From one of Japan's most notable manga artists- a heartbreaking
and redemptive tale of mourning and acceptance that compares and
contrasts the contemporary nature of gay tolerance in the East and
the West
GENGOROH TAGAME is widely regarded as the most talented gay erotic manga writer-artist in Japanand has been drawing comics for more than thirty years. He lives in Tokyo with his husband and is a direct descendant of Samurai warriors. Seriously.
“When a cuddly Canadian comes to call, Yaichi—a single Japanese
dad—is forced to confront his painful past. With his young daughter
Kana leading the way, he gradually rethinks his assumptions about
what makes a family. Renowned manga artist Gengoroh Tagame turns
his stunning draftsmanship to a story very different from his
customary fare, to delightful and heartwarming effect.”
—Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home
“Heartbreaking yet hopeful, Gengoroh Tagame’s beautifully rendered
meditation on the struggle for gay acceptance in today’s Japan is
quietly dazzling. I am already looking forward to part two!”
—Anderson Cooper, CNN
“Beautifully written and drawn—an eye-opening story about children
and parents and how they affect each other. And I’m 11 years old,
so I should know!”
—Clara Ware
“The art is crisp, and the characters’ faces expressive, allowing
the reader to see their hurt, confusion, and relief . . . A
sensitive exploration of the transition some families go through
when a family member comes out and a possible entry point for those
needing to start conversations of their own.”
—Booklist [starred review]
“Not only is My Brother’s Husband very touching; it’s also, for the
non-Japanese reader, unexpectedly fascinating. Gay life remains
largely closeted in Japan, and Tagame’s complex but deftly told
story seeks to examine the effect such secrecy has, not only on
those who must live it, but also on their wider family
relationships.”
—The Guardian (London)
“Gengoroh Tagame’s beautiful manga novel My Brother’s Husband
disentangles family secrets and homophobia with endearing grace . .
. Thoughtful and fetching, My Brother’s Husband is the first in a
two-volume omnibus about grief, reconciliation and the strength to
be who you are.”
—Shelf Awareness [starred review]
“My Brother’s Husband focuses more on the uneasy relationship
between Yaichi, a single father raising his daughter, Kana, and
Mike Flanagan, who was married to Yaichi’s recently deceased (and
estranged) twin brother, Ryoji . . . There’s something beautiful in
the careful way that My Brother’s Husband handles Yaichi’s coming
to terms with his feelings about his brother that’s rarely seen in
mainstream comics. Rather than treating the tension between Mike
and Yaichi as a massively dramatic point on conflict, the book
instead treats it like the complicated and messy holding pattern
that it is . . . The message that Tagame’s trying to get
across—that quiet, subtle bigotry can be just as harmful as loud,
bombastic bigotry—isn’t always an easy one to process. Tagame
understands that and hopefully, as the rest of the book unfolds,
readers will too.”
—io9.com
“My Brother’s Husband is focused on normalizing a gay relationship
to those who are uncomfortable with the idea . . . there’s an
audience and a need for works like this . . . The storytelling is
straightforward, easy to read, particularly for those who might be
new to the medium. There are plenty of panels that establish
detail, so the reader gets a feel for this small family’s daily
life . . . It’s charming and provides hope for the future.”
—Comics Worth Reading
“The story provides a very interesting look at Japanese society
through Yaichi’s struggle to come to terms with his brother’s
sexuality, revealing some of the struggles the Japanese gay
community faces at the same time . . . One of the most notable
things about Tagame’s artwork is just how vastly different it is
from nearly anything I’ve seen before. Not necessarily in terms of
character designs, or settings, but in terms of the gaze itself.
It’s fascinating to see the male body portrayed through the gaze of
a gay male creator . . . There’s a softness and warmth to My
Brother’s Husband that makes it incredibly easy to get into . . .
there’s a strong sense of heart, honesty and earnestness.”
—Sequential Ink
“Refreshing. Transporting. Clever. Inspiring. If these are
qualities that help books rise to the top of your summer reading
list, your new number one is My Brother’s Husband . . . The story
moves along quietly and gently, Tagame cleverly evoking parallels
between mutual misperceptions of gays and straights, older and
younger generations, Westerners and Japanese.”
—Passport Magazine
“This winsome look at culture clash compares the largely
still-closeted Japanese gay culture with the West, underscoring a
theme of universal yearning for family.”
—Library Journal
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