Ryo and Jin, two very different people who share a common passion for fashion and clothing. They both struggle with their classmates perception of them, with Jin being seen as a rebellious teen, but is actually a sweet and outgoing guy, and Ryo trying to vocalise his feelings of gender dysphoria. It was great seeing them open up to each other, and seeing their passion for clothing give them inspiration and happiness.

This manga says a lot about societal expectations and their restrictions on peoples’ freedom of expression and forcing them to conform. We see this with Itsuka, who dreams of being a photographer, a passion his father once shared, but gave up on. Even he buckles under the pressure, before he finds the support of his friends and family to pursue his craft.

This series is starting off wonderfully, with promise for more interesting characters who will hopefully have a bigger role in the next volume. The art is beautiful and expressive, and I can’t wait for more.

In ‘Boys Run The Riot’ we meet our main protagonist, Ryo. At first glance Ryo is perceived as a tomboy by his classmates and everyone around him, but in actuality he is a man born inside of a woman’s body.
Not feeling like he can be himself, he hides his identity to avoid being an outcast. The only time Ryo feels confident and truly himself is when he wears his favorite clothes.

Then we are introduced to Jin, a new student in Ryo’s class who appears to be rough around the edges. In actuality Jin is a pretty nice guy but seems to be somewhat of a troublemaker and has no problem standing out. He is exact opposite of Ryo.

An unlikely but beautiful friendship forms between the two of them as the share a similar style and a passion for clothing. Ever the optimist, Jin urges Ryo to start a clothing brand with him.

In this first volume we learn about both Ryo and Jin and how society treats those who are different. I really appreciated that Jin was really a cool guy and became someone that Ryo could call confide in and even look up to. He might not be able to 100% understand what Ryo is going through but he tries. I hope that Ryo can one day live freely.

Included at the end is a wonderful Q&A with the author that I definitely recommend that you read.

Overall the story and art are strong. ‘Boys Run The Riot’ volume 1 is a must read!!!! I will definitely be keeping up with this series.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha.

This is an absolutely fantastic translation. I am very impressed by the entire team on this I think they did a great job. The art is fantastic the cover of the English edition is absolutely beautiful. The characters are all really great I especially love the dynamic between Ryo and Jin and I'm really looking forward to how they expand their fashion brand

This manga is the best I've read in months. We met Ryo, a boy living in a girl's body. He's a transgender and his life is a bit complicated. When you are a teenager and you can't tell anyone how you're feeling and who are you, it's a very hard life. But all changes when Jin comes to school. The two boys have the same same taste in clothing, so Jin decides to start a new brand with Ryo.
This manga is so cool. It hooks you since the first page and the story is amazing. The process of creation the brand, the development of the friendship and the wonderful characters, make this story a must read.
Ryo is so strong and cool. Jin is a nice guy and he follows his dream. I loved the first volume and I want more!!! Great story!! Thanks so much, Netgalley to give the opportunity to read this manga.

This is my first manga by Keito Gaku, but it was so incredible, and I look forward to more from him! And I'm definitely looking forward to the continuation of this manga.

I was immediately intrigued because rarely can I find manga starring trans protagonists, and especially synopses that clearly state that the protagonist is trans. I really enjoyed Ryo's story and especially his developing friendship with Jin and Itsuka; Jin's acceptance of Ryo saying he's a boy and the way they work together to design and develop their brand is wonderful to see.

I also really like the art style. It's really beautiful and the faces are all distinguishable and I love how expressive the art is.

All around this was an excellent start to a story of a trans teen starting a fashion brand and developing new friendships around that brand. I really enjoyed this, and cannot wait for the next volume! I'm also especially excited to see more of Tsubasa, a genderqueer character who's introduced in the last pages!

This was a cute story with nice art about a transgender Japanese teen who is an outcast for blurring gender lines who starts a clothing brand with another outcast. It had a nice message and it was really cool to read a manga with a trans male main character. I think there should be some kind of disclaimer in the book about the safety risks of chest binding with ace bandages like Ryo does though, as it is something that can break ribs and have lasting affects on trans bodies.

This manga is absolutely phenomenal. Halfway through Vol. 1,, I stopped and preordered all 4 volumes from my favorite indie and that's not something do often with authors I haven't read before until I'm at least 3/4 volumes in or on their third or fourth book.
Trans kids need to see themselves being loved and supported now more than ever even if it's only by a couple of special peers and so do all kids who draw outside the lines, who look different, who act differently, who would rather be themselves than worry about fitting in. Hell, adults need it too - I didn't let myself START to do that until I was in my 40s but maybe, if I'd had a book like BOYS RUN THE RIOT, I'd have been happier a little bit - or a lot - younger.
I like the simpler art and the restrained dialogue as well. It suits the story's focus on character interaction and development. On the fact that whole what's inside is in turmoil, what plays out is considered and deliberate and important.
I can't wait to read more.