As a reader you know that Cocoa isn't what 'she' seems to be. Cocoa is the alter-ego of a man when he dresses up as a woman, and he's quite good at it. Cocoa originally starts going to the café meets for the desserts, but it quickly evolves to her going in hopes of seeing Opera, another member of the group of four sweets lovers. But Opera isn't what she seems either. Opera is also a man.

So this is my first official LBGTQ+ manga that includes cross-dressing, trans, and self-declared femboy characters. I usually stick to the gay and lesbian love stories (My love mix up for example), and this was an interesting read for more than just the story. As crass as it sounds it can be broken down to basically a two cross dressers, one trans woman and a self described femboy for to a café for sweet treats. Hopes for developing further relationships occur, but I don't think it does the book justice for all the relevant issues it casually addresses.

Cocoa hopes to get to know Opera better and even goes so far as to ask her to teach her how to be more feminine. Opera is amazingly good at make up, finding flattering clothing, and keeping up appearances. Cocoa wants her to teach her how to be just as good (aka, little things like not leaving the toilet seat up in a gender neutral washroom). But the manga doesn't just cover their adventures, it also covers a bit of the other two as well..

The book dives into the why of it for Opera and Cocoa. Cocoa is actually a decently famous male stage actor. In his normal day life, Satoshi (aka Cocoa), is viewed as extremely attractive and 'masculine,' meaning he doesn't love sweets, etc. He also can't float through a crowd unnoticed very well. After dressing as a woman at work, he starts playing with the idea of going out as a woman in order to feel more comfortable. Opera started cross dressing while still in school. His friends begged him (they went to an all male school) and Opera decided to give it a go, only to find his friends liked it and so did he.

The manga itself feels very episodic, with each chapter covering some different point in time. While it's mostly day to day occurrences for the 4 it covers some interesting things that most of us may not always think about. For example, gender neutral washrooms. They only go to places with gender neutral bathrooms so they don't have to make decisions like whether or not to go into the men's washroom dressed as a woman. Other things like facial hair, fake breasts, being outed in public, transgender issues, pronoun use, and bisexuality are touched upon throughout the book.

But it can't all be heavy, so the author applies a bit of comic relief to keeps things light occasionally.

Conclusion?

Educational for anyone not overly familiar with these types of things. Again, goes over things like washrooms, facial hair, pronoun use, etc. The art is pretty with a more classic manga style feel to it. The characters are interesting and I did find myself wondering how things will turn out for these people. Can't wait to read the next one!

Just to get this out of the way, I found an Editor's Note at the end of my ARC of "I Cross-Dressed for the IRL Meetup" which indicates that the publisher's editorial team is taking the subject matter seriously. This manga is light-hearted but does not use cross-dressing as a gag or a punchline, showing that the author is also respectfully portraying cross-dressing in their work. The titular IRL meetup group became friends after meeting online and visiting dessert shops together. They've tried other similar meetup groups, but this is the only one wherein they really got along well with the others. The cross-dressing happens for multiple reasons that they do get into, but overall I see this premise as a critique of gender expectations and how sweets/desserts have been considered a "feminine" thing in Japan (case in point: Men's Pocky). I had fun reading this but now I want desserts and have "Boys & Girls" by Blur stuck in my head.

"Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A group of online friends share a fondness for sweet treats and start meeting up once a month at various cafes and places that sell cake. Initially, they all present as women, but it is quickly revealed that two are men who cross-dress, for various reasons, one is a femme boy who likes wearing women’s clothing, and one is a trans woman.

This 2-volumes-in-1 story addresses gender identity and gender expression, in a cute little story that contains lots of cake! Throughout, you find out the reasons why the various characters choose to present themselves in the ways that they do, and I quickly grew fond of all of them. I definitely would love the opportunity to read more of their story, as I feel like there could definitely be at least one romantic relationship brewing in the group! "

I went into this manga with low expectations because of how Japanese media tends to treat transgender people, and it ended up being SUCH a pleasant surprise. It treats gender identity and gender presentation that strays from the norm with respect, and the characters and scenarios are so lovable and fun. Light-hearted and fun stories about exploring gender and transness are so scarce in the anime and manga world, and this one was just a delight. I have already recommended this manga to a couple people, and will continue to do so.

