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弟の夫 [Otouto no Otto] #1-2
My Brother's Husband, Volume 1
Yaichi is a work-at-home suburban dad in contemporary Tokyo; formerly married to Natsuki, father to their young daughter, Kana. Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, affable Canadian named Mike Flanagan, who declares himself the widower of Yaichi's estranged gay twin, Ryoji. Mike is on a quest to explore Ryoji's past, and the family reluctantly but dutifully takes him in. What follows is an unprecedented and heartbreaking look at the state of a largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture: how it's been affected by the West, and how the next generation can change the preconceptions about it and prejudices against it.
(Please note: This book is a traditional work of manga, and reads back to front and right to left.)
(Please note: This book is a traditional work of manga, and reads back to front and right to left.)
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
About the author
Gengoroh Tagame
120 books504 followersGengoroh Tagame is a Japanese manga artist who specializes in gay BDSM erotic manga, many of which depict graphic violence. The men he depicts are hypermasculine, and tend to be on the bearish side.
Born into a family descended from samurai, Tagame began his career as a manga artist in 1982, while he was studying graphic design at Tama Art University (多摩美術大学). His works have been published in several Japanese gay magazines, including Sabu, G-men and SM-Z. Since 1986, he has used the pen-name Gengoroh Tagame, and since 1994 Tagame has lived off the profits of his art and writings. In recent years, Tagame has edited a two volume artbook series about the history of gay erotic art in Japan from the 1950s to the present, 日本のゲイ・エロティック・アート (Nihon no gei, erotikku āto, Gay Erotic Art in Japan) volumes 1 and 2.
All his works contain "virile males, or youths, and their apprenticeship of physical and mental submission". Works of his include: Jujitsu Kyoshi at B Product; Emono, Shirogane no Hana (3 vol.) and Pride (3 vol.) at G-Project.
His manga Gunji (軍次) was translated into French in 2005, followed by Arena in 2006 and Goku in 2009. An artbook of his works has also been published in France by H&O Editions. An exhibition of his works was held in France in May 2009. Tagame is openly gay.
Tagame has been called the most influential creator of gay manga in Japan to date, and "the most talented and most famous author of sado-masochistic gay manga". Most of his work first appeared in gay magazines and usually feature sexual abuse. Tagame's depiction of men as muscular and hairy has been cited as a catalyst for a shift in fashion amongst gay men in 1995, away from the clean-shaven and slender bishōnen stereotypes and towards a tendency for masculinity and chubbiness. Tagame's work has been criticised by notable gay manga writer Susumu Hirosegawa as "SM gekijō" (S&M theater) for its violence and lack of complex storylines.
A small amount of Tagame's work has been licensed in English; a short story, "Standing Ovations", was included in the third issue of the erotic comics anthology Thickness, and in July 2012, Picturebox announced a short story collection, The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, for 2013 release, which will be the first completely bara work published in English in a print format. The book will collect short works spanning 15 years of Tagame's career, including a new story commissioned especially for the book by book designer Chip Kidd.
(notes : everything else can be read on wikipedia)
Born into a family descended from samurai, Tagame began his career as a manga artist in 1982, while he was studying graphic design at Tama Art University (多摩美術大学). His works have been published in several Japanese gay magazines, including Sabu, G-men and SM-Z. Since 1986, he has used the pen-name Gengoroh Tagame, and since 1994 Tagame has lived off the profits of his art and writings. In recent years, Tagame has edited a two volume artbook series about the history of gay erotic art in Japan from the 1950s to the present, 日本のゲイ・エロティック・アート (Nihon no gei, erotikku āto, Gay Erotic Art in Japan) volumes 1 and 2.
All his works contain "virile males, or youths, and their apprenticeship of physical and mental submission". Works of his include: Jujitsu Kyoshi at B Product; Emono, Shirogane no Hana (3 vol.) and Pride (3 vol.) at G-Project.
His manga Gunji (軍次) was translated into French in 2005, followed by Arena in 2006 and Goku in 2009. An artbook of his works has also been published in France by H&O Editions. An exhibition of his works was held in France in May 2009. Tagame is openly gay.
Tagame has been called the most influential creator of gay manga in Japan to date, and "the most talented and most famous author of sado-masochistic gay manga". Most of his work first appeared in gay magazines and usually feature sexual abuse. Tagame's depiction of men as muscular and hairy has been cited as a catalyst for a shift in fashion amongst gay men in 1995, away from the clean-shaven and slender bishōnen stereotypes and towards a tendency for masculinity and chubbiness. Tagame's work has been criticised by notable gay manga writer Susumu Hirosegawa as "SM gekijō" (S&M theater) for its violence and lack of complex storylines.
A small amount of Tagame's work has been licensed in English; a short story, "Standing Ovations", was included in the third issue of the erotic comics anthology Thickness, and in July 2012, Picturebox announced a short story collection, The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, for 2013 release, which will be the first completely bara work published in English in a print format. The book will collect short works spanning 15 years of Tagame's career, including a new story commissioned especially for the book by book designer Chip Kidd.
(notes : everything else can be read on wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,193 reviews
March 12, 2019
This was a heartwarming story about family, prejudice, cultural differences, and acceptance. As this was one of the first manga volumes I've ever read, I wasn't sure if I would be able to connect with the story or the characters. But after only 50 pages, I absolutely loved our three main characters. The easing tension between Yaichi and Mike felt organic and not rushed, and Kana is simply the cutest!
Pacing, art style, story, and emotions = A+! I immediately ordered the second volume from my library, because I must see how all of this pans out.
Pacing, art style, story, and emotions = A+! I immediately ordered the second volume from my library, because I must see how all of this pans out.
February 18, 2019
This was so perfect. SO PERFECT. If you haven't read this yet and you like queer things, READ THIS RIGHT NOW YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT
March 12, 2018
Single dad Yaichi’s estranged gay brother recently passed away. In the wake of his death, his burly, friendly Canadian husband, Mike, has come to Japan to finally meet his brother-in-law and niece for the first time. Mike’s presence forces Yaichi to confront his own deeply-buried prejudices about gay people, as well as address his strangely emotionless and lonely life.
