Thread of LGBTQIA+ manga

Whether fictional or autobiographical, each explore themes around sexuality and gender, love and relationships, prejudice and acceptance... absolute must-read recs representing the community

Shimanami Tasogare (Our Dreams At Dusk)

Centred around an informal LGBTQ+ community center in Japan, it explores the struggles and joys of several different queer people - such as a closeted high school boy, a transman, a lesbian couple, an asexual, and so many more...

Otouto no Otto (My Brother's Husband)

This is a wholesome story about prejudice, cultural differences, family and acceptance. A single dad from Japan meets his late brother's friendly Canadian husband, which forces him to confront his own deep-seated prejudice towards LGBT

Fukakai na Boku no Subete o (Love Me For Who I Am)

Predominantly about a non-binary character confronting labels and gender roles, challenging societal expectations that are projected on to trans people, with a supportive cast featuring many more LGBT characters

Boys Run the Riot

Follows the story of a transman in high school struggling with gender dysphoria, while tackling the pressures of societal conformity that denies his gender identity

Gay Fuuzoku no Mochigi-san (Mochigi-san of the Gay Brothel)

An eye-opening autobiography about a gay man's experience in the sex industry. His manga portrays the reality gay prostitution in Tokyo, while his insight and humour makes for a lighthearted read

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness

An autobiography that centres on author Kabi Hagata's struggles with mental health leading to the decision to hire a lesbian escort. It's an honest and vulnerable read portraying her self-reflection on sexuality, mental illness & more

My Solo Exchange Diary

A continuation of her previous book, this volume furthers into Kabi Hagata's struggles after the first book's release, with a focus on finding love and happiness while figuring out how to navigate life with anxiety and depression

Until I Meet My Husband

Based on a famous essay by a Japanese gay activist, this manga tells the story of his life leading from his childhood up to his marriage to his husband, becoming the first same-sex marriage couple in Japan

Hanayome wa Motodanshi (The Bride was a Boy)

An adorable and informative read about a trans woman who marries a man who thinks the world of her. This manga tells the true story of the author's life from childhood, through to sex reassignment surgery, towards her marriage

Ao no Flag (Blue Flag)

A drama series about a boy who loves a boy who loves a girl who loves a boy. It's a twist on typical shoujo romance with lots of discussion about love, gender, sexuality - suited in a high school setting that makes this story close to realistic

Honey & Honey

Takeuchi Sachiko's autobiography details her life with her girlfriend, with first-hand tellings of LGBT (though mostly lesbian/FtM transfolk) life in Japan. There are serious topics depicted but they're shown very light-heartedly, even making fun of some situations

Hourou Musuko (Wandering Son)

A story about two transgender kids, and eventually more... starting with a boy who wants to be a girl and a girl who wants to be a boy. It's effective in that its not dramatic, trading shocking revelations to cumbersome explorations of gender & self

My Son Is Probably Gay

A sweet, open-minded mother starts suspecting one of her sons might be gay. Chapters are short and insightful, from the perspective of a mother who only wants to support her son without pressure and only love

Hare no Hi (A Fine Day)

A father comes across his son's love letter and finds out he's gay, and feels conflicted about the situation because he is also gay. This is a one-shot short story about a caring father opening up about sexuality and being supportive of his son.

Lesbian-teki Kekkon Seikatsu

An autobiographical manga about a married lesbian couple who decide to have a baby. The manga goes into detail about the trials of same-sex adoption in Japan, where they face criticism, legal battles, surrogacy difficulties and more

Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!! (Go For It, Nakamura!)

An insanely cute story of a shy high school boy's crush on his classmate. This is comedic, sweet, wholesome, fluffy, charming, with an 80's shoujo style for a nostalgic touch. It's an adorable light read that deserves all the praise

Love My Life

Written in the early 2000s, this story about a lesbian couple still holds up as it explores the trials of homosexual relationships from a Japanese societal view, and all the complicated feelings about family, gender, and sexuality

Smells Like Green Spirit

A much darker take on LGBT issues, where various characters are victim to the effects of severe homophobia, manifesting into internal homophobia and denial of self. It's morbidly realistic in its portrayal of the struggles gay/questioning men go through

Is - Otoko Demo Onna Demo Nai Sei

This manga tells stories of intersex characters and their struggles of navigating gender identity in a society that pressures them to be conventionally one or the other. It's educational and also thought-provoking as each character differs..