Boys Run the Riot Vol. 01

Boys Run the Riot Vol. 01. 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!

AT THE SEAMS

High schooler Ryo Watari 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 “dresses 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 someone he didn’t expect: Jin. The kid who looked so tough in class has the same taste in fashion as him! At last, Ryo has someone he can open up to—and the journey ahead might finally give him a way to express himself to the world.

Quotes / Reviews:

Best Books for Teens 2021 selection, New York Public Library

Winner, 77th Tetsuya Chiba Prize

Nominee, Harvey Awards

Biographical Notes:

Keito Gaku is a manga artist and transgender man living in Japan. Gaku is winner of the 77th Tetsuya Chiba Prize. His debut manga series and first work to be published in English is Boys Run the Riot.

Title Notes:

Own voices: The debut author is an out Japanese trans man who draws on his experience growing up with gender dysphoria to create a character who’s relatable to every teen who’s felt awkward in their own skin. This kind of serious public discussion of transgender issues in popular fiction is still relatively rare in Japan.

Complete story released in two, 400-page paperbacks.

It will include an interview with the author discussing his life and the circumstances of this series’ creation.

More works by Keito Gaku:

Keito Gaku’s Twitter Page

Keito Gaku’s Instagram Page

More works by Keito Gaku