I love Japan, the people and the culture, but, speaking from personal experience/observations, I know many of its societal attitudes are ass-backwards to say the least. As well as having an insanely brutal work lifestyle that drives too many people to suicide each year, the Japanese in general are extremely racist, xenophobic and sexually repressed (though these aspects are hidden from the outside world so as to maintain the facade of being harmless, amiable eccentrics to keep the tourist income rolling in).
Sadly, the absurd caricature of gay people as perverts remains fixed in Japanese society still and gay marriage is illegal over there. Gay relationships is the subject that writer/artist Gengoroh Tagame explores in his superb all-ages manga, My Brother’s Husband.
I loved everything about this book. See my belligerent political rant above? That’s a shitty way to try to convince anyone of your point of view. Instead Tagame adopts a far more winning approach, emphasising the similarities - not the differences - between gay and straight people in order to good-naturedly and gently demystify outdated and offensive stereotypes. But - better - he does this through primarily focusing on creating strong, compelling characters and a quality story, ie. the reason why anyone would pick up this book in the first place: to be entertained, not to be lectured at.
Each of the three main characters has a story that could be a fine book in themselves. Mike’s just lost the love of his life and is trying to keep his memory alive through meeting his family and going to places he’s only heard stories about. Yaichi is divorced but still has feelings for his ex-wife. He’s struggling with being a single dad as well as confronting the long-suppressed ghosts of the past that Mike’s appearance has resurrected. Kana, the young daughter, is clearly damaged by her parents’ split and has abandonment issues - the scenes where she turned from the door to confirm that her dad or Mike would be there when she got back from school were heartbreaking.
There are a lot of emotionally-charged scenes - almost too many; I literally had to put the book down halfway through and resume the following day because it got to be too much! Mike breaking down in front of Yaichi after getting drunk, the closeted teen finding acceptance and strength after talking with Mike, hell, even Kana finding out what hugging was - yeah, the Japanese are genuinely that physically distant even to their own kids! Not that Yaichi is a bad father - he’s clearly a great dad who cares deeply about his kid - but there’s something undeniably cold about the lack of physical affection between Japanese parents and their children. The West hasn’t got it all figured out but it definitely has a thing or two it can teach Japan - some traditions deserve to die.
Ultimately it’s an uplifting and charming story of three likeable, ordinary people who are profoundly troubled but work through their issues and find strength in each other. It’s sweet to see Kana - and her dad, though he’d never admit it aloud - learning about how benign and human homosexuality is, and, by extension, the uninformed reader. Most beautiful of all was Yaichi’s transformation through asking himself some tough questions about his beliefs. His growing friendship with Mike was very moving who manages to turn Yaichi into a warmer person with a closer relationship to his daughter as well as finding solace for his loss through his new family.
You can tell Tagame usually draws adult gay manga with certain panels centred so acutely on Yaichi and Mike’s toned male physiques, though, of course, given that this is an all-ages book, the angles are tastefully chosen. And I learned something about Japanese society that I didn’t before: if you have tattoos on display, you won’t be allowed to work out in gyms (because tattoos are equated with the yakuza - Japanese gangsters)! A lot of people have tats - are they all likely to be in the mafia? But then that’s just another sign of Japan’s general oversensitivity.
Certain plot points stay unresolved by the end but that’s because this is the first part of a series and I’ll definitely be returning to see what happens next. My Brother’s Husband, Volume 1 is remarkably powerful and masterful storytelling - easily one of the best mangas I’ve ever had the pleasure to read.
I love Japan, the people and the culture, but, speaking from personal experience/observations, I know many of its societal attitudes are ass-backwards to say the least. As well as having an insanely brutal work lifestyle that drives too many people to suicide each year, the Japanese in general are extremely racist, xenophobic and sexually repressed (though these aspects are hidden from the outside world so as to maintain the facade of being harmless, amiable eccentrics to keep the tourist income rolling in).
Sadly, the absurd caricature of gay people as perverts remains fixed in Japanese society still and gay marriage is illegal over there. Gay relationships is the subject that writer/artist Gengoroh Tagame explores in his superb all-ages manga, My Brother’s Husband.
I loved everything about this book. See my belligerent political rant above? That’s a shitty way to try to convince anyone of your point of view. Instead Tagame adopts a far more winning approach, emphasising the similarities - not the differences - between gay and straight people in order to good-naturedly and gently demystify outdated and offensive stereotypes. But - better - he does this through primarily focusing on creating strong, compelling characters and a quality story, ie. the reason why anyone would pick up this book in the first place: to be entertained, not to be lectured at.
Each of the three main characters has a story that could be a fine book in themselves. Mike’s just lost the love of his life and is trying to keep his memory alive through meeting his family and going to places he’s only heard stories about. Yaichi is divorced but still has feelings for his ex-wife. He’s struggling with being a single dad as well as confronting the long-suppressed ghosts of the past that Mike’s appearance has resurrected. Kana, the young daughter, is clearly damaged by her parents’ split and has abandonment issues - the scenes where she turned from the door to confirm that her dad or Mike would be there when she got back from school were heartbreaking.
There are a lot of emotionally-charged scenes - almost too many; I literally had to put the book down halfway through and resume the following day because it got to be too much! Mike breaking down in front of Yaichi after getting drunk, the closeted teen finding acceptance and strength after talking with Mike, hell, even Kana finding out what hugging was - yeah, the Japanese are genuinely that physically distant even to their own kids! Not that Yaichi is a bad father - he’s clearly a great dad who cares deeply about his kid - but there’s something undeniably cold about the lack of physical affection between Japanese parents and their children. The West hasn’t got it all figured out but it definitely has a thing or two it can teach Japan - some traditions deserve to die.
Ultimately it’s an uplifting and charming story of three likeable, ordinary people who are profoundly troubled but work through their issues and find strength in each other. It’s sweet to see Kana - and her dad, though he’d never admit it aloud - learning about how benign and human homosexuality is, and, by extension, the uninformed reader. Most beautiful of all was Yaichi’s transformation through asking himself some tough questions about his beliefs. His growing friendship with Mike was very moving who manages to turn Yaichi into a warmer person with a closer relationship to his daughter as well as finding solace for his loss through his new family.
