"Wouldn't it be cool... if there was an actor who could play both male and female roles?"
Media: Manga
Approx length: One volume (complete)
Where to find it: Barnes & Noble for $8.99 (ebook)
What is it, in summary? A story about the main character Taiga falling in love with a boy he initially mistakes as a girl who acts for the school's drama club. The beautiful actor in question is Arima Yuu, whose mother raised him as the girl she always wished she'd had (and which is, naturally, the source of the manga's name— Maria). As Taiga and Arima grow closer, Taiga learns more about Arima and his struggles with his gender identity and along the way helps Arima find the courage to act onstage as more than a dancer but as the lead male role in a play.
Content notes: Explicit pedophilia & attempted rape at the start of ch. 4 (The explicit scene ends at pg 129 but it is still a prevalent part of the rest of the plot going forward), sexual assault (pgs 204-211)
What do you love about it? I'm in love with Arima and his journey as a boy whose mother made him live like a girl to exploring his own gender identity as a man throughout the course of the manga, with him eventually settling on just being “Yuu.” Taiga insisted he loves Arima no matter what his gender identity is, and I loved that aspect of their relationship very much. Arima doesn't let the past stop him from pursuing his dreams of becoming an actor despite his unique upbringing. It's trauma and he's healing from it and finding a way to take something that had been torture for him into a tool to improve his acting. Both male and female roles!! Ahh, he's so handsome and beautiful and amazing and— and— [etc.]
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? Absolutely more Arima. More of his snark, more of his face, more of his acting and putting his foot down. I will be asking for character-driven works about Arima and his journey with his identity/sexuality because I love that story and think the closure of getting more "screentime" with him could absolutely fix me. I'd love to see more acting, and kissing, and maybe other things! Arima still has more of his charm to flex and I want to see all of it.
Boy Meets Maria (Manga)
Title: Boy Meets Maria
"Wouldn't it be cool... if there was an actor who could play both male and female roles?"
Media: Manga
Approx length: One volume (complete)
Where to find it: Barnes & Noble for $8.99 (ebook)
What is it, in summary?
A story about the main character Taiga falling in love with a boy he initially mistakes as a girl who acts for the school's drama club. The beautiful actor in question is Arima Yuu, whose mother raised him as the girl she always wished she'd had (and which is, naturally, the source of the manga's name— Maria). As Taiga and Arima grow closer, Taiga learns more about Arima and his struggles with his gender identity and along the way helps Arima find the courage to act onstage as more than a dancer but as the lead male role in a play.
Content notes:
Explicit pedophilia & attempted rape at the start of ch. 4 (The explicit scene ends at pg 129 but it is still a prevalent part of the rest of the plot going forward), sexual assault (pgs 204-211)
What do you love about it?
I'm in love with Arima and his journey as a boy whose mother made him live like a girl to exploring his own gender identity as a man throughout the course of the manga, with him eventually settling on just being “Yuu.” Taiga insisted he loves Arima no matter what his gender identity is, and I loved that aspect of their relationship very much. Arima doesn't let the past stop him from pursuing his dreams of becoming an actor despite his unique upbringing. It's trauma and he's healing from it and finding a way to take something that had been torture for him into a tool to improve his acting. Both male and female roles!! Ahh, he's so handsome and beautiful and amazing and— and— [etc.]
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?
Absolutely more Arima. More of his snark, more of his face, more of his acting and putting his foot down. I will be asking for character-driven works about Arima and his journey with his identity/sexuality because I love that story and think the closure of getting more "screentime" with him could absolutely fix me. I'd love to see more acting, and kissing, and maybe other things! Arima still has more of his charm to flex and I want to see all of it.