When I first started reading I Cross-Dressed for the IRL Meetup I wasn't sure how tactfully queer identities where going to be addressed, if they were addressed at all. Luckily, I need not have worried, as this manga showcases a wide range of experiences and identities and does so in a delicate manner. The stories fall into a vignette style and are very slice-of-life, however there is character growth and progression throughout. I did struggle to tell the four main characters apart, however by the end I started to get the hang of it. A very cute comedy series that fits in well with other cross-dressing/gender-queer manga.

**reviewed from uncorrected eARC via netgalley

shonen romantic comedy manga (volume 1 includes the first two issues of the series). I found this very confusing at first (I would have trouble keeping track of 4 new names/hairstyles IRL, and even more so in a manga where characters also have alternate identities and all the pretty faces have the same aesthetic), but when there were only two characters outside of the group meetups it got easier, and once it gets going it's cute! Plus there are some helpful refresher cues sprinkled throughout to help readers keep track of who is who and who knows what.
Cocoa-San becomes fast friends (and maybe more than friends?) with the cute girl he's had his eye on, Opera-San. Their shared love for sweet desserts provide a basis for meeting up together outside the group and there are plenty of embarrassing (and super cute) moments that follow.

The characters are sweet and the set up provides a welcome gender-bending escape--I was unable to find much info about the author/artist Kurano so can't vouch for queer representation, but there is a helpful editor's note at the end about gender presentations and the gender spectrum, and the content is enjoyable nonetheless.

I would like to thank NetGallery and Kodansha Comics for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was a lightheaded story about a group of 4 people that meet up to eat sweets. This has lgbt+ characters but never real life dramas. Easy to read and never stressful.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This was such a cute manga! I wasn’t sure what to expect with the title, but I’m glad this ended up being good. I really loved how this manga focused on gender identity. I’m interested in reading more of this series.

This story follows a guy who cross-dresses to meet up with a group of girls to eat sweets. The Funny thing is they all have the same secret, which comes out through the story. I think the funniest part of this story is the girl in the background who keeps overhearing them as they reveal their secrets. Would be interesting in seeing where this story goes.

This was a super fun and cute manga 1st volume and i cannot wait to read the rest of the series, Learning about Cocoa and why she cross dresses and her 'real' identity aswell as learning about Opera-san, Lemon-san and Taro-San was also super fun.

While this story is about Cross dressing there is also Trans representation in the story line which was nice to see.

3.5 stars

Not really my cup of tea. (I know I like to go into things without preconceived notions, but sometimes I feel like I should have read the blurb more completely.)

The art was decent, but I did have problems differentiating the characters for more than half the book. (All of volume 1 basically.)

There wasn't much in the way of plot. I like character growth to happen within a story rather than the growth being the story.

**Review of *I Crossdressed for the IRL Meetup***

*I Crossdressed for the IRL Meetup* is a delightful and heartwarming manga that expertly navigates themes of identity, friendship, and love in a refreshing and engaging way. This charming story, encompassing volumes 1 and 2, follows Cocoa—actually Satoshi—a young man who cross-dresses to fit into an all-girls meetup centered around sweets and desserts.

From the outset, the manga captures the tension and excitement of online interactions and the challenges that come with presenting oneself authentically. Cocoa’s initial motivations for joining the group are simple: a love for delicious treats and a desire for connection. However, as the story unfolds, it evolves into a rich exploration of gender nonconformity and self-acceptance.

The friendships Cocoa forms with the other girls in the group are beautifully illustrated, showcasing the warmth and camaraderie that blossom over shared desserts and laughter. Each character is well-developed, and the dynamics among them create a relatable and inviting atmosphere. The pivotal moment when Opera discovers Cocoa’s secret leads to a surprising twist that deepens the plot, revealing Opera’s own hidden identity and mutual feelings. Their relationship becomes a tender exploration of attraction that transcends traditional gender norms.

The art style is vibrant and expressive, perfectly complementing the lighthearted tone of the story while also capturing the deeper emotional moments. The dessert cafes are depicted with such charm that readers can almost taste the sweets themselves!

What truly stands out about *I Crossdressed for the IRL Meetup* is its celebration of authenticity and the courage it takes to be oneself. The manga balances comedy and heartfelt moments with finesse, making it an enjoyable read for those who appreciate stories about self-discovery and acceptance.