You can tell Tagame usually draws adult gay manga with certain panels centred so acutely on Yaichi and Mike’s toned male physiques, though, of course, given that this is an all-ages book, the angles are tastefully chosen. And I learned something about Japanese society that I didn’t before: if you have tattoos on display, you won’t be allowed to work out in gyms (because tattoos are equated with the yakuza - Japanese gangsters)! A lot of people have tats - are they all likely to be in the mafia? But then that’s just another sign of Japan’s general oversensitivity.
Certain plot points stay unresolved by the end but that’s because this is the first part of a series and I’ll definitely be returning to see what happens next. My Brother’s Husband, Volume 1 is remarkably powerful and masterful storytelling - easily one of the best mangas I’ve ever had the pleasure to read.
November 22, 2018
I definitely need to re-review this amazing, amazing graphic novel about living as a gay person in Japan...
Ryoji came out to his twin Yiachi at age 15 and due to the Japanese way of dealing with homosexuality by not talking about it - like ever - the brothers grew apart, with Ryoji making a life for himself in Canada and finding a loving husband in Mike Flannagan, a gentle-hearted Canadian.
However, Ryoji dies unexpectedly and Mike decides to visit Japan to meet his late husband's family: His twin brother Yiachi and his daughter Kana.
Yiachi has a hard time accepting the foreigner in his home, but his open-minded daughter Kana loves her new-found Uncle Mike and helps convince her dad that some things he took for granted all his life are actually worth giving a second thought and re-evaluating. Not to mention Yiachi's own feelings.
I've hardly ever read a story more beautiful and touching. It's not a romance per se, as I initially thought, but a beautiful family-oriented tale about acceptance and love that can be read by families with children (even though the artist seemed to be known for rather hardcore porn mangas in the past, LOL). His art in this graphic novel is absolutely amazing, though.
Well, in any case, this story deserves nothing but praise. I've learned a lot about Japanese culture (which I am sure many details got lost in translation, but still) and I absolutely adored Yiachi and his daughter Kana.
Thank you, Adam!!
5 stars and on my all time favorites list!!
Ryoji came out to his twin Yiachi at age 15 and due to the Japanese way of dealing with homosexuality by not talking about it - like ever - the brothers grew apart, with Ryoji making a life for himself in Canada and finding a loving husband in Mike Flannagan, a gentle-hearted Canadian.
However, Ryoji dies unexpectedly and Mike decides to visit Japan to meet his late husband's family: His twin brother Yiachi and his daughter Kana.
Yiachi has a hard time accepting the foreigner in his home, but his open-minded daughter Kana loves her new-found Uncle Mike and helps convince her dad that some things he took for granted all his life are actually worth giving a second thought and re-evaluating. Not to mention Yiachi's own feelings.
I've hardly ever read a story more beautiful and touching. It's not a romance per se, as I initially thought, but a beautiful family-oriented tale about acceptance and love that can be read by families with children (even though the artist seemed to be known for rather hardcore porn mangas in the past, LOL). His art in this graphic novel is absolutely amazing, though.
Well, in any case, this story deserves nothing but praise. I've learned a lot about Japanese culture (which I am sure many details got lost in translation, but still) and I absolutely adored Yiachi and his daughter Kana.
Thank you, Adam!!
5 stars and on my all time favorites list!!
July 7, 2021
3.5 "funny, affirming, sweet" stars !!!
I read this to celebrate Pride Month and since I am a very wild person (NOT) I always try something new for this special time. I am a No longer a Manga virgin !!
First the illustrations are absolutely vivid and beautiful and it was a joy to flip these pages and follow along. Mike, a white Canadian visits Japan after his Japanese husband dies to visit his brother-in-law and niece. All the characters are adorable as they try to grapple with their new relationships, cultural differences and deal with their grief. This is suitable for those 13 plus.
I especially loved how inclusive and affirming this was. I am not sure Manga is something I will heavily get into but this was a promising and lovely start !!
I read this to celebrate Pride Month and since I am a very wild person (NOT) I always try something new for this special time. I am a No longer a Manga virgin !!
First the illustrations are absolutely vivid and beautiful and it was a joy to flip these pages and follow along. Mike, a white Canadian visits Japan after his Japanese husband dies to visit his brother-in-law and niece. All the characters are adorable as they try to grapple with their new relationships, cultural differences and deal with their grief. This is suitable for those 13 plus.
I especially loved how inclusive and affirming this was. I am not sure Manga is something I will heavily get into but this was a promising and lovely start !!
Read
May 2, 2021
June 24, 2020
Wow i loved this so much and i cried holy shit
April 10, 2019
Heartwarming and fairly innocent, inoffensive manga about Kana, a little girl who’s raised by her single father Jaichi, whose identical and gay twin brother Ryoji dies. Ryoji lived in Canada and was married to a huge, burly Canadian Mike who pays Jaichi and his daughter Kana a visit in Japan.
Although this was an endearing all-ages story, with many touching moments, for the most part it felt too didactic and conventional to me, and I think it’s more suited for teenagers. The author attempts to teach us a lesson or two concerning sexual orientation identity and gender roles.
Lesson 1: Gays are humans too
Lesson 2: Single dads are humans too
Spoiler warning
However, to the attentive, hair-splitting reader, there’s also a bad lesson to be found : a woman who loves her work is a bad spouse and mother. Like Mike, the Canadian gay man, the reader is led to believe that the little girl’s mother is dead (I also considered institutionalization), but only late in the story, we learn that her parents are divorced and that the mother is absent from her little daughter’s life only because she’s in love with her work!?
Although this was an endearing all-ages story, with many touching moments, for the most part it felt too didactic and conventional to me, and I think it’s more suited for teenagers. The author attempts to teach us a lesson or two concerning sexual orientation identity and gender roles.
