Boys Run the Riot is a series whose English release I've been waiting for with bated breath and it absolutely did not disappoint! The first volume in the series introduces us to several characters struggling and overcoming society's expectation of and insistence on what is deemed "normal". Our protagonist Ryo is a trans boy who buries his true self and uses graffiti art and fashion as venues for self-expression. This love of fashion connects him to Jin, an older student who stands out and embraces this. Together they start working on building a fashion brand that calls upon others to rid themselves of shame and embrace their true selves. I loved following this cast of characters and am very excited to see where things go next for them! Also really appreciated that the volume ends with an interview with author Keito Gaku about being a trans man working in the manga industry and how his work came to be. An excellent volume all around, a perfect pick for Pride month tables, those interested in new perspectives in manga or fans of art & fashion (the collaboration with other artists for Ryo's graffiti calls to mind Blue Period which may pair well with this volume).

I absolutely loved this. I found the story engaging and easy to follow and the characters so, so adorable. Thank you for the e-arc!

A beautiful story that follows multiple characters who are learning to stay true to themselves without being ashamed.

I really enjoyed reading this and I can't wait to read the other volumes in this series. I thought the portrayal of a trans main character was done very well and I can't wait to continue following Ryo as he learns more and more about his identity. The different relationship dynamics in this story were also pretty interesting, I'm excited to see how they develop in the following volumes. Overall, I would definitely recommend this manga and I hope others can find a sense of comfort within Ryo and his friendship with Jin.

4.5/5 stars, rounded up where needed!

ryu is a closeted trans boy just trying to make it through the day when a new kid joins his class: jin. jin is outspoken, loud, and unabashedly different and himself—and seems like a total bully. when the two run into each other when shopping for the same style of clothes, ryu realizes there may be a way to express himself after all.

i really enjoyed reading this manga! i was immediately excited to see a trans protagonist, and one that was starting his own fashion line! the concept alone was just really exciting to me. i also appreciated how painful being closeted can be, and how angry it can sometimes make you feel.

i am really loving the development of ryu and jin’s friendship. i think it’s especially fun when their roles get swapped and jin has to hold back ryu. i really would love to read the second volume as soon as i can. reading this gave me a warm sense of comfort, because sometimes you really do just need some friends to support you. and also start a small business.

I was lucky to receive an eARC of "Boys Run the Riot 1" thanks to Kondasha Comics and NetGalley. Regardless, I would like to emphasize that, while I received the eARC, this is my honest opinion regarding the manga.

"They say "The Nail that sticks out gets hammered"... But I guess he didn't get the hammer. Unlike...me.," is a quote in "Boys Run the Riot 1" by Keito Gaku that stands out to me, as it describes the experiences of the individuals that don't fit the social "norm" perfectly.

We, as readers, follow the story of the transgender teenager - Ryo - who tries to escape his daily hardships through his passion for street fashion. Going shopping and wearing his favorite street fashion items are the only times that Ryo can express himself so that he feels most comfortable, which motivates him and his classmate Jin to start a fashion brand to create street apparel that aids everyone to feel comfortable in their skin.

The author - Keito Gaku - retells the reality of many transgender individuals with this manga. This story moved me, as a cisgender woman, as I am provided with the perspective of a transgender individual in a conservative country, such as Japan. Nonetheless, while important but equally hurtful topics, such as acceptance, friendship, body dysmorphia, and love, are focal, the manga does not miss the opportunity to highlight the positive effects of being comfortable in one's skin.

Furthermore, the art style impressed me. It has a uniqueness to it that will always be distinguishable from other mangas. I especially liked the graffiti that Ryo makes to express himself.

I believe that the message of this manga is the most important and can leave a positive impression on readers that maybe have not reached the point of unapologetic self-expression! "Boys Run the Riot 1" is written and drawn by a transgender man and an authentic representation of the hardships and the journey to self-expression and unapologetic self-love from his perspective. Ultimately, Keito Gaku created a manga that functions as a proper representation and raises awareness for transgender individuals.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend this manga to members of the LGBTQIIA+ community, Allies of the LGBTQIIA+ community, and readers who want to learn more about the experiences of transgender individuals and support a talented writer and artist.

** Disclaimer **
This review is based on my personal opinion and written with no intention to offend anyone!

Story: I like the story and the message the story tries to convey. I am a heterosexual cis woman and so I can't directly say I would identify with Ryo. But still I want to learn and give my best supporting the people around me and I also think it is important to educate and that is what this manga is doing. It speaks about the internal feelings that (might) go on within you and your own view on your body. It also shows the change of interaction and the different people that could be around you. I think with this manga talking so openly about this situation there is some awareness and some representation out there. I also love the interview with the artist at the end and I also just realized then that the artist himself is a transgender man.
What I also liked about the manga is the way the pronouns used for Ryo by others and especially how Ryo at the later stage speaks of himself as a guy is a developement that just naturally went with the story and just kinda made me happy. I love hearing about strong stories of selfdevelopement.
(5/5)

Art: I think the art was average in most story parts. But special for me was the grafitti scene. As also mentioned later in the interview, the grafitti is from another artist and I always appreciate artist working together and letting different types of art flow into a manga.
(4/5)

The story follows Ryo, a closeted trans teenager who's struggling with the awkwardness of navigating high school, his feelings about his body, and his crush on his best friend. None of this is helped by the fact that he also has to wear the girls’ uniform at school.

