Shimanami Tasogare

I really wanted to like this manga. Ive heard nothing but good things about it but i feel like the author introduces so many interesting themes but fails to follow up with with satifying messages and conclusions.

This story delves into realistic LGBT experiences like homophobia, outing, gender non conformity, internalized homophobia and belitting by "allies." Yet I fee like none of this expresses how conflicting it is to be homosexual or transgender in Japan. If a character is homophobic, don't worry, Tasu will be there to say, "Stop! You're making me sad!" And they'll magically become accepting. That doesn't even happen in the west.

It's upsetting, because there *are* things i feel like this manga handles exceptionally well. Utsumi's speach regarding the belitting he experienced from that woman who was so annoying I forgot her name really brings to light something that is often overlooked. Utsumi's chapter reveals how "allies" will often look at transgender people as people who *need* them. Rather than viewing us as equals, they set themselves above us and view us as people who need saving, as people with mental impairments who need constant protection from the big bad cissies. I feel like that was extremely realistic. She'd constantly speak for Utsumi and put emphasis on the fact that he was different which neglects the concept of equality and directly contradicts the good she was trying to do for him since bringing attention differences when it is not necessary enlarges the gap between LGBT folk and cisgender-heterosexual folk. She was blinded by savoir mentality that achieved the opposite of what she wanted and belittled Utsumi and watered him down to his identity, neglecting that he's just a person and his gender identity is one of the many peices that make him up.

But then you have doors that are opened and never closed. Misora's story was one I was hoping to get a satifying conclusion to. He expresses how he might not want to go through male puberty and when asked if he wants to be a woman, says he doesn't know nor does he fully understand himself. I deeply internilzed this sentiment, as a trans person. Tasu tells Misora he should make an effort to understand himself and, you'd think we'd have a volume, maybe even a single chapter dedicated to Misora finding himself and realizing he is a trans girl. But no. He goes to a festival in a kimono, gets assaulted and Tasu, blinded by his "good intentions," is a jerk to him and says it happens because Misora was cute. Misora gets upset and disappears from the lounge until like, the last fucking chapter. The author had the perfect set up to further explore youth questioning their gender identity and coming to terms with it but we're never given a conclusion to his story.

One thing I hate is how outing and homophobia is handled. When our main lesbian couple is outed, the man who outed them is confronted, not by the couple, but by Tasu who basically says "Im gay. You shouldn't tell anyone, though, cause thats bad." And he goes from "disgusting gay people! Why is my son here?! Is he a fag too?!" To "I will now go participate in homosexual sex practises." That was hyperbole, but you get the point. There are multiple instances of this. Where a person will be blatantly unaccepting of homosexuals, then Tasu is just like "You've violated my feelings!" And they just stop as if Tasu's feelings are some holy force that removes all biogtry from their bodies. It fails to acknowledge the reality of homophobia and properly deal with it.

Also Tasu stays friends with someone who said "thank goodness" in response to him denying that hes gay. Whats up with that.