This was a really fun manga. I was expecting it to be just a silly little manga but this manga actually deals with some important and serious topics. There is plenty of humor mixed in as well but this is overall a solid and serious manga. Definitely give it a read!

He's expecting is a "what if" type story where the main premise is "what if men could suddenly get pregnant?". It was a super interesting concept and really kept me engaged! The main character Kentaro suddenly gets pregnant and has to decide if he wants to keep the baby. A chance meeting with a stranger on a train gets him really thinking about how much pregnancy affects women, but he also sees how isolated men can become if they are pregnant. He decides to do something about it to help men who are pregnant get through it. Of course, because it's men becoming pregnant, you also see how fast things change to improve for pregnant people (better maternity/paternity benefits, etc)

I loved the art style; it was super clean and clear what was happening. There were a lot of characters though, so I did get a bit confused at times figuring out who was who. I think the plot was excellent and shows one scenario of what could potentially happen should men be able to get pregnant in the future.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars

An amazing and refreshing read! A cast of complex, diverse characters in an imperfect world. It goes a lot deeper than just an mpreg book lol.

He's Expecting Volume 1 by Eri Sakai is a story that explores social norms and stigma from unusual perspectives that come across both uncomfortable, questioning, and tough. Portrayed through a series of chapters that put focus on several characters and their day to day lives experiencing the hardships that come with male pregnancy, He's Expecting explores discrimination and stigma about what a family and pregnancy can look like through many facets of situations and lifestyles.

The journey through pregnancy in each of the vignettes within He's Expecting all showcase these heartwarming, sweet changes of heart and learning to love and let go of preconceived notions about pregnancy, either through the normal yet still somewhat judged option of women's pregnancy, or the taboo of male pregnancy. It allows for growth and warmth at each turn, and by the end of volume one, our protagonist we see most has undergone a full change in his own beliefs and care toward children.

Overall, this is the beginning of what feels like a promising and heartwarming series focusing around love, family, and understanding differences.

He's Expecting Vol. 1 by Eri Sakai has a pretty shocking cover but is pretty wholesome on the inside. If you enjoy stories that provide a glimpse into the lives of side characters while still having a main plot, and challenge stereotypes, you'll love slice-of-life.

This text explores themes of male pregnancy, single parenthood, abortion, and marriage for a child authentically and tastefully.
I will admit this felt like a oneshot so I'm not sure where it will go or how they will progress into other vol. and it did feel rushed even if I enjoyed it.

Yes, I was pro-choice before this manga. Yes, now I'm even more pro-choice. Especially since page two point blank tells you "Welp, since males don't have birth canals, an abortion is even more dangerous than a c-section for men." Pro-abortion all the way, thank you.

Back to the review: this manga is about dealing with stigma around pregnancy and child-rearing while absolutely ignoring any other topics like transgender people. People are like "I was afraid it would be insensitive but it wasn't" but it was. The main character literally is in denial and keeps lashing out at women by commenting like "Giving birth is a woman's job." And then "you were gay all along!?" type of reactions by his coworker. The story got better because the main character "owned" his pregnancy but it did happen.

This manga had its ups and downs. I wish it had just a little more ups than its downs for me. 3 stars.

'He's Expecting' follows work-driven Kento on his journey of discovering his pregnancy and adapting to the changes of single-parenthood. In an alternate world where men are also able to have children, Eri Sakai provides mild social commentary on how the world would react through a collection of several stories.

I wasn't quite sure what to think in the beginning but the concept was actually pretty well executed! The ending felt rather wholesome with all the couples finally coming together and communicating their issues, and I'm actually curious to see how Kento will cope with his child as the series progresses.

I also liked how he formed the 'Daddy and Baby' cafe and helped to create acceptance around the idea of fathers being pregnant in their world.


— Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha comics for providing an eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own

Wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but I ended up really liking this story and the characters! In a world where men have developed the ability to become pregnant (cis-het men - this process still requires one biological male and one biological female to produce a child), we see a business man who sleeps around becoming pregnant and he’s not entirely sure who the mother is.

It was great to see male characters go through the same thought process women must go through when it comes to unexpected pregnancies, the inability to bear children, the judgment from others when you’re single and pregnant, and the fears of child birth.

I’m not quite sure how they’ll make this into a series rather than a standalone, but I really enjoyed this one!

2023 52 Book Challenge - 4) Title Starting With The Letter H

I thought this was a pretty nice read. It tried for a bit of social commentary on the issues of pregnancy and the impact of pregnancy on a person. I liked the characters and I can't wait for book 2.

He's Expecting is the kind of realistic manga that I love. In this world, male pregnancy has become a reality, although it only affects a very small portion of the population. When salaryman Kentaro suddenly discovers he's pregnant, he learns more about how pregnant men are treated, and fights against the stigmas given to other men in his situation. It's an interesting take, and I love how Eri Sakai touches on how realistic this situation would be, such as the need for C-sections and surgery for abortions. There is also quite a lot of commentary on Japanese society and how pregnancy is viewed as well. One of the side chapters touches on a husband who really needs a reality check when he becomes pregnant and mopes around. Overall, really enjoyed this one, and looking forward to seeing what characters are featured in volume 2 now that Kentaro's story is basically finished.