It’s outside of school where he’s able to feel the most comfortable—when he’s able to wear the kinds of clothes he wants. Then one day when he’s out shopping, he bumps into the school’s transfer student and they both reach for the same shirt at the same exact time. Since they have similar tastes in clothes, his classmate proposes a wild idea: what if they started a fashion brand together?

Boys Run the Riot Vol. 1 by Keito Gaku is a poignant, heartfelt story about how fashion acts as a form of self-expression. It provides an introspective look at what it’s like to build a small fashion brand from the ground up. We get to see how much of a collaborative effort it is and what sort of challenges the characters face along the way.

On top of that, this manga tackles a queer narrative with an utter vulnerability and realness that I haven’t seen since I first read Our Dreams at Dusk by Shimanami Tasogare. This is an incredibly personal story, and I think its thanks to the fact that it’s both written by a transman and translated into English by a transman as well.

All in all, at its core, Boys Runs the Riot is a story about different misfits pouring their hearts into pursuing their dreams and I can feel like a lot of heart went into making this manga as well.

When I got the ARC for this manga i didn't realize (or maybe I forgot) that the main character is actually transgender and it's based off the author's life experience.

I got so pleasantly surprised, since I never saw this kind of representation in manga.

I really liked how it being trans wasn't the only plot line and there is actually various ones, of different natures which made for a unique reading experience.

All in all, I really liked the story despite the art style not being my favorite.
I can't wait to meet these characters again.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was everything I wanted and so much more!

Story follows closeted trans high school guy Ryo, who has hard time finding a way to express himself openly to the world. One day he meets new transfer kid Jin, who he's not sure about since he looks like a typical bully and someone completely different from him. Slowly though, he discovers he finally found a person he can relay on and be completely honest with. Brought together by their shared love for fashion, they decide to make a brand in order to express to the world who they truly are.

My favorite aspect was definitely friendship Ryo and Jin shared, how they fully accepted each other and ended up being support they needed. Also whole storyline with Ituska was super interesting to my photography lover self, so I enjoyed every second of it.

In general, it was amazing to read about kids stepping up for themselves, accepting their true faces and not letting anyone make them think they are less of anything.

I'm super excited for future volumes!

Such a beautiful tale about friendship, growing up, finding yourself, and queer/trans identities. This is a true heartwarming story with fantastic representation.

🏳️‍⚧️JUNE REVIEW 🏳️‍⚧️
[Boys Run The Riot Vol. 1 || Keito Gaku]
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Thank you to @netgalley and #kodnashacomics for a free ecopy of this newly published YA graphic novel.
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I appreciate that the author incorporated what they know and parts of his own identity, as a transgender male, into the story. You'll see comparisons with the main character, Ryuu who is also a transgender male teenager. Having non-binary characters is important for representation, and added depth to the storyline.
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However, this is not the true focus of the book. We get to know Ryuu and Jin (I'd love to learn more about his background in future volumes) as they branch out and make a fashion company together! I'm truly looking forward to Volume 2 to follow their fashion journey as well as learn more about the characters!
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Illustrations are beautiful & it was fun to read a comic from Japanese culture that reads from right to left rather than what we are used to. I am so happy that the author had this translated into English!
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From the book: This personal, heartfelt, fictional story from a Japanese transgender mana creator made waves in Japan and will inspire readers all over the world!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.25/5)

Boys Run the Riot was refreshing! There aren't so many mangas with transgender characters that are actually realistic about the topic, so I was excited to read this. Ryo is a transgender boy not comfortable in his skin and always wearing jerseys. He can't really talk about it with anyone. At school, he meets the new kid, Jin and their shared passion for fashion unites the two and they start their own fashion label by printing T-shirts. Jin becomes the first person Ryo can confide in and they both learn from the experience while trying to find their own voices. The setting is positively mundane and something you can relate to even though you may not experience the same things in life. This is the best part of the manga. It depicts everything with feelings so that you can crawl under the skin of the characters and it's great.

The art works well with the story even though it isn't the most miraculous. It's stiff and masculine at times, but that somehow adds something totally different to the story. I wish more manga like this was made. I do hope many read this, so they can even try to understand the situation and that Gaku conveys extremely well in Boys Run the Riot. The end notes and interview were also wonderful and opened up the story more.

This may be the most original manga I've ever read.
The story centers around young transgender Ryo as he learns how to be honest with himself. Fate introduces him to Jin, a strong influence to this change, and they bond over street fashion loving and cool clothes. The boys start a fashion brand together--thus creating a well written coming of age story spotlighted with a LGBTQ+ protagonist.