Overall, this manga is a sweet treat that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. It’s a joyful reminder that love and friendship can flourish in the most unexpected places, and that being true to oneself is the most delicious journey of all. A must-read for fans of lighthearted romantic comedies and anyone curious about the beautiful complexities of identity!

A fun and pleasant manga about four friends who cross dress but don't know it to begin with. It was cute and easy to make your way through, though I'd agree with the other reviews that say there isn't really much more to it than that, but sometimes you don't need anything more than a book that makes you smile and lets you while away a gentle hour or two.

3.5-4 stars

I thought this was a really cute story overall. It did get a bit confusing between all the characters and I wish there was a little more of the minor characters in the story. I was also pretty confused on the movement between panels and pages. At times, I felt like the pages were out of order since what was happening in the story was kind of confusing.

I would say that the storyline was nice, but could do with some more backstory on all four characters from the meetup. It really could do with more explanation within the story (not in the character pages in the beginning of each volume) of who each character is and their situation.

This was just a fun comedy manga, it questions at least partly if also in a light way the stereotypes of genders and that was interesting. I will likely keep reading this if I am looking for some lighthearted comedy (it gives a bit less fluffy slice of life than other comedies that involve romance and is more based on friendship and just weird "by-chance meeting" comedy).

3.5/5

This book was so much fun. It was silly and cute and just overall a really good slice of life story. I personally think gender and gender expression were handled quite well in this story. I wouldn't say the translator's note at the end was very necessary. Everything said or thought by the characters was in good faith. Nobody ever questioned Kantentarou and her being a trans woman. They were all perfectly fine with it. I also liked that they kind of slid in that Lemon doesn't really care about his gender and how he is perceived and that he was openly bisexual. Opera and Cocoa are super cute and fun friends and definitely my favorite pair. They were so funny sometimes with the situations they found themselves in. Overall a really fun read. I can't wait to read the whole series.

This story relies too heavily on the cross dressing trope. There wasn't any substance to the story and sadly it was boring.

Review to be posted in October on my blog/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

A fun meeting over sweets with four girls ends up with a lot more surprises than anyone had expected. This was a lot of fun to read (and made me laugh more than once) and I love seeing them all still meet up even when the secrets were all out. I am kinda happy that there is no romance (at least not yet) between Cocoa and Opera, I don't know, I just don't see the click. I am hoping for romance between Lemon and Kan because I just love those two together and I do see a click between them.

I loved that we didn't just get to see Cocoa and Opera as their cross-dressed personas, but also see them outside of that. Find out more about their personalities, and how they got into cross-dressing + how they got so good at it. Plus, see them explore more things about cross-dressing, getting even better at make-up (I wish I was that good, haha, and with me many other characters in the manga), wigs, and more.

I love that we get to see things from various POVs. The main focus is of course Cocoa and Opera, but we also see Lemon/Kan, which made me smile.

Plus, I hope to see more of that girl that coincidentally was there each time something happened. Which just made me laugh so much, how does that happen. XD

I also enjoyed the art a lot! It was so much fun.

All in all, this one made me laugh SO much, it was chaotic but not in a bad way, and I definitely want to read the next volumes in the series~

I had my reservations going on this one, but the summary made me trust and, man, I wasn´t dissapointed!

This is a cozy and wholesome story about 4 women who meet online and decide to hang out together at coffee shops (because they all like sweets) as a group of friends. But, early in the comic, we find out one of the girls is trans, and the three others are boys cross-dressing.

It was great seeing how this different people embraced their sexuality and had different reasons for cross-dressing (the most common and brief of it was simply that they liked dressing like that). I personally loved that, once it was discovered this plot, it was treated naturally and not questioned or ridiculed (no, this is not common for manga, that´s part of the reason why I like this development so much). The characters kept cross-dressing for the entire story and, chapter by chapter, we found out a bit more about them.

I hope more volumes get translated and published, because this one was a jewel. I recommend.

I initially picked up this book hoping for Princess Jellyfish vibes, but this is not that – and in a great way! The story kicks off with Opera and Cocoa meeting two other friends for a pastry-filled lunch date. Early on, one of the friends is immediately recognized as a cross-dresser by another member of the group, and from there, the story unfolds into the origin stories of each character. While potentially triggering subjects are touched on, they’re handled with care and subtlety. Each character in this friend group is so interesting and unique. I highly recommend it!