A transgender teen named Ryo finds an escape from the expectations and anxieties of his daily life in the world of street fashion. This personal, heartfelt, fictional story from a transgender manga creator made waves in Japan and will inspire readers all over the world!
TO BE MY TRUE SELF
Sales for Boys Run the Riot skyrocket when the famous LGBTQ YouTuber WING introduces the brand to their fans…but in the process, also outs Ryo as transgender to the whole world! With his secret now out in the open, Ryo is left to face the confusion of his classmates—most of all from his best friend and crush, Chika—and finds that the regret of staying silent is sometimes worse than the silence itself. Meanwhile, WING has a secret of their own that will soon come back to bite them and stir up an internet mob…
Series Overview: High schooler Ryo knows he’s transgender. But he doesn’t have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can’t tell his best friend, who he’s secretly got a crush on, and he can’t tell his mom, who’s constantly asking why Ryo is always “dressing like a boy.” He certainly can’t tell Jin, the new transfer student who looks like just another bully. The only time Ryo feels at ease is when he’s wearing his favorite clothes. Then, and only then, the world melts away, and he can be his true self. One day, while out shopping, Ryo sees an unexpected sight: Jin. The kid who looked so tough in class is shopping for the same clothes that Ryo loves. And Jin offers Ryo a proposal: to start their own brand and create apparel to help everyone feel comfortable in their skin. At last, Ryo has someone he can open up to—and the journey ahead might finally give him a way to express himself to everyone else.