I LOVED this manga. The clothes were fresh, the art modern and relatable as a westerner, the characters were spunky and fresh. The message "be honest and be yourself" was powerful and prevalent.

You do not have to be in the LGBTQ+ community to relate and enjoy this gem!
I highly recommend this story and will definitely have to get my hands on a physical copy as well.

Boys Run the Riot follows closeted trans high school student Ryoko Watari as he forms a friendship with his new classmate, Jin Sato, who proposes to start an indie fashion brand. Together, they face their classmates and other peoples' judgment as they fight for their right to express themselves however they wish, especially through fashion.

While the development of a friendship between Ryoko and Jin felt a bit rushed to me, I still enjoyed seeing these boys stand up together for their right to express themselves freely. Many of Ryoko's feelings about his gender identity hit close to home and I love how Jin just took him for who he was and encouraged his free self-expression through designing his own clothes for their brand. Support in an otherwise unsupportive environment can save someone and I think that was really shown here. Also can I just say the shirt he ended up designing looks so cool? I'd buy one. Some of the characters that were introduced in between Ryoko and Jin's scenes felt like they were shoved in quite abruptly, but I think they will be interesting additions to the series for the future. Overall, a solid start to a manga series that's new to the English language literary world; I'll definitely be looking out for volume 2.

this was the first manga i've ever read and i really enjoyed it! i liked the art style and the writing, and it only took me a little bit to get used to the way you have to read it

i picked it up for the trans representation, but i really got interested in the characters and their motivations! while the marketing has focused a lot on the trans rep (which is own voices!!) and, while being trans is an important part of our character, it's also not the only plotline.

the story follows the MC, who meets the ~new radical guy in his highschool class~ and together they start a fashion brand. we follow them discovering how to own and pursue their passions (and themselves), and a third character gets introduced to this plotline and their group towards the last half of the story. I found this particularly fun, as it makes me think that the gang will keep growing throughout the series, which is one of my favourite things to see in a story!

As i said, i found the characters and their interactions pretty compelling, not only these two main ones, but all the supporting cast too, including the antagonists.
For any new manga readers, I think it's pretty easy to get into the story, even if you have to read it in a different order than usual, and at the end there's a super useful glossary for japanese slang/non-translatable language used in the book!

I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for review.

Boys Run the Riot is the rare manga that explores life for a transgender boy. It should be stated that you do not have to be trans or queer to enjoy this book. Although the protagonist is a transgender boy, and the story does deal with some of the issues he is facing, it's more about learning that the old adage 'the nail that sticks up gets hammered down' doesn't have to dictate your life. It helps if you accumulate friends who also do not fit in. Highly recommended.

Okay, so let me gather my thoughts enough for me to talk about this book because it was amazing. We get great representation with Watari and how he thinks and goes through all these obstacles in his life are so realistic that it's even more hard hitting. I really enjoyed the friendship too, we see how both the buys first find each other and then also make other friends in their process to make their band. This is going to be an excellent series that I'm so excited to keep up with!

"It’s okay if the only one who knows the real me is me."

Boys Run the Riot, Vol.1 has some great lines like this. This is a teen/YA manga translation about Ryo, a transgender boy. Physically a girl, Ryo struggles to fit in. He feels lost with his group of girl friends and boys who were his friends now avoid him because

“You’re a girl, so go hang out with other girls…We don’t want any weird rumors to spread.”

And then, a new boy called Jin Sato joins the school, and things begin to take an interesting turn for Ryo.
I loved this book for its exploration of gender identity and stereotypes. There’s so much peer pressure to conform, and think like everyone else that there’s absolutely no voice for boys like Ryo. He is also intimidated by most kids until Jin makes an appearance and inspires Ryo to stand up for himself, helping him find his individuality. Jin, too, is considered “scary” and a “weirdo” as he is a senior student who is repeating a year, dresses differently, and generally stands out with his attitude. But he makes no apologies for being different.
Along the way, Ryo and Jin meet other ‘outsiders’ like them and there are some nice friendships formed.

The only put off for me in this book was the overly American dialogues, which kind of created a dissonance with the setting. Perhaps, it’s an effort to mirror the Japanese original as closely as possible but it somehow didn’t sit well with me.

The artwork is detailed and does a great job of highlighting small body movements to complement the emotion or atmosphere.

I am now waiting for Volume 2!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC.

I absolutely ADORED this manga.
I only fairly recently started getting into manga, and I haven't seen that much lgbtq+ rep in the ones I picked up so far, so a manga with a trans main character written by a trans author definitely stands out. . I am so glad I picked it up. The characters are so easy to get attached to, the story is awesome and the art is out of this world.

I am now going to buy myself a finished copy and pre order every other book in the series available.

I love this take on fitting in and using fashion as a means of expression and finding friendship in common interest.

Ryuu is never as comfortable as when he is dressed in the clothes he loves. School is a constant irritation because teachers and classmates think of Ryuu as a really weird girl who is is crazy for boys, rather than a boy who is being forced to wear a girls uniform and never allowed to be himself.

Quality storyline, good expressive art, super satisfying read.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the early review.