Lesson 1: Gays are humans too
Lesson 2: Single dads are humans too
Spoiler warning
However, to the attentive, hair-splitting reader, there’s also a bad lesson to be found : a woman who loves her work is a bad spouse and mother. Like Mike, the Canadian gay man, the reader is led to believe that the little girl’s mother is dead (I also considered institutionalization), but only late in the story, we learn that her parents are divorced and that the mother is absent from her little daughter’s life only because she’s in love with her work!?
January 3, 2020
4 Stars
I’m not an expert in manga by any means, but I can see how this story has hopefully made some strides in breaking some barriers towards acceptance, not only in Japan but everywhere.
Yaichi is confronted with his dead brother Ryoji’s truth in the form of Ryoji’s big Canadian widower Mike, who shows up hoping to go down memory lane and connect with Ryoji’s family whom he’s never met. Though Yaichi never rejected his twin, he wasn’t as accepting either and his natural inclination to ignore or avoid is brought down as he learns and slowly changes his preconceived notions and bigotry through his daughter Kana’s innocence and unwavering acceptance.
The manga’s simplicity points out issues plainly, hitting the mark with precision, both painful and poignant.
I’m not an expert in manga by any means, but I can see how this story has hopefully made some strides in breaking some barriers towards acceptance, not only in Japan but everywhere.
Yaichi is confronted with his dead brother Ryoji’s truth in the form of Ryoji’s big Canadian widower Mike, who shows up hoping to go down memory lane and connect with Ryoji’s family whom he’s never met. Though Yaichi never rejected his twin, he wasn’t as accepting either and his natural inclination to ignore or avoid is brought down as he learns and slowly changes his preconceived notions and bigotry through his daughter Kana’s innocence and unwavering acceptance.
The manga’s simplicity points out issues plainly, hitting the mark with precision, both painful and poignant.
May 17, 2023
Wow, I loved this first volume of a manga series about Yaichi, divorced father of Kana, formerly married to Netsuki, and twin brother of Ryoji, who was gay. Ryoji died a month ago, in Canada, where he was married to Mike Flanagan, who arrives at Yaichi's doorstep to see the Japan Ryoji had always talked about, and to visit his brother-in-law and niece! Not that this is initially easy, since Ryoji and Yaichi were estranged when Ryoji left Japan ten years ago. He reluctantly allows Mike to stay at their house.
Mike, grieving, needs to make connections with Ryoji's world. Yaichi needs to make connections to Ryoji's world, too! Some highlights: The fact that Ryoji and Yaichi are identical twins makes for one especially heart-breaking moment. A gay kid in the neighborhood sees Mike and recognizes someone older he can come out to. Netsuki and Yaichi seem to get along okay for divorced parents; that's nice to see.
But the central highlight is Kana, who is the grease that makes the social engine begin to move ahead. She's a really great kid! The easy relationship that develops between the big beefy Mike and Kana is wonderful.
This manga has completely won me over. While on some level it is sort of predictable, I found it very sweet and moving. I read it just now in one sitting and couldn't wait to tell you about it! Read it!
Mike, grieving, needs to make connections with Ryoji's world. Yaichi needs to make connections to Ryoji's world, too! Some highlights: The fact that Ryoji and Yaichi are identical twins makes for one especially heart-breaking moment. A gay kid in the neighborhood sees Mike and recognizes someone older he can come out to. Netsuki and Yaichi seem to get along okay for divorced parents; that's nice to see.
But the central highlight is Kana, who is the grease that makes the social engine begin to move ahead. She's a really great kid! The easy relationship that develops between the big beefy Mike and Kana is wonderful.
This manga has completely won me over. While on some level it is sort of predictable, I found it very sweet and moving. I read it just now in one sitting and couldn't wait to tell you about it! Read it!
June 6, 2019
TW: homophobia
My reading experience of this was greatly enhanced by the fact that Anderson Cooper blurbed this, and I had an out of body yet special experience knowing I was reading something that Anderson Cooper has also read. But I also enjoyed this book for what it was. The storyline of challenging your own belief systems and culture in order to be more accepting was touching, and seeing how a young girl interacted so positively with her gay uncle in a community that otherwise shunned him was especially wholesome. I definitely wanna pick up volume two to see where this goes.
The biggest issue I had with this book is how sexualized the two male characters were, especially when blended with scenes with this young girl. The author is well-known for writing gay erotica stories, which I don't shame at all, but the hypersexualization of these two men just came off as really distasteful to me when the conversations they were having were so critically serious. I don't think it's wrong for either man to be depicted as large and muscular (obviously, some men are shaped that way) and I also don't want to imply at all that gay men are all pedophiles, but there are some panels in this book that come off as pretty gross because there will be the sexualization of grown men put right beside a picture of this young girl or interacting with her. In particular, there's a scene of the father thinking about his young daughter while in the shower, which I get wasn't a sexual situation and it's natural to ponder things while in the shower, but I think the author included a lot of bodily detail and angles that made it look really inappropriate, and instances like this arose more than once in the book surrounding the sexualization of the men versus the presence of the young girl.
Even though I was cringing pretty often in this because I didn't like how sexual the drawing style was in proximity to such a young girl, I still think its overall message of acceptance and challenging homophobia was sweet. I'm definitely requesting volume two from the library just to see where it goes from here.
My reading experience of this was greatly enhanced by the fact that Anderson Cooper blurbed this, and I had an out of body yet special experience knowing I was reading something that Anderson Cooper has also read. But I also enjoyed this book for what it was. The storyline of challenging your own belief systems and culture in order to be more accepting was touching, and seeing how a young girl interacted so positively with her gay uncle in a community that otherwise shunned him was especially wholesome. I definitely wanna pick up volume two to see where this goes.
The biggest issue I had with this book is how sexualized the two male characters were, especially when blended with scenes with this young girl. The author is well-known for writing gay erotica stories, which I don't shame at all, but the hypersexualization of these two men just came off as really distasteful to me when the conversations they were having were so critically serious. I don't think it's wrong for either man to be depicted as large and muscular (obviously, some men are shaped that way) and I also don't want to imply at all that gay men are all pedophiles, but there are some panels in this book that come off as pretty gross because there will be the sexualization of grown men put right beside a picture of this young girl or interacting with her. In particular, there's a scene of the father thinking about his young daughter while in the shower, which I get wasn't a sexual situation and it's natural to ponder things while in the shower, but I think the author included a lot of bodily detail and angles that made it look really inappropriate, and instances like this arose more than once in the book surrounding the sexualization of the men versus the presence of the young girl.
