Starting "Boys Run the Riot" I knew nothing about the manga, nor about the mangaka who made it. However, based on the cover, I knew it'll be something I'd like. And how correct was I! I found the story told in this first volume of the hopefully long series simply riveting. The characters, especially the transgender Ryo, are complex and real in a way that's very different from a lot of manga; the story is realistic and engaging; and the angst felt by Ryo - relatable. I can't wait to read the next volume!

With beautiful representation and an amazing art style to show it Boys Run the Riot is a great manga. It shows struggles of figuring out who you are and coming out. It shows acceptance and a strong friendship. The ending of the manga was beautiful and had me pre-ordering volume two the minute I finished. I can’t wait to see how these characters grow and progress because the author did such a great job with introducing the reader to them and making them seem so real and raw.

Inspiring and amazing and EVERYONE should be reading this book! There's nothing else to say other than that.

This is the first time I've ever read a manga featuring a transgender man. I usually see crossdressing men or transgender women used mostly as comic relief. This is a rare take in manga where gender identity is taken seriously. I really enjoyed seeing how passionate and happy Ryo became after meeting Jin. It felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders once he was able to express himself through fashion and not be scrutinized about it.

This was an absolutely fantastic read, and I really liked the art style – the slightly edgier approach worked so well with the story and the characters, and I don’t think the story would have felt right in any other style. The story itself is not always easy to read, but the journey of the characters, and the search for identity and acceptance were so beautifully done, and Ryo and Jin are great characters that you can’t help but be invested in.

I adored the first volume of this manga. Conceptually, I think this going to reach a wide range of readers and I couldn't be more thrilled to see transgender representation and the whole theme of finding what you want in life and going for it. This will have a wide appeal for many readers and I look forward to seeing where this goes in subsequent volumes. Also, the artwork is absolutely stunning and is sure to capture readers attention as well. A must have for all YA manga collections, most definitely.

Absolutely amazing new manga series! The interview with the creator was excellent. The fact that we are getting more queer manga from LGBTQIA + creators is an amazing trend in the North American manga market. Boys Run the Riot might just be the best series I've read in years.

English Review:
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me this free ebook in exchange for a honest review!

4 / 5 stars

Boys Run the Riot follows Ryo, a trans boy who, after almost buying the same shirt as Jin, the new boy in school, he offers him to start a fashion lin. But in the way, we will see Ryo struggle with his identity and how that will affect the process of following his dream.

I don't usually read mangas, so at the beginning I struggle with getting used to its format; but once I did I was able to enjoy the story, which has a good pacing and, taking into account how short it is.

Both Ryo and Jin seemed really interesting characters, and I enjoyed the bond they made with each other throughout the book. The only thing I didn't like as much was the fact that Ryo wasn't the only protagonist; it wasn't bad, only that taking into account how the book was promoted, I was expecting to read him during all the book.

In conclusion, Boys Run the Riot is a great manga for those looking for a quick yet entertaining read, and I can't wait for Volume 2!


Reseña en Español:
¡Muchas gracias a NetGalley por darme este libro a cambio de una reseña honesta!

4 / 5 estrellas

Boys Run the Riot sigue a Ryo, un chico trans que despues de accidentalmente comprar la misma camisa que Jin, el chico nuevo de su escuela, él le ofrece empezar una marca de ropa. Pero en el proceso, veremos a Ryo tener dificultades con su identidad y como esto afectará su camino a seguir su sueño.

No suelo leer muchos mangas, por lo que al principio me costó acostumbrarme a su formato; pero una vez que lo hice pude disfrutar muy bien de la historia, la cuál tiene un buen desarrollo y, tomando en cuenta lo corto que es, en ningún momento se siente apresurado.

Tanto Ryo como Jin me parecieron personajes muy interesantes, y me gustó mucho la relación que se formó entre ellos durante el libro. Lo único que no me agradó del todo fue el hecho que Ryo no fue protagonista por todo el libro; no me pareció algo malo, solo que tomando en cuenta como se promocionaba, esperaba poder leerlo a él durante toda la novela.

En conclusión, Boys Run the Riot es un gran manga para los que buscan una lectura rápida pero entretenida, y espero con ansias el segundo volumen.

This is the first volume in a series about Ryuu, a trans high schooler, who unintentionally befriends Jin, a new transfer student, and the two decide to start a clothing brand together.

Honestly, this book cleared my skin, watered my crops, and filled my bank account. It was lovely and uplifting, with some great queer-affirming messages and soft moments.

Ryuu explores his trans identity through clothing and there are some really beautiful moments of gender euphoria when he's wearing clothes he feels good in. I also loved Ryuu and Jin's burgeoning friendship and how Jin instantly accepts Ryuu for who he is, and reminds him (and us as readers) that it's a gift to the world to be your true self.

I got on the manga hype train when I was about 15 and I've been riding it ever since, but in recent years I definitely haven't read as much as I used to. So it was lovely to start a new series that reignited my excitement for manga and desire to pick up more.

Content warnings for misgendering, transphobia, bullying, violence.

A fantastic series reminiscent of Princess Jellyfish's plot of making clothes that people feel comfortable in but with a trans youth taking this endeavor on with the help of an unlikely friend and ally.
Wonderful representation and engaging plot.

Ryo is a trans man in high school where he has not yet come out and is still forced to wear a girls uniform. Ryo becomes friends with Jin and together they decide to start a fashion line. A trans story that will surely have a huge following among LGBTQ youth and allies. The reality of being a trans teen who has not yet come out is explored along with the general themes of the search for identity, individuality and friendships common for teen characters. Overall, an excellent start to a new series that will hopefully gain a following not just in the US and Japan.

