To Strip The Flesh is a manga collection of short stories about embracing who you truly are. They are good stories, if a bit strange, and the art is well drawn.

With thanks to Netgalley and VIZ Media for the e-ARC.

An authentic, heartfelt, painful, and beautiful look at a trans experience. It's also about family relationships, gender expectations, acceptance, and friendships. Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop until I finished the story. It's a gorgeous story that's also gorgeously drawn. The story is followed by a handful of short stories that range from heartwarming to hilarious to bizarre - all of them good. I enjoyed the whole volume!

ARC received by VIZ media via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had higher hopes for this collection, I recently read Boys Run the Riot and was ecstatic that the protagonist was a trans man written by a trans man. I have read/watched so much manga and anime where trans characters are the butt of the joke so I was excited to see that there was another manga coming out with a trans character as the protagonist.

I personally wish that the first story was the entirety of the collection and that it was a longer story. I do think the other stories were cute (although at the same time sometimes horrifying - I’m not so sure about watermelon now) but nothing was as interesting and impactful as the first story.

Going in I thought the entire collection would be about transitioning and daily lives of trans folx so that was my mistake going in.


Overall, I don’t think I would buy this collection specifically for my library but I am looking forward to seeing more trans representation in manga.

This book was poetic in a way that I generally don't expect from manga. The title story, To Strip the Flesh is visceral and heartwarming. As an afab non-binary person i can intimately relate to a lot of the protagonists struggles, and how they fear they will be perceived by their father. In contrast, the more humorous short stories that followed made me feel light, cutting away some of the weight that had settled on me from To Strip the Flesh. Overall, this is book is incredibly moving for something that can be read in under an hour.

This is a truly potent and powerful story, told through artwork that is fittingly vivid and expressive.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first short story in this volume, followed by several of the shorts that contained the same characters, were my absolute favorite. I just wanted to keep following Chiaki's story more and more. The follow-up short where his dad recounts how Chiaki has changed to become more excitable and outgoing ever since he's started living how he's always wanted (while also fully accepted/encouraged by his father and best friend) made me emotional. I loved seeing Chiaki so happy and doing what he had dreamed of since he was a child: hunting side-by-side as father and son.

I will say that I think Chiaki's friend should have faced more consequences for the things he said before Chiaki left for Thailand. They were really unwarranted and seemed hurtful to me, though I know Chiaki mostly brushed it off as "I see you researched about it because of me."

I was glad that his father and friend came to understand him when he returned. His dad apologizing for hurting him by pushing his own beliefs on what *he* thought would make Chiaki happy all those years was one of my favorite scenes. My other favorites would have to be Chiaki's dream of his chest and uterus being stripped away (with all of the emotional metaphors behind it), then the short story set years later where he meets his friend's new girlfriend with a big, confident smile on his face.

Oda Toda's joint interview with Motigi in the very back of the volume was also a great bonus. Reading about how and why Toda created To Strip the Flesh only made me appreciate it even more. I also liked that Toda mentioned it was impossible to cover the many varied experiences of every trans person in one short story, then went on to mention that Chiaki doesn't represent the thoughts or desires of every trans person.

The additional shorts not related to Chiaki didn't interest me as much, especially the random one or two page stories toward the end. David in Love was a bit odd, even for me, but I could see the humor about it. I Just Love My Fave and Hot Watermelon were the next short stories I liked the most. Both focus on familial love and connection in different ways: between a deceased grandmother cheering on her idol grandson, and the troubled relationship between a mother and her son. The body horror analogy for the pain of giving birth, then it all being swept away after seeing one's child afterward so that he could understand his mother's feelings was moving to me, in a way. It was great to see them start to piece their relationship back together once they were on the same page.

All-in-all, I'd give this a full 5 stars for the first story itself. I'll definitely be buying myself a copy once it comes out!

From where I’m sitting (as a cisgender person), <i>To Strip the Flesh</i> is a very powerful piece – Chiaki has known he’s a boy from a very early age, but his parents’ refusal (or inability, which is a very different thing) to accept that has tormented him, especially his mother’s dying words exhorting him to “grow up and be a beautiful bride.” This isn’t a passively angry story; it’s one about trying to work through a situation that you’re afraid no one will understand, and in that it can be very relatable, no matter who you are or how you identify. In particular (and at the risk of sharing too much), I liked the way Chiaki reacted to his period - you don't have to be transgender to hate and resent it, or to want that part of your body gone. That brings us to the most visceral part of the story: Chiaki has a dream where his father, who butchers his own game, cuts off his breasts and removes his uterus. The scene isn’t gross, but it’s an on-point illustration of how Chiaki feels about his body, and how much he wishes his father could accept it and be a partner to him in being who he really is.

There are other stories in the collection, but To Strip the Flesh is undoubtedly the strongest. All of them deal with the need to be understood and to find a human connection, though, and the skill with which this theme is explored via different plotlines is impressive. This certainly comes with a few content warnings, one of which is for realistic scenes of butchering game, but it’s an excellent exploration of interpersonal relationships and a solid short story collection in general. Highly recommended.

This is a really interesting collection of short stories! I found the first story to be the strongest of the bunch, a moving tale about social expectations, family ties, and living as their truest self, but all of them were all worth a read! The David story, for example was particularly funny to me.

This was an interesting one. The first short story was extremely well done and touched on trans topics with great characters. I almost wish the whole book was about the first story. As I read the book, I forgot that it was a short story collection and so the second chapter was starting. The other stories were good, though not as well done as the first one. The art itself was beautifully done. I hope the artist will get a long-running series in the future with wither talent. Overall a good book with interesting premises that could have been a full volume of just the first story.