This was a super interesting commentary on pregnancy and social expectations! While still being light and fun, this book shows what the world would be like if men could get pregnant - all by flipping gender norms on their head and showing the true, sinister colors of the expectations put on pregnant people and those with children. Super fascinating read!

I've read enough speculative fiction where men are taken out of the equation (like Ooku or Y: The Last Man), but there's really not enough published material out there (mpreg fan fiction aside) about AMAB men getting pregnant. Sakai handles those details pretty well, even presenting an AFAB character that serves (albeit briefly) as a pregnancy buddy to our protagonist. A clever twist in the story is that there is no quick and easy abortion option for pregnant men, in addition to all C-sections as the only option for labor. This is all presented through the lens of a creator who has a different cultural background (no Roe v. Wade or pro-life extremists in Japan), so when we do get an example of an abortion, it still a private matter. Of course, with the specter of Shinzo Abe hovering in the back of my head as I read this, there's all the things the Japanese wants to fix their falling birth rates, but there is no clear path towards that from the norms about pregnancy or small children. Supposedly this is a first volume and I'm not entirely sure what a second volume would bring (more details on the other pregnant people featured briefly in this volume perhaps), but then again no two pregnancies are the same.

This was so much deeper and thoughtful than I was expecting! I really enjoyed it, and I loved how there was loosely interconnected chapters told from the perspective of other pregnant men or the wives of pregnant men.
This says it's volume 1, so I'm curious about where a volume 2 would go? Kentaro's story was wrapped up with a bow, so will we get all new characters?

Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Eri Sakai for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

"He's Expecting" is an absolute hoot! I was wondering where this manga would go, although it was a bit hard to get past the unexplained biological factor during my reading. Kentaro is pregnant, and while men have a much less high probability, it is possible for them to become pregnant. As a single father- he takes the ridicule and makes it into something amazing. He builds his own restaurant catered to men with children, or who are pregnant. Just one step to shift society's view on the matter!

It was a little odd to get into this manga at first, but it is a truly wholesome story. The political climate of the book isn't too heavy, and the characters and their stories are all unique. While the manga says "Vol. 1," I don't know how this story will progress further or whose story it will tell next, but this first volume felt like a nice wrap-up with a well-rounded ending. An excellent risk for the publisher to take, sure to be a fun success!

He's Expecting is something else and I'm glad manga like this is made! Mpreg that isn't laughing at the matter or being eroticized or anything. No wonder this is josei, but sadly so only two books long. Kentaro Hiyama is a career oriented guy, who suddenly learns he's pregnant, but isn't sure to whom. In this world men can get pregnant too, but can give birth only through C-section. The manga is about him and his struggles as a pregnant man and we got see the female perspective too. The setting is very interesting and important too as we get to see the whole thing from the Japanese point of view. I just think two books aren't enough for the juicy topic and many important parts are bypassed like the actual birth and such. This series would've needed more time and space.

The art is OK and works well with the story line. It's not amazing, but enough to work nicely. We get inside the head of the characters, which is the best part, even though there's way more potential. Still, I think this series is a bold and awesome choice and I actually wish men would read this.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a free copy of this manga.

So, this may seem like a weird pick, but I kinda like pregnancy stories. If you also like them, I would recommend reading this one, but keep in mind that this is not a romance. This history focuses more on social commentary: Would society be more inclusive if men were the ones getting pregnant? Or would they also have to deal with being treated diferent?.
How this manga presents everyone story to answer this questions was really interesting to read.
It is also short, so it's great to pass the time.
Favorite part: "i'will be damned if I let a man show me how it's done"

So in this world men can now have babies too but it happens far less than the other way around.

The main character decides the world doesn't respect or know enough about men who get prego. So he opens up a place for Men who get pregnant and work through it together. This leads to most chapters being about other characters and all linking to him eventually. It's enjoyable and covers a lot of pregnant issues and joys on both ends. It ends with a huge time skip which was interesting, and wonder how they'll continue.

A 3.5 but I'll bump it to a 4.

An interesting premise and an interesting read! I like how each chapter focused on a different character in a different situation but the main character still popped up in different ways throughout. We got to see a lot of perspectives of teen pregnancy/termination, the father getting pregnant a few years after the mother was pregnant and the development of the relationship between Kentaro and his baby's mother which is certainly unconventional. Overall there is only so much you can do and explore in a single volume and you could really flesh out some of the commentary if there was subsequent volumes but I think the author does a good job at keeping it concise and showing how pregnant people can be seen negatively in society and in the workplace. I didn't expect Kentaro to capitalise on his pregnancy so literally which was almost humorous in a way. I think an LGBTQIA+ perspective in the book could have been very interesting to explore, maybe if the author decided to make a sequel.

This was a very interesting (and often cute) thought experiment on gender roles in modern society and how they can be both reinforced and turned upside down. I especially enjoyed the narrative of the mother who has to pull her husband out of his self-pity.

Thanks NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc

4.5/5 stars

I didn't know what to expect going into this, but this was actually so wholesome and uplifting! It ends in such a way that I wouldn't think there would be more in the series, so I'm interested to see where it goes but also feel ok with leaving this as is.