Even though I was cringing pretty often in this because I didn't like how sexual the drawing style was in proximity to such a young girl, I still think its overall message of acceptance and challenging homophobia was sweet. I'm definitely requesting volume two from the library just to see where it goes from here.
February 8, 2020
Vol. 1 ★★★★★
Vol. 2 ★★★★★
My Brother's Husband has to be one of the most precious, heartwarming, lovable things I've ever read in my life. I was totally smitten from the very first page, and that feeling only grew stronger with each passing moment. I read the entire book over my lunch break and immediately placed a hold on the second (and final, sadly!) volume, because I have to continue it as soon as possible.
This manga covers so many emotions, it's wild — it's tragic due to both of these men having just lost someone valuable in their lives, it's a little frustrating because Yaichi is still coming to terms with his own homophobia, and it's enlightening as the author discusses cultural norms in Japan (such as the lack of hugging that Mike finds so bizarre). More than anything, though, it's sweet, cute, and full of feel-good vibes as Yaichi becomes a more accepting and open-minded person, Mike learns about his lost love's home and upbringings, and Kana gets to form an adorable, tightly-knit bond with her exciting new Canadian uncle.
I love this so, so, so much, and I would highly recommend it to absolutely anyone. ♥
July 3, 2019
1.) My Brother's Husband Volume 1 ★★★★★
2.) My Brother's Husband Volume 2 ★★★★★
-----------------------------------------------
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
2.) My Brother's Husband Volume 2 ★★★★★
-----------------------------------------------
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
October 16, 2018
Wow, I loved this first volume of a manga series about Yaichi, divorced father of Kana, formerly married to Netsuki, and twin brother of Ryoji, who was gay. Ryoji died a month ago, in Canada, where he was married to Mike Flanagan, who arrives at Yaichi's doorstep to see the Japan Ryoji had always talked about, and to visit his brother-in-law and niece! Not that this is initially easy, since Ryoji and Yaichi were estranged when Ryoji left Japan ten years ago. He reluctantly allows Mike to stay at their house.
Mike, grieving, needs to make connections with Ryoji's world. Yaichi needs to make connections to Ryoji's world, too! Some highlights: The fact that Ryoji and Yaichi are identical twins makes for one especially heart-breaking moment. A gay kid in the neighborhood sees Mike and recognizes someone older he can come out to. Netsuki and Yaichi seem to get along okay for divorced parents; that's nice to see.
But the central highlight is Kana, who is the grease that makes the social engine begin to move ahead. She's a really great kid! The easy relationship that develops between the big beefy Mike and Kana is wonderful.
This manga has completely won me over. While on some level it is sort of predictable, I found it very sweet and moving. I read it just now in one sitting and couldn't wait to tell you about it! Read it!
Mike, grieving, needs to make connections with Ryoji's world. Yaichi needs to make connections to Ryoji's world, too! Some highlights: The fact that Ryoji and Yaichi are identical twins makes for one especially heart-breaking moment. A gay kid in the neighborhood sees Mike and recognizes someone older he can come out to. Netsuki and Yaichi seem to get along okay for divorced parents; that's nice to see.
But the central highlight is Kana, who is the grease that makes the social engine begin to move ahead. She's a really great kid! The easy relationship that develops between the big beefy Mike and Kana is wonderful.
This manga has completely won me over. While on some level it is sort of predictable, I found it very sweet and moving. I read it just now in one sitting and couldn't wait to tell you about it! Read it!
May 9, 2024
BRB, going to scream everywhere about how much I loved My Brother's Husband, Volume 1.
Okay.... OMG, guys. I can't stop thinking about this graphic novel/manga. The storyline is just so incredible. I don't know how the author got just the right mix of painful, moving, and hopeful, but Gengoroh Tagame nailed it.
I know this might sound trite to say, but I really learned a lot from this story. It's eye-opening how gay people are viewed in Japan, which is still a very traditional country. This story is the journey towards acceptance, told through the lens of a widower and his husband's brother. Touching doesn't even begin to describe this one. Such a powerful graphic novel with so few words.
But the ILLUSTRATIONS... *fans self.* This is an all-ages story, and I'm giving it to my teenage daughter next, but the drawings will make you swoon. Trust me, I've never been so attracted to a drawing before. You will want to read this author's less family friendly offerings next (after finishing this series of course).
I'm over the moon that I have this in hardcover. 1000% recommend.
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Okay.... OMG, guys. I can't stop thinking about this graphic novel/manga. The storyline is just so incredible. I don't know how the author got just the right mix of painful, moving, and hopeful, but Gengoroh Tagame nailed it.
I know this might sound trite to say, but I really learned a lot from this story. It's eye-opening how gay people are viewed in Japan, which is still a very traditional country. This story is the journey towards acceptance, told through the lens of a widower and his husband's brother. Touching doesn't even begin to describe this one. Such a powerful graphic novel with so few words.
But the ILLUSTRATIONS... *fans self.* This is an all-ages story, and I'm giving it to my teenage daughter next, but the drawings will make you swoon. Trust me, I've never been so attracted to a drawing before. You will want to read this author's less family friendly offerings next (after finishing this series of course).
I'm over the moon that I have this in hardcover. 1000% recommend.
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February 18, 2019
This manga is about a lot of things - family, estrangement, the Japanese perception of homosexuality as well as other things that strike a chord of your heart. This is bittersweet, fun and utterly entertaining.
Comprehensive review to follow.
Comprehensive review to follow.
July 2, 2020
I was talking with a fellow anime-manga fan friend about the unlikely if eye-able way female manga artists portray gay guys for their primarily female audience, and wondered if actual gay guys would draw it differently; this was recced as a good basic example of the art-style differences, the story-line also dubbed "Gay 101 for straight folks", which turned out to be a fair evaluation. A Japanese man gets a visit from the Canadian widower of his late twin brother. Much learning follows on both sides. A gentle slice-of-life story, complete in two volumes.