*Special thanks to VIZ Media and NetGallery for the eARC of this manga*

TW: Dysphoria (especially around large breasts), Misgendering, Internalised transphobia, transphobia, mentions of suicide, outdated terminology commonly used in Japan, sexist and objectifying online comments, blood, animal hunting, death and slaughtering. Inanimate object in love with a young girl.

NOTE: This review comes from a white, non-binary person and most of my review will focus on the main story in this collection "To Strip the Flesh"

I quite liked this, but also am mixed on my review of this. I both love it and am stand-offish about parts of it. First and foremost, the author, though not trans herself, has had feelings of dysphoria in the past and used the story as an exploration of those feelings. The dysphoria Chiaki feels is truely relatable, especially having a large chest. His fears with his father's reaction to his transition are handled well. I really ended up liking Chiaki's father, who evolves quite well and has a great arc of growth.

Chiaki's best friend, Takato had good and bad moments. He was Chiaki's best support during high-school, but then when Chiaki wants to pursue surgery as an adult, he uses phrases such as "It won't make you a real man!" and "I hear people try to commit suicide after surgery" which he's not exactly called out on. He comes around, but I'm still not so happy with him.

I'm LOVE but am torn on the imagery the manga uses too. Only because of one thing: A lot of the time, since Chiaki is a butcher, he dreams or imagines his body (specifically his breasts) being removed in the same style as an animal's flesh being dismembered. Now I personally thought this was METAL AS HELL and loved it's dark, edgy, and incredibly therapeutic imagery. I loved it because it's every gender critical's nightmare, and I love reclaiming that. I also worry because I can so easily see this being used by said base against us, and that's disheartening. But I refuse to let them claim their worst nightmares out of my fun dream sequences. I really liked this aspect.

Would I recommend this manga to a trans person? Yes! Would I recommend it to a parent who was new to their child's transition? No, there are ones I'd say are much more informational support that group.

As for the other short stories in the collection, I found them incredibly random and disjointed. Some were good, others meh, but overall, a nice exploration into the mangaka's style and storytelling.

I got to read a copy of this via NetGalley, and was
thoroughly impressed. I really feel like it described well
my own gender dysphoria. Of course, it doesn't cover all
experiences, but it did match up with a lot of mine.
I will recommend some trigger warnings : medical procedures, gore, body horror, for some of the other short
stories. Over all, I look forward to buying a copy when it's
in print. Thank you!

"To Strip the Flesh" is an interesting collection of 6 short stories about people learning about and embracing who they are. The story titles are:

-To Strip the Flesh
-To Strip the Flesh, Continued
-I Just Love My Fav
-David in Love
-Hot Watermelon*
-Two-Page Manga Collection

I enjoyed "To Strip the Flesh" and "David in Love" the most. The rest were really good stories, but these two were my favorite.
*This one was a little bit weird/abstract so I had to sit and think on it for a bit.

*reviewed from uncorrected e-galley (some text not finished yet)*

graphic fiction, short stories--Japanese manga translated into English by trans-male author/artist Content notes: contains respectful nudity.

Loved the dynamic artwork and thoughtful storytelling, in both the title story (about a trans man who eventually gets gender-alignment surgery) and in the shorter stories that follow. I would definitely read more from this author/artist and would recommend to others.

I enjoyed this manga a great deal, my only complaint is that the main story is more of a novella or short story, and I wanted to spend more time with those characters.

This is an amazing manga collection, though I do agree with most reviewers that the title story (novella-length, really) is by far the strongest. I loved the happy ending (spoilers, I guess) and the way the characters get developed. I also loved the weird stuff in other stories, from the ghost grandma (which almost made me cry) to the freaky body horror in "Hot Watermelon." Basically, these stories run the gamut and will make you feel wildly different emotions, but they all work really well. Oto Toda is an amazing talent, and I can't wait to read more from them!

This is an excellent manga anthology with stories that go from sincere to wacky. The titular story is an amazing contemplation on trans identity. My one complaint is the cover... I preferred the original Japanese cover image. The new one doesn't quite convey the story accurately. I'd recommend this for adults. Some parts are too high concept for my high school audience, and while some of my students might be ready for this story, not all of them are, making it more relevant for an older age range.

Thank you, VIZ Media, for allowing me to read To Strip the Flesh early!

I really liked this short-story collection, especially the first one which was about a trans man's journey to his truest self.

To Strip The Flesh is a title I've been anticipating with bated breath. Between Toda's work as an assistant for Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man) and their interview with essayist Mochigi (thankfully included in this volume!) I was terribly intrigued by what this work would encompass. Altogether, I found this a fantastic debut volume which, has its ups and downs yet is full of heart and wields an undeniably unique perspective.

To note, this is an anthology of short stories. The titular/cover story centers on a young trans man who wants to physically transition but feels trapped by his desire to not disappoint his father. This story is certainly the strongest to me. There is a lot to both the protagonist and his father and I found both the Youtuber and hunting angle here really compelling motifs. The other stories in this volume range from other parent-child struggles (with some light body horror aspects) to ghost tales and more. This is a release that left me thinking I cannot wait to see what they do next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viz for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a while since I enjoyed a collection as much as Oto Toda's To Strip the Flesh. Although Toda's stories span a wide range of topics, the thread of being true to oneself runs through all. The titular To Strip the Flesh was my favorite, combining light moments with an overall serious tone to portray one man's path to happiness on a road paved with prying eyes.

The conversation between Oto Toda and Motigi at the end of the book was also a good read, and I'm glad it was included.

Overall, To Strip the Flesh, the collection, truly showcases the breadth of Toda's work. In the the afterward, Toda mentions a wish for serialization, and I wish that for them too.

Story and Art: Oto Toda
English Translation and Adaptation: Emily Balistrieri
Touch-up Art and Lettering: Ace Christman
Design: Alice Lewis
Editor: Pancha Diaz