This book is about self-discovery and acceptance and I am totally recommending this to all. The journey, the plot, the characters, everything was beautifully written. I liked the art as well. Do read it

"It’s okay if the only one who knows the real me is me."
•
In the first chapter, I thought it was kind of over simplistic with the struggle of queer identity, but maybe that's bec I've regularly consumed queer media so this doesn't feel that new to me at this point.

BUT

when the dam broke - when Ryu let all his feelings out for probably the first time ever - it didn't matter. There might've been fairly common experiences here, but when it's this honest, and personal, and beautifully written, the impact of coming out, even to just one person, is still very powerful. I'd say it's amplified, even, bec it was Ryu taking charge of his own story, his own life. And I loved it!

And, in the next few chapters, he gets to find people who are outcasts in their own way, and they start to build a business while also forming a friendship that is strong and beautiful from the very beginning.

Another thing I found really nice about this is that the chapters weren't always Ryu-centric, there were parts focused on Jin and/or Watari's character development, but it didn't completely steer away from Ryu and his trans narrative. The others' stories and developments were complimentary to Ryu's personal journey and it was really great to witness all the characters get better and better. And all the chapters ended positively and I appreciate the good vibes balancing some heavy ones.

I highly recommend this if you're looking to read more books with trans characters! I can't wait for whatever's next in this series!

A stunning coming of age queer slice of life manga that we all need to read. Two seemingly different students one classified as a bully ( from looks alone ) and one who is trying to clearly define their gender role start a fashion brand. Starting a business focuses less on gender roles and more on joining forces to grow their business which allows Watari to focus not what other people may think about their gender but focus more on business growth and mobilising people to help grow their brand.

Important themes are discussed in a relatable way. I loved this book/manga

Such a cool ownvoices story! It was definitely not easy reading about how difficult it was for our MC to be accepted for who he was, but the journey he goes on was awesome to read. And I loved the art style so much, it's a slightly different style of manga to what I'm used to and I thought the slightly edgier style really matched with the events of the book!

Boys Run the Riot was such a treat! Reading such an amazing story of a young trans person created by a trans author was fantastic! Ryo's struggles throughout the volume to be seen as his true gender were hard to watch but seeing him slowly become more confident in himself thanks to Jin's support was touching. I really enjoyed the mix with the fashion industry in this series too, as a fashion lover it is nice seeing how presenting a certain way is such a powerful way to find comfort in your real self when society refuses to view you that way. I look forward to seeing how the next few volumes of this series go!!!

At this point, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. This is an #ownvoices manga about a transgender teen named Ryo who struggles to figure out how to be seen how he sees himself. The requirement of uniforms in the Japanese education system makes this hard, but he cannot exactly come out and tell the school what's up. Feeling depressed and frustrated, Ryo one day finds himself caught up with the force of nature that is Jin, who doesn't worry about what other people think and who chases after his dreams with a confidence Ryo can't help but envy. After a chance encounter leads both Ryo and Jin to see they have more in common than they thought, the two decide to create a street fashion label together to put their unique talents and mutual interests to work.

Things don't necessarily go easy for Ryo, even after he's theoretically found a place, but it was great to see the ways Ryo was growing even in the first chapters. I cannot wait to read the second volume. The art style of this manga is great. It has clean lines, but is detailed enough to appeal to fans of more intricate drawing styles. This works really well for the gorgeous renditions of Ryo's street art and the fashion presented throughout the book.

I wish I could fully express how heartwarming it was to see Ryo expressed on the page. He felt authentic and fully realized, and I easily found myself rooting for him. Reading this, I could just imagine the ways teens in my community might feel seen or identify with Ryo's struggles, whether they identify as trans or not. The book also includes an interview with the author, which was enlightening to the the nature of LGBTQ+ issues from the Japanese perspective. I lived in Japan for an extended period of time, but they were just starting the public conversation about LGBTQ+ rights.

”Boys Run the Riot” fights off perceptions and misconceptions (Opinions portion of Article)

“Boys Run the Riot” is a powerful story that many can relate to whether or not the reader is a part of the queer community. One can feel the intense frustration Ryo has with his situation, being unable to be who he really is at a pivotal part of his life. Gaku, a trans man himself, said in the postscript interview that he took inspirations from his past and surroundings. It is rare to have a manga with a transgender lead created by a trans artist. Most manga fans are used to seeing female protagonists caught into weird and comedic circumstances and having to disguise themselves as guys, like “Ouran High School Host Club” and “Hana Kimi” or vice versa. However “Boys Run the Riot” has a foundation in reality and has scenes that reflect some of the experiences trans people have. His art conveys the emotional moments of the manga well and the details reflect the amount of research and collaboration with others. Gaku mentions the people he worked with to make Volume One, including street artists and members of the fashion industry. All this results into this wonderful book of a very meaningful human drama.

this was not bad, but I don't think it was made for me. I couldn't really connect to the characters and therefore I wasn't really invested in the story. I did love the premise of the story: a closeted trans boy and a troublemaker team up to create a brand that's supposed to make everyone feel comfortable in their own skin. The art was amazing, but I just don't think manga is really for me? :/

In all honesty, I wasn't too impressed by this. It was a nice one-time read, but it's not something I would want to purchase and have on my shelf. Why, you may ask. Well, the main reason of it was the photographer guy, and they way Ryo treats him. Itsuka has just had the camera he received from his father get smashed, of course he's sad about it. Anyone would be, since it meant a lot to him, and someone destroyed it. But Ryo calls Itsuka a "skinny asshole" and "a waste of a pair of balls". How is that okay? How is that acceptable? That's bullying, why the heck does Itsuka still help him/them after that? It makes no sense to me, and while up until then I liked Ryo, he has lost my respect at that point. And for me, having a very unsympathetic main character is more than enough to make me not want to read the next volume. Sorry.