Ta, L.
July 14, 2017
So, you know how supposedly there aren't any gay people in Russia?
Well, apparently there aren't too many in Japan, either.
But, somehow, a Japanese man named Ryoji becomes gay, despite the country's impeccable heterosexual record (was it contaminated green tea that did it?), and he flees to North America, the continent of the gays.
There he meets a hairy Canadian named Mike Flanagan, falls in love, gets married, then, unfortunately, dies too young.
The grief-stricken Canadian husband then travels to Japan to meet Ryoji's twin brother, Yaichi, presumably to reminisce over their shared love of Ryoji. . . but he is greeted with resistance and intolerance instead.
I will leave you with that cliffhanger and a sentence which I have never written or uttered before in my life: Wow, it turns out, I really like gay manga!
Why? Because gay manga, or at least this gay manga, features illustrations of male characters who look like Christopher Reeve as Superman and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. The other manga I've read so far has been illustrated by heterosexual males, all of whom seem to want to sketch women as heroine-addicted kewpie dolls who can't manage to keep their breasts in their blouses.
Honestly, the frequent appearance of the errant nipple has been the biggest setback for me in this genre, so if some gay men are willing to step up and illustrate women as normal looking and men as Viggo Mortensen looking, then, heck, meet your newest lover of manga!
Well, apparently there aren't too many in Japan, either.
But, somehow, a Japanese man named Ryoji becomes gay, despite the country's impeccable heterosexual record (was it contaminated green tea that did it?), and he flees to North America, the continent of the gays.
There he meets a hairy Canadian named Mike Flanagan, falls in love, gets married, then, unfortunately, dies too young.
The grief-stricken Canadian husband then travels to Japan to meet Ryoji's twin brother, Yaichi, presumably to reminisce over their shared love of Ryoji. . . but he is greeted with resistance and intolerance instead.
I will leave you with that cliffhanger and a sentence which I have never written or uttered before in my life: Wow, it turns out, I really like gay manga!
Why? Because gay manga, or at least this gay manga, features illustrations of male characters who look like Christopher Reeve as Superman and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. The other manga I've read so far has been illustrated by heterosexual males, all of whom seem to want to sketch women as heroine-addicted kewpie dolls who can't manage to keep their breasts in their blouses.
Honestly, the frequent appearance of the errant nipple has been the biggest setback for me in this genre, so if some gay men are willing to step up and illustrate women as normal looking and men as Viggo Mortensen looking, then, heck, meet your newest lover of manga!
February 12, 2019
Confession: this is my first manga so it took me a while to adjust to reading back to front pagewise and right to left cellwise, but it was worth the effort.
One day a bearish Canadian named Mike turns up at Yaichi's home in Japan and says he is Yaichi's twin's widower, in Japan to experience the small things that made up his husband's childhood. What follows is some cultural exchange made more possible by the curious daughter Kana.
The translation is fun because when words are used for emotions the original characters are left next to tiny English words approximating the sounds or feelings.
The artwork is impressive, particularly when it comes to bodies and Kana's facial expressions. .
The story is heartwarming, about love, acceptance, and family, but also an underlying current of understanding the pain Yaichi may have caused in the past, and more acknowledgment of his incorrect assumptions. Mike is understanding to a fault, but he is Canadian.
I've seen some blurbs and reviews talking about how this exhibits how closeted Japan is but the reactions unfortunately don't seem all that different from a lot of people I know in the states. I had to request this interlibrary loan because it had mysteriously gone "missing" at the public library, a frequent fate of books deemed undesirable by the morality police (who apparently don't mind stealing.)
One day a bearish Canadian named Mike turns up at Yaichi's home in Japan and says he is Yaichi's twin's widower, in Japan to experience the small things that made up his husband's childhood. What follows is some cultural exchange made more possible by the curious daughter Kana.
The translation is fun because when words are used for emotions the original characters are left next to tiny English words approximating the sounds or feelings.
The artwork is impressive, particularly when it comes to bodies and Kana's facial expressions. .
The story is heartwarming, about love, acceptance, and family, but also an underlying current of understanding the pain Yaichi may have caused in the past, and more acknowledgment of his incorrect assumptions. Mike is understanding to a fault, but he is Canadian.
I've seen some blurbs and reviews talking about how this exhibits how closeted Japan is but the reactions unfortunately don't seem all that different from a lot of people I know in the states. I had to request this interlibrary loan because it had mysteriously gone "missing" at the public library, a frequent fate of books deemed undesirable by the morality police (who apparently don't mind stealing.)
January 15, 2018
Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded up because half-stars will never come to Goodreads
Reading the manga way is weird for Westerners, or at any rate old ones like me. Back to front, right to left...and add in the graphic parts! Well, it was a read outside my comfort zone. The more alert among you will have noticed a favorable star rating atop the review's text. I liked the story of a man's journey from unquestioning homophobia to questioning discomfort through to earnest effort to understand and integrate The Other into his world. I wasn't comfortable with the format and I'm not a bit convinced that the story couldn't have been told another way, but the story itself is a good and timely one for 45's America as well as for Japan at any time.
I most certainly will not buy the book for $25 but checked out of the library it's a well-spent afternoon. I'd say graphically oriented consumers would do well to visit Yaichi, Kana, and Uncle Mike. They are good company and the world they find themselves working to understand and create is one I'd say is very, very important for us all to visit. Who knows, y'all might wanna set a spell.
Reading the manga way is weird for Westerners, or at any rate old ones like me. Back to front, right to left...and add in the graphic parts! Well, it was a read outside my comfort zone. The more alert among you will have noticed a favorable star rating atop the review's text. I liked the story of a man's journey from unquestioning homophobia to questioning discomfort through to earnest effort to understand and integrate The Other into his world. I wasn't comfortable with the format and I'm not a bit convinced that the story couldn't have been told another way, but the story itself is a good and timely one for 45's America as well as for Japan at any time.
I most certainly will not buy the book for $25 but checked out of the library it's a well-spent afternoon. I'd say graphically oriented consumers would do well to visit Yaichi, Kana, and Uncle Mike. They are good company and the world they find themselves working to understand and create is one I'd say is very, very important for us all to visit. Who knows, y'all might wanna set a spell.
July 18, 2019
Super adorable
April 21, 2019
A sweet and slightly sentimental manga about how a child’s innocent perspective changes her prejudiced father’s idea about his late brother’s homosexuality.
Single Tokyo dad Yaichi and his daughter Kana take in Mike Flanagan, the white, Canadian husband of Yaichi’s estranged twin brother, Ryochi, who recently passed away. Mike has come looking to learn more about Ryo’s past.
Kana instantly takes to Mike, and vice versa, but it takes longer to win over Yaichi, who, while superficially polite, has lots of fears and misconceptions.
Manga artist Gengoroh Tagame is best known for his erotic illustrations of hypermasculine men often engaged in BDSM activities (think of him as the Asian Tom Of Finland). The drawings in this two-part book – his first all-ages work – are less overtly sexual, and he uses some very effective techniques: the flashbacks are artfully handled, while closeups and long shots give us various perspectives.
The book is essentially about Yaichi’s awakening, and the way Tagame (a pen name) contrasts what Yaichi’s thinking with what he’s saying is masterful.
The underlying theme is that a lot of Japanese society has a sort of polite but judgemental attitude towards homosexuality, and nowhere is this clearer than in a late scene in which Yaichi meets the mother of one of Kana’s friends at a supermarket. This mom has told her daughter that Kana’s uncle is a bad influence, and the way Tagame evokes her discomfort and fake politeness at the market is brilliant.
If the book has a flaw it’s a certain “Aw, shucks! Gays are people too!” attitude that feels a little naive (especially to a North American reader), simplistic and corny. And the burly, affable Mike seems to have no flaws at all. There is tension, however, in the fact that Yaichi looks so much like Mike’s dead husband.
The illustrations are less raunchy than Tagame’s other stuff, but there are nods and winks to his queer fans: there are panels of the two men coming out of the shower, or working out at the gym, or taking baths, that feel a tad fetishistic. And a minor plotline about a donut in the shape of a bear – also used on the book’s endpapers – seems like a gay in-joke.
Single Tokyo dad Yaichi and his daughter Kana take in Mike Flanagan, the white, Canadian husband of Yaichi’s estranged twin brother, Ryochi, who recently passed away. Mike has come looking to learn more about Ryo’s past.
Kana instantly takes to Mike, and vice versa, but it takes longer to win over Yaichi, who, while superficially polite, has lots of fears and misconceptions.
Manga artist Gengoroh Tagame is best known for his erotic illustrations of hypermasculine men often engaged in BDSM activities (think of him as the Asian Tom Of Finland). The drawings in this two-part book – his first all-ages work – are less overtly sexual, and he uses some very effective techniques: the flashbacks are artfully handled, while closeups and long shots give us various perspectives.
The book is essentially about Yaichi’s awakening, and the way Tagame (a pen name) contrasts what Yaichi’s thinking with what he’s saying is masterful.
The underlying theme is that a lot of Japanese society has a sort of polite but judgemental attitude towards homosexuality, and nowhere is this clearer than in a late scene in which Yaichi meets the mother of one of Kana’s friends at a supermarket. This mom has told her daughter that Kana’s uncle is a bad influence, and the way Tagame evokes her discomfort and fake politeness at the market is brilliant.
If the book has a flaw it’s a certain “Aw, shucks! Gays are people too!” attitude that feels a little naive (especially to a North American reader), simplistic and corny. And the burly, affable Mike seems to have no flaws at all. There is tension, however, in the fact that Yaichi looks so much like Mike’s dead husband.
The illustrations are less raunchy than Tagame’s other stuff, but there are nods and winks to his queer fans: there are panels of the two men coming out of the shower, or working out at the gym, or taking baths, that feel a tad fetishistic. And a minor plotline about a donut in the shape of a bear – also used on the book’s endpapers – seems like a gay in-joke.
January 1, 2023
A "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" scenario, retold/re-framed in this endearing manga. When Yaichi's twin brother unexpectedly dies, his husband visits Japan to meet his brother-in-law, and to connect with the memories of his home country. Mike is a lovable Canadian, and immediately captures the heart of young Kana, Yaichi's daughter.
The story ended abruptly, so I was glad to see there is a Volume 2. I want to see what happens next with this fun trio.
**Reread January 2021 in prep for V2 - loved it all over again!
The story ended abruptly, so I was glad to see there is a Volume 2. I want to see what happens next with this fun trio.
**Reread January 2021 in prep for V2 - loved it all over again!
September 7, 2019
I thought this was a great start to a manga series. Cute, light-hearted, and it still managed to deal with a lot of the deeper societal issues tons of people face.
Needless to say I'm a fan! And definitely interested in reading the future volumes!
Needless to say I'm a fan! And definitely interested in reading the future volumes!
February 5, 2023
"I'm a Japan fanatic."
Well, this is us being subtle.
It feels so good revisiting one of my all-time favourite manga series!
Mike is just so patient and accepting.
I would say Yaichi (twin brother of Ryoji, who passed away recently) is a bit of a jerk, being a homophobe here in the beginning.
I love the innocent character of Kana (Yaichi's daughter.)
And I cried so much again.
(Save some for the rest of the series, emo me 😭)
I love the manga style starting from the artstyle to the story and every character involved.
Definitely one of my all-time favorites!
All the feels!
Well, this is us being subtle.
It feels so good revisiting one of my all-time favourite manga series!
Mike is just so patient and accepting.
I would say Yaichi (twin brother of Ryoji, who passed away recently) is a bit of a jerk, being a homophobe here in the beginning.
I love the innocent character of Kana (Yaichi's daughter.)
And I cried so much again.
(Save some for the rest of the series, emo me 😭)
I love the manga style starting from the artstyle to the story and every character involved.
Definitely one of my all-time favorites!
All the feels!
November 12, 2018
Absolutely adored this! Highly recommend if you're in the mood for a heartwarming manga :)
March 1, 2019
ALL THE STARS!!
What can I say about this manga which hasn't already been said before?! My Brother's Husband focuses on Yaichi and his daughter, Kana, who welcome Mike, a gay Canadian who was married to Yaichi's twin brother, Ryoji, into their home. What follows is a very touching and important story about Japanese culture on homosexuality.
Kana is absolutely adorable - she comes out with some very blunt questions about queer marriage and the more intimate side of these relationships, much to her father's embarrassment, but she voices what her father (and no doubt what other Japanese people) think. I love how Tagame has depicted this as coming from adults wouldn't have had the same effect - from a child's perspective we see her naivety and curiosity about something which has generally been concealed from her.
The story is fairly simple on the surface - it documents their everyday lives but forces Yaichi to consider Mike's feelings and how he must be judged by others, as he too harbors these prejudiced assumptions but the story delves much further and really documents the emotional turmoil Mike finds himself in after his husband's death. Yaichi also has to confront his prejudices head on and through his time spent with Mike he finds that he is a genuinely lovely guy. There is laughter, tears, honesty, openness, naivety, and tenderness throughout.
I encourage everyone to pick this delightful and charming manga up!
What can I say about this manga which hasn't already been said before?! My Brother's Husband focuses on Yaichi and his daughter, Kana, who welcome Mike, a gay Canadian who was married to Yaichi's twin brother, Ryoji, into their home. What follows is a very touching and important story about Japanese culture on homosexuality.
Kana is absolutely adorable - she comes out with some very blunt questions about queer marriage and the more intimate side of these relationships, much to her father's embarrassment, but she voices what her father (and no doubt what other Japanese people) think. I love how Tagame has depicted this as coming from adults wouldn't have had the same effect - from a child's perspective we see her naivety and curiosity about something which has generally been concealed from her.
The story is fairly simple on the surface - it documents their everyday lives but forces Yaichi to consider Mike's feelings and how he must be judged by others, as he too harbors these prejudiced assumptions but the story delves much further and really documents the emotional turmoil Mike finds himself in after his husband's death. Yaichi also has to confront his prejudices head on and through his time spent with Mike he finds that he is a genuinely lovely guy. There is laughter, tears, honesty, openness, naivety, and tenderness throughout.
I encourage everyone to pick this delightful and charming manga up!
November 28, 2021
This was every bit as warm and fun as I expected. Yaichi is a single father trying to raise his young daughter, Kana, while working from home. One day, a large, friendly, bearded Canadian, Mike Flanagan, shows up on their doorstep. He is the husband of the recently deceased Ryoji, who was Yaichi's estranged twin brother. Mike is looking to explore Ryoji's past. Kana falls madly for "Uncle Mike," and Yaichi begins to confront his unexamined prejudices about gay men and come to terms with his brother's death.
Tonally, this book reminded me of With the Light. Both manga seek to educate by demystifying people different from the traditional norm (autistic children in With the Light, LGBTQ+ folks in My Brother's Husband.) Both series show people being accepting and welcoming, with any fear or suspicion being quickly overcome. This is, perhaps, more easily achieved in fiction than in real life. Depends on the people one meets, I suppose.
Mike Flanagan is an easy character to like, kind, friendly, outgoing. I like that he's Canadian. In my experiences with manga and anime, Westerners are often from the USA. It's nice to see another English-speaking country get a nod for a change.
This book is endearing and heartwarming, just a huge bundle of fun. Recommended!
Tonally, this book reminded me of With the Light. Both manga seek to educate by demystifying people different from the traditional norm (autistic children in With the Light, LGBTQ+ folks in My Brother's Husband.) Both series show people being accepting and welcoming, with any fear or suspicion being quickly overcome. This is, perhaps, more easily achieved in fiction than in real life. Depends on the people one meets, I suppose.
Mike Flanagan is an easy character to like, kind, friendly, outgoing. I like that he's Canadian. In my experiences with manga and anime, Westerners are often from the USA. It's nice to see another English-speaking country get a nod for a change.
This book is endearing and heartwarming, just a huge bundle of fun. Recommended!
March 22, 2020
“El marido de mi hermano” es un manga tierno, emotivo y decididamente homoerótico que habla sobre los prejuicios, el desconocimiento y la invisibilidad de la comunidad LGTB en Japón.
La vida tradicional y tranquila de una familia japonesa se trastoca cuando aparece en escena un canadiense gay, viudo del difunto hermano del padre de familia. Eso sirve para que se lleve a cabo un choque cultural enorme que, mediante la mirada desprejuiciada de una niña, reflexiona sobre porque los gays japoneses no tienen los mismos derechos (o la misma presencia en la cultura popular) que los gays del resto de países desarrollados. Esta visita sirve para pensar en voz alta sobre la cultura japonesa y sobre las relaciones familiares.
Es un manga precioso que he disfrutado mucho. Estoy deseando leer los otros dos tomos. Me alegra mucho que me haya gustado, ya que anteriormente lo había intentado con otro puñado de mangas y no había encontrado ninguno que me convenciese. Sería genial que este me abriese la puerta a un género nuevo para mí.
La vida tradicional y tranquila de una familia japonesa se trastoca cuando aparece en escena un canadiense gay, viudo del difunto hermano del padre de familia. Eso sirve para que se lleve a cabo un choque cultural enorme que, mediante la mirada desprejuiciada de una niña, reflexiona sobre porque los gays japoneses no tienen los mismos derechos (o la misma presencia en la cultura popular) que los gays del resto de países desarrollados. Esta visita sirve para pensar en voz alta sobre la cultura japonesa y sobre las relaciones familiares.
Es un manga precioso que he disfrutado mucho. Estoy deseando leer los otros dos tomos. Me alegra mucho que me haya gustado, ya que anteriormente lo había intentado con otro puñado de mangas y no había encontrado ninguno que me convenciese. Sería genial que este me abriese la puerta a un género nuevo para mí.
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